More AT boot modification madness(Lowa Struktura)
I liked the boot as it was but the rash of AT boot modification threads had me thinking I could make it a little better for lift served hiking(that and the purchase of a pair of F1's and TLT's obliterating any chance it had at being a pure BC boot). I'd skiied it with a heli/sugar/tele daddy mounted +2.5 a couple of times most recently at K-mart on thursday and I was convinced that it could survive EC hardpack nastyness, and that the forward mount allowed the Struktura to be enough boot to ski it in tight trees but I was having a problem with fore and aft slop in the boot. I traced it to last years purchase of Garmont thermo liners which were ment to put in an Adrenaline, while they were a HUGE improvement over the stock lace up/non thermo liner there was a lot of liner that stuck out over the cuff, which ment that there was a couple of loose inches until I started to hit the tounge, booster straps made a little difference but since they were anchored too low there was still a good 2-3 inches of cuff above the strap. I figured I'd try adding a front and rear spoiler.
http://www.killingtonzone.com/albums...iler.sized.jpg
rear spoiler was a simply canabalized from an old pair of Salomon Evolution2's and bolted through the rivet hole from the old stock power strap. I had to use a drill to enlarge the hole but it wasn't that difficult and made a HUGE difference in how the boot feels
http://www.killingtonzone.com/albums...iler.sized.jpg
The front spoiler was a bit more difficult, I went to my local ski shop to see if I could get a pair of Krypton/Flexon tougues but the sheer amount of material I would have had to cut away to get it to fit made me a little nervous. Plus they didn't have any in stock. The shop owner showed me the mod he'd done to his strukturas before giving up and going to Adrenalines. Its basicly a Head plate that you drill and screw into the cuff. Armed with a drill I set out to punch holes in my boots. I really wanted to keep the comfort and functionality of the walk mode so I made sure that the plate didn't hang below the pre-existing cuff.
http://www.killingtonzone.com/albums...kled.sized.jpg
as for results, there was a big difference between the mod boot and the unmodified one. The slop is completely gone, and the flex is slightly stiffer. Still keeps a nice progressive flex pattern and the walk mode isn't comprimised to a great enough extent that I noticed it. Its a little more difficult to get the top buckle done up since now you have to play around to get the plate to line up inside the cuff, but I'm sure that will get easier as the plastic molds to the shell.
