Slippery Jim 65 Posted November 20, 2012 Share Posted November 20, 2012 What if one put snowboard-like bindings on skis, and wore snowboard-like boots? Would that work? Would work wonders if you had stainless steel or titanium ankles. There's a reason skiers no longer use leather boots; I believe it's called orthopaedic surgery. Link to post Share on other sites
nippontiger 8 Posted November 20, 2012 Share Posted November 20, 2012 Im also interested in buying new boots - my last pair, I think are way too big for me (they are size 27.5 and I measured my feet and they are more like 26!) and are probably packed out now after a few seasons use. I would be interested in recommendations for any good bootfitters in the Jimbocho/Kanda area of ski shops (I live a 10 minute walk from there now). I read that 85% of skiiers have boots too big for them and 67% have boots 2 sizes too big! I'm wondering how much my skiing will improve with proper fitted boots....! I was interested in the Full Tilt High five boots - tried a pair on in 26.5 and they felt snug but comfortable... Link to post Share on other sites
Jimmer 2 Posted November 20, 2012 Share Posted November 20, 2012 My foot suits a Lange - narrow, long. Not sure if your 100mm foot will feel the same. Unless they've started making wider fittings. All great advice above. I might be able to get into their 98mm or they do make a 100mm wide RC series. Yeah Lange do the RC wide fit up to 130 in flex, so could fit you fine. I have a relatively wide foot as well, and love the Atomic RT CS 130s, the 'CS' part means club sport, i.e. a bit wider at 98mm than the race fit 95mm. They take a little bit of grinding, and then they are fine, sometimes a punch in spring when it gets hot. Though if I ski more than 40-50 hours per week, they can start to hurt. I've had a pair of those every year for the last 3 years, they are (or have been) getting discontinued though, so will likely switch next year, the Dalbello Scorpion looks good, as does the new Atomic, the part carbon Redster. The boot solution guys at Rhthym are pretty good, but this year I am getting my boots fitted in the UK, so I can get my soles ground for alignment, which they don't do in Niseko. Hopefully should make a bit of a difference, I've always had custom footbeds, but never touched the soles, so should be interesting. Link to post Share on other sites
Jimmer 2 Posted November 20, 2012 Share Posted November 20, 2012 What if one put snowboard-like bindings on skis, and wore snowboard-like boots? Would that work? Would work wonders if you had stainless steel or titanium ankles. There's a reason skiers no longer use leather boots; I believe it's called orthopaedic surgery. Not that crazy actually, I have seen a boot like that, carbon exoskeleton, with a snowboard boot style inner. Pretty certain they are just for very casual skiers though, the forces than can go through boots are pretty extreme at high speeds, I wouldn't want to try them. Link to post Share on other sites
gerard 6 Posted November 20, 2012 Share Posted November 20, 2012 I picked up a pair of head vectors last March. Only skied one day on em but seem good. Snug in the right places without being too uncomfortable. The boot fitter (in Canada) seemed good but he didn't do a lot of the stuff other people have said. Maybe I should have run from the store. Or maybe I should never have set foot in a ski shop in southern Ontario in the first place. Anyway, seems to me that trying on many pairs is key. I liked the way the vectors fit up through the ankles as much in the foot. Also stiff is good but beyond a certain point it's really not necessary, especially on soft conditions imo. Link to post Share on other sites
stemik 14 Posted November 20, 2012 Share Posted November 20, 2012 Some good points above. Japanese feet in general are wider that western and some boot makers will/used to make specific Japanese sizes. I used to ski in Lange for a long time. I preferred a very stiff boot - but as you get older comfy take precedence over performance. Salomon sell both in Japan. Look out for the JP in the name when you try on. If you have wide feet then these might do the trick. They did for me! I can't comment on the other makers as I have never tried them. Link to post Share on other sites
Chriselle 158 Posted November 20, 2012 Author Share Posted November 20, 2012 The only thing that kind of worries me about the RS series of Lange is that they apparently REALLY stiffen up when out in the cold. So much so that they feel like a completely different boot than when sized in the store. I guess all boots do that but Lange's are notorious ...again....apparently. Stemik...I'm also going to try some of the Salomon line as I know they tend to cater to a narrower foot...and yes I've noticed the Japan specific models...thanks. Stemik...what are you using now? Edit...just looking at some of the "jp" Salomon's and they still have a moderate Last of ~100..... Link to post Share on other sites
onehunga 26 Posted November 20, 2012 Share Posted November 20, 2012 I did a lot of research last year before I brought my first pair of ski boots. All of which was wasted as I ended up getting the only pair in my size that I could find. Big feet can be a pain in Japan, had to find normal shoes here, let alone ski boots. But one person I found on the net seemed to make a lot of sense, a Stephen A. McDonald. A quick google of his name will bring up a number of articles he has written about ski boots. One piece of advice he gave that I followed was to get a good pair of ski soxs. Re boot fitters. I got my boots fitted by a guy in tokyo who spends the off season in Australia. Fitted well in the shop, felt good. First morning I wanted to kill him. I only just got the boots on. Next morning after leaving the boots in the drying room over night no problems. Light bulb moment. Don't leave boots in car overnight when it's -10 below. Link to post Share on other sites
stemik 14 Posted November 20, 2012 Share Posted November 20, 2012 I have Salomon Falcon XR CS JP I think the flex is about 110. They are much more comfortable from the Lange WC 130 I was using previously. Link to post Share on other sites
Chriselle 158 Posted November 21, 2012 Author Share Posted November 21, 2012 I did a lot of research last year before I brought my first pair of ski boots. All of which was wasted as I ended up getting the only pair in my size that I could find. Big feet can be a pain in Japan, had to find normal shoes here, let alone ski boots. But one person I found on the net seemed to make a lot of sense, a Stephen A. McDonald. A quick google of his name will bring up a number of articles he has written about ski boots. One piece of advice he gave that I followed was to get a good pair of ski soxs. Re boot fitters. I got my boots fitted by a guy in tokyo who spends the off season in Australia. Fitted well in the shop, felt good. First morning I wanted to kill him. I only just got the boots on. Next morning after leaving the boots in the drying room over night no problems. Light bulb moment. Don't leave boots in car overnight when it's -10 below. Haha....I've forgotten to take boots out of the car a few times.....it's one boot on the dashboard and one under the passenger side foot vent with the heat blasting....not while wearing them of course.. I'll check out that MacDonald fellow..thanks. I have Salomon Falcon XR CS JP I think the flex is about 110. They are much more comfortable from the Lange WC 130 I was using previously. The guy that I work with who races uses a Dalbello 150. Pretty much concrete at 150 I'd imagine. Link to post Share on other sites
Slippery Jim 65 Posted November 21, 2012 Share Posted November 21, 2012 Stephen McDonald is a wonderful boot fitter (and by the way a very nice guy) who lives and works in Jackson Hole. Among other things he's written a short but very informative essay on putting on your boots -- you might be surprised to learn how much of a difference it makes. PM me for a link to that. Chriselle, my morning drives uphill are typically with the heater going full blast pumping warm air directly into my boots. Of course this requires driving with at least one window wide open to keep from turning the car into a sauna! Link to post Share on other sites
SnowJapan Admin SnowJapan 177 Posted November 21, 2012 SnowJapan Admin Share Posted November 21, 2012 Feel free to post it DiGriz. Link to post Share on other sites
Slippery Jim 65 Posted November 21, 2012 Share Posted November 21, 2012 Thanks, David. http://www.epicski.com/a/how-to-get-your-boots-on-and-off Link to post Share on other sites
Chriselle 158 Posted November 21, 2012 Author Share Posted November 21, 2012 Stephen McDonald is a wonderful boot fitter (and by the way a very nice guy) who lives and works in Jackson Hole. Among other things he's written a short but very informative essay on putting on your boots -- you might be surprised to learn how much of a difference it makes. PM me for a link to that. Chriselle, my morning drives uphill are typically with the heater going full blast pumping warm air directly into my boots. Of course this requires driving with at least one window wide open to keep from turning the car into a sauna! Yes...thanks David. There's only one thing worse than putting on cold ski gear....cold hockey gear especially cold skates...brrrrr. In my van I had a hose rigged up to the rear heater vent which I shoved in the boots or skates....worked very well and no razor sharp skates sitting on the dashboard. Link to post Share on other sites
Chriselle 158 Posted November 21, 2012 Author Share Posted November 21, 2012 Cool article DiGriz. I've never really wrenched down the power strap like he says to do...In fact there are A LOT of things I was doing wrong for many years... Link to post Share on other sites
Slippery Jim 65 Posted November 21, 2012 Share Posted November 21, 2012 Ha ha, yes Chris, me too. Now I re-read that before every ski outing and it's gradually getting into my head. Makes a real difference for me, hope it helps others. Link to post Share on other sites
onehunga 26 Posted November 21, 2012 Share Posted November 21, 2012 I have the article from Stephen McDonald saved in my favorites, going to print it out and take it with me next ski trip. Boots make or break a day, best to put them on correctly. Link to post Share on other sites
Chriselle 158 Posted November 21, 2012 Author Share Posted November 21, 2012 Not tooting my own horn...but I'm sitting here amazed at how good of a skier I've gotten over the years whilst doing so many things wrong in a terribly miss fitting set of boots. Also a little pissed at the though of how much better I could have been doing the right things in the right gear.... . One thing is for sure...I am so STOKED to get out and do it right!! Link to post Share on other sites
IIIII 2 Posted November 21, 2012 Share Posted November 21, 2012 When I first started out I spent a whole season with ill-fitting boots and not putting them on correctly. I just didn't know. It was a relevation when someone helped me that second season and I got some decent boots that fit me well. Link to post Share on other sites
Chriselle 158 Posted November 21, 2012 Author Share Posted November 21, 2012 Well, hey....you got it right for your second season. I've been in the dark for 20 years. No one around me experienced enough to ever lend some advice. Link to post Share on other sites
HelperElfMissy 42 Posted November 21, 2012 Share Posted November 21, 2012 Not tooting my own horn...but I'm sitting here amazed at how good of a skier I've gotten over the years whilst doing so many things wrong in a terribly miss fitting set of boots. Also a little pissed at the though of how much better I could have been doing the right things in the right gear.... . One thing is for sure...I am so STOKED to get out and do it right!! Realised the same thing with my new minty fresh snowboard boots this season. I was very grumpy about the color! VERY. And was unconvinced that the cobra like grip on my feet was going to be OK, but I NEEDED a new pair ASAP. I also wanted BOAs or speed laces and got two layers of regular laces - talk about less than impressed. Took a day to get used to, but they took my riding to another level. Armed with this knowledge I want to make sure I get ski boots right from the getgo - there is much less forgiveness in a ski boot. Link to post Share on other sites
snowbender 3 Posted November 21, 2012 Share Posted November 21, 2012 they look cool Mamabear. Ski boots was probably one of the main things that put me off skiing. They just look not fun. Link to post Share on other sites
snowbender 3 Posted November 21, 2012 Share Posted November 21, 2012 Oh the other thing was that skiing looks girly all that wiggling about like a great big pink blouse and messing around with poles. Link to post Share on other sites
HelperElfMissy 42 Posted November 21, 2012 Share Posted November 21, 2012 You can leave the poles behind you know... I threw those dumb sticks pretty dang quick! Link to post Share on other sites
rach 1 Posted November 21, 2012 Share Posted November 21, 2012 Great boots, Mamabear! Link to post Share on other sites
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