Splitboard Boot Mod Phantoms Scarpa Alien RS

>> YOUR LINK HERE: ___ http://youtube.com/watch?v=htkAh0lCgAA

Looks like I've entered the hardboot game.. • (Hold on, it's gonna be a long post) • After several conversations with friends and reading about hardboot setups on the internet over and over (along with seeing how people are arguing about what's best), I started to get curious • So I got two pairs of Dynafit Speedfit (28 29) and a pair of Scarpa Alien RS (28) shipped to have a look and see how they fit. • My long time favorite softboot was (and still is) the Burton Imperial, where a size 28.5 was more on the tight side but got well shaped after a few runs. • The Speedfits arrived by the end of last week. Very personal spoken, the first impression was not ideal. I'm big into snowbaording and softboots since 1999 and this boot let all the bad memories came back.. bulky design, all these buckles that are in the way when you try to manage a way in,.. I'm too silly for that stuff tbh. • Also size 29 was way too spacious, while size 28 was way on the tight side (maybe a 28.5 would be okay but still not ideal). • I was super thrilled but that was kind of a bummer.. In terms of mods, i didn't want to do too much of a frankenstein project and cut everything half open so I decided to return them. • I picked up the Scarpas from the post office yesterday and tried to keep my expectations low. But hell yeah, they fit like a glove, handling well when getting in (the whole top part can be folded away to get easy access). Over all they also should allow some interesting options to modify the construction for more lateral flex and a bit of forward lean dampening (there's even a forward lean angle adjustment). • The boa system in the lower area puts even pressure on my foot (I have a tendency of a high instep while the rest of the foot is quite narrow. The string system around the upper section becomes loose and tighten when flipping the ankle fixation in the back (which looks similar to Atomic's Backlands). I went for the RS version since I got it for a very good deal (way cheaper than the standard Alien). • The standard version seems to have more plastic and should allow more flex from stock (I haven't had the chance to test them, so I'm just assuming). • So since the whole silly ski boot project seems to fit and feels comfortable for walking, it's time to get them shred-ready as well... • The plan right now is to disassemble the boot and work on a lateral flex dampening system around the ankle, where the lower and upper shell of the boot meet. Luckily (and unlike Dynafit), this part doesn't need to be drilled open due to the modern Invention of screws. • Another day, another update. • My phantoms arrived today and I found some time to install them in the evening (what a simple but effektive concept, wow!). Along with that, I wanted to take a closer look on mod options around my Scarpa Alien RS boot. • The plan was to start working with some sort of bushings around the ankle connection (where the lower and upper half of the boot meet) to get some lateral flex along with forward lean dampening. • As it turns out the whole thing was way easer. Looks like Scarpa has made a perfect snowboard boot without the intention to do so. As I removed the upper highback like half of the boot, I noticed a metal bar that goes across the ankle pivot point to stiffen the whole highback-area . By removing that bar, the whole upper section starts to flex and work like a stiff softboot binding-setup. Lots of freedom and lateral flex, a little bit of forward dampening while leaning back still offers great feedback. • I don't know what to say, but in theory (and while experimenting on the carpet) this whole setup feel more comfortable and free than my softboot setup. I was very concerned about being locked in place but this seems to be great. On top I didn't have to destroy the boot, the mod is done within 20 minutes and can be returned any time. • If anyone is in the mood to try anything similar, here's the way I did it. • 1. Remove the liner • 2. Remove the stickers that are covering the insert on the inside (I put them on a non-sticky surface in order to reuse them) • 3. Heat up the screw on the picot point with a soldering iron (this will weaken the loctite. Mine had tones of glue attached) • 4. Take a 4mm allen key on the inside and a 3mm allen key on the outside to open and remove the screws completely. • 5. Now you can remove the upper section (I like to call highback ) and remove the metal bar, that is still attached around the ankle. • 6. After that you are basically done and ready to put everything back together. Be aware to use some loctite when tightening the screws again (I recommend #270) • With that's being said, I'll continue experimenting a bit within the next days and also compare it with my softboot setup side by side. If anyone's interested, I should be able to to a more high quality video explaining the whole thing.

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