ski boot advice, por favor

[Dexter Rutecki]

<p>
I just got fitted for some plug boots, and I love the way they ski. I&#39;m also basically able to tolerate them--thought I&#39;d have to go back to the bootfitter after my first day (just a few runs), but skied them a second day and think they&#39;ll be OK--when I&#39;m skiing I feel fine, and the rest of the time the discomfort is pretty minor. But I&#39;m about to go to La Grave for a week and am worried about relying on these things...part of me thinks I should just take my old boots (comfy, old Head Vectors) as I&#39;m basically fine with how they ski, but there is definitely a performance difference between those boots and the &#39;new&#39; plugs. I guess the safe thing would be to just use the old boots, but given how well the plugs ski I&#39;d like to be in them. Two other notes: have only skied groomers in the plugs and feel that maybe for off piste stuff the performance difference won&#39;t be so dramatic, and I&#39;m also concerned about whatever hiking I may be doing. I think the plug boots will really suck for that. WWMD? I&#39;m seriously torn on this and only have few days to decide (bringing both pairs is not really an option).</p>

[Dexter Rutecki]

What the hell is going on here...if I post apostrophes does weird shit happen? Let's see...''''

[onenerdykid]

What boots did you get fitted for? Just sounds like you need more work to get done on them and some potential features to get added to them.

[Dexter Rutecki]

Salomon X Lab. I think that's what they're called--the yellow and white ones.

[SnowMachine]

What boots did you get fitted for? Just sounds like you need more work to get done on them and some potential features to get added to them.

Nothing about the plug boots? I am just here for the plug boots.

Go see your bootfitter. Either dial in your current boots or add a comfortable alternative. I know a lot of people that ski race class boots every day. Depends upon your priorities and how the boot is set up.

What do you ski? Where? Why race boots? What do you want from your boots? Are they your only boots?

[Foggy_Goggles]

Skiing La Grave in race boots sounds miserable but that's just me. I think you know the scene but if not, a lot of routes required a bit of walking sometimes with exposure. I want comfort and traction. But others will just power thought is a plug boot.

It seems a question you need to answer for your self. It is probably a function of now you want to enjoy La Grave but, conditions dependent, I'm be wanting to ski the road couloirs, Pan du Rideau and so on.

[Foggy_Goggles]

Skiing La Grave in race boots sounds miserable but that's just me. I think you know the scene but if not, a lot of routes required a bit of walking sometimes with exposure. I want comfort and traction. But others will just power thought is a plug boot.

It seems a question you need to answer for your self. It is probably a function of now you want to enjoy La Grave but, conditions dependent, I'm be wanting to ski the road couloirs, Pan du Rideau and so on.

[mntlion]

take what you know. its worked for a while, and will be fine.

[gregL]

<p>
Take what you know is comfortable. Skiing technical lines in La Grave does not call for a super stiff boot, and getting boot work done in France (or Europe in general) can be hit or miss. How old are these boots? Salomon race boots have been blue for some time now, the last yellow and white Salomon I remember is the X Max Race, which has a regular replaceable sole, etc.</p>

[plugboots]

I skied the grave in my Lange plugs prolly my first 3 or 4 trips there. Back then it was fine, but I wouldn’t do it now. So much nicer to have some grip on the bottom for all the walking you do. That includes walking around all the towns too. Back then, the guides ground the bottoms and glued on some vibram for grip. Also like the others have said, get those things dialed perfectly before you go, or bring what you know. There is sooooooooo much traversing. I used to just unbuckle mine completely for the long traverses. Then sooo much hanging around in ski boots, (like the bus/van ride from St. Christophe), you want them to not hurt at all. There used to be a really good boot fitter in Monetier les Bain named Bruno. Maybe Pelle or one of the bureau guides can direct you.
Going to Monetier is fun anyway, great shopping, great apres bars, so different from the smallness of La Grave.

[onenerdykid]

@Dexter - if your Salomon boots are white & yellow, they are most likely S/Max boots from at least 5-6 years ago. They're not actual race boots; they are narrow piste/all-mountain boots like a Hawx Ultra, Tecnica Mach1, Nordica Promachine, etc. As such, they are definitely not overkill for a trip to France, but as others have said, take what you are most comfortable with.

[beeeom]

@Dexter - if your Salomon boots are white & yellow, they are most likely S/Max boots from at least 5-6 years ago. They&#39;re not actual race boots; they are narrow piste/all-mountain boots like a Hawx Ultra, Tecnica Mach1, Nordica Promachine, etc. As such, they are definitely not overkill for a trip to France, but as others have said, take what you are most comfortable with.

Whatever they are, I sure love my plug boots!
Plug boot plug boot plug boot!

[SnowMachine]

Whatever they are, I sure love my plug boots! Plug boot plug boot plug boot!

Me too!! I think I am going to get some of those new Remedy plug boots to go with my old plug boots because plug boot.

[Dexter Rutecki]

@Dexter - if your Salomon boots are white & yellow, they are most likely S/Max boots from at least 5-6 years ago. They're not actual race boots; they are narrow piste/all-mountain boots like a Hawx Ultra, Tecnica Mach1, Nordica Promachine, etc. As such, they are definitely not overkill for a trip to France, but as others have said, take what you are most comfortable with.

No, they're X Labs, 95mm last. Definitely plugs. Can post a pic, but this website is so fucked up for me...this is the first time I've been able to login in a year(?), and I had to go to 'create new account' or whatever it's called to login. Reply with quote doesn't work, there was that punctuation mark stuff, if I try to log in otherwise it doesn't work. Whoever's running this site (is there actually anyone?) should go find the A-Basin crowd for some bags of dicks.

[Dexter Rutecki]

<p>

@Dexter - if your Salomon boots are white &amp; yellow, they are most likely S/Max boots from at least 5-6 years ago. They&#39;re not actual race boots; they are narrow piste/all-mountain boots like a Hawx Ultra, Tecnica Mach1, Nordica Promachine, etc. As such, they are definitely not overkill for a trip to France, but as others have said, take what you are most comfortable with.

</p>
<p>
No, they&#39;re X Labs, 95mm last. Definitely plugs. Can post a pic, but this website is so fucked up for me...this is the first time I&#39;ve been able to login in a year(?), and I had to go to &#39;create new account&#39; or whatever it&#39;s called to login. Reply with quote doesn&#39;t work, there was that punctuation mark stuff, if I try to log in otherwise it doesn&#39;t work. Whoever&#39;s running this site (is there actually anyone?) should go find the A-Basin crowd for some bags of dicks.</p>

[Dexter Rutecki]

<p>
jfc</p>

[Core Shot]

Heh. Loving the forum frustration. As others have said go comfy. If you had already punched and altered your plug boots, then yeah. Go for it. But if you are only bringing one boot, bring one that fits.

&nbsp

[J. Barron DeJong]

These boots?

https://www.bootfitters.com/reviews/salomon-x-lab-130

[SnowMachine]

Bring the plug boots or whatever boots fit to ski in.

[Dexter Rutecki]

J. Barron:

These boots?

https://www.bootfitters.com/reviews/salomon-x-lab-130

Yes.

[waxman]

They are civilian race boots. Not "plug" boots. Get 'em tweaked and go skiing.

[plugboots]

I’ve been thinking about this some more. Bring your old boots. As I said earlier, plugs are fine, but even the walk from the hotel to the telepherique is a pain. It’ll be black ice or some sort of shitty experience just walking down the asphalt driveway to get in line. Since it’s late in the season, skiing to the base prolly won’t happen, so you’re going to be tromping around on rock and dirt(mud) even more than the typical lagraving you need to do there. Grip is good there.

[Dexter Rutecki]

Waxman is going to have explain what his definition of plug is. Lace up liners, 95 last, can't even think about putting these things on without a hair dryer and even in moderate temps have to wait ten minutes or so to get them off (my bootfitter calls them 'two beer boots,' as in don't even think about trying to get them off before your second beer). I'm throwing some vibram lugs on tomorrow (La Grave or not I want that done) and skiing them one more time before going. Still torn.
And to reply to a few people up there, I've already had pretty extensive work done on them, maybe require a tiny bit more for actual comfort (and it's a close call--I think if I had another week or two in them that might not be necessary).

[Flippo]

Am I the only one to think that getting fitted in 10year old boots is wild?

[SnowMachine]

Am I the only one to think that getting fitted in 10year old boots is wild?

Nope. We are all mystified.
ONK, this dude needs a pair of Remedy and a listen to your Blister Podcast.