Salomon Falcon 9 - Too Race Orientated?

**uride2** · 10-17-2007, 06:34 PM

I was looking to purchase Nordica Supercharger Enforcer or Salomon Impact 9, boots. The fit seems similar to me for both boots, with both boots being too wide for my foot.

I then tried on The Salomon Falcon 9 and really liked the fit. Big concern for me is they seem to be taller, or higher on my calf than other boots. Also Salomon classifies the boot as a race boot.

Are these boots too race orientated for "freeskier" style skiing????????
(also me feet get cold, are these boots as warm)

Racing is not my style, my perfect day would be skiing pow in the trees finding small enough hits to throw some 360's or a 5 (if I get lucky), and other varieties of some "old school" jumps. Maybe goof around in the park or pipe to kill time if the snow is not great.

The boots will be ridden on top of some Volkl Bridge skis with some Solomon Z-12 bindings.

Oh any comments on the bindings..
Have not paid any attention to bindings in a long time, and it’s been a long time since I have had Solomon bindings - 727's

Thanks for the help....

**fluffballs** · 10-17-2007, 06:49 PM

I skied the falcon 10's last year, for everything. They were great, they have a really even flex, I didn't notice the height. They are definitely not too race oriented for free skiing, just a good solid precise boot.

My feet get cold too, and I did have some very cold feet last season. If you have them fitted fine, they should be fine.

Squatch · 10-17-2007, 06:53 PM

they're no park boot, that's for sure. but if they fit well, they'll probably work fine. salomon does make the gun in the same mold that might be a bit more your style, though.

LC · 10-18-2007, 06:42 AM

If it fits and the flex it right, it works. I prefer higher cuffs, even in the park - I added material to my old Lange FR 120 cuffs to give more support and it helped me a lot. It's a preference.

As mentioned, the Gun "freeski" is an identical boot to the Falcon 9 but with a 95 flex (vs the 9's 90) and with a nicer liner.

**uride2** · 10-18-2007, 07:11 AM

Thanks for the comments and the lead to the Gun boot. The shop did not have these, so I will have to find a pair and try them on.

**altasnowbirdripper** · 10-18-2007, 08:30 AM

I guess a Falcon 9 could be a race boot if you here really light weight or a kid I guess, I definitely wouldn’t class it as one. I believe it's a flex index of 100 - most race boots for adults start at 130. If you like the fit of it, buy it. Salomon's Falcon & Impact liners are among the best stock liners out there. But - go with what feels best on your feet. Find a reputable boot fitter to tell you what boots/brands are best for your foot shape & needs. Try on everything & don't listen to anyone saying one brand is better than the other. Spend a good amount of time in the boots that you like best walking around & flexing & really get to know them. Any boot with a flex of 95 to 110 would be an excellent all day boot depending how much stiffness you like or need. All the manufactures are making great gear these days; start with a good/reputable boot fitter. Oh, the Falcon Gun would make a KILLER all day boot.

PS: mntlion in here – Dave - is a very experienced boot fitter in Canada & can give you good online advice. Look him up.

**gretch6364** · 10-18-2007, 01:45 PM

I skied the Gun all last year and plan on skiing them for as long as I can unless a boot comes out with some better technology. They have more feeling to them then any boot I have ever used....you can feel a dime under you boot on a hard floor....I think the Guns are a great all day boot...I don't know about the 9's, but they are the same mold but different liner...maybe 5 stiffer flex???? My feet did get cold in the Guns and I hate the way the tongue connects to the liner...it makes lumps on top of my feet that cut off those vains on the top of my feet....but I am going for some intuition liners on Monday.....I love the shit out of the shell though. The boot material does seem a little softer than my last boots (Lange's) so they do seem to wear a little faster and my bindings put marks in the toe and heal....but I don't think it is a problem.

**Hollywood** · 10-18-2007, 02:09 PM

The Falcon 9 is the mold as the Falcon 10/Race and the Gun but it has Salomon's cushier liner. The Gun and the Falcon have the same flex, with the gun getting the stiffer race liner, as the main difference. I'd categorize them the same as an Impact 9 just a different last. Salomon has like 6 lasts this year (narrow to wide) Falcon, Impact, Mission, Elios, Performa, SPK.

**milkman** · 10-18-2007, 02:33 PM

The Falcon 9 has the same liner as the Impact 10 (Customfit Pro). I think the Impact 9 has the Customfit Performace liner. I tried to notice the differance between the Customfit Race (in the Gun) and the Customfit Pro (in the Impact 10) and couldn't feel a real diff...Both are nice and stiff and feel a lot better than Solly liners of the past....

**uride2** · 10-20-2007, 08:45 PM

Thank you all. Very helpful and useful information. Gun boots on the way.

Local shop ordered them in. As much as I would like to get some boots from a professional boot fitter (in a mountain town), the boots are coming from a local mid-west shop. Keep my friends at the local shop happy (and in Business), and if the boots need some additional attention I should have a chance sometime over the winter on a trip out west to visit a professional boot fitter.