So I ran a little experiment this morning on a bit of a powder day in CO. I grabbed my old ZipFit Plug Leather liner to use with a Flexon/Full Tilt shell. The idea was to use a liner that could provide a tighter fit (especially over the instep since it is a tongued liner) and more power and see if there's any way to effectively "resurrect" my use of a Flexon shell depending on conditions or logistics of a ski trip.
The ZipFit definitely makes the Flexon feel much more "substantial", but even with the #10 tongue installed (the stiffest flex available) I could easily over power the boot. It just doesn't provide the support of my Raptors.
Another key observation was that even though the ZipFit holds my foot much more closely, I could still feel the bones of my foot and ankle moving around more. Because the Flexon does not have an anatomical shape in the lower shell, the plastic doesn't really help hold your foot and ankle in place. This is why I think that anyone considering the Krypton should really wait for the KR2. The inside of the KR2 looks very much like the inside of the Dalbello Scorpion racing boots.
I ski in ZipFits in my Raptor 130RS and B3 RD shells. It's a great match and I like that the ZipFits allow me to get into smaller shell sizes without requiring any shell work.
Although stock liners have definitely improved in recent years, keep in mind that the liner generally doesn't get a lot of R&D and the quality of the materials can be quite lacking. The foam used in stock liners will pack out - sometimes relatively quickly and then you're left with possibly needing additional boot work to resolve a fit problem. ZipFit liners don't pack out, ever. They break-in a little, but you never will lose the fit you get from day 1 until their last day when they fall apart (which could be some 700 ski days later). ZipFits look to be really expensive until you consider what the investment means for your skiing and how long they will provide their top notch performance. I heard from Chris B. that Harald is actually back in a ZipFit in his Dodge Boots (he was previously foamed).
The main take away here is don't trust in your liner to provide your boot fit. For higher performance skiers you really need the shell to fit your foot, ankle, and lower leg as closely as possible while still being comfortable for all day skiing.
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