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  1. #1
    Join Date
    Jan 2015
    Posts
    5

    Freestyle vs Freeride boots

    Looking at getting new boots and wondering what the real difference is between freeride/big mountain and freestyle boots. I spend almost zero time in the park so have always kind of ignored freestyle boots and assumed as a result that i must be a big mountain skier. In case anyone was wondering, I am not... but it's definitely what i aspire to/lean towards in what I ski and therefore have mostly been looking at boots that are aimed at this type of skiing.

    Apart from generally being a bit stiffer, is there any real difference between these types of boot and freestyle boots? I'm pretty light and as much as I'd like to think i'm going to be charging big lines all the time, its pretty rare so I'm wondering if i really need the additional stiffness. I also tend to get a bit of shin bang which I'm wondering would be improved if I had a slightly softer boot. Any thoughts?

    I ask because recently I've tried on Dalbello Lupos and KR2 Pros and someone also suggested looking at the Il Moros which i don't know much about.

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Oct 2003
    Location
    Banff
    Posts
    22,210
    Boots fit your foot. Skis are terrain specific. A boot that fits you can ski anywhere on the mountain


  3. #3
    Join Date
    Jan 2015
    Posts
    5
    Yeah I understand that fit is first priority, but there must be a bit more to it otherwise there wouldn't be different style specific classifications of boot, it'd just be fit type right?

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Oct 2003
    Location
    Banff
    Posts
    22,210
    marketing.


  5. #5
    Join Date
    Jan 2009
    Location
    Squaw valley
    Posts
    4,638
    A boot guy told me that freestyle boots are softer in the back, but I dont know how credible he was.

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Dec 2010
    Location
    西 雅 圖
    Posts
    5,359
    It's kinda like skis.

    Any ski is an "all mountain" ski if you point it in the right direction and have the right skill set. Similarly, lots of people ski steep burly lines in Full Tilt Tom Wallisches and plenty of folks ski the park on Langes and Salomons - most people don't own a quiver of ski boots.

    If you mean "park-pipe-jib" when you say "freestyle" then most freestyle skiers prefer boots that are on the softer end of the spectrum. There is a strong cultural preference for three-piece designs from Full Tilt.

    Freeride skiers (think Freeride World Tour) usually prefer generally stiffer boots with a very precise fit (as small as they can tolerate). The Dalbellos you mention all potentially fit into this category, and they happen to be three-piece designs, but plenty of freeride types use two-piece (overlap) boots.

    FWIW, David Wise would probably still kill it in a Lange RX 130, Marcel Hirsher not so much in a Full Tilt Booter.

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Dec 2009
    Location
    WA
    Posts
    2,524
    Quote Originally Posted by mntlion View Post
    Boots fit your foot. Skis are terrain specific. A boot that fits you can ski anywhere on the mountain
    +1 Totally agreed. Find a shell that fits you. Most manufacturers sell the same shell shape in a variety of colors and levels of stiffness (and price.)

    Confidently to OP: If you ever use black text on a blue background again, I'm going to turn your DIN down to 2 when you're in the lodge buying tampons.

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Oct 2003
    Location
    Banff
    Posts
    22,210
    Quote Originally Posted by skimaxpower View Post
    Confidently to OP: If you ever use black text on a blue background again, I'm going to turn your DIN down to 2 when you're in the lodge buying tampons.

    yes, this too.


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