Wide Feet, High Arch/Instep: What boots are you in?

[Squamish]

Always liked the tight lower cuff/ankle in what is now Head's Vector(I believe). As said by many guys here, one can always have more mods on the lower shell than your ankle/heel/lower-cuff fit...

A local shop with a decent bootfitter carries the Head Vector and Tecnica Phoenix. Going to see how they stack up tomorrow. These are my two frontrunners.

Followed by:

-Atomic B Series
-Dalbello Axion

[abrown3mtg]

The Atomic B120 is an option I didn't notice anyone mention here. I have a foot that closer resembles a ducks and they actually felt GOOD to put on and leave on.

That said, I ended up in a pair of lange rx 120's done up by a buddy of mine at Surefoot. Shell is a 25/25.5 and was punched out to 108mm without issue. I really had no desire to get a "custom" boot, but I do admit that they are incredible and having tried a previous boot, it was amazing how much tighter I had to crank the stock option to accomplish the same feeling of control.

[iscariot]

What about the new Fisher Vacuums that you heat mold the shell and the liner?

[Snowy Spartan]

What about the new Fisher Vacuums that you heat mold the shell and the liner?

They work... Expensive as shiz and the stock liner kind of blows. A lot of people can get away cheaper w/ a better start and good Bootfitter. But I've seen tht boot do some crazy stuff.

[iscariot]

They work... Expensive as shiz and the stock liner kind of blows. A lot of people can get away cheaper w/ a better start and good Bootfitter. But I've seen tht boot do some crazy stuff.

Thanks for the good info. I was wondering why no one had suggested these yet. Maybe the expense.

I'm one of the lucky ones. I switched to Lange ski boots when I was about 11 years old. My feet grew to fit the shell, so now I have no ski boot problems and don't require any fitting in Lange shells.

[Squamish]

^ Heard the Fisher vaccuums are soft flex boots, just like Dale

[Squamish]

Tried a couple boots on in my shell size.

All of these have fairly high insteps and wide toeboxes (103 to 104 mm). To reiterate, the issue for me has been the toe box height and black toe.

Here's what I found

IN THE RUNNING:

-Fischer Soma Vacuum Hybrid 12: the heel is a bit narrow, but the "vacuum" heat molding may help
-Dalbello Axion 11: very good fit. Safe choice for me at this point, compared to the Fischer. High instep and toe box, good forefoot width, not too roomy in the ankle and cuff. Not as narrow as the Head Vector in the heel


ELIMINATED:
Tecnica Phoenix HVL: way too much cuff and ankle room (this boot is for truly big guys with very fat ankles and calves. I'm a slimmer person with wide forefeet and a highstep)
Head Vector: Heel was too narrow for me; toe box height is too low. It does have a fairly wide toe box, however.


STILL NEED TO TRACK DOWN:

-Dalbello Boss: supposed to fit like the Axion. But it has three buckles instead of four, and comes with a stock Intuition liner
-Atomic B Series
-Rossignol Experience Sensor 110





By the way, Bootfitters.com has a whole section wide boots.

http://bootfitters.com/reviews

[otto parts]

Vacuum doesn't get a lot of attention here (unlike the 4,000 page thread on Epic), but I really like my 130s with Powerwraps.
Think The Dad also has had great experience using Zips (notice something?).
I've got semi-wide feet (always need sixth toe punch) and medium high arch/instep. Had Start Haus do them after reading Skiing in Jackson's tips-high 300+ vacuum with hot Intuitions and double toe caps/toe wedge. Best fitting boots I've ever had.

[Squamish]

Vacuum doesn't get a lot of attention here (unlike the 4,000 page thread on Epic), but I really like my 130s with Powerwraps.
Think The Dad also has had great experience using Zips (notice something?).
I've got semi-wide feet (always need sixth toe punch) and medium high arch/instep. Had Start Haus do them after reading Skiing in Jackson's tips-high 300+ vacuum with hot Intuitions and double toe caps/toe wedge. Best fitting boots I've ever had.

Did you replace the stock liners with Intuitions? If so, which model?

Also, do you find it to be a very "upright" boot? Looking for a boot that won't reinforce my tending to ride in the "backseat" through bumps. One of the Bootfitters.com reviews said this:

"Skis too upright for me." Pat Sullivan

[Snowy Spartan]

Did you replace the stock liners with Intuitions? If so, which model?

Also, do you find it to be a very "upright" boot? Looking for a boot that won't reinforce my tending to ride in the "backseat" through bumps. One of the Bootfitters.com reviews said this:

"Skis too upright for me." Pat Sullivan

You can mold it at 14 or 17 degrees. I hate boots with huge forward lean but molded at 17 with a spoiler and you're probably pushing 20. Which is pretty damn forward.

Honestly I ski less in the back seat the more upright the boot is. I yank my spoilers. Putting me more forward causes me to sit further back to balance out.

I wouldn't worry about forward lean out of a vacuum boot. Stock liners on the other hand are a giant POS. chuck those the first day you own the boots.

[Squamish]

^ So there's nothing special about the liners provided by Fischer?

Which model Intuition liner are you using?

Thanks for the help by the way

[otto parts]

Stock liners are so-so, not moldable.

I use a Powerwrap, which works perfectly and stiffens the boot a notch.
Had a nice 12-13 mm shell fit, and with Plug or HV you can fine tune if you are between sizes.

[Squamish]

Stock liners are so-so, not moldable.

I use a Powerwrap, which works perfectly and stiffens the boot a notch.
Had a nice 12-13 mm shell fit, and with Plug or HV you can fine tune if you are between sizes.

otto,

This is very helpful. Looking at the Rangers myself.

I just ordered the Race HD liner. Might be best for me given the wider forefoot, high instep, and moc design. Are the Powerwraps more for normal forefoot width/instep individuals?

Also, did you heat mold your Powerwraps before, during, or after the Fischer shell molding process?

[otto parts]

Definitely do both at the same time, and with 300-320 vac.
I found the toe height of the shell limited, as did Skiing in Jackson, he uses a toe cap and a reversed heel wedge. Pad any trouble spots as well. Can't comment on best liner, but I know he suggests PW plug and I used regular PW with no width issues. HD should be fine, perhaps better as the shell overlap can interfere with the liner overlap.

[Dkla52]

Try these shells
Salomon Quest
Atomic Hawk
Nordica Speed Machine (HR 105)
Lange RX/RS wide

and use an intuition liner.

You will still have to lift the instep of the boot up, and stretch around your foot, but those will get you closest.

My feet are wide (not your width though) and have HUGE insteps, the past three years I have been in a Banshee Pro w/power wrap, this year I am in a Quest 12, and will soon be in an RX 130 (100mm). The RX 130 felt really good out of the box, and will just require a instep lift.

Doesn't RX 130 have the last of 97mm?

Sent from my SPH-L900 using TGR Forums

[UrMomsKneePads]

x7 on giving Dalbello a shot. I'm in Protons but the Axion is another great option.

I've always been in boots that were too big because a proper length boot with a narrow toe box is torture, and I always thought more room meant longer boot. Dalbello has a wider toe box but still fits my high arch and narrow heel. It took a good boot fitter help me understand the issue. Current Protons are a full 1 cm smaller than my old boots.

[tBatt]

Bump!

Has anyone checked out the Salomon Quest Pros? Says 100-106 last, any comments on instep?

[mntlion]

its the SAME instep as all the other quest boots, and like ANY boot, can be stretched wider as needed. All the salomon plastic magic is, is that it can be heated/molded at a lower temps. easier for home use, or for a less skilled boot fitter.


not that this boot, or plastic is a BAD thing, but its NOT magic.

[Snowy Spartan]

Bump!

Has anyone checked out the Salomon Quest Pros? Says 100-106 last, any comments on instep?

Definitely runs lower over the top and long in the toes.

[NorCalNomad]

I have a 27 or even possibly a 26.5 length but the instep volume of 28 or 28.5. Black Diamomd boots are the only thing I've had a good fit strait out of the box.

[tBatt]

I have a 27 or even possibly a 26.5 length but the instep volume of 28 or 28.5. Black Diamomd boots are the only thing I've had a good fit strait out of the box.

I have Quadrants for a touring boot and they fit really well with an intuition HD Race liner. Looking for an alpine boot to add to the quiver, though.

[2FUNKY]

Went with the Atomic Hawx 130. Fits my wide forefoot average heel, high instep like a champ and is a very powerful boot. It did require some padding on the tip of both feet as well as 6th toe then heat molded. Fits great now.

[Eluder]

I have a very high instep and a e width, I measure at 26.5 on a brannock and have about 100 days on my 25.5 Atomic Waymaker Carbon 130's. Perfect for the instep, the single buckle may actually help as the pressure point is moved down the foot away from the high point of your instep. I don't really need the walk feature on this boot and it does have a little slop with no liner in, but in the field there is no discernible play. The stock liner is one the best factory liners I have used, its so comfy I haven't used the Intuitions I got for them. I have toured in it just to see how it would go and would happily use it for side country as its designed for but it does not come close to a real touring boot for ROM. The only down side of this boot for me is the Live Fit, I would rather just punch the plastic. My foot does rub on this spot and doesn't hurt while in the boot but 40 days into the season my sixth toe became tender and there is really nothing I can do about because of the live fit material.

The Live fit has actually led me to explore other boots. I have a pair of Salomon X Pro 120's that I am considering trying to make work. After the shell mold they are still tight on my instep and would cause me issues, the liner is pretty meh IMO and has a lot of extra crap on the tongue and surrounding areas. I will remold my intuitions and try them in there next, I think this boot may work.

Early in this thread I spoke of my Tecnica Dragons, before getting the X pros to experiment with I put this boot on and took some laps when my 6th toe was at its worse. My conclusion was that I could not believe I ever use to ski in them. It was wide enough because of a punch but not enough room over the instep, It was just the best I found at the time. The overall performance blew in comparison the Waymaker.

Next season I need to find a replacement for my Scarpa Skookums for my AT set up, hopefully something will work that skis better than they do.

[Horu]

^stoked to see someone happy with their Atomics after a lot of days; I would not echo that sentiment. I skied B120s for several seasons and the cant screws as well as angle adj (terms? the one on the back of the cuff) fell out multiple times. Atomic was very cool about sending me replacement hardwear. Should have used some loctite, but also shouldn't have been a problem. My dad's Hawx shells cracked after two or three seasons, probably 70 day seasons but he definitely skis a little slower than he used to. No drops, no maching through chunder or that kind of abuse. I'm on season 2 with Scarpa freedom SL and have very happy feet. The B120s required quite a bit of punching, but the freedoms did not for whatever reason. Guess the last is just closer to my foot.

[riser4]

^stoked to see someone happy with their Atomics after a lot of days; I would not echo that sentiment. I skied B120s for several seasons and the cant screws as well as angle adj (terms? the one on the back of the cuff) fell out multiple times. Atomic was very cool about sending me replacement hardwear. Should have used some loctite, but also shouldn't have been a problem. My dad's Hawx shells cracked after two or three seasons, probably 70 day seasons but he definitely skis a little slower than he used to. No drops, no maching through chunder or that kind of abuse. I'm on season 2 with Scarpa freedom SL and have very happy feet. The B120s required quite a bit of punching, but the freedoms did not for whatever reason. Guess the last is just closer to my foot.

I am in a similar boat as Boomer. Add to his list my ginormous calves and a few other issues. I have been in B-Tech's but they are worn out and were too soft to begin with. They now hurt horribly. They were my first Alpine boot after I fixed the heel in 2010. As suggested, I was working with Benny at InnerBootworks in Stowe and he has thrown his hands up. He said come back next year when Atomic releases the Hawx 130 Magna. I have tried the current versions and or replacements for most of the boots listed in this thread and some that aren't. They all had issues. The closest I came was the Nordica Cruise 110. It would need some punching out, better liners and custom footbeds. However, it is just too soft and kills my shins when I flex it. I have very sensitive shins, a nerve or something seems to run right in the wrong place. I am seriously considering Strolz or DaleBoots. But who knows if they even have the solution. It is a lot more expensive to find out too.

Edited: Atomic Hawx 130 Magna, not 120.