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Burton Cartel, chewed up boots...HELP!

40K views 108 replies 36 participants last post by  ridethecliche 
#1 ·
Guys and Gals. I'm new to the snowboard forum and would consider myself a transition between new-intermediate snowboarder and recently bought some new Burton Cartels for my Burton Process board. I wear size 10 boot and have a large binding. I wear Nike DK's, which I do know that Nike boots are probably some of the biggest boots out there. I went through as usual with setting up the bindings like my last ones...adjust the toe ramp, center the straps with the boot, adjust the high back parallel with the board, yada yada. after going out with the new set up, Ive noticed the back of my boots showing significant wear on the heal, where it rests against the high back. Since I ride goofy, I've noticed the most wear on the right boot that the insulation is poking through the whole. I don't know if it's issue with me ratcheting my bindings too tight, maybe my heel is moving while ratcheted causing the rub and wear or maybe I need to adjust the ankle strap so it is applying more pressure toward the high back when it is ratcheted to provide more stability, thus, no additional wear. Nothing like spending $200-$300 on boots and having them get chewed...I would appreciate some insight...Thanks!
 
#3 ·
NO JOKE MAN! I just bought these DK's for this season...I did notice the ridges on the binding and found that to be the culprit. So other than that, no other fix really? No issues with ratcheting too tight or anything? Kinda sucks...I just didn't know if it was something I was doing...Maybe that is a flaw burton needs to know about.
 
#5 ·
Thanks for help man. I ended up going out and getting some Malavita EST's and the same shop I bought the Cartels. There's no ridge on the lower of the high back on the Malavitas. I explained everything to the shop about the Cartels and a manager there said he works with Burton and knows the guy who helps design their bindings and said he'd talk to them and he'd see about what to do with my Cartels. I ended up getting a reply from Burton and they tried telling it was an issue with my boots and needed to contact Nike...yea okay...Ill wait and see what the manager of the shop says...If worse comes to worse, Ill sell the Cartels to somebody. Beats buying new boots in the future and having those get chewed up too.
 
#7 ·
i have the cartels also and i have nike vapen boot. There is a hole in my back boot heal. it went right through the top material and you can see white. I think it is the ridges in the heal cup of the binding. It helps with your front foot but just tears through your back foot. I don't think i will buy cartels again.
 
#9 · (Edited)
cwilson, I thought about filing down the ridges, but why does one need to spend $250+ on bindings and resort to altering them? The most recent email I again received from Burton was that they told me they could send me another high back but since they were used they could not set up a return, which is understandable. The Burton Missions also have the high back ridge, but my question is why is the ridge there if some of their other high end bindings like the Malavita, Genesis, and Diode do not have it?! I know those bindings have their heel hammock, but still...if it serves a purpose?! I love the Cartels and functionality isn't an issue, It's the fact that they will eat your $200+ boots!
 
#12 ·
Yep. That ridge down the back of the boots is called a backstay. It's a polymer or co-polymer that adds some rigidity to the boots so the don't break down as fast with boots without it. We put those ridges in the highback to interlock with the ridges of our boots for better heel hold.

It's unfortunate that other companies don't use such backstays because it does drastically pro-long the life of a boot. However, I can assure you that we didn't put them there to sabotage your non-burton boots.

Also, they've been in our highbacks for several years dating back to 2007.
 
#57 ·
Burton Cartel Highback Ridge Scrape

I've spent several hours researching this topic and I'm surprised that Burton is still putting these ridges in Cartel highbacks.
In winter 2013 Burton Product Manager and user BurtonBindings stated:
We put those ridges in the highback to interlock with the ridges of our boots for better heel hold...So no ridges on Malavita, Genesis, Lexa or Escapade models due the hammock doing that work and better...we're looking into making the ridges less aggressive for the 2015 season... As far as [ribbed] backstays being on all Burton boot's, some may not have received them. But if it's not ALL, it's on ALL that you'll likely see.
Across several threads, there are various suggestions for workarounds, including filing down the ridges or using specific boots. But the boot suggestions are outdated. User super-rad noted that his 2012 Rulers went well with his 2012 Cartels. You can see why, as the boot's backstays have a commensurate ridges that interlock. But the 16/17 Ruler's do not have a backstay with this feature. Of this years' Burton lineup, only the Driver X has the ribbed backstay.

I was completely unaware of this issue when I bought new 16/17 K2 Maysis this year to go with 15/16 Cartel purchased in the off season. In 5 days of riding, the Maysis heels have been severely chewed up. Because my family are long returning customers of Buckman's, a Pennsylvania retailer, and we spend lots of $ there, a senior manager was willing to process a refund and try to warranty them with K2. But truthfully, neither K2 nor Buckman's should be eating this cost. Burton should!


Why is Burton still doing this to the Cartel highback? Furthermore, if they're going to do it, they should be explicitly informing customers of the boot models that are intended to be used with the Cartel.

I really like the double BOA system of the Maysis. I could crank them into oblivion for an extremely tight fit. The Driver X is not a BOA boot. I can't even find the Driver X in stock in my size in all of Los Angeles to go try it on. Even the Burton Flagship store here doesn't have it in stock.

I don't want to DIA fix this. Expensive boots & bindings shouldn't require that. I'm hoping that by providing this writeup, I can direct Burton support to this thread to acknowledge the issue, send me free highback replacements without ridges, and update this binding in future years.
 

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#14 ·
I have 2012 Cartel Restricted bindings and 2012 Ruler Restricted boots and they go great together. The only issue I've had is something is tearing up the rubberized material on the left side of my right (rear) boot. From what I can tell, the only thing rubbing that spot is the ankle strap, so maybe my riding technique is a little sloppy...
 
#18 ·
I thought this thread was funny because half the time you see threads where people are like:

"my boots packed out in 10 days and I had to get new ones...15 days! ....I only got 20 days before these ones packed out"

or else people are like:

" WTF! I only have 40 days on these boots and now I have some scratches on the back...what do I do now!"....hehe

I can't figure you people out.
 
#20 ·
BurtonBindings - appreciate the info on the reasoning of the ridges and backstay. How come no ridges on some of the newer bindings like the Malavita, Genesis, or Diode...because of the hammock back? Also, is the backstay on ALL burton boots? Thanks!
 
#21 ·
So no ridges on Malavita, Genesis, Lexa or Escapade models due the hammock doing that work and better.
Diode, it's not on their because it's too difficult to get that kind of definition in hand layer up carbon.

As far as backstays being on all Burton boot's, some may not have received them. The only one i can think of is the 2012 Rover and maybe the women's Momento. But if it's not ALL, it's on ALL that you'll likely see because the boots i just mentioned are so limited, basically no one can buy them.
 
#22 ·
Gotcha, appreciate it. It is great to hear this kind of info from the horse's mouth per say. I will look into all that stuff when purchasing boots and bindings in the future...don't know why Nike does not have backstays but the current ones I have should suffice since I have the Malavitas.
 
#26 ·
I know it sounds like a pain, but get new bindings if you have the $$ unless filing them down works for you. I bought the Malavitas, no ridges, problem solved. Just be cautious in the future... but I feel your pain on your Vapens. My DK's are torched! FYI, the Missions have the ridges as well. When and if you do plan to buy different bindings, definitely go in store and check them out to see if they do have ridges. Can't blame Burton, it wouldn't be as bad if Nike did have back stays on their boots but it sucks...
 
#27 ·
The Cartels don't just discriminate against non-Burton boots. I bought new cartels and Driver X boots this season and I'm already seeing wear through the material on the back of the heel on the boots.

I'm extremely disappointed, this is brand new gear.

Any advice on that, BurtonBindings?
 
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