New SB Boots , Need Help.

[train36]

I am looking at the K2 T1 DB , Ride Crew Focus and the Burton Ion. Anyone riding any of these ? If so please give me some feedback? I originally set out to find the K2 and the Rides but can't find them anywhere. Anyone seen these in a shop ? I want/need to try them on but can't find anywhere that carries them. I called most places that they list as dealers on the websites and got nowhere. On my journey I came across some Burton Ions that were leftovers from 2007 that were new and cheap and seemed pretty comfy, most reviews on them are positive. If I can't find the K2 or Rides to try on than I think I am just going to grab them. I am looking for a solid all mountain boot with a medium stiffness. I have been riding 32 lashed but they are too soft for my liking. If anyone else has any other options let me know, thanks.

Edited November 22, 2008 by train36

[method9455]

I am looking at the K2 T1 DB , Ride Crew Focus and the Burton Ion. Anyone riding any of these ? If so please give me some feedback? I originally set out to find the K2 and the Rides but can't find them anywhere. Anyone seen these in a shop ? I want/need to try them on but can't find anywhere that carries them. I called most places that they list as dealers on the websites and got nowhere. On my journey I came across some Burton Ions that were leftovers from 2007 that were new and cheap and seemed pretty comfy, most reviews on them are positive. If I can't find the K2 or Rides to try on than I think I am just going to grab them. I am looking for a solid all mountain boot with a medium stiffness. I have been riding 32 lashed but they are too soft for my liking. If anyone else has any other options let me know, thanks.

 

I have been riding the K2 T1's for about 2 years, going on my 3rd. I'm looking to replace them this year because I have about 80+ days on them and they are packing out. My girlfriend and my best friend are also on K2's but they are the male/female version of the Tracker Boa instead of the T1. If I had a choice today I would go with the Tracker instead of the T1.

 

I went through all the boots at my store over the course of a few weeks (i try on every boot every year when there are no customers to kill time), and the K2 T1 for my foot was far and away the most comfortable in the store. I like stiff boots a lot, and I figured it would be really stiff and great for free riding and pipe and I could make it work for jibs/jumps.

 

It turns out, they are really good for freeriding and pipe, but they really suck for jibs and jumps. I make it work but barely. What ends up happening is when you land on a jump with a boot that stiff and you have to bend your knees to absorb it, instead of bending your ankles and knees and having your weight come down straight, you are basically forced to keep your shins vertical and bend your knees such that your ass hits the ground. I seriously fall that way 99.99% of the time when I fall on a jump. It is just impossible to bend through the front of the boot because they are like ski boots. They feel stiff in the store but once you strap in, they obviously get even stiffer. Additionally I"m not a fan of the placement of the knob for the internal boa. It ends up pinching the back of your ankle sometimes in a really annoying way.

 

For pipe and freeriding I absolutely love the response. I feel like I can thread a needle when I'm carving in them and I have 0 complaints there.

 

So to me, the tracker is a bit softer and I think that would be ideal for you if you ever want to do park. If you are solely free riding, the T1s are superior.

 

I don't know that specific ride boot but I do like the new ride boots, and I know several people in the Ion but they are more park oriented, that boot is going to be softer than the T1.

 

For my next pair of boots, I'm going to go a lot softer than the T1. I've had two pairs of soft, then a medium stiffness, then a really stiff boot, and now I'm going back down to the medium stiffness. I will keep the T1's and I might pair them up with an alpine board for a nearly hard boot setup.

[train36]

Thanks for the reply, didn't realize they were that stiff. I thought they were more middle of the line. I want something to do everything in so I might just stick with the Ions since they fit my feet good and seem to be around the right stiffness I am looking for. I might take a ride up to Langhorne and check out the Celsius boots they have to see how they feel, but I heard they are on the soft side.

[Dan-]

Ion's are in no way middle of the line. They are stiff as hell aswell. I've tryed them on a few times in the shop thinking i might like them, but they're just way to stiff for my liking, and I like a good mid flexing boot. I'd try looking at the Sabbath, that boot seemed pretty solid and had a good flex. Im riding the XIII this year, i have 2 days on them and i love them, super comfortable, and has a great flex, there just super expensive.

[train36]

I didn't think they felt that stiff in the shop. Probably because I wasn't use to Burtons lacing system and didn't have them as tight as normal. I am going to try them on again when I go pick up my boards from getting tuned. Like Method said I thought a lot of people use them as an all around boot.

[Dan-]

I'd look at a few boots before the Ion if your looking for a mid flexing boot. Try the Burton Sabbath, or the 32 Tm Two's. I rode the 32 Lashed last year as a do everything boot and i was fine. The only boot stiffer then the Ion in Burton's line is the Driver X, which is pretty much like wearing a Ski boot.

 

You could also look at the Ride FUL's.

[method9455]

I'd look at a few boots before the Ion if your looking for a mid flexing boot. Try the Burton Sabbath, or the 32 Tm Two's. I rode the 32 Lashed last year as a do everything boot and i was fine. The only boot stiffer then the Ion in Burton's line is the Driver X, which is pretty much like wearing a Ski boot.

 

You could also look at the Ride FUL's.

 

I'm not really buying Burton's rating at the moment, unless they have drastically changed the Ion only a few years ago it was not an 8/10 stiffness on their scale. It is stiffer than the Hail for sure which is probably their most popular boot other than the cheap ones like the Moto and Freestyle, but it isn't nearly as stiff as the Driver and they used to have the SL-7 as well that was really stiff. To me the T1 & Driver are more equivalent, and the Tm Twos are a lot closer to the Ion. The Tracker is more like a Burton Hail.

[Dan-]

The Ion was never marketing as a mid flexing boot though. It was always more geared towards guys who needed a super responsive boot, thus it would have to be stiff. I've tried on both the Tm Two's and the Ions, Tm Twos are definitely softer. The one thing i really disliked about the Ion was the lack of the Articulated cuff. Whenever the boot flexes, it blows out around the ankle, which in my opinion should not be the case with a 350 dollar boot.

[RomeOp]

The Ion was never marketing as a mid flexing boot though. It was always more geared towards guys who needed a super responsive boot, thus it would have to be stiff. I've tried on both the Tm Two's and the Ions, Tm Twos are definitely softer. The one thing i really disliked about the Ion was the lack of the Articulated cuff. Whenever the boot flexes, it blows out around the ankle, which in my opinion should not be the case with a 350 dollar boot.

 

dan what are they teaching you at buckman's, dude? The ions are by no means a stiff as hell boot. There is one thing it is, though, SHIT. Especially when compared to the t1db's. The t1db is easily the best boot on the market for just about any rider out there. The access boa provides the best heel hold of any boot, ever. and for your 30 minute east coast lift lines, open the access boa up and relax your foot without have to screw around with the shell lacing. As for flex? crank that sucka down and you've got a stiff, really responsive boot. Leave the guy open a little more than normal, paired with the access boa, and you've got yourself a boot that can ride as soft as a hail or lashed, without any heel slippage whatsoever.

 

Dude looking at getting t1db's. It's a boot you can't go wrong with, buy them a 1/2 size smaller than you measure, mold with with the toecaps on, and you'll be wearing the best boot you have ever had on your feet. other than that, try the marshall from rome, as close a copy of the t1's as you'll find. The crew focus is suprisingly bulky and heavy. Check out the circiut boa from 32 for another possible boot that fits into what you are looking for. If no shops in PA, offer a good selection of boots, let them know they are blowing it by not offering someone the best possible selection of boots available. There is no reason a K2 dealer shouldn't be carrying t1's.

 

Dan, I still like you though, get out here and visit, we're heading up to whistler tomorrow, and baker is about to open within the next week. I knowwwww you want to ride bakerrrrrrr......

[train36]

Lots of mixed reviews in this one. I would love to try out the K2 T1 DB but still have not found a shop that carries them. They are an expensive boot with not much of a market around here. 80-90% of people that ride around here are kids that want soft park boots. I think the Ski Bum has the regular K2 T1 , I could see how they fit and what size I am and order the T1 Db's online. I am kind of woriied abput them being too stiff after what Method was saying. I am still going to checkout some of the Celsius boots. Anyone been in a pair of them?

Edited November 25, 2008 by train36

[method9455]

Lots of mixed reviews in this one. I would love to try out the K2 T1 DB but still have not found a shop that carries them. They are an expensive boot with not much of a market around here. 80-90% of people that ride around here are kids that want soft park boots. I think the Ski Bum has the regular K2 T1 , I could see how they fit and what size I am and order the T1 Db's online. I am kind of woriied abput them being too stiff after what Method was saying. I am still going to checkout some of the Celsius boots. Anyone been in a pair of them?

 

We can define mid flexing in a lot of different places, the Ion is at the stiffer end of mid flexing in my opinion, they are stiffer than the Hail but softer than the Driver and T1 among others. But Dan and I can agree on one thing, they really suck at bending forward I don't understand the ankle blow out on Burton boots at all but it is definately there.

 

32 Boots are the shit but they fit my specific foot terribly. K2 boots seem to fit very differently and wrap my foot like a glove, so the fit really did it for me with the T1. If you wanted a stiff boot I would recommend the T1 with or without the boa on the inside. Without it, you avoid the problem with the pressure point inside. WIth it, you can adjust it on the fly. I've learned to pop the boa every now and then on the lift to get some more circulation going because you can definitely over tighten the liner and that is half the problem. Honestly if the Ski Bum had without Boa I would buy that one over the one with Boa based on my experience.

 

However, your original spec said mid-flexing and no one can say it is mid flexing. It is the best free riding boot I've ever had but it just isn't as great for park. Only you can really decide that question. It definitely isn't unusable for park I do 40 foot jumps with it and pretty much any jib I ever see but it makes landing more difficult than it has to be primarily when you have a bit more force on jump landing you need to absorb for one reason or another. If you said I was doing 80% of my riding on trail and 20% in the park, I would say it would be worth it. Thats about what I do and only recently has it started to piss me off in the park as I switch to more 60/40 now that I ride Boulder a lot.

[train36]

The more I think I about it the more I am leaning towards a softer boot than the T1. I want something just a little stiffer than the lashed . I do have a season pass to Bear Creek which means I am going to be in the park a lot. 90% of my riding is going to be at BC and Blue with the rest spread out between other mountains in PA , VT ,NY and my trip out west. From what Method was saying I think the K2 T1 is probably too stiff for the type riding I will be doing. My riding is probably split 50/50 park/freeride . I am going to revisit some shops and try on other boots this weekend and next week. I have been looking into some DC boots as well, the Judge and the Super Park, both seem like middle of the line stiffness I am looking for. I need to find some shops that carry them so I can try them on too.

[train36]

I just read a bunch of bad reviews on DC boots , looks like they are off the list.

[train36]

Thanks for all the help and I finally got boots. I picked up a pair of Celsius Cirrus today at Langhorne Ski Shop . They were leftovers from last season and were on sale for around 100 $ . I tried them on and they fit perfect and felt good on my feet. They are rated 7/10 as far as stiffness goes on the Celsius website and think they will be a good all around boot.

[Schif]

Fitting right and feeling good is the name of the game. Congrats on your pickup!