Boots...finally?

[Glenn]

I picked up a pair of el cheap sunglasses in Newport RI a few weeks back. I picked these glasses out specifically because they matched my ski coat. 

[Ron]

you  are a madman..........

Gary, no showing before the premier, that's known as a teaser..... 

[Gary]

Ah Man...gotta be a form of Mad Cow...


and he's so young too...


G

[Glenn]

I still get carded at the packie...but that's another thread.

Pulled the trigger on the boots Friday. Tried them on one more time at the shop and tried on just the liners. I love them.

Added bonus. I'm looking at them at home...outside, in the bright light. They're a semi see through smoked color...which kinda has a purplish tint to it. I showed my wife and she laughed, then did this: 

[Ron]

Great and congrats but why did yu just try on the liners? did you mean shells?

[Glenn]

Nope, liners. Wanted to see where my toes were. They were exactly where I thought they were. 

[Ron]

well that's good, How was the fit of the shell?

[Glenn]

I didn't do just a shell fit...but I guess I could do that tonight when I get home. 

[Ron]

ummm, hide this post from gary, he's going to have a siezure....... 

[jim-ratliff]

Glenn:

The key here is that the liners are fabric and padding and other materials that will stretch and compact.? Where your toes are in the liners at this point in time is virtually irrelevant.? The thing that is really important is where your toes (and your heel and the rest of your foot) is in the shell itself, because that is plastic and pretty solid and won't give or change very much (except get much stiffer in the cold).

As you use your boots, the liner will shift and compress and expand as a reaction to the pressure exerted by the foot until it reaches the limits imposed by the shell itself.? If the shell is too big, the liner will very quickly be too big, and you will find yourself cranking the buckles down more and more trying to make the shell smaller (a virtual impossibility). As others have said, the basic guideline is 1/2" of space between your heel and the shell when the toes are just touching the front of the boot.? The other thing you are trying to estimate, as Ron/Gary mentioned, is the clearance from the side of your foot to the side of the boot. Same idea, you don't want the liner expanding too much side to side or front to back.

The good news.? Welcome to the world where we have all been at one time or another, buying a boot based on "feel" in the shop.
Rule #2.? You can make a tight boot bigger (with slight grinding away of plastic), but you can't make a big boot smaller.?

[Ron]

PLEASE REREAD THIS POST-- Just humor me please......

Glenn, put the sugar laden girlie coffee drink down for a moment!?

OK, I a simply addressing fit here not the specific boot.

Did you wear very thin ski socks when trying on?

Did you take the liner out and shell fit the boot?
a. with your toes just making contact with the front of the shell while standing up measure the space behind your heel. It should be no more than 3/4 preferably no more than 3/8".
b. next, slide your foot laterally in the boot. Do both sides of the foot make almost immediate contact or is there more than 1/4 of room? It should be snug side to side.
c. Put the boot on if it passed the above tests with your foot bed (take out the stock one). Wear around for 15-20 mins at a minimum. Only buckle the boot at the loosest possible settings to hold it in place. Don't crank it down.
d. Evaluate the fit at this point. The flex of that boot (which one is it?) is going to be soft. It?s friggin' summer out and I am sure it's at least 80 degrees in the shop. When it gets cold, that boot will feel about 30% stiffer.
e. In general, how?s the fit? If it's feeling pretty good, start to buckle down the boot.? The first buckle should basically be so that its tight enough not to fall off. It should not be more than the 1st bail.
f. The buckle on the top of the foot should also be on the 1st or maybe 2nd bail. It should not be clamped down, snug. that's it.
g. other buckles, if your like me, you always end up moving the buckle due to very narrow ankles and calves. Even with this, the buckles should be at the 1 or 2nd bail.
h. Wear around again for 10 more minutes. Re-evaluate, flex; stand in ski attack position. Have a tech check basic alignment. Feel for general fit. Should be solid snug fit everywhere, the ankle should only come out of the pocket slightly and you should be feeling of tightness like a firm handshake universally throughout the boot.
I. Check forward lean; take the stock spoilers off the back of the boot. You want to be as upright as possible so that your body/bones are stacked over each other from the shoulders, hips, knees, ankles and feet. This is skiing from a position of strength using the bones and strongest muscles to support and strengthen you. It has made the biggest difference to me next to a properly built and fitted foot bed.

If after all this you like, then have pro fitter further evaluate the fit. I am nto sure what kind of boot you are looking for but do some research and don't settle. I Impact 10 is a great boot, Head SX11 (what I wear) is plenty stiff; I don't even have them on the stiff setting. I prefer a laterally stiff boot and a moderate forward flex.

Let us know and good luck. Now back to your hazlenut madness.......

[Ron]

Jim, what happened to Rule #2? That is really rule #1... Lynn won't argue that point...

[jim-ratliff]

Jim, what happened to Rule #2? That is really rule #1... Lynn won't argue that point...

Rule #1 is and shall always be ------? tada ----- "the woman is always right!!"? ?

And being a woman and having experienced extensive boot fitting, it would be very interesting to hear from Ms. Midwif as to which one SHE considers Rule #1.? ?

[Gary]

Glen....you bought ski boots cause they look pretty in the light and your toes felt comfy...

OMG....

Pretty boots OH boy...

Well....Ok...it a darn good boot and we can advise you on adjustments as your feet find spaces or gaps where they're doing the "cha cha" in time.....

Considering the old boots....I'm sure you'll find a vast improvemnet in performance.

Did ya buy matching socks?

G

[Glenn]

I got the socks last year. 

The ol' purple boots are a Salomon, size 28.5. If those things lasted as long as they did...I had little or no issue aside from the color and age...I think these new ones should be good to go.

I can try a shell filt tonight for ha-ha's though.