Thanks for the feedback guys! Got a workhorse on the way.
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Thanks for the feedback guys! Got a workhorse on the way.
Anybody have success with one boot brand over another for stuffing garas in? My XT3's are absolutely stuffed to the point that the overlap closure is sometimes an issue, particularly in the throat. Great feel otherwise...
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Are you using a plastic piece, (a ski boot horn), to put them on? It makes it a ton easier.Quote:
Originally Posted by Huskier
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Re the strap on the liner, on my Sidewinders I left it on and tuck the lace slider behind it, I don't feel either of them, in my Lange Heritage which is a RS/RX hybrid I world cup every morning, I gave up on finding a tape that works and stays stuck as all the adhesive that seeps out drove me nuts.
Interestingly enough I have an Armada AR One for testing which is a cabrio hybrid and it is harder to put on then the Lange.
Does anyone have experience using zips in two pairs of boots? Currently running some Gara HVs in a pair of Hawx and want to use the same liner in a pair of Hawx XTDs (same volume). Ideally I'd like to swap back and forth between the shells but I don't know if punching specific spots or fully heat molding the shells to the zips would be the better approach. I had one fitter recommend punches to keep a performance fit, with the downside that the liner could be more compressed in one boot than the other, while another shop recommended heat molding the shells, with the downside that the fit might be a little less precise.
If your Hawx and hawx XTD are the same volume and from the same generation you won’t have to do anything. If they are from different generations where the older ones feel tighter, you probably still won’t have to do anything and the cork will sort itself out in a run.
If you have problem spots, punch the shell. Don’t heat mold the shell to the liner as it will loosen the entire boot.
This thread inspired me to join the Zipfit Club, so I wanted to share my experience in the process.
For starters, my feet measure 11.5, which are flat with skinny ankles. My boots are 27.5 Tecnica Mach 1 LV 120. I use Patriot footbeds and the combo with the stock liner kept my heel in place for the last few seasons. I now have over 50 days on the stock liners and had been cranking down on the buckles to keep my heel in place, which ultimately was starting to cause some cramping and cold toes and heel.
I contacted Zipfit and they recommended the Gara LV. The liners arrived four days before a trip out to Colorado. Day one, I took off the straps and put in the microwave for 40 seconds in 10 second intervals, put the liners on, then put into the boot worldcup style. It was a bit of a struggle at first but got into the shell, also I felt immediate panic from the pain. I kept them on for ten minutes then repeated the process. The third time, I messaged out the cork in the areas creating discomfort which helped immensely. I also bought the boot horn which is worth the eleven bucks. I repeated this process the follow two days and on the third, I felt comfortable enough that I decided to use the Zipfits out of the gate on my trip.
Day one of trip, I heated the liners up in the oven on a convection setting at one hundred seventy degrees for two minutes then spun them around for another minute. I had absolutely no issues skiing and felt extremely connected. No pain and very comfortable but super locked in despite only buckling the first notches. The Zipfits kept my feet warm compared to the stock liner.
The Zipfits were so comfortable that I had to consciously think to unbuckle the straps whenever I went into the lodge for a break otherwise they were perfectly fine remaining locked in.
Overall I am happy with the purchase and definitely feel there is a better connection to the boot and ski as the heel and ankle are locked. The additional warmth helped me stay out longer and cold wasn’t a distraction. From my experience the key is to get that break in period right.
Has anyone made their own cork mixture? Or found a generic supplier? Every time I check Zipfit's website they are sold out. I also don't need to buy more tubes, I just want bulk cork.
I was thinking it was just ground cork and some sort of thick oil/silicone, but I think they state there is a ceramic mixture, maybe some sort of silicone clay.
It's been tried by someone on skitalk. Im also pretty sure the patent for the omfit is public and it lays out exactly what its comprised of and it may even be posted in the zipfit thread over there. I dont think they were able to do it, either the sourcing of the materials or getting the mix right. Either way, I think they just went back to buying tubes. Im also pretty sure that the omfit is made in Italy, so if you really wanted to get serious you could track down the supplier but that seems like a lot of work for little gain.Quote:
Originally Posted by shitskier
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Originally Posted by DoubleBogey
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I've gone down that rabbithole and I'm pretty sure I've identified the company that manufactures the liners and cork mixture. However, unless you are ready to sink in tens of thousands of euros, I highly doubt they will entertain your offer.</p>
I've had some luck with ground down wine corks, leather balm and mineral oil. Messy as fuck, though.
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https://www.corbetts.com/zipfit-spot...ion-tube-2025/Quote:
Originally Posted by arild
don't know if you're in Canada
NorwayQuote:
Originally Posted by FloridaSnow
Anyone had luck removing cork from the ankle pockets? Had to add cork when I went to the Cab Free, basically bump the Gara LV to an HV. Now I got my hands on the Atomic Remedy. Removed cork from the tongue, but haven't tried the instep pocket yet. I can barely get the cuff closed on the new boot.
I assume you are talking about the little third pocket. Youll probably have to massage it out manually, a spoon from the outside scraping it towards the port hole will work too. You might have to remove some omfit from the main ankle pocket to make some room for the cork you actually want to remove.
There's a long spoon like thing that bartenders use that we have used to "drag" cork out of the pocket.
Video from Zipfit on how to remove cork:
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=Pp50B9vsXJE
They recommend jabbing an empty tube into the pocket. Don't warm up the cork.
I'm not sure its possible to get a tube into the small instep pocket that comes off of the main ankle pocket, I could be wrong
Are you talking the yellow pocket in the image on this page?
https://www.zipfit.com/resources/adding-omfit-cork
I haven't tried getting a tube in there, but you could always massage the cork out of that area to a more easily accessible spot. (Note it says that pocket is empty when shipped). I've been able to access all the other areas with a tube.
If you remove some excess cork from anywhere in the ankle pocket it will allow the other zones to migrate as needed. I’ve don’t before but eventually ended up putting more in after break in.
Remind me what the break in period is? I have a slight pressure point under my medial malleolus on one foot. I've only toured in them 4 days (GFT) and I only feel it while buckled up and skiing, so I hesitate to do anything at this point. Should I just go and spin some lift laps in them?
If you've only toured in them for 4 days I wouldnt worry, but maybe you could massage the pressure point. It took me 4-6 resort half days to get my Garas right. Get them warm and go spin some lift laps, skiing is still the best way to break them in.
Got the instep pocket empty last night using a tube. I did heat my boots up in my heated bag for a while to soften if and make it a little easier. Now tonight is high ankle pocket and I then I'll ski them Wednesday night and go from there. Cork need to get moved around a bit still, but that can be skied in.
Saw that the founder of ZipFit died today. His life prior to the ski industry sounds interesting:
Coomer was raised in Sydney, Australia, and after training as a world class swimmer, became the youngest competitor at the 1956 Melbourne Olympics (in modern pentathlon). He went on to study product design in Sweden, where he learned to ski. During that period he was secretly recruited into British Special Forces and participated in the covert operation to bring the Dalai Lama out of Tibet. A brilliant natural athlete, he trained with the French ski team, taught skiing in Australia, then emigrated to the United States where he became ski school director at Solitude, Utah and then Mt. Rose, Nevada. There he coached the McKinney kids. In 1968, Doug Pfeiffer at Skiing Magazinehired him as a ski tester.
https://www.skiinghistory.org/lives/...w28lb1PYO_pXnA
What a wild life and such an impact on this sport.
What a life
RIP. What a legend.
Zipfit Espresso is on its way
https://www.skitalk.com/threads/the-....9876/page-255
Re: Sven passing away, that is sad news. As a former Modern Pentathlete and current ski shop owner I'll do a few turns for him this week.
What is the common gripe with the GFT? Too heavy?
Heavy, doesn't walk as well as other touring liners, relatively cold. Worth it for the fit though for a hardcharging/hybrid touring boot.
Looks like the Skitalk picture of the new liner got deleted? I can't find it in the thread.
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</p>Quote:
Originally Posted by adrian.bee
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Too heavy and colder than an Intuition. </p>
Yeah, got deleted. I took a screen shot of it though. DM your email if you want it
Anyone got any more news on the new zip fit liner? Weight? How high or low volume is it?
Also holy fuck ski talk sucks, if this place dies I guess we could hostile takeover that place, but jeez the level of geezer over there is pretty high.
from gregL
New touring Zipfit is in the '25-'26 catalog, called the "Espresso" - they say this: "-Low volume ZipFit
- Ultralon and flexalon
foams with cork
- Innovative spoiler
design
- 320g/ liner (26.5)
Wholesale price is only $14 less than a Gara LV or GFT, so budget accordingly.
Would still love to know how it compares to a 9mm or 12mm Intuition.
Want.
Well this used to work, I posted the Sabrina espresso video.
Yeah I’ll buy these. TGR group buy????Quote:
Originally Posted by mr_pretzel;[emoji[emoji6[emoji640
Philpug will moderate the fuck out of us. Some seriously knowledgeable dudes and ladies over there, though,not least phil himself.Quote:
Originally Posted by mr_pretzel
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<p>
Yes </p>Quote:
Originally Posted by CaliBrit
I went back to touring with my zipfits (non gft). It's been awesome except the weight, which is same as the gft. My bunions are very happy and they make intuitions feel like I been skiing with 5 pairs of socks. The weight does suck though. I'm trying to decide if I will do big volcanoes with them :/