anyone cut the upper tongue off a Lowa Struktura to increase flex for splitboard boot

so the 2 piece plastic tongue on the Lowa Struktura extends about 1.5 inches above the upper plastic cuff, just past the upper bail.

Methinks the extra height isn't necessary and could be dremeled off and rounded out, so it just barely comes past the upper plastic cuff.

I'm thinking with a loosely done inner cuff, the upper bail on the first notch but not locked down, and no strap, I'll get a little more flexibility fore/aft and maybe left/right.

Anyone ever have any experience with this? I don't see any drawbacks....

http://www.tetongravity.com/usergall...s/Lowa%202.JPG

I haven’t personally done this but your reasoning makes sense to me.
You should get a softer flex by cutting (lowering) the tongue. Just be careful it doesn’t create a hot spot or pressure point.

Give it a shot and let us know. :)

Splitboard JONG question:

I always assumed that with splitboards, you used regular boots and clicker bindings.
It appears that you're using AT boots and, I'm guessing, a Bomber-style binding.

What are the advantages of a setup like that and is there any reason I couldn't use a similar setup for my regular board. I'm looking to increase ankle support, but I don't want to go to regular ski boots. How dumb would it be to mount Bombers on a regular board (as opposed to a carving board) and use AT boots instead of snowboard boots? Any reason I'd have to change the angles I set my bindings at?

Sorry for the hijack, but I never considered AT boots for the snowboard before.

Bob-ij, I good friend of mine who dominated snowboarding (Berthoud Bad Ass Champ...yada yada) has been riding hard boots (Nordicas) and plate binding for freeriding as long as I can remember. I'm not sure if an AT boot would have the proper lean/flex however.

The main advantage to using AT boots on a splitboard is for the added climbing characteristics they provide, i.e. more toe protection when kicking steps in hard snow, better durability, Vibram soles, responsiveness (good for skinning).

The downside for most folks is that they result in a totally different feel and riding style (thus Taps need for a mod). Some people really like the rigid feel and say it just takes a while to adjust your style. Other folks don’t care about how they feel on the descent and just use them for the ascent advantages. Some folks will never use them.

Not all AT boots feel the same so try more than one if possible. Also play with the cants to customize the ride.

As for using them on a solid board. There’s no reason you couldn’t.
You will most likely need to adjust your stance angles to run the boots and bindings regardless of whether it’s on a split or solid board though.

Tap, I'm a skier, but I've screwed around doing some retarded things with my boots before.

Cutting or even fully removing the tongue will soften the forward flex a lot. Try it, pull the tongue forward, and buckle the boots; then flex em. Lateral flex won't be changed nearly as radically, but it will probably be affected as well.

The main problem is that the tongue distributes the buckle pressure across your shin and foot; no tongue makes for painful pressure points. Some things you could do: dremel the tongue at the flex point to remove material and make it flexier. Or, cut the top of the tongue off and replace with softer plastic (maybe some soft AT tongues, just to make it more comfortable).

If the sewn liner has a stiff, plastic reinforced tongue, you could try cutting some stiches and removing that plastic.

Play with it, bootfitting isn't rocket science.

yup, what bcr said

i think a cant plate would also help with the AT set-up

bcr - any good places to get the cant plates and the screws for the voile set-up?

If you're using them on a splitboard call Voile direct (801) 973-8622 and ask for DJ. They might still have some of the canted pucks they made a number of years ago.

If not you can easily make some out of plastic or aluminum. You might be able to find cants for solid boards out there too and modify (cut ;) ).

Doesn’t Palmer make Power Plates or something too?