Vibram Snowboard Boots – Then and Now

[bcrider]

Sorry for the redundant cross post but I thought the snowboard maggs might find this information useful or interesting too. Plus I'm hoping trackhead will let me tour with him more now that I have some "real" boots.

Oh yeah...Tech Talk bizatch!

So my new (old) Oxygen boots came last week along with my new Burton Driver X boots the week before that both feature a Vibram sole (something I’ve always wanted in a snowboard boot for the bc) so I thought I’d do a little side by side comparison.

Special thanks to bcd for his public service announcement about seeing the boots on ebay! Turns out they were my exact size and going for $45. It was just too good to be true so I had to pick them up.

The Oxygen boots are from the early 90’s and feature a plastic lower shell, Vibram sole, and very soft plastic upper cuff. They barely look like they’ve ever been used and are in immaculate shape for being around 15 years old. The design provides the best of both worlds in my opinion, the benefits of a hardboot (plastic lower shell for foot protection, small footprint for climbing) with the benefits of a softboot (soft lateral flex, traditional feel, and can be used with strap bindings). So stoked.

Side profile


The Burton Driver X boots are from 06/07 and feature a ton of cool features like a stiff (pseudo leather) outer shell, speed zone lacing, vibram sole, improved toe box protection, gel cushing, thermo liner, Outlast, etc. They’re guchi.

Side profile


The sole width of the Oxygen boots are narrower that the Drivers and are much more akin to the sole of an AT boot. One of the drawbacks to regular snowboard boots in terms of backcountry and mountaineering use is the extra width of the sole. It can make foot placement more critical in sketchy situations and makes the boot have more surface are on the soles which can lead to loss of traction. The Oxygen boots also have a pointier toe which will improve climbing as well.

Sole comparison


Front profile comparison


The overall height of the boots are very similar but the Oxygen upper cuff is considerably lower. This would make more since if the cuff was really stiff like you’d expect in a plastic boot but it’s actually very soft, even softer than the Driver (softboot).

Side profile comparison


The Oxygen cuff


It’s obvious that the Oxygen’s aren’t perfect but they do have some really great attributes and I’m excited to try them. I may play with a cuff mod and morph a cuff from an old pair off soft boots on them to add some height and stiffness. They needed a modern liner as well so I promptly got rid of the retro ski boot liner and replaced them with the Driver liner. I also added a better lace.

Side profile


Front profile


Next was to compare how crampons fit on the boots. I don’t own any step-in crampons but since the Oxygen boots will accept them I'm sure I'll get a pair. I threw some Kahtoola strapies on them for now.

Side Crampon view


Sole view



Driver X


Sole view


Next was to see how the Oxygen boots fit in a modern snowboard binding. Surprisingly, they fit very well. The sole sat flat and the Burton cap-style toes straps fit great over them.

Side profile


Front profile


In terms of weight differences:

The Oxygen (with updated liner) weighs 2lbs 9oz
The Driver X with liner weights 2lbs 11oz (US mens 8.5)
For kicks the Burton C60 binding (medium) weighs 1 lbs 15 oz (with center disc but without screws)

My plan is to use the boots depending on location, conditions, and distance. I'll be sure to report back with my findings. 8)

Thanks again bcd!

[Sphinx]

TECH TALK JONG!

[bcrider]

Do you not read well or could you just not resist?

[fortysix&2]

I look forward to hearing about the performance of the Oxygens. I switched to softboots (Salomon Malamute) last year. But, I keep the hardboots (Dynafit TLT) for climbs and spring. The oxygens look like they might be a great compromise between the 2. Fit looks good in those bindings.

Good luck..and we'll keep an eye on on splitboard.com for your review!

[Trackhead]

Still no front points.......? Better than no crampons. But you might as well wear wool knickers and carry a 90cm wooden ice axe with those old school 10 point crampons. Hell, why not just go back to Hobnails.

[Trackhead]

These, on the other hand, will be great for 12 point crampons that can actually climb real ice, AND stomp whiny tele skiers from T-tips.

[Sinecure]

Hmmm.

I've been thinking of trying to find some AT boots cheap to start using snowboarding. I use SB hardboots now and love the step-in convenience, but they aren't great for hiking over rocks. I need to find someone who wants to give me a pair of shells in good shape and then I'll just put some thermoflex liners in them.

Depending on what you'll be riding, and what angles, you may want some plastic up the sides to give you additional lateral stability in those Oxygen boots. If you run low angles it won't matter. I run 60/57 so I need lateral support. Even if I had a wide board I'd still be running upwards of 45 and want the stability that modern SB or AT boots give.

If you want to borrow some good plate bindings that'll work with those boots, I have some extras that I use for folks who want to learn to ride snowboards with hard boots. Happy to loan them to you if you need.

[Cyber Cop]

Nice post gear whore. Those drivers look sweet, way nicer than that gimmick flip out metal stud shit on last years driver. I rode the ions last season and love the speedlace.

[Tri-Ungulate]

The Oxygens are actually modified versions of Koflach's Viva Softs and Vario Softs, circa mid-90's or so. The Viva/Vario Softs were designed for winter hiking/mountaineering and semi-technical ice climbing (which is what I've used them for). The Oxygens just had a slightly higher cuff. I have a pair of basically unused Oxygens (in addition to my Varios) if anybody's interested in taking 'em off my hands. They're size 9.5 or so.

[bcrider]

Trackhead,
I typically don’t climb “ice” so I’ve never had a need for 12 point crampons. If I ever get the balls to do so at least I have the boots for it now.

Sinecure,
I like a more traditional surf stance (24-27,3). I can carve fine for my liking and I can still ride switch, catch air, etc. These boots also would never work with a plate binding…there’s no highback support, forward lean adjustment, and the upper cuff is way too soft.

Cyber,
Yeah, the Drivers really are sick. Speed Zone lacing rules too, I didn’t tie one knot all last year. I’ll be sure to post when I get my SL9s too.

Tri-U,
Thanks for the info. Oxygen made the “Super Pipes” around this same time so I assumed these were snowboard specific. I kinda still do, aren’t the stock liners sorta tall for a mountaineering boot? Either way I’m stoked to add these to my boot quiver, they have some of the things I’ve been looking for in a bc boot. Re your Oxygens, I’m fairly confident you could sell those you know where very easily.

[Alpine Dreams]

bcrider,

Got me a pair, thanks for the heads up

[skiing-in-jackson]

I knew a few guys who used those old snowboard boots as full on mountaineering boots. Used to climb ice in them they did. They were much cheaper than mountaineering boots in the early 90's

Brings back memories.

BTW- the thrift shop in town have mountains of that old stuff sitting around.

Also-TH is right. why have crampons that don't have front points. You'll only get tempted to cross terrian sketchier that your equipment.

[weibo]

As tri said they are actually a Koflach mountaineering boot, Oxygen is a part of Atomic as is Koflach. At the time they had Koflach for ski boots and the liner looks like a liner form one of those boots. I had a room-mate in the early 90's that boarded on that exact set up and he felt it was perfect. I hope that it still holds up 15 years later.

[Jiehkevarri]

Yeah, the Drivers really are sick. Speed Zone lacing rules too, I didn’t tie one knot all last year.

Slightly off-topic...

But still they have lacing. I often wondered why the hell snowboard boots don't have some kind of buckles and/or powerstraps? Is it just a fashion thing that they should resemble a skate shoe as much as possible?(my guess)

You don't see many tele boots with laces anymore either.

[El Chupacabra]

Any snowboarders here want to buy some new, never-molded Intuition (for Morrow) snowboard boot liners? size 28ish IIRC. I bought them cheap hoping they might fit ski boots... nope, too short. $30 and they're yours. [/spam]

[mmcpheet]

But still they have lacing. I often wondered why the hell snowboard boots don't have some kind of buckles and/or powerstraps? Is it just a fashion thing that they should resemble a skate shoe as much as possible?(my guess)

You don't see many tele boots with laces anymore either.

The style may be part of it, but the laces distribute the pressure more evenly than buckles or straps. It seems that buckles would create hot spots on your foot if used on soft snowboard boots. In ski boots the hard plastic distributes the buckle pressure more evenly over the foot.

In other news, the new version of the garmont ski/tele boot liners now come with laces.