realskiers

Thanks guys.  Nordica says the Girish is derived from the Doberman shell, but in all mtn. incarnation.  Shockingly soft flexing, for a boot from that lineage.  But if the race-derived Doberman has the same fit, but the flex of the Raptor, then it should be an excellent match.  The Girish was the best fit of the bunch, but was softer than my present boot, so a no-go for me.  I will try to find a proper Doberman.  Failing that, the Raptor was a very close second in fit.  Excellent snug fit all around.

H-A, thanks for the info on the Raptor.  It has some appealing features -- the flex and forward lean adjust, the booster strap, spiney buckles.  As for instep height, I'm not too worried about it being too low, as that can probably be easily fixed.  But too high....not so good.

Just got to Banff today, and will try some more boots in the coming days. 

Cheers,
Svend