I have been away from the ski/snowboard industry for a solid 15 years. I used to live in the North Tahoe area where I was on the mountain 100+ days a season and then I moved. Now I am in Montana with tons of amazing backcountry out the back door. Needless to say all my gear is 15 years old and the whole split board concept is new. I used to ride hard boots on plate bindings.

My big question is what are most of you guys using for boots on a splitboard in the backcountry?
How do the splitboards work any way? On ice, crust, crud? I'm sure that they do fine in the pow but curios about all other conditions.

Even though not in Tahoe area anymore came acros this site and was really impresed.
Thanks for the help
TD

I don't know anyone complaining about splitboard performance in the backcountry. The board is stiff with the extra edges and binding plate contact. You won't prefer it to a normal board for fast, hardpack riding, but you're not over analyzing board performance like that when your mind gets all the new stimuli associated with backcountry ski/board touring. Plus, you need it if you want to go, so just get one!

I see people generally using plastic AT boots that are a little lower and softer. Garmont's 3 buckle AT boots, or older, lower AT boots with a nice new, lightweight formable liner in there. I've seen people use Scarpa laser/Matrix boots, which are easy to find cheap, but they are really tall in the back. If you are shorter than 6', you might want a lower boot.

If you want to share your plastic splitboard boots with skis, you might get a lighter weight 4 buckle AT boot like Garmont Megaride, Scarpa Spirit 4, or Dynafit ZZero. Going any whimper usually doesn't cut it for skiing unless you are really lightweight and mellow.

I've never seen anyone successfully snowboard well on lace-up plastic mountaineering boots. Go to splitboard.com to see everyone's talk on all this gear. Or just get some lower AT boots, a board, and get after it right now. Like skiing, you're not really going to be able to analyze what boot will work for you. It's all fit, which takes experimenting and time to optimize. Meanwhile the snow is melting.

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Mike Schwartz
www.thebackcountry.net
mike@thebackcountry.net

I have had pretty good results with these this year.

Jim

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" Do the thing you fear the most and the death of fear is certain"

Even on hard, steep snow?

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Mike Schwartz
www.thebackcountry.net
mike@thebackcountry.net

Not too bad Mike, Buckles would be nice. I have always seemed to like a softer boot, probably from learning to board in the early days. But it really depends on my objective, if i am heading to the East Side for a large objective and will most likely experience hard morning snow, I'll wear the Dynafits.

So far though, these home modified Koflachs have gotten me through everything this season.

Jim

_________________
" Do the thing you fear the most and the death of fear is certain"

Thanks Mike and Jim for the input, it's greatly appreciated. I am in the hunt for a splitboard now, so hopefully next season will be the fist year of Montana backcountry for me. Enjoy whats left of the white stuff.
TD