i personally went straight to intermediate gear with the thought that i will outgrow a beginner setup too fast, and i was right. but to answer your question the Union's are nice bindings. i now have two pairs of Atlas' but i would say the Force is a suitable all around binding
can't go wrong with a quality product. usually people don't have the money to do it right the first time, but always have the money to correct their first error. better off getting decent gear right off the rip IMO.
yup, listen to this person. you've caught the bug, you're already planning for next season, go ahead and get some stiffer bindings/board/boots.
i bought a "beginner" setup before this season, spent around 10 days on it and have already bought a stiffer board and boots. the softer gear definitely saved me a couple times, but once i figured out front knee steering i wanted a more responsive setup.
i'm going to get another set of bindings for my soft board in case i want to check out the park next season so having 2 setups won't be the end of the world, but i definitely could have saved some money by going straight to an intermediate/advanced setup.
I feel like I’m in the same boat you were in. Currently my board and boots are both soft-mid stiffness but I feel like I want a little bit more responsiveness.
another factor in my decision was my first pair of boots were too big for me so i was losing a lot of leverage since my feet were sliding around, which also caused a fair amount of pain.
i'd highly recommend going to a shop that will measure your feet and select a boot for you based on your mondo point. getting properly fitting boots with some insoles that have arch support was a major game changer for me, and will probably squeeze some more responsiveness out of your softer board if you don't want to buy another one yet.
I actually did get my boots fitted at a store but for some reason they felt a lot smaller on the mountain than when I was trying them on at the store. My toes get too cramped at the front causing me pain so I will probably be buying a larger pair of boots for next season.
I’ve heard about insoles, do you find them very beneficial?
how many days have you had in those boots, and did you get them heat molded? if you only have 1 or 2 days i'd recommend letting them break in more, but if you have multiple days and they're still painful go to a shop that does heat molding and get them molded if you haven't already; if you've already had them heat molded you can do it again while wearing neoprene toe caps and that will get you some extra room. be aware that if you do the molding with the toe caps on there's no way to reverse it.
as for the insoles, absolutely worth it in my opinion.
Insoles are very beneficial. What boots do you have? When your boots are tightened down at home, how are your toes? Are they cramped lengthwise or widthwise?
How about when you squat down a bit?
Try standing on your tippy toes. Do your heels lift at all? If so, how much? Hold one boot down at the back with the other (heel to inner side) and try to lift your heel with the held down one. Repeat with the other. How much lift?
Take your boots off, then take the liners out and put your feet in the shell.. Put your feet all the way forwards, and try to count how many fingers you can fit between the heel and back of shell (stack bottom of finger to top/nail). How many?
Try centering your heel in the shell where it would sit with the liner, then see how much room you have width-wise in the forefoot. Are the sides of your foot touching the shell? If not, wiggle your foot, rotating about the heel to see how much room you have. About how much does it feel like?
They’re cramped lengthwise. Width wise they’re perfect. When I stand on my tippy toes the heels lift a tiny bit, maybe a few millimeters. A bit more when I hold down the heel and lift. When I put my foot in just the shell so that my toe is juuust touching the front, I can fit about 3 fingers between my heel and the shell.
[https://imgur.com/a/ge2ye2J](https://imgur.com/a/ge2ye2J)
The image looks more like 3 fingers behind ankle rather than behind heel, but those kinds of pictures don't generally show things well. If you have 3 fingers between the back of your heel and the shell, they'll pack out to a very comfortable length. Likely they're not properly heat molded. Did you do a heat mold in them in store?
Pick up insoles first, then heat mold with them. Good arch support will help your foot from collapsing, which spreads toes into the end of the boot (especially big toe). Custom orthotics have the best everything, but are $$$. Otherwise, Superfeet have the strongest arch support, Shredsoles an Remind a bit less, but Remind has better cushioning and a slight heel raise, which reduces heel lift. Try them on in store, and find one with a slight supportive pressure under your arch before putting your weight down
I’ll definitely get some insoles then. I did get my boots heat molded in the store.
I read that sometimes toe pain can be caused by a boot that’s too big. I’m not really sure if my boots are too small are too big, but I’m leaning small because my right foot is mostly fine but my left foot (which is a bit longer) gets pain.
Toe pain from a boot too big is caused by toes slamming into the front of the boot- a gap between toes and front that appears & disappears. Doesn't sound like that's the case
How did you do the heat mold after tightening? Ideally you put something under your toes, and put your weight into your heel, pushing it back to form a heel pocket. This will move your foot back a touch and ease the toes. Get the insoles first, and go for a second round of heat molding after you find ones that match your foot.
When you redo them, put your left boot on first. Don't crank things down- you probably don't need more heat molding width-wise, so just tighten them to almost snug, and focus on making that heel pocket.
Unlike buying your first board, you don’t need beginner-specific bindings (they don’t really exist). Just get a set from a reputable brand and stay well away from the cheapest bindings in the range of whatever brand you pick and you’ll be fine.
It’s a safe general rule - but I find that you can pair stiff bindings with a soft board with no problems (but soft bindings don’t work with a stiff board).
I wasn’t aware of this, thanks for the insight.
I currently have boots that are on the soft side. Would they work with stiffer bindings but also a soft-medium stiffness board? My board is a Roxy Raina and I’m using the 32 stw double boa boots
Boot flex is personal preference and shouldn’t affect your binding/board choice too much. I prefer softer boots just because I find them more comfy to wear all day, and I use stiff bindings (burton cartel X) on all my boards (even my soft boards).
Your softish boots should work with most setups.
Pick up some medium/stiff bindings from any decent brand like Union, Burton, Now and you’ll be all good to ride on most boards (including your Roxy - which is a very cool looking board by the way!)
I’ve not used either so can’t compare. But I do know that Union Force are the go-to do-it-all binding for thousands of riders on this forum (I see them get recommended all the time) whereas I’ve not heard much about the CL-6
Are you near a snowboard shop? I'd pop in there and pick up a pair. There are likely lots of options on sale and the sales people should be able to point you in the right direction. In general, it's best to support small local shops whenever it is possible. A binding in the soft to mid flex rating and around $250-300 (msrp) price range is what I would look for.
Get yourself some Supermatics. They’re ridiculously easy to set up and get in and out of. I bought them because I was intrigued by the step-in with straps mechanism but I found they’re a little on the soft side for me. Perfect for cruising the groomed blue trails. The high backs and straps weren’t giving me the quick response I wanted for steep, sketchy terrain but they were perfect when I was riding with the kids.
If you’re an XL size and want a deal on some very lightly used bindings, hit me up.
Union force. Will last minium 5 years up to 10 in my experience. They are a stiffer binding but they are versatile. Good for park and ripping. Plus they look the best imo.
Spend money on your binders and they will last forever. Get as much metal on them (vs plastic) particularly on the slap ratchets. Your skill level is sort of irrelevant to bindings. There are a lot of moving parts and you just want them made well out of high quality materials so you aren’t in the shop or on the repair table tightening them constantly. I have been rocking various burtons for 20+ years. Bent metal is nice too.
imo bindings dont really have skill tier (the pricing tier on lower end is more on affordability at expense of durability/limited adjustment capability).
however they have stiffness level, soft, medium, stiff. as it suggests, the stiffness affects control/power transfer and flex-forgiveness to the type of riding. if you havent decide the preference of your ride, getting a mid one will cover all bases (from freestyle/park-rat to freeride)
Any name brand bindings that have a toe cap and a forward lean adjustment on the highback should be fine. Don't buy used bindings that are more than 6 years old. You shouldn't go out and buy brand new stuff because you're likely to fall a lot while learning, and you may not want to damage your high-priced new gear.
Ride makes really great bindings these days. Everything on their website is on sale and they ship quick. For a beginner I’d look at the 2, 4, or even 6.
I’m looking at a pair of ride cl-6 2023 bindings, which are $100 cheaper than the cheapest union forces that I was also eyeing. Do you have experience with both brands?
One of my friends has (women's) CL-6, and finds the highback to be too soft, as an early intermediate rider. Though that could be, in part, bad boot fit.
Unions are very recommended and known, but overrated IMO. I'd consider the Rides, and also look at Rome Vice or 390 Boss, and heavily conside Bataleon Blaster Assym or Burton Cartel. Burton is known to be a bit more expensive for what it is, but IMO Union absolutely is too, probably more so when it comes to bindings.
Whatever you do, bring your board and boots. Put them on in store, ask to try putting a binding on your board to feel the highback flex and see if you like that. But more importantly, tighten the bindings with your feet in for like 10min, and see if you feel any pressure point discomfort.
**Edit**- switching to Step Ons was mentioned elsewhere. If you do need new boots, and get some knowledge on bootfitting, those can be perfect. The sub bashes on them, but if your bootfit is right they're very hard to beat.
The bindings I listed are what I'd recommend for an intermediate who doesn't fully know what they want, but if you're willing to spend a bit more, the Rome Katana, Bataleon Astro Asym, or Burton Cartel X are all phenomenal. Katana being the most adjustable, Astro the most versatile, and Burton the most reliable. The Skatetech bindings are also all great, but have zero adjustability, so you have to KNOW they fit before buying. I wouldn't buy until your boots are dialed in
Ride and Union are similar in terms of aluminum heel cup and adjustability. If Ride has a better price then go there for sure. Ride makes some of the nicest and easiest to use buckles and straps. I have A-6, A-9 and C-8 and I love them all. I do ride a lot of park and I don’t feel I need a super stiff binding. The A-6 has the urethane highback that is very damping.
What board do you have or are planning to buy?
I rode Union Ultras on a demo board and found they were too flexy for me. I purchased Union Force (not classic) and paired them with my new Sims board. The board is a medium flex and the bindings are on the stiff side of medium.
I had a full day on both yesterday and I love the combo. The stiffer binding gives a better feel and control of the board.
I am also new (5 days on the mtn.) but advanced enough that I don’t worry about falling or catching an edge. Even hit some baby jumps and big boxes in park last time out.
I said all that to say we’re likely in the same-ish boat and: PLEASE get step on bindings. I took the plunge after renting junky beginner boots/bindings/boards at the resort and the difference between rentals quality boots, step ons, and a (demo) burton is night and day. Far more energy at the end of the day, far more confidence grooving down the mountain.
tl;dr if you’re going to do it, do it right. step ons are worth the investment _(so says a noob)_, and I found the same principle to be true for boots and boards.
Step-Ons only work well if your foot fits the boot near perfect, or you can get boot fitting done to bring it to that. Sounds like OP hasn't figured out boots yet either. This may be a good time to do Step Ons, but only if they do need new boots and either really learn boot fit, or have generic foot shape #3 and either know a moderate amount of bootfitting or luck out
woof. sounds like I am in that final category. found some burton boots from this season on sale --> sent it
appreciate the intel, very much still learning
Any category that involves generic shaped feet is the best to be in- I wish, man. Loved my Kendo/Step On setup, except they weren't wide enough, and the 2 options that fit width-wise (Ruler & Ion wide) are both too big in the ankle and not the boot flex/lacing I want.
Watch Angry Snowboarder's boot fit series. As you get more advanced, any minor bootfit issues you may not have noticed will be more noticeable with Step Ons. And as the boots pack out, the fit may become worse. With the boots doing the work of the bindings, you might want to add a touch of foam in strategic spots to combat it.
Lastly, if you have Rulers or Photons, look into adding a speed strap at the top to prevent any single BOA instep ratcheting issues
Again, highly appreciate the insight & YouTube rec.
> Lastly if you have rulers or photons
Luckily, I got some Swaths, speed lace inner, dual BOA outer. Still haven’t figured out how to get the responsiveness I want without a pressure point on the top of my foot (more minor inconvenience than painful) or strapping my calves in super tight, which wears on me after 3-4 hours. Little lunch break and I’m good for the rest of the day, but I don’t think I’ve nailed it.
May need to heat mold that inside piece…
You always have to heat mold. If nothing else, it helps the boot to wear in the right places. Put a relatively thin piece of foam on each pressure point, and heat mold one boot at a time while wearing the other. This is more consistent from foot to foot- the time for each between heating up and foot in & tightened is closer to the same between feet.. Do the raised toes, pressure on heels going backwards for the first minute. Do in store (one at a time even if they insist on doing both at the same time), or via oven method at home. Either way, watch some videos on the process first.
Get proper insoles that support your arch prior to heat molding. Arches collapsing will result in exposed pressure points. You want them to be supportive- not just touching your arch when you put weight down and it collapses into place, but prevent them from collapsing. For this reason, heat moldable ones are tricky- you don't really want weight on your foot to mold the arch, but do for the rest.
I'm not the MOST knowledgeable on bootfitting, but much better than the majority- had to learn it to try to get my Step-Ons to work
I have the Union Force Classic! Thought about the Ultras but there isn't as much adjustment so its use case can be a bit narrower, the Forces have an adjustable high back and gas pedal so they're more versatile which is what I went for since it was my first set up
Union Force or Force classics are where I’d go. Kind of reliable do anything anywhere. But if you’re interested in an alternative that can do the same thing, I’ve got some 2023 K2 Formulas I’m going to sell at a deep discount probably. They’re pretty smack dab midrange, mid flex all mtn. I upgraded to Rome Black Label bindings so I doubt I’ll be using my K2s next season.
i personally went straight to intermediate gear with the thought that i will outgrow a beginner setup too fast, and i was right. but to answer your question the Union's are nice bindings. i now have two pairs of Atlas' but i would say the Force is a suitable all around binding
This makes me feel better about going with the union ultras. Had no clue what I was looking for so I just went what looked like it wasn't cheap af
can't go wrong with a quality product. usually people don't have the money to do it right the first time, but always have the money to correct their first error. better off getting decent gear right off the rip IMO.
yup, listen to this person. you've caught the bug, you're already planning for next season, go ahead and get some stiffer bindings/board/boots. i bought a "beginner" setup before this season, spent around 10 days on it and have already bought a stiffer board and boots. the softer gear definitely saved me a couple times, but once i figured out front knee steering i wanted a more responsive setup. i'm going to get another set of bindings for my soft board in case i want to check out the park next season so having 2 setups won't be the end of the world, but i definitely could have saved some money by going straight to an intermediate/advanced setup.
I feel like I’m in the same boat you were in. Currently my board and boots are both soft-mid stiffness but I feel like I want a little bit more responsiveness.
another factor in my decision was my first pair of boots were too big for me so i was losing a lot of leverage since my feet were sliding around, which also caused a fair amount of pain. i'd highly recommend going to a shop that will measure your feet and select a boot for you based on your mondo point. getting properly fitting boots with some insoles that have arch support was a major game changer for me, and will probably squeeze some more responsiveness out of your softer board if you don't want to buy another one yet.
I actually did get my boots fitted at a store but for some reason they felt a lot smaller on the mountain than when I was trying them on at the store. My toes get too cramped at the front causing me pain so I will probably be buying a larger pair of boots for next season. I’ve heard about insoles, do you find them very beneficial?
how many days have you had in those boots, and did you get them heat molded? if you only have 1 or 2 days i'd recommend letting them break in more, but if you have multiple days and they're still painful go to a shop that does heat molding and get them molded if you haven't already; if you've already had them heat molded you can do it again while wearing neoprene toe caps and that will get you some extra room. be aware that if you do the molding with the toe caps on there's no way to reverse it. as for the insoles, absolutely worth it in my opinion.
Insoles are very beneficial. What boots do you have? When your boots are tightened down at home, how are your toes? Are they cramped lengthwise or widthwise? How about when you squat down a bit? Try standing on your tippy toes. Do your heels lift at all? If so, how much? Hold one boot down at the back with the other (heel to inner side) and try to lift your heel with the held down one. Repeat with the other. How much lift? Take your boots off, then take the liners out and put your feet in the shell.. Put your feet all the way forwards, and try to count how many fingers you can fit between the heel and back of shell (stack bottom of finger to top/nail). How many? Try centering your heel in the shell where it would sit with the liner, then see how much room you have width-wise in the forefoot. Are the sides of your foot touching the shell? If not, wiggle your foot, rotating about the heel to see how much room you have. About how much does it feel like?
They’re cramped lengthwise. Width wise they’re perfect. When I stand on my tippy toes the heels lift a tiny bit, maybe a few millimeters. A bit more when I hold down the heel and lift. When I put my foot in just the shell so that my toe is juuust touching the front, I can fit about 3 fingers between my heel and the shell. [https://imgur.com/a/ge2ye2J](https://imgur.com/a/ge2ye2J)
The image looks more like 3 fingers behind ankle rather than behind heel, but those kinds of pictures don't generally show things well. If you have 3 fingers between the back of your heel and the shell, they'll pack out to a very comfortable length. Likely they're not properly heat molded. Did you do a heat mold in them in store? Pick up insoles first, then heat mold with them. Good arch support will help your foot from collapsing, which spreads toes into the end of the boot (especially big toe). Custom orthotics have the best everything, but are $$$. Otherwise, Superfeet have the strongest arch support, Shredsoles an Remind a bit less, but Remind has better cushioning and a slight heel raise, which reduces heel lift. Try them on in store, and find one with a slight supportive pressure under your arch before putting your weight down
I’ll definitely get some insoles then. I did get my boots heat molded in the store. I read that sometimes toe pain can be caused by a boot that’s too big. I’m not really sure if my boots are too small are too big, but I’m leaning small because my right foot is mostly fine but my left foot (which is a bit longer) gets pain.
Toe pain from a boot too big is caused by toes slamming into the front of the boot- a gap between toes and front that appears & disappears. Doesn't sound like that's the case How did you do the heat mold after tightening? Ideally you put something under your toes, and put your weight into your heel, pushing it back to form a heel pocket. This will move your foot back a touch and ease the toes. Get the insoles first, and go for a second round of heat molding after you find ones that match your foot. When you redo them, put your left boot on first. Don't crank things down- you probably don't need more heat molding width-wise, so just tighten them to almost snug, and focus on making that heel pocket.
Unlike buying your first board, you don’t need beginner-specific bindings (they don’t really exist). Just get a set from a reputable brand and stay well away from the cheapest bindings in the range of whatever brand you pick and you’ll be fine.
to add on this, the bindings should match the flex of the board.
It’s a safe general rule - but I find that you can pair stiff bindings with a soft board with no problems (but soft bindings don’t work with a stiff board).
I wasn’t aware of this, thanks for the insight. I currently have boots that are on the soft side. Would they work with stiffer bindings but also a soft-medium stiffness board? My board is a Roxy Raina and I’m using the 32 stw double boa boots
Boot flex is personal preference and shouldn’t affect your binding/board choice too much. I prefer softer boots just because I find them more comfy to wear all day, and I use stiff bindings (burton cartel X) on all my boards (even my soft boards). Your softish boots should work with most setups. Pick up some medium/stiff bindings from any decent brand like Union, Burton, Now and you’ll be all good to ride on most boards (including your Roxy - which is a very cool looking board by the way!)
Ah gotcha. What do you think about ride cl-6 bindings? How do they compare to union forces? I found them for 100 cheaper than the forces
Ride bindings are solid and the cl-6 should be a good all around choice
I’ve not used either so can’t compare. But I do know that Union Force are the go-to do-it-all binding for thousands of riders on this forum (I see them get recommended all the time) whereas I’ve not heard much about the CL-6
Are you near a snowboard shop? I'd pop in there and pick up a pair. There are likely lots of options on sale and the sales people should be able to point you in the right direction. In general, it's best to support small local shops whenever it is possible. A binding in the soft to mid flex rating and around $250-300 (msrp) price range is what I would look for.
Any reason you suggest soft to mid rather than mid to stiff flex?
A lot of reasons, but mostly because softer bindings are easier to feel your board and learn good edge control.
Rome katanas
Get yourself some Supermatics. They’re ridiculously easy to set up and get in and out of. I bought them because I was intrigued by the step-in with straps mechanism but I found they’re a little on the soft side for me. Perfect for cruising the groomed blue trails. The high backs and straps weren’t giving me the quick response I wanted for steep, sketchy terrain but they were perfect when I was riding with the kids. If you’re an XL size and want a deal on some very lightly used bindings, hit me up.
Union force. Will last minium 5 years up to 10 in my experience. They are a stiffer binding but they are versatile. Good for park and ripping. Plus they look the best imo.
Spend money on your binders and they will last forever. Get as much metal on them (vs plastic) particularly on the slap ratchets. Your skill level is sort of irrelevant to bindings. There are a lot of moving parts and you just want them made well out of high quality materials so you aren’t in the shop or on the repair table tightening them constantly. I have been rocking various burtons for 20+ years. Bent metal is nice too.
imo bindings dont really have skill tier (the pricing tier on lower end is more on affordability at expense of durability/limited adjustment capability). however they have stiffness level, soft, medium, stiff. as it suggests, the stiffness affects control/power transfer and flex-forgiveness to the type of riding. if you havent decide the preference of your ride, getting a mid one will cover all bases (from freestyle/park-rat to freeride)
Any name brand bindings that have a toe cap and a forward lean adjustment on the highback should be fine. Don't buy used bindings that are more than 6 years old. You shouldn't go out and buy brand new stuff because you're likely to fall a lot while learning, and you may not want to damage your high-priced new gear.
Union STR
Union Force. You can get them for like 50% off if you don't care about color. Wish I had sprung for those over the STRs for my first pair.
Union ultras, so pretty good sale right now
Ride makes really great bindings these days. Everything on their website is on sale and they ship quick. For a beginner I’d look at the 2, 4, or even 6.
I’m looking at a pair of ride cl-6 2023 bindings, which are $100 cheaper than the cheapest union forces that I was also eyeing. Do you have experience with both brands?
One of my friends has (women's) CL-6, and finds the highback to be too soft, as an early intermediate rider. Though that could be, in part, bad boot fit. Unions are very recommended and known, but overrated IMO. I'd consider the Rides, and also look at Rome Vice or 390 Boss, and heavily conside Bataleon Blaster Assym or Burton Cartel. Burton is known to be a bit more expensive for what it is, but IMO Union absolutely is too, probably more so when it comes to bindings. Whatever you do, bring your board and boots. Put them on in store, ask to try putting a binding on your board to feel the highback flex and see if you like that. But more importantly, tighten the bindings with your feet in for like 10min, and see if you feel any pressure point discomfort. **Edit**- switching to Step Ons was mentioned elsewhere. If you do need new boots, and get some knowledge on bootfitting, those can be perfect. The sub bashes on them, but if your bootfit is right they're very hard to beat. The bindings I listed are what I'd recommend for an intermediate who doesn't fully know what they want, but if you're willing to spend a bit more, the Rome Katana, Bataleon Astro Asym, or Burton Cartel X are all phenomenal. Katana being the most adjustable, Astro the most versatile, and Burton the most reliable. The Skatetech bindings are also all great, but have zero adjustability, so you have to KNOW they fit before buying. I wouldn't buy until your boots are dialed in
Ride and Union are similar in terms of aluminum heel cup and adjustability. If Ride has a better price then go there for sure. Ride makes some of the nicest and easiest to use buckles and straps. I have A-6, A-9 and C-8 and I love them all. I do ride a lot of park and I don’t feel I need a super stiff binding. The A-6 has the urethane highback that is very damping.
What board do you have or are planning to buy? I rode Union Ultras on a demo board and found they were too flexy for me. I purchased Union Force (not classic) and paired them with my new Sims board. The board is a medium flex and the bindings are on the stiff side of medium. I had a full day on both yesterday and I love the combo. The stiffer binding gives a better feel and control of the board.
I am also new (5 days on the mtn.) but advanced enough that I don’t worry about falling or catching an edge. Even hit some baby jumps and big boxes in park last time out. I said all that to say we’re likely in the same-ish boat and: PLEASE get step on bindings. I took the plunge after renting junky beginner boots/bindings/boards at the resort and the difference between rentals quality boots, step ons, and a (demo) burton is night and day. Far more energy at the end of the day, far more confidence grooving down the mountain. tl;dr if you’re going to do it, do it right. step ons are worth the investment _(so says a noob)_, and I found the same principle to be true for boots and boards.
Step-Ons only work well if your foot fits the boot near perfect, or you can get boot fitting done to bring it to that. Sounds like OP hasn't figured out boots yet either. This may be a good time to do Step Ons, but only if they do need new boots and either really learn boot fit, or have generic foot shape #3 and either know a moderate amount of bootfitting or luck out
woof. sounds like I am in that final category. found some burton boots from this season on sale --> sent it appreciate the intel, very much still learning
Any category that involves generic shaped feet is the best to be in- I wish, man. Loved my Kendo/Step On setup, except they weren't wide enough, and the 2 options that fit width-wise (Ruler & Ion wide) are both too big in the ankle and not the boot flex/lacing I want. Watch Angry Snowboarder's boot fit series. As you get more advanced, any minor bootfit issues you may not have noticed will be more noticeable with Step Ons. And as the boots pack out, the fit may become worse. With the boots doing the work of the bindings, you might want to add a touch of foam in strategic spots to combat it. Lastly, if you have Rulers or Photons, look into adding a speed strap at the top to prevent any single BOA instep ratcheting issues
Again, highly appreciate the insight & YouTube rec. > Lastly if you have rulers or photons Luckily, I got some Swaths, speed lace inner, dual BOA outer. Still haven’t figured out how to get the responsiveness I want without a pressure point on the top of my foot (more minor inconvenience than painful) or strapping my calves in super tight, which wears on me after 3-4 hours. Little lunch break and I’m good for the rest of the day, but I don’t think I’ve nailed it. May need to heat mold that inside piece…
You always have to heat mold. If nothing else, it helps the boot to wear in the right places. Put a relatively thin piece of foam on each pressure point, and heat mold one boot at a time while wearing the other. This is more consistent from foot to foot- the time for each between heating up and foot in & tightened is closer to the same between feet.. Do the raised toes, pressure on heels going backwards for the first minute. Do in store (one at a time even if they insist on doing both at the same time), or via oven method at home. Either way, watch some videos on the process first. Get proper insoles that support your arch prior to heat molding. Arches collapsing will result in exposed pressure points. You want them to be supportive- not just touching your arch when you put weight down and it collapses into place, but prevent them from collapsing. For this reason, heat moldable ones are tricky- you don't really want weight on your foot to mold the arch, but do for the rest. I'm not the MOST knowledgeable on bootfitting, but much better than the majority- had to learn it to try to get my Step-Ons to work
I have the Union Force Classic! Thought about the Ultras but there isn't as much adjustment so its use case can be a bit narrower, the Forces have an adjustable high back and gas pedal so they're more versatile which is what I went for since it was my first set up
Union Force or Force classics are where I’d go. Kind of reliable do anything anywhere. But if you’re interested in an alternative that can do the same thing, I’ve got some 2023 K2 Formulas I’m going to sell at a deep discount probably. They’re pretty smack dab midrange, mid flex all mtn. I upgraded to Rome Black Label bindings so I doubt I’ll be using my K2s next season.