Garmont Radium

[riverc0il]

Freaking SWEET boot. WOW! I had a good feeling about this boot. Good enough that I decided to pay full price on this boot instead of just buying new liners for my G-Rides that had a really sloppy flex. The flex on these things is almost perfect. For the weight, I could not ask for stiffer. Much better progressive flex compared to the G-Ride. Can't wait to tour in these things this season, yea!!! First, I need to address some fit issues proper instead of just dealing with them like in my G-Ride.

Next season's purchase? New skis and a pair of Dynafits.

 

[deadheadskier]

Flex rating?

Do they come with an ID liner?

 

[riverc0il]

I think they rate the flex at 110 but flex ratings can not be compared between different manufacturers. My XWave 10s are rated at a 110 as well but I would rate the Radiums below that but not by too much. Very respectable flex for that weight AT boot. Not sure what an ID liner is. The stock liner is a thermoflex. Supposedly Garmont has made improvements compared to the old GFit which packed out quick. Don't really have any beta on the liner, sorry.

 

[Marc]

Blah, blah, now I'm going to get to hear it from both you and Austin.


I'm perfectly content remaining 4 years behind technology in almost everything... Mega Rides were unbelievably good 3 years ago, top dawg, cream of the crop so since I bought them 60% of what they were new I'm going toh my god I've turned into my father. Crap.


Hey Steve, we should tour sometime this year.

 

[deadheadskier]

ID liner is for custom fit, what Dalbello uses. Heat moldable.

 

[riverc0il]

Blah, blah, now I'm going to get to hear it from both you and Austin.


I'm perfectly content remaining 4 years behind technology in almost everything... Mega Rides were unbelievably good 3 years ago, top dawg, cream of the crop so since I bought them 60% of what they were new I'm going toh my god I've turned into my father. Crap.

The thing is... tech in AT boots has gone the equivalent of 30 years in 3 years time. At least as history has viewed the development of new tech in the AT world, heh. Liner and slight fit issues aside, when I put these things on, I was thinking "this could be a possible one boot solution..."

Hey Steve, we should tour sometime this year.

Totally! I dropped my season pass so I will be looking to tour lots more. Keep me posted when you are up in the area. I might actually attempt some of the stuff I have been putting on my "to explore" list this season.

 

[riverc0il]

ID liner is for custom fit, what Dalbello uses. Heat moldable.

Yea, it is sold with a heat moldable liner. The stock foot bed even has a sticker saying that the boot "must" be heat molded to fit well. Which is debatable with some liners but this liner is still loose enough in some places without heat molding that I might believe it in this case. Last time I cooked in my oven but I think I am going for a fitting this time around. Less chance of accidentally squishing the liner and creating a crease requiring a rebake and loss of liner packing out time. :roll: Not that I have any experience making that mistake.

 

[deadheadskier]

So, why dynafit?

weight?

What is the benefit over a Duke?

 

[riverc0il]

So, why dynafit?

weight?

What is the benefit over a Duke?

Weight, totally. "Tech" bindings have a fixed heal piece and no bar between the heal and toe piece. In other words, there is nothing additional being lifted off the ski aside from the boot. That is a substantial effort savings (and weight savings with less heavy weight parts to account for). With my massive 30.5 boots, I can use every bit of help I can find! Especially where I want to step up to doing more runs in a day.

Well, if the new Onyx turns out well, that is an option as well.

I think what is happening in the AT market place is we are about to see three different categories break out: light weight, super boomer, and intro/compromise. Dynafit no longer has the patent on the "tech" bindings so I would be surprised if we don't see more "tech" bindings coming out soon (I saw one that Trab was working on earlier this year floating around the net). Duke obviously is the way to go for bomber heavy weight "all about the down" crowd. The Freeride and its ilk are kind of lost in limbo though it is still a solid design. But its all about the ends of the spectrum. Folks either want bomber Alpine/AT dual use or they want ultra light weight AT only.

 

[deadheadskier]

I would think eventually there might be a binding with tele capability as well. That would be pretty sweet. I've always been jealous of tele skiers making 8" days seem like thigh high days......but if you've got to ski an icy trail to get to the slack country, locking down and skiing downhill style would be more ideal.

 

[Hawkshot99]

I would think eventually there might be a binding with tele capability as well. That would be pretty sweet. I've always been jealous of tele skiers making 8" days seem like thigh high days......but if you've got to ski an icy trail to get to the slack country, locking down and skiing downhill style would be more ideal.

Guy I ski with teles. He claims that on the icy hard parts he can ski just fine without lifting his heels.

 

[Marc]

Weight, totally. "Tech" bindings have a fixed heal piece and no bar between the heal and toe piece. In other words, there is nothing additional being lifted off the ski aside from the boot. That is a substantial effort savings (and weight savings with less heavy weight parts to account for). With my massive 30.5 boots, I can use every bit of help I can find! Especially where I want to step up to doing more runs in a day.

Yeah, the more you tour, the more you tend to focus on weight... funny how that works. Lighter on the uphill means faster, more runs, and I think most importantly for me, fresher legs for the down. If there's any single thing I dislike most about touring, it's when I'm ready to ski a really fun, challenging line and my legs are screaming back at me, refusing to make nice linked jump turns, or cut my edges in nice and deep.

Well, if the new Onyx turns out well, that is an option as well.

I think what is happening in the AT market place is we are about to see three different categories break out: light weight, super boomer, and intro/compromise. Dynafit no longer has the patent on the "tech" bindings so I would be surprised if we don't see more "tech" bindings coming out soon (I saw one that Trab was working on earlier this year floating around the net). Duke obviously is the way to go for bomber heavy weight "all about the down" crowd. The Freeride and its ilk are kind of lost in limbo though it is still a solid design. But its all about the ends of the spectrum. Folks either want bomber Alpine/AT dual use or they want ultra light weight AT only.

Regarding the Onyx binding... aside from just being an alternative to Dynafit, what's the advantage? It's heavier than the Vertical ST, has the same DIN capacity and costs the same. Until someone can compete with Dynafit, which will take a few years I bet, they're still my first choice. Maybe SkiTrab will come out with an awesome combo, but knowing them, it's likely you'll have to buy Trab skis and Trab skins to realize its full potential.

I'm not that plugged into the backcountry scene to say where bindings like the Freeride will go, but I know I'll always look for a binding like that unless it really does become clear that tech style bindings are as durable and reliable. Then they might have to resort to adding bulk and DIN to continue to make money.

 

[riverc0il]

Regarding the Onyx binding... aside from just being an alternative to Dynafit, what's the advantage? It's heavier than the Vertical ST, has the same DIN capacity and costs the same. Until someone can compete with Dynafit, which will take a few years I bet, they're still my first choice.

Totally, based on what I have seen, the Onyx can not compare with the Vertical at their respective price points. But I am not buying a tech binding until next year so I will wait and see what happens this year. I assume G3 will make great strides in their second year offering (similar to how Naxo adapted to its early problems) and hopefully this is a sign of more competition in a marketplace previously dominated exclusively by a single company.

 

[Marc]

I'll drink to that. Competition should mean higher quality, lower weight, and lower price. Win-win for us.

 

[awf170]

Totally! I dropped my season pass so I will be looking to tour lots more. Keep me posted when you are up in the area. I might actually attempt some of the stuff I have been putting on my "to explore" list this season.

Sweet... Lots and lots of weekend tours this year. In shape this season? We're going to have to keep up with Marc who rides like a 1,000 miles a week.

 

[Marc]

Sweet... Lots and lots of weekend tours this year. In shape this season? We're going to have to keep up with Marc who rides like a 1,000 miles a week.

Ah, BS. You'll still be faster than me. I haven't ridden in a month cause I attacked a rock with my knee.

 

[bigbog]

Sounds nice Steve...here's a request for a Review!..hey fwiw..
IF you at sometime wonder about other liners...take a look at Dynafit's Zzero TF liner..really nice, warm, thin & burly.
Fits in everything/anything.. Well, maybe cuz I haven't heated it = they're thin...LOL..

$.01

 

[Marc]

Some good reviews of all kinds of bc boots on Wild Snow, including quite a few on the Radiums-

http://www.wildsnow.com/category/boot-reviews/

 

[riverc0il]

Sweet... Lots and lots of weekend tours this year. In shape this season? We're going to have to keep up with Marc who rides like a 1,000 miles a week.

Yup. More tours than last year for sure. Keep me posted if you got plans and want to tour together. In shape? Well, better than last year. I fell off the getting in shape wagon sometime in August when my life pretty much fell apart for a month and a half. Working on it now. Will be in shape by spring skiing though!

 

[roark]

will be in shape by spring skiing though! :d

qft