Reviews by User: lonerider (13)

I would disagree with the previous review in that these Nitro boots are particularly good for someone with narrow ankles and from to heel lift. If you feel the liner inside, there is a tremendous amount of contour in the back above the heel and below the calf, like adding 2-3 layers of foam wrap at the boot fitter. In search of eliminating heel lift, I have owned several pairs of boots. From DC Shoes Radians (too wide), to Salomon Dialogue (better), Synapse (ok), Malamute (good), ThirtyTwo Forecast (good), to the Nitro TLS (best). Since I've owned several Salomon boots, the TLS system is very similar, I do like that it tightens the top and bottom separately, I like to keep the lower laces loose and the upper laces tight. I can definitely tighten up the upper laces (really stiffens up the boot). Boot is good and stiff (not quite as stiff as the Malamutes, but good for freeriding or all mtn freestyle).

I have very narrow ankles and so heel lift is a bit problem for me. I end up having to overtighten my boots just crushes both the top and bottom of my foot. Over the years I've tried Burton, DCShoes (waaay to wide), owned a pair of 32 Forecast (ok) and Salomon Dialogue, Synapse, Malamute (pretty good)... but the Nitro Team TLS beat them all. Superior liner shape fills in the extra space above the ankle. Heat moldable liners avoids pressure points. Some tips for durability... pull out your liners every night to let them dry out.

The tights are great. The material and cut is top notch and super comfortable. They are breathable and relatively cool to wear. I've worn them in the winter (under my snowpant) and the summer (with a pair of shorts). As they are more of a compression short/wicking base layer aren't super warm in the winter. I got a pair of the Insulator versions which I'll try out this winter. The conditional web support your IT band along you outer thigh and then wrap around your knee to help keep it aligned during exercise. It's not going to be better than say a DonJoy hinged brace... but it's far better than those neoprene knee sleeves that you pull on. They also work well as compression shorts, massaging your muscles as you move and help keep them from getting fatigued. These two effects are subtle... but definitely noticeable to me. I've had a variety of long underwear (Patagonia, Burton, UnderArmour, etc) that I've bought a high discounts... while I bought my first two pair of CW-X for like 70% off... I liked them so much I got another pair for full price. That's how much I like them. I wear them for ice hockey, snowboarding, running, cycling and hiking.

Prior to this, my Marmot Mercury soft shell was my favorite always wear jacket, however it was a summer jacket and provide virtually zero warmth (a long sleeved t-shirt was warmer). Not so with the Easy Rider, this has a nice fleece lining that makes this jacket good for warm and yet still very breathable. I've used it for backcountry hiking in the winter in the mountains, as a wind breaker sailing on the ocean, or just to keep warm on chilly nights. I've yet to wear it in significantly wet weather though (only mild drizzles).

This board is a very fun and playful. It has a soft nose and tail that makes for easy presses, but still have a surprising amount of pop in it. Stiffer flex in between the binding making it pretty stable on bigger booters (~45ft cheese wedge gap). 2007-2008 board had a weird edge bevel (1.5* by the nose/tail and 0* in the middle) - which causes the board to hook up late, but really hard as your carve progresses from the front of the effective edge to the middle between your bindings. I found that taking it to the shop and getting a 2*/2* base/side bevel ($15) fixes the problem. For it's pricey you cannot get a better board (trust me, a board buying addict).

These shirts run tight, so I would recommend going up one size (I'm a skinny 5'9" 140 lbs and I feel like a sausage in my small size although I can fit in it. I also have a medium which is less compressing). While I do think it helps my posture and helps avoid neck/shoulder stiffness... overall I like the long underwear bottoms better (compared to regular long underwear tops and bottoms). The material is very comfortable and indeed does seem to handle a wide range of temperatures well... I've worn it snowboarding in the winter (with a windproof shell) like 35-40 degree weather and then again hiking the glacier snow in July in 60-65 degree weather (feels like 75-80 in the sun when you are wearing snowpants and a shell). While it was a little cold in the former and a little warm in the later, I really haven't worn anything else that could handle such a temperature range at all.

This board is a very fun and playful. It has a soft nose and tail that makes for easy presses, but still have a surprising amount of pop in it. Stiffer flex in between the binding making it pretty stable on bigger booters (~45ft cheese wedge gap). 2007-2008 board had a weird edge bevel (1.5* by the nose/tail and 0* in the middle) - which causes the board to hook up late, but really hard as your carve progresses from the front of the effective edge to the middle between your bindings. I found that taking it to the shop and getting a 2*/2* base/side bevel ($15) fixes the problem. For it's pricey you cannot get a better board (trust me, a board buying addict).

Based on recommendations from people on other websites. I got a pair of these gloves and a pair of Dakine Bronco GT gloves for my trip to Mt.Hood for some summer snowboarding. I figured the warm, wet, slushy conditions would be the perfect testing ground for these gloves (and I would probably need two pairs since virtually any glove is going to get wet in summer slush conditions). The Dakine Bronco GT were the clear winner... they were less bulky, the outer material soaked less water, the inside only got damp, and dries easier. In comparison, the Pow Sonic Glove outer soak up water like a sponge, so much so that at the end of the day, when I squeezed it hard I could get water to squirt out of the gloves like I was crushing an orange. They were also bulkier and that inner insulation would also become heavy and waterlogged. I found the pre-curved fingers and silicone grip stuff to be overrated (I've have several spring gloves and while the silicone palm is tacky and fun in the store... you don't notice it while riding).

Based on recommendations from people on other websites. I got a pair of these gloves and a pair of Dakine Bronco GT gloves for my trip to Mt.Hood for some summer snowboarding. I figured the warm, wet, slushy conditions would be the perfect testing ground for these gloves (and I would probably need two pairs since virtually any glove is going to get wet in summer slush conditions). The Sonic Gloves were the clear loser... they were bulky (too much insulation) and the outer material soaks up water like a sponge, so much so that at the end of the day, when I squeezed it hard I could get water to squirt out of the gloves like I was crushing an orange. Now, I wasn't expecting any glove to be bone dry... but these gloves were noticeable heavy and waterlogged and took a long time to dry out. In comparison the Dakine Bronco GT gloves wear thinner (better feel and never got that heavy waterlogged feeling), much more waterproof (only damp), and dried faster. They were the clear winner in my opinion and are my pick for spring park/pipe riding this coming season.

The Malamute is the best freeride boot I've ridden for the following reasons. Internal Heel Anchor: I don't understand why companies don't put these into nearly every boot. It's simply a piece of nylon webbing looped around the ankle so that you ankle is held down when you pull it tight. It is simple and extremely effective in getting rid of heel lift. Stiffness: If you think your boots are stiff, you probably have not tried the Malamutes. I've ridden many of the boots in the Salomon lineup and they are stiffer than other brands, but the Malamute is the stiffest. Giving you superior responsiveness and power when freeriding. If you are spending more than 50% of your time in the park, these boots will make it a little bit harder to tweak your grabs. Oh I should mention I'm 5'9" 150 lbs, so it's not like I'm some huge guy overpowering softer boots. The quick-pull lacing system is very nice in letting you quickly tighten your boot and adjusting the tension in each part of the boot. I don't like the BOA system because it evenly tightens your boot. I like to leave the forefoot laces looser to keep my toes and instep from being smushed and then crack the laces on rung above the ankle to lock my ankle in. I can do this with regular laces or the quick-pull, but the quick-pull is faster. These boots fit people with narrow feet in the ankle and instep area, and medium sized toe box.