Slalom.Steve

Any similar dampening mechanisms for a Wakeye? I'd be willing to buy one from someone, I suck at DIY lol.

I'm doing more tournaments this year, Indiana skier. So far one was honestly too full, took forever lol, one was good, and one was really small.

@skialex Nice idea! I'm wondering though, wouldn't that create a weird gap between the ski and the boot? If I put the aluminum piece under the feather frame, then the feather frame is at an angle, and if I put the aluminum over the feather, then the aluminum is at an angle. Here's pics: My proposed solution: what if I just use the entire aluminum plate and mount the feather frame on top of it (using the countersunk + nuts strategy)? Seems to me like that would work, and the holes line up. It would add a tiny bit of height to the back boot but I think that's fine. Here's a pic (I haven't ripped the footbed off the old plate yet, which is why the HRT is "floating" but obviously I would take that off):

Alright I got the C85 in and indeed the inserts don't line up left-and-right with the Radar feather frame. I was planning to just drill new holes in the feather frame... but a bigger issue is at hand - the plate doesn't reach back far enough either way: So new questions: 1. If a get the BOA HRT on the aluminum frame, would the frame really extend that much farther? From images it looks kinda similar in length to the feather. I could honestly even see moving my back binding up one more hole (which would put it even farther away), but I'm also already maxed out on the front holes. 2. If I find and get one of the earlier HRT models on the aluminum frame, is the overall quality any lower being the earlier model, or were recent updates just cosmetic? @Broussard 3. I suppose I could add new inserts to the ski, seems on one hand the most straight-forward solution, no need for new bindings or anything... but I really don't trust myself to not mess that up. Anyone around Chicago and/or Indianapolis confident adding inserts? 12-pack of craft beer or a bottle of whiskey on me lol.

Strange, I've found Amara gloves give me better grip than Kevlar.

I believe the ProGear, the MSN, and the Stealth Lite gloves are all similar. I'd love to see someone buy two or all three, test them out for a season, and give us a report :)

Well I'd buy the lace version of the HRTP on aluminum if it was offered on aluminum :/

@aupatking Yeah I feel like Radar wouldn't keep selling them if they though they were a liability. That said, I wouldn't want one on my front boot, but the rear doesn't bother me. The ski gets in tomorrow so I'll see how it all lines up. It looks like just drilling the HRT is the way to go.

Curious the thoughts of anyone who's used both a T-Factor and the new Vapor Boot - looks like maybe @Deanoski and/or @ctorthopa13. Comparison between the two boots, pro/cons? I'm currently on a T-Factor but am super intrigued by the Vapor. I'm a 34mph skier, ran 22off for the first time last week.

I also have a binding compatibility question, different ski but figured I should post here rather than make a new thread: I have a used Denali C85 arriving later this week. I currently use a T-Factor front binding and for the rear, the Radar HRTP on the feather frame. My understanding is that the feather frame will not line-up correctly with the Denali inserts? If so, what about the Radar Sequence Plate? Can I mount the T-Factor on that? What about the feather frame? Or any other ideas how I can keep using these bindings on my new ski? I expect I will either stay on the T-Factor long term or possibly switch to the new Radar Vapor boot as some point. And I expect to stay with the HRTP. I know I could get the HRTP on an aluminum plate, but they only offer that in the BOA version, and I kick in to the HRTP so I replace the laces of the HRTP with bungee cords (from a T-Factor) so it can stretch as I kick in, and I really like that setup. So the BOA wouldn't work :/ @mmosley899 - you got any tricks up your sleeve?

One weird thing though, when Matteo Ianni and Freddie Winter were discussing Dane Mechler switching to a T-Factor, they said "well, there's a safety risk with it being a non-releasable binding." ?? Have these guys been using hardshells for so long they forgot the old school way of releasing, that your foot can just come out of a rubber binding? lol, I use a T-Factor and know many others do as well and I haven't had or heard any issues with non-release. Of course, you can cinch the bungees tighter or looser, but even with them quite tight, I can push the back of my ski and my front foot comes out fine.

@Booze somewhat depends on how tight you cinch it. I don't do it as tight as physically possible, but I keep it pretty tight and I've never had any issues with releasing.

It was very tight when I bought it, it's taken two years to stretch out and it's still not terrible, just wondering if I can improve it. For reference, I'm 5'10", 160lbs and I use a Small.

I've been using an O'Neill Slasher vest for about 2 years. Really like it, but as vests do, it's stretched a bit and now when I'm sitting in the water it rides up. Can I wash it in hot water to shrink it down like a cotton tshirt, or will that damage it?

I'm not but my buddy is (non-skier) and he was asking about it. I'm not even sure what the top of skis are made of, or if they're sealed/finished in any particular way that would make paint not "stick."

@BraceMaker what kind of paint would you use for the top?

Random curiosity question: Is it possible to customize a ski by painting it (and having the paint not come off with use)? If so, what paint would you use? Top and/or bottom of the ski, though mostly thinking top as to avoid affecting the actual performance on the bottom. And same question for bindings, and if possible, any different for rubber vs. hardshell?

@mbabiash can you describe how they're different, or who may benefit more from which?

Curious if anyone has ridden both and how you would compare them?

Is he on BoS? He should be a coach on GiveGo, he'd be my next pick for sure!

Who is this Matteo Ianni fellow? At first when they said Matteo I just assumed it was Matteo Luzzeri but then realized it wasn't. I found his (Ianni's) commentary and perspectives to be super insightful! (also did anyone catch when he was lauding Lightfoot's ability to commentate for hours on end? He said " " :D). The combo of him and Freddie is probably the best "booth lineup" I've heard!

@Rw3 @swbca I use the HRT and kick in, but I bought the lace version, as someone told me it's better for kicking in than the BOA. But then I took it a step further and replaced the laces with the bungee laces from the lower part of a T-Factor boot. It works great, cause the bungee can stretch a bit when you're kicking in but tighten back down once your foot is in. Once I get it set on a good tightness I just leave it, maybe very occasionally a small tighten if it feels like its gotten looser. (I tuck the excess cord at the top under one of the lower laces, but took it out to make the picture clearer)

It seems the majority of people don't really like much stretch. So why is the Optimized 2.0 used at so many tournaments?

All of the recent talk about rope brands has highlighted for me an aspect of ski gear that I do not understand, and that is rope stretchiness. There are ropes that are stiffer and ropes that stretch more, ok. But what is "good" and what is "bad," what is "forgiving" vs what is "performance," how does one distinguish "higher quality" from "lower quality," etc? It seems like the general vibe is that stretchy ropes are more forgiving on the body but less ideal for pure performance. But then why is Masterline's top-of-the-line competition rope the most stretchy one (the Optimized 2.0)? And if stiff ropes are better for performance, why do people say to replace ropes once or even twice a year or else they become "dead." I've also seen some comments that certain ropes are lower quality because they are too stretchy, but again, I don't understand the correlation, when there are expensive stretchy ropes too. It's not my intent to have this turn into a debate about specific brands being better or worse, or whether a brand's pricing is fair or not (that's being handled elsewhere lol). I just want to better understand in general the pros and cons about rope stretch or stiffness. I ask in part just to know more about gear, but also because I'll need a new rope before too long and have no idea what to target. I'm skiing 32-34mph, 15off and taking looks at 22off, I'm 34 years old and in good health. I've been on the Masterline regular mainline rope (not pro or optimized).

@aupatking - Not at all doubting it, but curious how do we know with Freddie?