There are continuous arguments for both Soft and Difficult boots for Splitboarding and whilst the hard shell boot riders will tell you that by cutting their boots to make them softer there is no compromise, the soft boot riders will also argue that much better method and route planning on the ascent will avoid the previously mentioned problems on the ascent, whilst still providing you the beauty of the softer boot flight en route down.
If your factor for being out there may be for the beauty of the surroundings, the touring and escape and to travel through the mountains, then the shell boot system makes ideal sense. If your bias is up to the side of climbing up for the sake of the flight back down, then the softer boot option might be more your cup of tea? As I have actually currently specified, my personal priority is up to the descent and the soft surfy sensation underfoot that a soft boot offers.
The compromise of the climb?
To be sincere, I hardly ever have trouble with skinning on icy terrain in soft boots as I either it either by taking a more Splitboard friendly path instead of following the icy skin track (frequently set by skiers on thinner devices), I place on the couteau prior to the path gets tough or, more often the case, if its really firm and high, I put on my boot crampons, put my board on my back and boot-pack directly up instead.
This shuffle strategy will get you through brief sections where it is icy or perhaps steeper, but if you're needing to do this for a longer period I recommend one of the 3 options above rather. Practicing this strategy will certainly help for these much shorter icier or steeper areas where you are caught out or you do not feel the requirement to alter techniques yet.
Practice makes ideal here, but the very best action is foresight, put on your couteau or crampons prior to you get in difficulty. The minor hold-up in changing over will be negated by the time saved from faffing about and slipping off the path. One last thing worth discussing that can significantly help your edging capability in a soft boot set up is the Glow Rand D 'strappy strap'.
Leave them loose for the technique and merely synch them up for the steeps. Edging will still be difficult on ice or steep surface however it'll definitely help for those much shorter sections where you do not feel you require to go to a spikes underfoot. OK, back to boots! Like I said it's a personal option.
I certainly go uphill to browse for great snow and for the pleasure of the untracked trip back down over the 'going touring to be out there' technique (for me this is a secondary benefit) and so I personally prefer a lighter softer (regular) Snowboard boot than the shell boot alternative (again, I'm not knocking it, I know its a sensitive subject, but I'm barefoot for 8 months of the year and I merely don't like the feel of stiff soled shoes or boots so its simply not what I'm looking for in my flight).
If its a brief walking for an excellent descent, perhaps a couple of hours in the saddle and uphill from the start I'll perhaps just wear my typical boots. If it's a larger hike, numerous hikes, a longer flatter approach/exit or a split board specific trip then I'll most likely choose a more Splitboard specific boot alternative.
The longer stride is actually apparent when the terrain isn't so steep, when its high my stride will probably shorten anyway and I'll feel it less. Lets look at a few of the features on offer in the Splitboard specific boots and after that you can decide which features are necessary to you and decide if its worth making the switch.
From what I can see (having not attempted them all) most of these boots are developed around 2 or 3 particular features that provide them a benefit over a typical soft Snowboard boot. These are to start with negative flex for the stride, definitely handy on long simple angled methods, second of all a rigid Mountaineering sole that will take a technical semi automobile crampon or help on steep Ice and rock and thirdly a stiff toe box for kicking actions.
A lot of the Splitboard specific Snowboard boots have timeless Mountaineering boot soles, functions and looks, which pleads the question, do you require a mountaineering boot for snowboarding?
So far in my thirty years Snowboarding in the mountains I've managed to get to where I wished to be utilizing a regular semi rigid strap-on crampon.
For me among the beautiful features of Snowboarding is the feeling I survive my feet and the board as I ride and I'm certainly not looking for a thick bulky sole on my boots that numbs this contact but undoubtedly, having resided in the mountains of Chamonix for 25 years, I can understand why some people might desire this mountaineering orientated design of boot.
You'll absolutely sacrifice riding feel for increased climbing up efficiency with these sole profiles, you'll stand a little taller in the binding with the raised heel and the feel underfoot will be more aggressive and less forgiving but its a sacrifice in favour of an aggressive climbing tool developed for function.
We're carrying out at the more aggressive/extreme end of the Splitboarding scale here, sacrificing lightness and feel underfoot for stiffer climbing up prowess, however if you're going to be out there, harness on, Ice axe in hand everyday or on multiday expeditions then models with this function must be on your list.
Personally, I like a low volume in a boot, particularly over my toes so I'm not a big fan of the 'overkill' large stiff toe mountaineering design boots that are in style at the climbing up end of the scale. I'm not looking to kick holes in difficult ice, more to not break my toes or the boot on steep company bootpacks.
If you're trying to find something more aggressive for front pointing then the larger toe box at the more aggressive end variety may be your thing. Footprint length? Another important point for my trip is heel and tow overhang. I remain in the bigger variety of foot (UK11 or 46) and am not a huge fan of toe or heel hang, so I'm also looking for a boot with a low profile outer and sole length.
I'm trying to find toe and heel bevel and a low profile shell that comes in short for its appropriate foot size. Unfavorable flex or stride mode? The unfavorable flex function or stride mode is one of the features I simulate and definitely want to see in a split board boot.
Some boots have this as an adjustable feature that opens for hiking and which you can lock closed for riding whilst others have softer panelling to do the exact same task. There are plus and unfavorable indicate both. Open and closable negative flex functions use a higher range of motion however have adjustments that can break over time.
