Splitboard.com Forums

Wondering if anyone out there has been using these boots? I'm intrigued because they're softer and lighter than the Driver X and still have a vibram sole.

I ride Ions inbounds, have 2008 Driver X that I tour in but don't love, sometimes they tear up my ankles.

I ride in the Wasatch, softer snow, but sometimes want the grip of vibram for more technical approaches.

My Sparks arrived today, so I should at least have a preliminary take on the Imp's tomorrow or Sunday...

The most obvious difference in carpet testing are notches in the shells just above the ankle on either side of the laces.
Where the shell itself seems quite similar in structure to the Drivers, these notches allow more forward flex.

To use a hardboot analogy its similar to the the difference between my Scarpa F3's with and without the tongue.

I spent seven and a half hour hours in the Imperials today, skinning around 10,000' and snurfing a dozen or so lines.

Comfort: Unreal... I put them on at the trail-head and never touched the laces the entire day. On the initial skin to the top (roughly an hour and 1800') my left toes went to sleep, but it was because I had my cap strap cranked down (Its been a couple years since I rode soft boots/binders, doh!). Other than that the Imperials were awesome comfy. Oh, and my feet didn't get soaked like they did in the Drivers, and it was sunny and warm today with wet snow.

Flex/Stiffness/Response: I'm not sure how to describe this other than saying I like the notch that allows forward flex. This is the major difference between the Imperials and DriverX as far as I noticed. The footprint (outer dimensions) of the Imperials is slightly smaller then the 08 Drivers and the Vibram outsole has a better lug pattern IMO. Its no mountineering outsole, but I don't mountaineer. And of course the Imperials are super light


At any rate the combination of the Imperials and the Spark Blazes was quite fun. Although honestly I'd forgotten how much I hate fussing with straps. Despite this minor annoyance the rides down were much funner than my HB setup for the terrain I was lapping. Super fast surfy trees


BTW... I wear a size 9.5 in the Driver X (2008) and the same in the Imperials (2011)

Thanks for the review. I picked some up at Backcountry and rode them Saturday inbounds at Brighton, with some side country into the Mary Chutes. I liked them as well.

I got some pressure on my left ankle, but I laced them up at the start and didn't mess with them at all, i'm sure I could dial them in. I also in too much of a hurry and too lazy to put in my insoles, I think any minor discomfort I felt was due in large part to factory insoles.

I'm hearing about your impressions in terms of stiffness and performance compared to the Driver. That's kind of what I was hoping to hear, especially from an hard booter. My impression, without actually touring in them is that I would like to tour in them and that they would be much more fun than the Driver X, lighter and still a high performing boot with enough stiffness for the bulk of the riding I do.

I like my Imperials a lot.
They seem pretty durable and hold up well from snowmobiling.
They are comfortable, light, and not too stiff.