the answer to "WTF is wrong with my boots?"

[stuckathuntermtn]

Is that really true about widers skis and stiffer boots? I guess if you get beat around in moguls maybe. Full rocker probably doesn't help either.
Warm days are what really make my feet hurt, but then again, I think the Outrun at Snowbowl can make my feet hurt in any weather.

[mntlion]

Okay, I'll try.

I've been in Solly Guns for years. Bought some Ghosts a number of years back, but rarely used them as the Guns felt like slippers on my feet. This season they finally really started to fall apart. The packed out liner was not too bad, as the shell fit was nearly perfect. The Ghost has a very similar last.

My Ghost liners are plush still. But by the end of the day, I start to get pain in my right inside ankle. And a little bit of general foot ache.

I assume I need to get that ankle zone grounded a bit. I also assume that the much stiffer (130 vs 95) boot accounts for this pain. Wider skis and harder snow days will cause more pain than narrower skis and softer snow.

Otherwise fit feels great. I once thought I just needed to break in the liner more, but after 15 plus days I. The boot I see little difference.

I live in a surf town and don't trust any of them shops near me. Nor do I trust any of the fitters at the hill. Other than finding a good fitter in Tahoe, any advice?

buy a hand held grinder (foredom, dremmel, etc) and grind a small pocket out on the shell

yes, warm temps, and fatter skis will not help

[YoEddy]

Anyone have suggestions for ways to increase cuff cant/alignment on a Solomon Mtn Lab 120? Doesn't seem like it would be possible to drill out the hinge and replace with adjustable hardware because of the rear spine alignment. The only thing I can come up with is either shimming inside of the medial side of the cuff or going to town on it with heat to push it towards the lateral side.

[mntlion]

Anyone have suggestions for ways to increase cuff cant/alignment on a Solomon Mtn Lab 120? Doesn't seem like it would be possible to drill out the hinge and replace with adjustable hardware because of the rear spine alignment. The only thing I can come up with is either shimming inside of the medial side of the cuff or going to town on it with heat to push it towards the lateral side.

shim the bootboard or footbed first. Then heat the shell in boiling water, attach a ski to the ground, put the boot on, a lean to what ever side you want for 10 min. Maybe get someone to pack snow around it, or ice packs to help cool it.

[slowroastin]

My heavily punched Lange rx120 are beat so I'm looking for a better fitting boot.

I have samsquatch feet.




I bought a pair of Atomic Hawx 2.0 130's hoping the memory fit will help before I start having punches done.

Before I heat mold them should I consider a different boot.

[2FUNKY]

How do they feel just standing in them? I have the same atomic boot. I love the boot. It's a lot stiffer than the Lang 130 I was in. I have a pretty wide door and I just heavily padded and heated them. It worked out awesome for me.

[slowroastin]

They feel much nicer than my Langes did out of the box. Way snugger heel pocket.

Just standing in them I get some pain on each side of my right foot. I'm wondering how much room the memory fit process will create. Currently with the liner out my foot touches each side in the punch areas.

[mntlion]

sounds like its a good starting point, BUt only your feet, and your boot fitter will know for sure.

light pressure, on the width of a foot, is a good starting point. not touching = too much room and the foot bangs around

[2FUNKY]

^What that dude says. I would heat mold them and ski for the day. If still to much pressure, heat with padding and ski again. The liners will pack out a bunch, keep that in mind. If you can find a shop with the Fischer vac set up. Have them heat and put the vac to them. A local shop here were afraid to. I'm probably better off looking back on it, they are kinda idiots there.

[Cocximus]

Would a snowboard ratcheting buckle and ladder be strong enough to hold the upper cuff of a ski boot tight?

[mntlion]

Would a snowboard ratcheting buckle and ladder be strong enough to hold the upper cuff of a ski boot tight?

yup, should be, It seems to hold snowboarders in

[Cocximus]

I did not think snowboard buckles are under the same amount of stress as ski boot buckles. Should be ok, my lack if confidence comes from my only snowboard that was a shitty sportcheck firefly.

These buckles are fiddly as fuck, and for how complex they are they don't even have micro adjustment.

[mntlion]

yes but they are light

[Cocximus]

yes but they are light

Whatever is gained on the up three times more energy is wasted at the top switching to ski mode.

[mntlion]

Whatever is gained on the up three times more energy is wasted at the top switching to ski mode.

yes, but that doesn't help sell boots based on light weight.

[Cocximus]

I got sone snowboard bindings for $10 to try this out. I put them on my old ghosts. One buckle cant tighten them much. Are these a shitty brand or model? Who makes the strongest buckles?

[mntlion]

should be fine. If you where buying new SB parts, I would go burton. seem to be a safe bet. but all similar

[lordf]

Long winded boot rant...

So I've been to some shit boot fitters and some good boot fitters but I've never come away with a boot that I'm actually happy with in the last six years.

I measure 28.0 on a brannock device and have about a 100mm wide foot and with the 3D measurement over the top it matches my foot length. Both feel are pretty much symmetrical but I do roll my right ankle a touch.

Boot 1 28.5/28(2010) Solly Impact 100 CS, shit bootfitter, always had shin bang and toe bang, boots always felt too long.

Boot 2 28.0 Solly X-Pro 120, felt ok in the shop, fell apart on the mountain, liners felt like that packed out after a day and my foot felt like it was swimming all the time.

Boot 3 28.0 Solly X-Max 120's (warranty for the X-Pros) given them in this size and told to fuck off by Solly... Same issue as before, foot ended up swimming in the boot.

Boot 4 28.0 Atomic Tracker 130's, they felt much better out of the box, went to a decent boot fitter and had my footbeds altered for them (slightly raised from when in the X-Max's) Lasted two days before my foot felt like it was swimming in the boot.

They all ended up feeling the same, after a couple of days I was about to curl my foot up into a ball even with all the buckles down, I'm not exactly a racer nor am I hucking cliffs, I'm just a tall semi fat bastard who skis fast...

Right now I'm thinking my only option is to downsize to a 27.5 and move to a full world cup shell (140+) to stop me overflexing the boots?

[mntlion]

Sounds about right? You need a narrower boot. Once you have a boot that fits you might not need it as stiff. But easy to soften a boot if needed

[lordf]

eurgh more money on ski gear but it will be worth it, I take it most of the size down are a lower overall volume over the arch?

[mntlion]

eurgh more money on ski gear but it will be worth it, I take it most of the size down are a lower overall volume over the arch?

overall lower everywhere, Remember its easy to make a small boot bigger, and easy to make a still boot softer.

instep high is not too bad to make. Lower boot board, you wont need buckles as tighter anyways, thinner socks. and the liners are thinner usually too.

[alias_rice]

After nine years on my last pair of boots I need some new ones finally. Unfortunately I don't really have the cash to go get a full fit like I would like to at Inkline. So I am just trying boots off the shelf. I tried on a few pairs today, and really like the Dalbello KR Fusion ID (other than not being red). The problem is after wearing them for a while I get some pain on my inside ankle bone (google tells me it is called the medial malleolus. The salesman at Levelnine says that that is an easy fit once we mold the liner. Is that accurate? Or is this just what I will deal with on a 98 last? My previous boot is a 101, but is too big and was purchased not long after ankle surgery when I was having a lot of pain, and I had to go pure comfort over performance. My ankle for the most part is back to normal and I would like a higher performing boot.

[mntlion]

easy overall:

1) support the foot a bit more wiht a better footbed (move the foot away from the shell)
2) stretch out the side of the boot a bit (move the boot away from the foot)

3) liner molding MIGHT help as well, but no harm in starting with that

[Cocximus]

I put straps on my upper buckles. Burton buckles sucked. Union work really well. They tighten the boot very well, make small adjustments and easily release to give lots of ROM but still stay buckled a bit to keep the boot together to prevent snow from getting in. Hope they work in the field.



Now I am thinking I might want to put an instep buckle instead of the lower upper cuff... or the first 5 buckle touring boot? Hoji would be jealous. What does tgr think?

[mntlion]

add a 3rd/middle buckle that uses/attaches on the cuff pivot bolt?