What is your Splitboard set up?

beach wrote: Has anyone climbed ice in there splitboard boots? I would love to spend a day climbing ice and then ride back to the car. I guess the question is which is better, climbing in snowboard boots or riding in ice boots. Suppose it’s personal but would love to hear thought and experiences.

 I’ve splitboarded in two boots, my 6000s worked fantastic, my old Phantom Guides not so much. The Guides were so flexy that I wouldn’t try the Phantom Techs. The times I did this were in BC and Alberta so good snow and terrain. I always wanted to skin up to Tuckermans wearing my 6000s and do Pinnacle

beach wrote: Has anyone climbed ice in there splitboard boots? I would love to spend a day climbing ice and then ride back to the car. I guess the question is which is better, climbing in snowboard boots or riding in ice boots. Suppose it’s personal but would love to hear thought and experiences.

I have phantom splittech bindings, spark makes a similar binding, where you ride in AT boots which can be modified to better suit the needs of a boarder. But with that set up, you are better off for riding and climbing. Some people dont like climbing vertical ice in ski boots, but I have been doing it for two years now and it's fine for me.

beach wrote: Has anyone climbed ice in there splitboard boots? I would love to spend a day climbing ice and then ride back to the car. I guess the question is which is better, climbing in snowboard boots or riding in ice boots. Suppose it’s personal but would love to hear thought and experiences.

I've had really bad experiences trying to climb in snowboard boots. I even bought those Deeluxe boots specifically made to accept crampons and thought they were not nearly stiff enough in the soles. 

In my opinion riding in my TLT5's gives me about 80% the "fun" as my resort snowboard boots and they climb as good or better than my proper mountaineering boots. I also like that they're a double boot, which makes them great for keeping the liners warm in my sleeping bag on overnights. 

When accessing a climb I'm usually dealing with poor snow conditions for riding (PNW) so my stiff boots are nice for tough descents and having the AT setup for edging is fantastic.

I also like that I can use my TLT5's on my skis and I don't need another pair of boots. 

Bill Kirby wrote:

 I’ve splitboarded in two boots, my 6000s worked fantastic, my old Phantom Guides not so much. The Guides were so flexy that I wouldn’t try the Phantom Techs. The times I did this were in BC and Alberta so good snow and terrain. I always wanted to skin up to Tuckermans wearing my 6000s and do Pinnacle

Yes, that’s exactly what I had in mind, then zip back to the car.

I am very curious about riding in my G5’s now, I think they will be too soft, I wonder about a boot like the baruntse though, I feel like it would fill out the binding well and climb just fine. Seems like the answer is to ride in mountain boots and not vice versa.

I recommend sizing up for better float and traction skinning. If your just messing around in the trees close to the road get snow shoes instead. Seems to be better and faster. Plus since you'll be hiking strait up while your skier buddies make switch backs you'll actually get up first. I have a pair of deelux boots that are compatible with semi-auto crampons. Well worth it as strap on crampons tend to slide of fat snowboard boots at the worst times.

beach wrote: I am very curious about riding in my G5’s now, I think they will be too soft, I wonder about a boot like the baruntse though, I feel like it would fill out the binding well and climb just fine. Seems like the answer is to ride in mountain boots and not vice versa.

My friend tried this idea with spantiks for a while, even those are too soft to ride well. Highback bite is an issue if you have to traverse chop with no boot high up the calf. If you're just doing straight forward access to a highly technical ice/mixed route maybe go that way. If it's moderate WI4 stuff I'd just go with the rando/at boot recommendation (which my friend and I have both done now).

I did ride a brief bit in rebel pros coming back from ice climbing. Sub optimal would be an understatement. 

beach wrote: Has anyone climbed ice in there splitboard boots? I would love to spend a day climbing ice and then ride back to the car. I guess the question is which is better, climbing in snowboard boots or riding in ice boots. Suppose it’s personal but would love to hear thought and experiences.

Or go the skimo boot route and do both well (not great).  I've used my Dynafit TLT5, and previously Sportiva Spantiks, for exactly what you mention.  

I have a Jones Solution, Spark bindings, and the 32 Jones Boots.  All about 4 years old and working fine.  I had the Karakorum bindings but found they iced up way too much and were too complicated with moving parts that can/have broke on me.  

I have used crampons on steep ice but wouldn't consider it "ice climbing" as it wasn't vertical.  Worked fine, especially as the jones boots have heel welts for a semi-auto crampon.  As for hard boots, I see the appeal but at that point, why not just ski? 1/2 of the appeal of snowboarding is soft boots!  Also with transitions, I'm nearly as fast as my ski friends, and really, unless you are ski-mo you are going to take a break at the transition point anyway.

I also have a ski tour set up and I pick between skiing or snowboarding depending on the route.  Shorter approaches or exits that are mostly downhill, I'll use my split.  Long traversing... or otherwise miserable approach/exits.. Ill ski.  

Nick Drake wrote:

I did ride a brief bit in rebel pros coming back from ice climbing. Sub optimal would be an understatement. 

What??? You’re my hero! 

Bill Kirby wrote:

What??? You’re my hero! 

Not everyone can remember to breath operating on a single digit IQ, glad that makes me someones hero. Really though that was terrifying, might as well just snowboard in a pair of trail runners. 

Bill Kirby wrote:

 Prior split, Spark R&D bindings, Burton Ion boots, G3 skins

BD Zealot skis, dyna fit bindings, Garmont boots, BD skins 
BD Stigma skis, BD mid stiff 02 tele bindings, T1 boots, BD skins

I'm a 56 yo life-long freeheeler. If I couldn't freeheel, I'd be on a Prior Split as well. All three modes of travel are fun. Pick the mode that appeals to you and become proficient. Better yet, learn all three...

James Buehlerwrote: DO NOT SKI.   long time splitboarder/alpine guy here..   If you're serious about the snowboard side of things as much as the climbing side you cant go wrong with this set up..   I use a Rossignol XV wide 163 for steep and icy conditions it has magnetraction so riding on ice feels good and stable.. I use the Rossignol Sushi for powder and soft conditions its short and fat rides everything super well and is extremely light weight.. ive taken it to Mt. Stimson and Ciochetti's ribbon..  i rode it on the Great white icicle last season. climbed up 4 pitches of ice and on the way down rode waist deep powder...  Spark R&D Arc pro bindings are super light and burton compatible so parts are everywhere but I've never had any problems with them.. I use the K2 aspect boot..its a soft boot i love it for all types of boarding park jumps/rails to powder to alpine and had never had a problem climbing ice in them ever...super on the fly adjustable too..   routes like the GWI and Triangle couloir went down just fine.. Ive also used North Face mountaineering boots with spark bindings it wasn't bad but the upper ankle support wasn't all that great..  you could add a different stiffer liner to help with that though.. and mountaineering boots are typically longer and heavier than snowboarding boots so i just stick to the K2 aspects for now..  Fitwells are a good mountaineering/snowboarding boot to look into although i haven't used them..   Go with a Rossignol Splitty though you wont be disappointed the performance is next level.. Rossignol has a new set of poles coming out next year that are the lightest and compact and durable too 

James, been following your exploits in the Wasatch. Inspiring stuff! Just wondering, which crampons have you liked the best for ice climbing in the K2 aspects? Thanks! 

Mike Petersonwrote:

James, been following your exploits in the Wasatch. Inspiring stuff! Just wondering, which crampons have you liked the best for ice climbing in the K2 aspects? Thanks! 

Thanks Mike!  BD Contact crampon for mellow ice with a snowboard on my back! 

Hey guys I have a question. 

That being, how should hard boots boots fit if I’m going to incorporate ice climbing as well as general riding and touring? 

I got shell fit for a 27 backlands carbon and a 28 backlands carbon. The 27 fit me with 1 finger and a tiny bit shell fit (under 1.5 fingers, maybe like 1.2 or 1.3). The 28 fit me with a nice 2 finger shell fit (snug 2 finger, but not too snug). 

Should I get a 27 or 28? Will heat molding a 27 with an 9mm intuition liners with 2 toe caps and an aftermarket footbed (which slightly increases volume but reduces length slightly) work for the climbing (split mountaineering) as well and give me a better performance on the downhill? 

Or is the 28 the way to go to give a slight bit more space for kicking ice? But what if after I wear out the liner on the 28’s and want an intuition liners, will it work in that shell, since some intuition liners work better with a tighter fit. I could go for a 12 or 15 mm intuition liner though. 

I didn't try the 27 on with the liners in, only shell fit. The 28 fit me well with the stock liners in. When standing straight my toe was just pressing into the front, and then when I bent my knees to a riding position, my toes just pulled off the front (were barely grazing the front). But what would happen with a heat mould and a footbed? 

I eventually want to have a quiver of boots, one for touring and riding, and one for split mountaineering. Would it make sense (not financially, just optimality wise) to have a 27 in either a backlands carbon, Pierre Gignoux Black Snowboard, or maybe a SplitPin make sense for only touring and riding and no climbing? Or does it sound like the fit for the 28 is adequate and would work with 12 or 15 mm liners for this purpose as well. I am unsure of the exact stock linker thickness on a pair of Atomic Backlands Carbon Boots.

I am a bit lost in all of it right now lol, so I really appreciate any and all help!

Thanks!

Hey guys I have a question. 

That being, how should hard boots boots fit if I’m going to incorporate ice climbing as well as general riding and touring? 

I got shell fit for a 27 backlands carbon and a 28 backlands carbon. The 27 fit me with 1 finger and a tiny bit shell fit (under 1.5 fingers, maybe like 1.2 or 1.3). The 28 fit me with a nice 2 finger shell fit (snug 2 finger, but not too snug). 

Should I get a 27 or 28? Will heat molding a 27 with an 9mm intuition liners with 2 toe caps and an aftermarket footbed (which slightly increases volume but reduces length slightly) work for the climbing (split mountaineering) as well and give me a better performance on the downhill? 

Or is the 28 the way to go to give a slight bit more space for kicking ice? But what if after I wear out the liner on the 28’s and want an intuition liners, will it work in that shell, since some intuition liners work better with a tighter fit. I could go for a 12 or 15 mm intuition liner though. 

I didn't try the 27 on with the liners in, only shell fit. The 28 fit me well with the stock liners in. When standing straight my toe was just pressing into the front, and then when I bent my knees to a riding position, my toes just pulled off the front (were barely grazing the front). But what would happen with a heat mould and a footbed? 

I eventually want to have a quiver of boots, one for touring and riding, and one for split mountaineering. Would it make sense (not financially, just optimality wise) to have a 27 in either a backlands carbon, Pierre Gignoux Black Snowboard, or maybe a SplitPin make sense for only touring and riding and no climbing? Or does it sound like the fit for the 28 is adequate and would work with 12 or 15 mm liners for this purpose as well. I am unsure of the exact stock linker thickness on a pair of Atomic Backlands Carbon Boots.

I am a bit lost in all of it right now lol, so I really appreciate any and all help!

Thanks!