right guys - your advice

ok.

i am going to buy some tecnica diable flames. chose them over the magnesiums as i am 5'10 and 13.5st, and i thought that my hieght and weight ration coupled with the fact i am hoping to do do more freeriding/park riding makes them a better choice thanthe magnesiums. i do ski aggressively however, so am a little worried, but i figure the flames will stiffen up in the cold of BC and Jackson Hole.

However the size issue is killing me. I take a 9 UK shoe and am choosing betweent the 25.5's or the 26.0's. bootfitters in the UK are crap but i have made them shell check me almost 10 times now.

the 26.0's feel good in the shop and there is 1.5 finger down the back in a shell check. in the 25.5's they feel good too, need blasting on the right foot big toe area though. i am getting a new footbed too which will bring my feet back just the right amount in the 25.5's for them to fit well.

however the bootfitter says i am mad going for the 25.5 and he has never seen anyone with a size 9Uk get into a 25.5 let alone say the 25.5 feels ok.

should i do the 25.5 or 26.0? bearing in mind the packing out and the imapcts of a new footbed?

shit guys this is killing me as i want the best possible boot for me. not only is the flames v magnesium scenario doing my head in but so is the 25.5 v 26.0 situation!!

25.5

A boot can get bigger but not smaller.

Have you tried the 25 to see if you can even go with that?

As for stiffness, go stiffer. Boots aren't that stiff these days anyway and you're 190 lbs.

I'm a 9 US, and I use a 25 (there are no half sizes in ski boot land). I can't remember if UK is one size bigger or smaller than US. I ride a magensium, I'm 5'9", 140#. If you're an aggressive skier then I would reccomend going with the magnesiums. I think the mags are a touch on the soft side, even for a light guy like myself. But that is me, you know what you need better. Just letting you know what I use to help you out a little bit.

go 25.

you can make a small boot bigger, but not the other way.

are you wearing a VERY thin sock with the boot?

keep in mind you "bootfitter" might not have seen anyone go that small before, but he might not have seen snow before too. I trust folks in the UK to recomend the best in rain gear, the plainest food, and the worst dentist. Thats about it...

(I have a UK passport, I'm allowed to make fun of them)

right, ok. cheers boys, much appreciated. 25.5. mags it is then. final question i promise.


with the mags, is it possible to pivot the boot so it leans a little further forword, rather than up right, so to speak. e.g promoting a forword aggressive lean? and in terms of canting. i am bow legged. a good bootfitter will obviously know how to sort that but just for the record it means that the inside of the boot is raised a little higher than the outside (laymen terms) so that the contact is quicker on the inside?

cheers guys. hope it all goes well.

Talk to your bootfitter about that stuff.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by freddiegemini

...26.0's feel good in the shop and there is 1.5 finger down the back in a shell check. in the 25.5's they feel good too, need blasting on the right foot big toe area though. i am getting a new footbed too which will bring my feet back just the right amount in the 25.5's for them to fit well.

however the bootfitter says i am mad going for the 25.5 and he has never seen anyone with a size 9Uk get into a 25.5 let alone say the 25.5 feels ok.

should i do the 25.5 or 26.0? bearing in mind the packing out and the imapcts of a new footbed?

---

If you want to:

1. have your toenail fall off

2. have cold feet all the time

3. have crazy cramping on the lift

then get the 25 shell. IIRC, UK9 = US10 so that would be a quite small shell for you I think.

If you had 1-1.5cm behind the heel on a shell fit on the 26 shell - you should be good. If there is touching of the heel and toes to the shell in a shell fit, how in the :FIREdevil are you going to fit a liner in there???

Technica Diablo's run big. I have a fat, high-volume US9 foot and the 25/25.5 shell was the right one for me, whereas a 26/26.5 sheel is the usual rule for me. I wouldn't be surprised if the 25 fit you better. 1.5 fingers is normally about right, but if you have a low volume foot you'll need to go smaller and punch the toes.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by jfost

If you want to:

1. have your toenail fall off

2. have cold feet all the time

3. have crazy cramping on the lift

then get the 25 shell. IIRC, UK9 = US10 so that would be a quite small shell for you I think.

If you had 1-1.5cm behind the heel on a shell fit on the 26 shell - you should be good. If there is touching of the heel and toes to the shell in a shell fit, how in the :FIREdevil are you going to fit a liner in there???

---

are you my bootfitter in disguise?

there was no touching of the heel and toes in the 25.5 shell, nor was there in the 26.0 shell. the 25.5 shell is tight, but i am just wondering if i can bear the initial discomfort untill they pack out slightly.

my right foot is bigger than my left. in the 25.5 the left foot feels PERFECT, the right would need something doing. perhaps the liner cutting or the shell griding/blowing at the toe end.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by freddiegemini

are you my bootfitter in disguise?

there was no touching of the heel and toes in the 25.5 shell, nor was there in the 26.0 shell. the 25.5 shell is tight, but i am just wondering if i can bear the initial discomfort untill they pack out slightly.

my right foot is bigger than my left. in the 25.5 the left foot feels PERFECT, the right would need something doing. perhaps the liner cutting or the shell griding/blowing at the toe end.

---

ah, well OK if there's no touching then you would have room to work!!!

I do prefer a bit roomier fit, but I also have a VERY wide foot, so I give up a bit in length to get a width to fit right. I generally wear a US10 street shoe, and when I shell size *most* 26cm shells, I have 2 fingers behind the heel, but am touching both sides at the ball of my foot... ergo, I stick with 27cm boots!!!

My point is that if your foot alone doesn't have room in any dimension - it is worse with the liner in... but sounds like you're ok with just a minor toe modification!

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by freddiegemini

right, ok. cheers boys, much appreciated. 25.5. mags it is then. final question i promise.


with the mags, is it possible to pivot the boot so it leans a little further forword, rather than up right, so to speak. e.g promoting a forword aggressive lean? and in terms of canting. i am bow legged. a good bootfitter will obviously know how to sort that but just for the record it means that the inside of the boot is raised a little higher than the outside (laymen terms) so that the contact is quicker on the inside?

cheers guys. hope it all goes well.

---

There are little angled plastic shims that mount under your bindings specifically for this. All the racer kids use them. Marker makes them for sure, other companies probably do too, but they fit any bindings. It's best to play around with these a little first before hacking up a pair of brand new boots.

shit, cheers for the replies fellas. really appreciated. trust all you have to say and agree with it. going to go with the 25.5's now for sure. and get the toe punched on the right boot.

flip you raise a good point about a low volume foot! never really considered that in full.

jfst dont you find your boots too roomy?

blood sweat steel please could you explain your post again. are they something are should be buying off Marker?

and i presume you guys are suggesting the mags over the flames?!

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by freddiegemini

jfst dont you find your boots too roomy?

---

nope, the high arch and wide foot combo keeps me planted back in the boot, I just have an extra cm out in front of my toes. The upside is that my toes are never cold, and they have wiggle room!

I tried a 26/26.5 shell one season, and they were just too narrow... it is a problem, there's no good way to widen out that significantly because of the 1st and 2nd buckles that attach right there!!!

edit: I've been in Tecnicas forever -- so this info should apply...

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by jfost

nope, the high arch and wide foot combo keeps me planted back in the boot, I just have an extra cm out in front of my toes. The upside is that my toes are never cold, and they have wiggle room!

I tried a 26/26.5 shell one season, and they were just too narrow... it is a problem, there's no good way to widen out that significantly because of the 1st and 2nd buckles that attach right there!!!

edit: I've been in Tecnicas forever -- so this info should apply...

---

fair play, what tecnicas are you riding now? any experience with the mags or flames?

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by freddiegemini

fair play, what tecnicas are you riding now? any experience with the mags or flames?

---

Had a TNT many years ago, something in-between, cant even remember but they were black! ICON Carbons since they first came out (1998 maybe?) until late last season, then picked up a 2003 ICON ALU. Some of those seasons were limited use due to snowboarding most days - I think that helps explain why they lasted so long!!! I considered getting new liners, but the sole was getting pretty beat...

I really like the way the Tec's fit... IMHO, if you've got the skinny/knobby/narrow heel and wide-ish forefoot - they're a good choice!

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by jfost

Had a TNT many years ago, something in-between, cant even remember but they were black! ICON Carbons since they first came out (1998 maybe?) until late last season, then picked up a 2003 ICON ALU. Some of those seasons were limited use due to snowboarding most days - I think that helps explain why they lasted so long!!! I considered getting new liners, but the sole was getting pretty beat...

I really like the way the Tec's fit... IMHO, if you've got the skinny/knobby/narrow heel and wide-ish forefoot - they're a good choice!

---

seconded! best of luck with the coming season mate