Fuckin hate 'em--kidding
Hi all--it was suggested to me that I do a review on the slippers, so here we go. Going to try to keep it short.
Got the slippers about a month ago and have about ten tours on them and three partial resort days--RIP Prior BC split.
Rider:
5'10" 165# 28.5 boot(9.5W US) +15, -12 centered, +15, -7 set back in deep pow, 22.25" stance width(it seems like I'm moving more towards my 21.75" normal, I started at 23" for stability) Gold Link Levers, ca. 2016 Prior BC 165, Intermediate/advanced
The bottom line with no thoughts or anecdotes: I like them. It's hard not to turn this into a post on the difference between hard and soft boot riding, as this is my first hardboot, but I'll skip that. I chose gold link levers after talking to phantom and asking what would give me flex close to the Driver X's from a season and a half ago--I'd say that's about right. I do want to mention the liners. The intuition platinum lights tongue sat almost dead center of my malleoli--the bony prominences of the ankles. After my first heat mold and tour--this was terribly painful, another fit session and its nearly perfect--i didn't feel it at all after my last tour, but did on yesterday's resort session. Phantom is now an intuition dealer, and is offering wrap liners as well, maybe an option if wrap-style liners have stiff tongues--if not, then it would be a softer boot.
Lateral flex? I think it's comparable to the drivers or maybe even slightly softer, but I went to a pretty soft boot last year so I can't compare directly. Plus I killed the prior yesterday so I won't be trying the terrain park again with them for a while--hope i can resurrect it. Jumps still feel weird--but I think that's getting used to the boot and I'm running a lot of lean. No rails so I can't say how that would go. Ate shit the first two times i tried spinning the board in circles, feels different, but no problem after that. I can butter in these, but that's definitely not a strong skill for me.
Basically if the fit's dialed, you can soften the boot by just latching the buckles. If I were really wanting to work freestyle for the day, I'd close the bottom lever on loosest setting and just latch the top or maybe close it on loosest--k.pow uses Backlands--same components, and he says he sometimes rides pow just latched.
Expensive--oh yeah. I really don't feel like I'm giving up a ton, here--that's maybe a hardboot/softboot sentiment. The feel is different, but I definitely don't feel excessively constricted in my movement. The five degree canting probably helps on the stance comfort. If anyone has any specific questions, I'm happy to answer--just bear in mind that I can't compare them to any other hard boot, and unlike many on here, I haven't been snowboarding for twenty years.
One Last Thing:
Check The Screws Prior To Leaving Home and take the toolkit with you. No story, but Phantom went with screws for ease of replacement and adjustment, I checked mine after nine tours and found one buckle strap almost backed out--and I locktited every screw removed during adjustment, and still...
Hi all--it was suggested to me that I do a review on the slippers, so here we go. Going to try to keep it short.
Got the slippers about a month ago and have about ten tours on them and three partial resort days--RIP Prior BC split.
Rider:
5'10" 165# 28.5 boot(9.5W US) +15, -12 centered, +15, -7 set back in deep pow, 22.25" stance width(it seems like I'm moving more towards my 21.75" normal, I started at 23" for stability) Gold Link Levers, ca. 2016 Prior BC 165, Intermediate/advanced
The bottom line with no thoughts or anecdotes: I like them. It's hard not to turn this into a post on the difference between hard and soft boot riding, as this is my first hardboot, but I'll skip that. I chose gold link levers after talking to phantom and asking what would give me flex close to the Driver X's from a season and a half ago--I'd say that's about right. I do want to mention the liners. The intuition platinum lights tongue sat almost dead center of my malleoli--the bony prominences of the ankles. After my first heat mold and tour--this was terribly painful, another fit session and its nearly perfect--i didn't feel it at all after my last tour, but did on yesterday's resort session. Phantom is now an intuition dealer, and is offering wrap liners as well, maybe an option if wrap-style liners have stiff tongues--if not, then it would be a softer boot.
Lateral flex? I think it's comparable to the drivers or maybe even slightly softer, but I went to a pretty soft boot last year so I can't compare directly. Plus I killed the prior yesterday so I won't be trying the terrain park again with them for a while--hope i can resurrect it. Jumps still feel weird--but I think that's getting used to the boot and I'm running a lot of lean. No rails so I can't say how that would go. Ate shit the first two times i tried spinning the board in circles, feels different, but no problem after that. I can butter in these, but that's definitely not a strong skill for me.
Basically if the fit's dialed, you can soften the boot by just latching the buckles. If I were really wanting to work freestyle for the day, I'd close the bottom lever on loosest setting and just latch the top or maybe close it on loosest--k.pow uses Backlands--same components, and he says he sometimes rides pow just latched.
Expensive--oh yeah. I really don't feel like I'm giving up a ton, here--that's maybe a hardboot/softboot sentiment. The feel is different, but I definitely don't feel excessively constricted in my movement. The five degree canting probably helps on the stance comfort. If anyone has any specific questions, I'm happy to answer--just bear in mind that I can't compare them to any other hard boot, and unlike many on here, I haven't been snowboarding for twenty years.
One Last Thing:
Check The Screws Prior To Leaving Home and take the toolkit with you. No story, but Phantom went with screws for ease of replacement and adjustment, I checked mine after nine tours and found one buckle strap almost backed out--and I locktited every screw removed during adjustment, and still...
