Chicken Feet Thread 🐓

[PeaHead96]

peaHead, I'm the exact same foot as you. In the Quattro right now but am having issues with the cuff being too big and heel isn't locked down like I want. I'm almost always 28.5 in most boots but am in the 29.5/30 Quattro given the silly scarpa sizing break. Which size in the new Maestrale did you find worked better for you?

also totally echo your thoughts on the Mach1. I've been in a 28.5 Mach 1 130 for the last few years and while the lower clog is perfect, I could drive a semi truck in the space between my leg and the cuff.

Yup, sounds like we have the same foot. Bear with me as this site won’t let me type numbers.

I usually wear a twenty-eight-five as well. The twenty-nine-five/thirty Quattro was too much volume. And the twenty-eight-five/twenty-nine Quattro was just way too short. The twenty-eight-five/twenty-nine Maestrale is what I’ve got now.

Instep feels lower (probably because of instep buckle), the length is perfect, but I do need to punch for width at the first and fifth metatarsals a bit. Also, the cuff isn’t as tight as an Ultra, but I think it’ll work for me — especially if I use a spoiler and booster strap on top of the liner.

If you go to skimo.co and look at the boot they have the BSLs listed for the sizes. Match the Maestrale BSL with your normal BSL

[phil_dirt]

Currently in atomic hawx ultra 26.5 with zipfit garas that have a bunch of cork put in them (I bough the LVs, but should have been in an HV). I'm still having trouble securing my heels. If I put cork at the bottom of the tongue where my instep meets my ankle I can take up some space, but that cork doesn't stay there. I have new custom footbeds. I tried putting 1/16 bontex shims in my boot, but it just crushed my instep and made my foot cramp, and didn't really take up the space where I needed it.

My foot is size 27 unweighted, and spreads to 27.5 when I stand. My ankles are super skinny, and my instep measures around 26.5. I have hypermobile ankles (getting surgery after ski season). Should I size down and punch the toes for length? This is not totally ideal because I'd have to remount a bunch of skis. Is there a different shell I can get into that has a lower instep/tighter throat than the hawx? Maybe I can get a hold of somebody with a fischer vacuum machine to take some space out of my shells?

[Christopher3000]

Desperately seeking thoughts on mid-weight, high-ROM touring boots for chicken feet. My stats:
12/12.5 street shoe width B-D
Lange ZB mondo 27.5
Dynafit TLT 5 mondo 29 (had 3 pair)
Salomon X-Alp mondo 28/28.5
I'd like to find a size 28 or even 27 I can punch, but most of the interesting boots supposedly have too much carbon. What boots in this category have you punched for length successfully? If I could, I would wear an F1 LT in 28 but they're really short and narrow in the forefoot.

[PeaHead96]

Currently in atomic hawx ultra 26.5 with zipfit garas that have a bunch of cork put in them (I bough the LVs, but should have been in an HV). I'm still having trouble securing my heels. If I put cork at the bottom of the tongue where my instep meets my ankle I can take up some space, but that cork doesn't stay there. I have new custom footbeds. I tried putting 1/16 bontex shims in my boot, but it just crushed my instep and made my foot cramp, and didn't really take up the space where I needed it.

My foot is size 27 unweighted, and spreads to 27.5 when I stand. My ankles are super skinny, and my instep measures around 26.5. I have hypermobile ankles (getting surgery after ski season). Should I size down and punch the toes for length? This is not totally ideal because I'd have to remount a bunch of skis. Is there a different shell I can get into that has a lower instep/tighter throat than the hawx? Maybe I can get a hold of somebody with a fischer vacuum machine to take some space out of my shells?

I would point you in the direction of race boots. Dobermann seems like a good candidate. That’ll probably be the direction I’m heading for next season. That being said, I’m not sure if the throat is any tighter on the Dobermann, but I believe the instep and ankle volume is much more low volume than the Hawx Ultra.

Based off what you’ve written, I think downsizing to a 25.5 would be difficult

[PeaHead96]

Desperately seeking thoughts on mid-weight, high-ROM touring boots for chicken feet. My stats:
12/12.5 street shoe width B-D
Lange ZB mondo 27.5
Dynafit TLT 5 mondo 29 (had 3 pair)
Salomon X-Alp mondo 28/28.5
I'd like to find a size 28 or even 27 I can punch, but most of the interesting boots supposedly have too much carbon. What boots in this category have you punched for length successfully? If I could, I would wear an F1 LT in 28 but they're really short and narrow in the forefoot.

What’s your definition of “mid-weight”?

Also curious about the fit of your Lange ZBs. Is this a performance all-mountain fit? Extreme race fit? Can’t wait to take them off after 4 hours kinda fit?

I’m a 12.5 street shoe with a foot measuring at 29cm. I’m convinced that I could never get into a 27.5 shell without a 28.5 liner, but if it’s possible that would be interesting for sure.

[altacoup]

I would point you in the direction of race boots. Dobermann seems like a good candidate. That’ll probably be the direction I’m heading for next season. That being said, I’m not sure if the throat is any tighter on the Dobermann, but I believe the instep and ankle volume is much more low volume than the Hawx Ultra.

Based off what you’ve written, I think downsizing to a 25.5 would be difficult

I tour in an ultra xtd, that I can ski with zero punches. Also have the cortex and needed a zipfit to tighten the ankle. Doberman plug boot is the best skiing and fitting lv boot out there. And they can be found cheap on ebay. Yes you have to have the sole ground and week definitely need to punch. But once you get them dialed they’re the best

[Christopher3000]

What’s your definition of “mid-weight”? Also curious about the fit of your Lange ZBs. Is this a performance all-mountain fit? Extreme race fit? Can’t wait to take them off after 4 hours kinda fit? I’m a 12.5 street shoe with a foot measuring at 29cm. I’m convinced that I could never get into a 27.5 shell without a 28.5 liner, but if it’s possible that would be interesting for sure.

@PeaHead96 my definition of "midweight" is under 1300 g per boot in a size 28 or 29. Good ROM. Lange World Cup ZB (ZA, ZB, and ZC are stiffness levels) is a 92 mm plug-last race boot that requires requires you to plane the boot sole and do extensive fit work to use. With enough boot work the fit is super custom and I find mine very comfortable although they're also very heavy and stiff and these days I would rather have a more all-around boot with a waking sole etc. as I do not spend much time at ski areas and the performance benefits of the super tight boot fit do not outweigh the PITA of dealing with lace-up liners, the weight of the things, etc. I would replace them but for my fit issues. I generally assume that in resort boots I get size 27.5 and punch for length, while still seeking a very low instep and tight heel pocket.

[PeaHead96]

Could always go with the Zero G Tour Pro for a boot right at thirteen-hundred-ish grams.

If you want something lighter take a look at the Zero G Peak or La Sportiva Skorpius

Whether you should go with a twenty-eight or twenty-nine isn’t something I can comment on though. Not only is it different from brand to brand, but BSLs and internal shell measurements get confusing with the lighter touring boots — which I don’t have much experience with. Also, lots of lighter touring boots use carbon in the shell. Those boots are very hard to punch, especially for length


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[JackSkier]

Any ingenious remedies to major chicken calf syndrome which impedes tightening the cuff sufficiently? I simply can't tighten my Cochise 130s enough without kinking the plastic round the cuff (too much overlap, the buckle springs back open).

Mods already done: extra cuff from another boot (a bit like Pulse ProFlex), front and back spoilers, injection liners, boosters

[J. Barron DeJong]

Get a race inspired boot like a Lange RS 140. Much smaller diameter cuff than the RX 130 LV (and I'd assume Cochise).

[DoubleBogey]

Any ingenious remedies to major chicken calf syndrome which impedes tightening the cuff sufficiently? I simply can't tighten my Cochise 130s enough without kinking the plastic round the cuff (too much overlap, the buckle springs back open). Mods already done: extra cuff from another boot (a bit like Pulse ProFlex), front and back spoilers, injection liners, boosters

Same boot but in Zipfits. My bootfitter used hard foam shims that were tapered that are self adhesive and stick to the outside of tongue of the liner. They heated them up and were a bitch when I took them off. They got them in their shop (Minnesota) from a bootfitter supply company out of Sun Valley. I dont think you can oder direct from them but maybe you have a bootfitter that can.
https://www.svst.com/Boots/Boot-Fitt...d-Accessories/

[J. Barron DeJong]

Can get them here:

https://race-werks.com/tapered-shin-pad-boot-pair/

If you need more extreme:

https://masterfitinc.com/product/eli...boAGDT62h0oNjk

But going to an even lower volume boot worked miracles for my chicken feet/legs.

[DoubleBogey]

The ones I have I definitely wouldnt want on the inside of my liner, theyre pretty hard but YMMV.

[J. Barron DeJong]

The ones I have I definitely wouldnt want on the inside of my liner, theyre pretty hard but YMMV.

I think the pads I linked to are the only ones SVST makes. I wouldn't put much weight in the pictures based on the others on the SVST website, could very easily be meant to go on the outside and the sellers description is wrong.

Edit: Looks like SlideWright sells the SVST pads too. Maybe shoot Terry a PM to see what he has to say about them?

https://www.slidewright.com/dp/tapered-shin-pads-pr/

[DoubleBogey]

FWIW, the dimensions listed are the same as mine, 1/2 x 5, and look like the exact same ones. My problem with them was that they made the tongue stiffer than my liking.