Which booster strap?

[cyborg]

Berry berry intredasting.

Got pics?

Review of how it changed the up and the down in Backland Carbon for you?

I know the stock "powerstrap" on mine won't last long (even though I just got the boots this season) so I'm looking at replacement/upgrade options for when it does let go, and I'm interested in your thoughts/review.

I can post something in it's own thread later, if there's demand for it.

Basically, here's what I've found in the handful of days skiing the Backland Carbons:

I haven't taken them to the resort yet to really get a feel for the downhill performance on different terrain. Just backcountry pow and variable soft stuff down low.

I found the boots to be quite stiff, but very "light" feeling, with that typical touring boot feel of no progressiveness in the flex. The stock strap helped them ski better, but wasn't comfortable at all. Just made the bottom out feel harsher.

Going uphill, I've found that on approaches greater than 30 minutes or so, it's best to just take the tongues out. Never tried skiing them without the tongues, I've heard they don't ski well that way and don't really wanna try.

Removing the stock strap and using a booster VASTLY improved the downhill performance. They feel so much more progressive, like my old Black Diamond Primes (which were an inferior boot in every way, except that they were predictable and progressive), but of course retain all their other positive characteristics, like the awesome lateral stiffness. The booster strap is a huge improvement in every way, I cannot recommend it enough. I think that I need to play with the liner a little more, and I haven't tried putting the booster strap higher up (around the liner cuff), which some people recommend. The only downside of the booster is that you have to pull it out of your coat or pack and put it on at the top of the descent.

Bottom line - I wasn't sure I liked the boots at first. Once I skied them with a booster strap, I REALLY liked them. They can drive any ski I own in backcountry conditions. I've hit a few little pillows on them, haven't tried any airs but the strap makes them feel less "bucky", like I'm going to blow through them, hit a wall and go over the bars.

If I missed something or there's any other questions, I'd be happy to answer them.

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[cyborg]

I used NRS cam straps on my Dobermans when the Velcro failed. The worked great. What’s the Bode version offer stiffness wise over a cam strap?

The neoprene is definitely a "suspension" system, regardless of the stiffness rating. It's like comparing a hard tail to a full suspension bike - no matter how stuff the rear shock is, there's still some sort of suspension. With the WC strap on my Speedmachines, I don't get any shin bang. The flex is progressive, like a ski boot should be. No matter how stiff the strap is, it can't have less give than a totally rigid strap (or, effectively rigid.)

Keep in mind Bode is running plug boots with higher cuffs, more stiffness and probably a boat load of proprietary mods, with the WC booster strap.

If you find your boots so stiff that you never cinch down your stock powerstrap, perhaps the WC strap is too much. If you do use your stock strap, I would try the WC strap and then maybe cut one of the neoprene bands if you find it too stiff. The boosters are cheap though, you can afford to experiment.

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[Va Ki Bo]

Considering Backland Carbon + Booster - it is pretty convenient to rivet the strap to the tongue, not to the cuff.
Clean cuff in walk mode. Less fiddly switch process into the ski mode.


And taller tongues really make the difference.

[reckless toboggan]

I can post something in it's own thread later, if there's demand for it.

Basically, here's what I've found in the handful of days skiing the Backland Carbons:

I haven't taken them to the resort yet to really get a feel for the downhill performance on different terrain. Just backcountry pow and variable soft stuff down low.

I found the boots to be quite stiff, but very "light" feeling, with that typical touring boot feel of no progressiveness in the flex. The stock strap helped them ski better, but wasn't comfortable at all. Just made the bottom out feel harsher.

Going uphill, I've found that on approaches greater than 30 minutes or so, it's best to just take the tongues out. Never tried skiing them without the tongues, I've heard they don't ski well that way and don't really wanna try.

Removing the stock strap and using a booster VASTLY improved the downhill performance. They feel so much more progressive, like my old Black Diamond Primes (which were an inferior boot in every way, except that they were predictable and progressive), but of course retain all their other positive characteristics, like the awesome lateral stiffness. The booster strap is a huge improvement in every way, I cannot recommend it enough. I think that I need to play with the liner a little more, and I haven't tried putting the booster strap higher up (around the liner cuff), which some people recommend. The only downside of the booster is that you have to pull it out of your coat or pack and put it on at the top of the descent.

Bottom line - I wasn't sure I liked the boots at first. Once I skied them with a booster strap, I REALLY liked them. They can drive any ski I own in backcountry conditions. I've hit a few little pillows on them, haven't tried any airs but the strap makes them feel less "bucky", like I'm going to blow through them, hit a wall and go over the bars.

If I missed something or there's any other questions, I'd be happy to answer them.

Sent from my Pixel 2 XL using Tapatalk

Awesome. Thanks for that review.

Considering Backland Carbon + Booster - it is pretty convenient to rivet the strap to the tongue, not to the cuff.
Clean cuff in walk mode. Less fiddly switch process into the ski mode.


And taller tongues really make the difference.

Brilliant. What taller tongue are you using here (behind the stock tongue)?

[Va Ki Bo]

What taller tongue are you using here (behind the stock tongue)?

I used cuts from old Krypton tongues (softs I think).
Main function of this insert is to evenly distribute the strap tension over the large area of the shin and use all the potential of the boosters with no pain
(without this inserts I feel the tongue/strap-edge hot-spot every time I hard press the tongues with my shins like it is going to collapse, even with beefier Intuition Alpine liners that I use). So any piece of plastic will work, as it is stiff enough to not to fold under strap tightening.

It also works even without stock tongue (just booster+mini tongue) as softer-but-springy middle ground version.
Though it's harder to position and stabilize it without stock tongue.

[reckless toboggan]

I used cuts from old Krypton tongues (softs I think).
Main function of this insert to evenly distribute the strap tension over the large area of the shin and use all the potential of the boosters with no pain
(without this inserts I feel the tongue/strap-edge hot-spot every time I hard press the tongues with my shins like it is going to collapse, even with beefier Intuition Alpine liners that I use). So any piece of plastic will work, as it is stiff enough to not to fold under strap tightening.

It also works even without stock tongue (just booster+mini tongue) as softer-but-springy middle ground version.
Though it's harder to position and stabilize it without stock tongue.

Nice! Thanks for the design ideas!

[Jethro]

The neoprene is definitely a "suspension" system, regardless of the stiffness rating. It's like comparing a hard tail to a full suspension bike - no matter how stuff the rear shock is, there's still some sort of suspension. With the WC strap on my Speedmachines, I don't get any shin bang. The flex is progressive, like a ski boot should be. No matter how stiff the strap is, it can't have less give than a totally rigid strap (or, effectively rigid.)

Keep in mind Bode is running plug boots with higher cuffs, more stiffness and probably a boat load of proprietary mods, with the WC booster strap.

If you find your boots so stiff that you never cinch down your stock powerstrap, perhaps the WC strap is too much. If you do use your stock strap, I would try the WC strap and then maybe cut one of the neoprene bands if you find it too stiff. The boosters are cheap though, you can afford to experiment.

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Thanks for the info. I guess at my size I don’t feel the need for any more give in my boot. I’m in a 130 Doberman, but I’m nearly 6’-5”, and weigh about 235. The Dobermans aren’t a particularly tall boot, and at my height and weight I have a lot of leverage on them. I think at this point I’m going to bow out of this discussion since it doesn’t pertain to me personally. Plus I had no input to give

[lordf]

I used NRS cam straps on my Dobermans when the Velcro failed. The worked great. What’s the Bode version offer stiffness wise over a cam strap?

Ive got the neoprene cam straps on my plug boots and its a good match, ive got the experts on my touring boots now. In retrospect I think it was a case of my old boots being too soft for the bode...


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[cyborg]

This Backland tongue mods are cool, I should try some. Unfortunately I think I got rid of the extra tongues I had lying around. Won't be hard to find something to fit that purpose though.

With zero detriment to uphill performance, it totally makes sense to give those mods a try

Ive got the neoprene cam straps on my plug boots and its a good match, ive got the experts on my touring boots now. In retrospect I think it was a case of my old boots being too soft for the bode...


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I'm guessing that the booster's feel/effect is highly dependent on the individual and his/her individual boot. I'm operating on an N=2.... So not exactly a big sample size here for me haha.

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