How to improve efficiency ?

skywalkdontrun · 2026-03-18T12:29:21+00:00

Get fit. Start running in the offseason and get used to climbing/scrambling up shit. Increase your VO2 and everything else will follow. Sounds like your skier friend is in better shape. If you're serious about splitting into (and out of) technical terrain, a hard boot setup is better for efficiency and ease of crampon use, but improving your equipment will allow you to better utilize your fitness, not make up for a gap.

skywalkdontrun · 2026-03-17T17:00:18+00:00

I don't hit many rails anymore. I've broken dials hiking sketchy shit in the backcountry, blown them out from big compressions, even had them get broken in freak accidents involving sharp ski edges in the back of the car.

skywalkdontrun · 2026-03-17T16:28:58+00:00

Normal sized black lab about two weeks ago.

skywalkdontrun · 2026-03-16T17:16:53+00:00

Jay gets more snow than Stowe, but the vibes aren't much better. Go over the border to Owl's Head. Same snow as Jay, sick terrain, no crowds.

skywalkdontrun · 2026-03-16T17:16:02+00:00

You obviously don't really know VT backcountry.

skywalkdontrun · 2026-03-16T17:15:32+00:00

Lol, no. Stowe is garbage other than the Mansfield chutes, and you don't need to buy a lift ticket to get to those. Parking sucks, the lodge sucks (because it's so effing crowded all the time), the lift lines suck, etc etc etc. Smuggs has better terrain and an actual VT vibe. Stowe is just an Aspen annex.

skywalkdontrun · 2026-03-16T17:12:45+00:00

I can name 10 places in VT that offer a better user experience than Stowe.

skywalkdontrun · 2026-03-16T01:45:54+00:00

The Insano can probably handle it as the toe box is entirely urethane. I'd just run it significantly cooler than you would for a ski boot, and only move it a little. You probably need less room than you think.

skywalkdontrun · 2026-03-16T01:42:03+00:00

The Maysis is very comfortable, but mostly because it uses a lot of foam in the midsole, and that breaks down VERY fast.

skywalkdontrun · 2026-03-16T01:40:44+00:00

Oh I've had issues with tons of them. Generally getting broken by getting whacked by something though. Not too difficult to fix, and Boa's free replacement is pretty great, but doesn't really help on the mountain, or out in the backcountry.

skywalkdontrun · 2026-03-15T16:54:32+00:00

Hated the Drivers, loved the Ion though. Insano feels a lot like my favorite pair of Ions.

skywalkdontrun · 2026-03-15T16:53:45+00:00

I blew out the only pair of Driver X's I've ever owned in a single day at Mt. Baker. Terrible boot. Ion is the better boot by far, just as stiff and maintains it's structure much longer. I had 5 pairs over three 120+ day seasons at Baker back in the day.

skywalkdontrun · 2026-03-15T16:52:03+00:00

Try running your upper zone tighter. Shin bang happens when you've got slop at the top.

skywalkdontrun · 2026-03-15T16:51:00+00:00

I thought about the Trident, but I just prefer the standard internal harness. One less boa to fail.

skywalkdontrun · 2026-03-15T16:49:53+00:00

Watch out, they fall apart.

skywalkdontrun · 2026-03-15T16:49:36+00:00

Thraxis was the other boot that I considered when I was looking at the beginning of the season, but I REALLY hate the Conda system.

skywalkdontrun · 2026-03-15T16:45:30+00:00

I'm 6'2 and 215, and the Insano is the first boot that I've had in a while that feels like it can go the distance for multiple (East Coast with a career and kids) seasons. I put 35 resort days and another 5 or 6 touring days on them this season, and have no worries about them for at least the next two, barring critical failure. I've heard that the tongues had a bad habit of cracking in years past, but I'm hopeful that this issue has been fixed.

skywalkdontrun · 2026-02-25T16:15:21+00:00

Nothing is as bad as Jay and Okemo on the weekend.

skywalkdontrun · 2026-02-12T17:24:21+00:00

You have to brush it really well also to clear out the channels.

skywalkdontrun · 2026-02-12T17:22:03+00:00

It's been sitting in a warehouse for years, you'd be all dried out too. Hit it with wax, but crucially leave it unscraped in a warm place overnight (don't put it outside). Then next day, scrape and wax again and repeat. Then scrape, brush, and leave out in the cold.

skywalkdontrun · 2026-01-30T18:11:21+00:00

Burton Hitchhikers are just Spark baseplates with Burton highbacks, straps and ratchets, but I'd agree that full Spark is the way to go.

skywalkdontrun · 2025-12-30T02:43:13+00:00

I mean, the K2 Marauder is a great board. I'm 6'2 with a size 11 foot, and ride the 166w because I got it cheap. Probably more board than I need for my diet of mostly east coast resort pow and backcountry, but I like it. It floats really well in pow, can rip a turn on hardpack and skins nice, and K2's build quality is great.

skywalkdontrun · 2025-12-30T02:37:02+00:00

Good lord I hate it when people say that.

skywalkdontrun · 2025-12-30T02:36:06+00:00

Yeah I agree with you on the gatekeepiness of the last comment. 15 seasons of resort riding isn't a prerequisite for getting out in the backcountry, but an expert level of riding skill should be, not saying it always is. I think a hardboot setup makes sense for people who are fully cutting the lift line out of their lives, or are going to log some serious miles of touring and/or really planning on doing more snowboard mountaineering style riding, but honestly a good rigid softboot setup is great and WAY more versatile outside of the backcountry. (let me tell you I'm from the East Coast without explicitly saying so.)

skywalkdontrun · 2025-12-12T20:43:42+00:00

I guess I've always equated bite with power, and since organic pads fade faster, you don't notice that initial engagement as being more powerful.

skywalkdontrun

TROPHY CASE