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Topic starter
07/04/2025 11:08 am
I've been riding the same pair of Salomon Malamutes for around a decade. They have been a great boot and nearly perfect for my needs, which makes me wonder why there’s no love on the internet for these dogs. End-of-season deals and retail therapy and sleuthing the knowledge of a greater collective are my current coping mechanisms for the lack of snow, unused vacation days, and too few powder days logged in 2025.
The Malamutes are stiff, supportive and rarely have felt uncomfortable no matter how long the day. I've done some all day back country snowmobile trips, A couple all day Splitboard tours, a fair amount of bootpacking side country It took me a while to really get back to it but my riding has drastically changed from seeking steep untracked lines and out of the way places, to 8 minute hot laps on the same 4 or five pitches with the goal to improve my edge control, carve deep noiseless trenches and break the stupid speed record my phone has been taunting me with since moving out of the Rockies into Appalachia 2.5 decades ago.
I love the lacing system, the liners have a locking lace system, with an internal velcro strap for a little ankle support.The shell exteriors speed lacing and locking system has been solid for nearly 150 days of riding. I've had to seam grip the rand on the soles down and fix the tabs on the liner locks, but other than that these boots have given me many smiles for the miles they have on them. These features has steered me away from a new liner old shells set-up. But also have me wondering if I added boot stiffeners, Trenched straps, and re molded the liner or pick up a new pair of liners if I would be saving some $$$ to go towards another board.
Enter the K2 Thoraxes... Maybe the most recommended stiff boot behind the Ride Insano, so I ordered a pair of them in what I hope is my size, otherwise Bezos can have them back. I passed on the Insano because of a couple comments about the BOA system. I did try other boots on while I was in a man town but nothing spoke to me.... except the look of the black and white old school Vans.
If you made it this far please suggest what soft boots have you excited and why.
I don’t make mistakes, only discoveries.
08/04/2025 8:19 am
I'm not sure how those boots lasted so long!
I had Ride insanos previously. It was a good boot while it lasted. Stiff and very low profile. Didn't last 30 days until the tongue ripped out of the boot. I am now running Nidecker Kita dual boa boots. The sole length is the same as the insanos but slightly fatter in the ankle area. Very comfortable boot. The stock liner went straight into the trash and I opted for an intuition liner. The aftermarket liner allows me to run a boot that is 1 1/2 size smaller than my street shoe size. The intuition liners will stiffen up a boot, especially when paired with straps and stiffeners. Superfeet footbeds as well. Really like them so far. Very comfortable setup, lots of heel lock, stiff boot, and a good price point. Running straps, but no tongue stiffeners. I also run a shin guard on the back of my front leg for extra support for heelside carves.
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Topic starter
10/04/2025 5:10 am
The K2 Thraxis showed up, in mail.
It doesn’t feel much stiffer and doesn’t have the arch and heel hold down like the the old dogs. Even with a good discount I’m not going to take a chance on these, I’m pondering boot stiffeners to get me through next season. Wonder if those old liners would thermoform if they’ve never been cooked.
Too much Velcro doing nothing in these liners. There’s a boa and plastic plate for the top of the mid foot, one for the lower boot and one for the cuff and tongue. These boots may run a bit big, I felt the sz 9.5 or 27.5 was a bit too comfortable and will be very roomy at the end of their first season.
Not sure what boots I’m looking for now, I can’t find a pair of lace up malamutes, I may order the boa version…. I wish I could confirm what the liners are in the new Malamutes. I’m hesitating on the boas, because I feel they ratchet placement interferes with a good bootstrap like the trenched.
off to Amazon to see if there’s another pair of boots to try on.
I don’t make mistakes, only discoveries.
