boot advice for a narrow- low volume foot?

I learned to ski using tele gear about fourteen years ago, then about four years ago I started making the switch to AT skiing in the backcountry, still telemarking inbounds. Last season though my knee developed all sorts of problems and I won't be able to tele much at all this year, so I am buying an alpine setup this year for my inbounds skiing.

Having never owned any alpine gear (just tele and AT) shopping for boots has been a bit confusing to me....hoping that I can get some advice here.

I have a rather low volume, narrow foot. I'm waffling between two pairs of boots right now, I found some Lange 130 World Cup 'low volume fit' boots from last season that are on sale for $425...the other boots, the Salomon Falcon 9 & 10, those are just regular retail price, at least $100 more than the Langes.

The Falcons are comfy right out of the box, but that makes me worry that they'll pack out and I'll be throwing shims into them to take up space. The Langes on the other hand are tight, several pressure points in them, and I have just around 1 and a half fingers of space in the shell behind my heel when I put my foot (with a thin liner sock on) in the shell. Even when the boot is buckled though, my big toe is hitting the front and it isn't all that comfortable.

The Langes seem like a good deal, and the salesman said these would be a good boot for me, but I'll need to spend some time with the shops bootfitters getting things punched out and stretched to make them fit my foot...that combined with new footbeds will tack on about $80-100 to the cost of the Langes.

I'm concerned that the 130 is wayyy to stiff a boot for me. I'm 180lbs, 6ft tall, would I be better off with something softer flexing as my 'first' real alpine boot? The salesdude said the bolts on the back of the Lange's cuff can be removed to soften the flex if needed...anyone done this, does it work?

Any other boots I should try to find and try on?

Many thanks!

go langes, you can make any boot softer and wider, not the other way.

also why not just ski the AY boots on hill?

lange made the 120 in a LF too. remove the rear screws from the 130 to soften it a bit and see.

and TECHTALK JONG

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Originally Posted by mntlion

and TECHTALK JONG

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alright....so yeah, my first time posting something and I guess I put it in the wrong forum...please feel free to laugh at me...

thanks for the advice though, i appreciate it.

spent half of last season skiing my AT rig in-bounds and I'm just kinda feeling like I'm maxing it out...I've got Garmont Megarides and Dynafit bindings on Atomic REX (177cm) and Black Diamond Verdicts (180cm)...they're great in the backcountry, but I figure since my heavy-duty tele rig that I use in-bounds is just gonna be collecting dust this season it would be fun to have a legitimate alpine rig for inbounds.

Did a bit more searching the forums, sounds like its always easier to soften a stiff boot than go the other way, so perhaps the Lange 130 boots are the best bet for me...just gotta take that leap of faith that a good boot-fitter is gonna be able to push and pull that boot shell to make it comfy enough that my toenails aren't gonna fall off.

Noridca Doberman 150, then make it softer and If you are rreally cool, put a vibram on it.
Nordica is blowing these things out from last year on closeout for 40% off of wholesale

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Originally Posted by skideeppow

Nordica is blowing these things out from last year on closeout for 40% off of wholesale

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Hmm, where?

I can second the vote of the Dobie 150 if your foot is truly low volume. If the price were right I would consider picking up another pair.

To the original poster, go check out the thread in Tech Talk started a couple days ago about low volume boots.

Atomic RT cs lower volume than Lange LF.

The Lange LF worked well for me. Moved into them from Raichle Flexxon Comps, which were the best low volume/narrow boot out there for a long time, IMHO.

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Originally Posted by comish

Hmm, where?

I can second the vote of the Dobie 150 if your foot is truly low volume. If the price were right I would consider picking up another pair. By the way, go check out the thread in Tech Talk started a couple days ago about low volume boots.

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If you have a good relationship with any manager or buyer at a shop, have you order a pair. They are on closeout wholesale, not direct to customers.

Thanks. They getting rid of them/ not going to carry/make them any more? I seem to remember that Nordica didn't offer this boot to the public for a while, they trying that again?

I was in a similar position last season, and am still working out the details. As with tele and AT before I resigned ;) myself to doing a certain amount of buying cheapish and trying.
I have skinny ankles and fairly low volume feet, although with a bit of width at the toe. Crispi tele boots fit pretty well, as did scarpas, the current iteration of Garmont AT boots fits better than scarpas but they are all rather roomy around the ankle and I can make any of them work OK with a fat enough thermoflex liner.
Some thoughts of mine: If its nice and comfy in the shop its probably too roomy. I found some Xwave 10s that felt nice in the store, and nice for a few days, then I gradually had to add more stuff to the thermo liner I put in them to make them snug. They have too much volume I think. They were said to be a fairly roomy boot and seem to fit like an AT boot ;)
Something with a flex of 130 or 150 is likely to be unnecessarily stiff. I weigh about 170, and have that background of soft tele and AT boots. That kind of alpine boot is way stiffer. For all around fun skiing I'm not sure its the right boot. I tried some tecnica icon xt17s, which are some kind of race boot, very low volume, fairly stiff, just too tight, cold and stiff for me to use every day.
Now I am hoping that some salomon pro models will do the trick. Nice low volume boot but not killer tight, and moderate flex.
Good luck!

Its all relative. Find a GOOD boot fitter and then go try on a bunch of boots. Make sure you shell fit them, yada yada yada. This is the only way to do it unfortunately. Just spend time in different boots. I will agree with Corn Dog that if its nice and comfy in the shop its prolly too roomy. They need to be tight because everything packs out and ultimately its easier to make a tight boot roomier than vice versa.

I say that because for me for example the XT17's were still to big volume wise. So its totally personal.

Don't worry about a boot that is too stiff because they are easy to soften.

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Originally Posted by comish

Thanks. They getting rid of them/ not going to carry/make them any more? I seem to remember that Nordica didn't offer this boot to the public for a while, they trying that again?

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Nah, they are switching to the Aggressor, a dobermann last but with some fischer soma-like tech thrown in, theoretically placing your foot directly over the edge.

http://starthaus.com/sale

Lange WC 150 ZB/ZB+ZC/ZC $425.00
Lange WC 150 Team $250.00
Lange 120 Comp Low $200.00
Lange WC 100 Team $150.00
Lange Comp 80 Team $125.00
Lange Comp 70 Team $100.00

Nordica Doberman WC 150 $375.00

Salomon Course X2 Lab SF $200.00
Salomon Course SF $200.00
Salomon Pro Model SC SF $200.00
Salomon Course 100 $150.00

etc.


http://www.cupolosports.com/nodoraskibo.html
Nordica Dobermann, sizes 6 and 7, look like XS or S $129

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Originally Posted by Bozo T. Clown

http://www.cupolosports.com/nodoraskibo.html
Nordica Dobermann, sizes 6 and 7, look like XS or S $129

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I highly reccommend you don't bother dealing with cupolo sports. Some have had good results but many have had bad experiences. Check threads on Epicski if you want to judge for yourself.

i hear atomics are pretty narow, like a 95mm last

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Originally Posted by nick > jesus

i hear atomics are pretty narow, like a 95mm last

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The RT Ti/racetech? They are a little wider than that, 96-97.

I paid $150 for my 04-05 dobie 150s, fwiw.

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Originally Posted by doublediamond223

Nah, they are switching to the Aggressor, a dobermann last but with some fischer soma-like tech thrown in, theoretically placing your foot directly over the edge.

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yeah, what he said.
They are still keeping the boot in line, it just has a different cosmetic

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Originally Posted by doublediamond223

The RT Ti/racetech? They are a little wider than that, 96-97.

I paid $150 for my 04-05 dobie 150s, fwiw.

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Ti boot is 95 at the forefoot, the cs is 98. The midfoot volume is quite low though and I would say lower than the Lange.

put my faith in my local bootfitter and took the plunge buying the Langes despite my concerns that it was too small.

Bootfitter spent two hours punching and stretching all the tight spots, swapping out the existing liners for liners in the next shell size larger and putting in some heat molded footbeds....at the end of which I was truly amazed...the fit is fantastic.

I'm a believer now...shell fit...buy them with 1 to 1.5 fingers of room then let the boot wizards go to work.