flexons + booster straps

[cinnepa]

so i have kneissel flexons that i wanted to get booster straps for. went to try and take the existing strap out of the shell and basically i cannot get it out - did not want to cut it.....but it seems like the only way to get these things out. just curious if other flexon owners had a secret to getting the old ones out, or did they just knife them.

[justcuz]

Why don't you just leave them on and put the booster over the top?

[snorkeldeep]

thats what i do - use the old strap over the front of the tongue and wrap the booster around the top of the thermoflex and the top edge of the tongue. works wonders.

[cinnepa]

both ideas sound good........was going off what the shop guy said to me, he has flexons and said "you just take the old strap out and replace with the booster strap". never asked him how he did it - but i like the idea of using both.

[iggyskier]

when I replaced my old flexon's strap I pretty much just ripped it off. Came off very easy.

I just got new flexons and haven't replaced the strap yet. I'll look to see if it is different at all.

[Mulletizer]

Why don't you just leave them on and put the booster over the top?

IME Boosters work a lot better if they are the only strap on the boot. If the original ones are still there they get in the way and do not allow the booster to stretch as freely as when they are alone.

On my X-Wave 10s the booster + power strap combo (with strap as loose as possible) was no better than just the power strap and a load more fiddly and bulky. When I took off the power strap and mounted the booster alone they became a whole new boot - the improvement was awesome.

[cinnepa]

IME Boosters work a lot better if they are the only strap on the boot. If the original ones are still there they get in the way and do not allow the booster to stretch as freely as when they are alone.

On my X-Wave 10s the booster + power strap combo (with strap as loose as possible) was no better than just the power strap and a load more fiddly and bulky. When I took off the power strap and mounted the booster alone they became a whole new boot - the improvement was awesome.

that was my thinking originally, the little slots in the shell however seem too small to slide the existing strap out - just did not want to cut them out in case i didn't like the booster strap set-up (which probably won't happen)

[focus]

IME Boosters work a lot better if they are the only strap on the boot. If the original ones are still there they get in the way and do not allow the booster to stretch as freely as when they are alone.

On my X-Wave 10s the booster + power strap combo (with strap as loose as possible) was no better than just the power strap and a load more fiddly and bulky. When I took off the power strap and mounted the booster alone they became a whole new boot - the improvement was awesome.

seconded.

i tried doing both w/ my xwave 9's, and couldn't get any benefit out of the booster. i didn't have the heart to remove the powerstrap altogether, as that would involve either cutting the strap or drilling out the rivets -- i just sorta tucked it and crossed it and rolled it around behind the boot where it doesn't get in the way. now i get much love from the booster.

[Mulletizer]

i didn't have the heart to remove the powerstrap altogether, as that would involve either cutting the strap or drilling out the rivets -- i just sorta tucked it and crossed it and rolled it around behind the boot where it doesn't get in the way. now i get much love from the booster.

I melted out my rivets, actually by spinning a drill on them to heat them up but a soldering iron would work a treat. Removing them meant that the plastic piece that the rivets went though came off (oh no, no powerlink!) so I bolted it back on with some bolts a shop tech gave me. Seriously worth getting rid of the powerstrap IMO - it's so bulky on the Salomon boots.

[focus]

you disrupted the powerlink?! are the boots still skiable???

i actually spent a lot of time origami-ing that sucker so it wouldn't get in the way.... we'll see how it goes. given your powerlink fiasco i'll probably just get out the razor if/when the time comes.

[Mulletizer]

The powerlink's bull IMO but that plastic piece that comes off when you pop the rivets is an integral part of the boot. Removing it and replacing it using bolts instead of rivets has the significant advantage of securely anchoring the Booster strap (where the standard one normally goes). Mine's right back where it was when the rivets were there and the boots are fine. Finding the right bolts to do this is a bit of a pain but I would seriously recommend doing it.

[focus]

The powerlink's bull IMO but that plastic piece that comes off when you pop the rivets is an integral part of the boot. Removing it and replacing it using bolts instead of rivets has the significant advantage of securely anchoring the Booster strap (where the standard one normally goes). Mine's right back where it was when the rivets were there and the boots are fine. Finding the right bolts to do this is a bit of a pain but I would seriously recommend doing it.

forgot the sarcasm tags. i get a kick out of that little strip of carbon, too... and those holes in the side...

the xwaves are gimmicky, but i love 'em still.

i mounted my booster strap in between the spoiler and the rest of the boot. it's pretty secure there.

[Meconium]

I was just playing around with this and wasn’t paying attention when I took off the rear spoiler.
Does the sides of the shell slip under or over the spoiler? (flexon) Fits both ways but my short term is eroding

[Wild4umlauts]

that was my thinking originally, the little slots in the shell however seem too small to slide the existing strap out - just did not want to cut them out in case i didn't like the booster strap set-up (which probably won't happen)

OK - This is possible. The Kneissl Flexon has a wider power strap than the original Raichle Flexons so it's much harder to remove without cutting it, but it is possible.

To remove the strap without cutting:
1. On the side that has the metal "loop" use a large flat blade screwdriver to "stretch" the slot opening on the rear cuff a bit - you don't need much, but just a bit will provide enough room to slide the metal loop out. The stretching isn't permanent and the shell will return to normal.

2. Slip the strap all way through the slot (including the seam) BEFORE attempting to slide the metal loop out. Once you're up to the metal loop rotate it in the strap so that the narrower side feeds into the slot in the shell first. Note that the strap material will bunch up a bit around the metal loop, but if your screwdriver stretch is still there you'll be good to go.

3. With the narrow side of the metal loop feeding into the slot give a few good yanks on the strap from the other side and it should slip though.

4. Repeat process for the other side.

Luckily the Booster strap will just slide into place and doesn't need all this "fun".

P.S. My experience with this setup is that the Flexon, being a 3-piece design, works very well with the Booster strap on the outside of the plastic tongue. Traditional 2 piece overlap boots that have a tongued liner work better with the Booster placed directly against the liner (this is the recommended position). The Booster in combination with a Flexon with a Thermoflex liner helps the liner and boot stay in contact with the leg all the time even when it's outside on the shell tongue.

[upallnight]

P.S. My experience with this setup is that the Flexon, being a 3-piece design, works very well with the Booster strap on the outside of the plastic tongue. Traditional 2 piece overlap boots that have a tongued liner work better with the

Sorry--could you clarify what you mean by 3-piece vs. 2-piece design?

When you say 3-piece design, do you mean a plastic upper cuff, a plastic lower, and a separate hinged (removable) tongue, vs a 2-piece design (plastic upper wrapping cuff + lower...but no removable or hinged tongue)?

Thank you for the clarification!

I'm thinking of adding a Booster strap to my Denalis.

[Wild4umlauts]

upallnight - yeah - you got it. Just about every other boot available is a 2 piece design except for Flexons and Kryptons that are 3 piece (cabriolet as Dalbello puts it).

[cinnepa]

OK - This is possible. The Kneissl Flexon has a wider power strap than the original Raichle Flexons so it's much harder to remove without cutting it, but it is possible.

To remove the strap without cutting:
1. On the side that has the metal "loop" use a large flat blade screwdriver to "stretch" the slot opening on the rear cuff a bit - you don't need much, but just a bit will provide enough room to slide the metal loop out. The stretching isn't permanent and the shell will return to normal.

2. Slip the strap all way through the slot (including the seam) BEFORE attempting to slide the metal loop out. Once you're up to the metal loop rotate it in the strap so that the narrower side feeds into the slot in the shell first. Note that the strap material will bunch up a bit around the metal loop, but if your screwdriver stretch is still there you'll be good to go.

3. With the narrow side of the metal loop feeding into the slot give a few good yanks on the strap from the other side and it should slip though.

4. Repeat process for the other side.

Luckily the Booster strap will just slide into place and doesn't need all this "fun".

P.S. My experience with this setup is that the Flexon, being a 3-piece design, works very well with the Booster strap on the outside of the plastic tongue. Traditional 2 piece overlap boots that have a tongued liner work better with the Booster placed directly against the liner (this is the recommended position). The Booster in combination with a Flexon with a Thermoflex liner helps the liner and boot stay in contact with the leg all the time even when it's outside on the shell tongue.

BEAUTIFUL, i'm on it!