So we are on to the Dynafit Beast Boot

[Cocximus]

The foot boards are short because the shell protrudes up at the toes. I cut my board at the heel and I was pretty cold in intuitions.

[Cocximus]

So I tried to slowly shave the shell to get rid of the ankle pain. By shaping it and head molding it I got it to properly engage, but the pain was still there. I tried shims, padding, more heat molding, but in the end I just shaved the fucking thing off. It takes a lot of patience and careful dremeling. Feels good now. I am very bonny so this might not be an issue for most.

I also made a full cork footbed. To make up for the space lost up front, I shaved the silver bottom on my superfeet red insoles. Sheets of cork can be found at automotive stores for making gaskets. I made a couple for other ski boots and the added warmth is unparalleled.

[sethschmautz]

So I tried to slowly shave the shell to get rid of the ankle pain...

Where is your ankle pain? Front of the ankle? Are you using Intuition ProTours? I have pain in the front of my ankle with the ProTours.

I also made a full cork footbed. To make up for the space lost up front, I shaved the silver bottom on my superfeet red insoles. Sheets of cork can be found at automotive stores for making gaskets. I made a couple for other ski boots and the added warmth is unparalleled.

Thanks for the tip. Found 1/8" x 12" x 24" roll of cork on Amazon for $5. Going to give that a shot.

Seth

[Cocximus]

Pain was at the back of the ankle in dreamliners. Around 1-2 o'clock.

[nickel]

Haven't broken another buckle in a month and a half or so. Seems it may have been a bad batch. I didn't want to jump the shark but after a couple dozen days on the replacements, they're still in one piece. Hopefully this marks the end of those problems.

Back to being quite happy with the boots. Liners have packed out enough that I can skin with bottom two buckles done up on minimum without discomfort or significant reduction in walk mode functionality which has helped a bit with water ingress.

[sethschmautz]

Awesome. Mine have continued to to perform really well. I didn't realize that your lower buckles were open during skinning.

Did that completely solve your water ingress issue?

[ququba]

That's not what I expect from 1 day resort skiing on hard pack.

[sethschmautz]

That's not what I expect from 1 day resort skiing on hard pack.

Yeah, those get really snowy and waterlogged if you forget to put the white part over them.






Kidding, and a major bummer. Mine have been totally watertight. Bottom buckles tight?

Seth

[phallic-menace]

Anyone know what the beast liner thickness would be if it were an intuition pro tour? Low, medium or high volume?

[sethschmautz]

I just molded an old pair of medium volume pro tours last week. The shin is much thicker on the intuition than the stock. The lower seems to be just a little thicker. Keep in mind that my intuitions have a few seasons on them and my stock liners only have a handful of full days.

[nickel]

That's not what I expect from 1 day resort skiing on hard pack.

wow
mine get wet but that's next level.

[LiveLarger]

Quick question to those of you who run intuition liners in this boot.

How do you even get the liner cooked and inserted into the boot without wrinkling it in some terrible way? Do you insert the liner first and use the heated sock method, or do you cook it in the oven?

[Cocximus]

I cooked the liner with the whole boot in the oven.

[spin2win]

I've read through the entire threat but maybe glossed over the answers to these questions...

1. Flex: how "progressive" is it? I understand the stride length is worse than the vulcan, but how is the skiability? Would it work to replace a pair of alpine boots in bounds?

2. Carbon vs. non-carbon: Is there much of a difference in performance between the 2 versions? Is 1 boot more progressive than the other?

3. Bump stops: Has anyone removed the external bump stops? What did that do to the forward flex/stride length in tour mode?

4. Any comparison to the fit/skiability of the newer generation of crossover boots (i.e. lange freetour, salomon mtn lab, dalbello lupo carbon ti, Atomix hawx XTD, etc.)?

Thanks!

[sethschmautz]

How do you even get the liner cooked and inserted into the boot without wrinkling it in some terrible way?

I bought a little convection oven about 5 years ago on Craigslist for this purpose specifically. It fits one liner at a time. While the line is baking at 240 for about 8 minutes, I prepped the shell as follows:

- Bring a ski over and click the boot shell into the binding.
- Put the shell in walk mode.
- Use duct tape in the inside back of the shell to make any transition between surfaces smooth - I don't want the heel on my liner hanging up on the lower boot. I want the heel to slide smoothly into place.
- put a super thin shock liner over my foot, footbed, any custom padded areas, and toe cap.
- Have wife or friend standing by.
- put on gloves
- at 8 minutes, pull the liner out of the oven and wrap around foot/footed/etc.
- Have wife or friend open the shell as wide as possible. Having the boot in a binding helps with this.
- Insert foot gently and buckle buckles to desired pressure.

At this point I removed my boot from the binding and set a small 2x4 under the toe and surfed TGR for 8 minutes.

Pull out foot and you're done!

Seth

[sethschmautz]

1. Flex: how "progressive" is it? I understand the stride length is worse than the vulcan, but how is the skiability? Would it work to replace a pair of alpine boots in bounds?

I can't answer many of your other questions, but here is my experience. I am 6' and about 195. In a season of life where most of my turns are before work on dawn patrols at the local resort. I have skied these with Speed radicals, Lord SPs and Beast 14s. I have the least amount of time on the 14s.

The Beast boots ski much better than they walk. Friction has greatly increased and stride length feels to have decreased. When I have them tightened down, however, they flex stiffer than my old X wave 10s, Vulcans, and original Factors. I have not felt the not deform - they feel to me like a very solid downhill boot.

Starting with the Factors, I have had a one boot quiver. This is by far the best skiing boot and handles itself well inbounds (for me). This is all I ski.

I have definitely felt the decrease in performance while skinning and increase in performance while skiing.

Seth

[nickel]

I have not had any of the other boots you asked about. However, I have transitioned to only doing this boot inbounds and out. I'm 215lbs and 6'0 and ski pretty aggressively. I really quite like the boot. nice stiff flex and not at all a brick wall.

Others have noted the walk mode is inferior to the vulcan. I haven't had that boot and so can't comment but I find the Beast adequate. it's no mountaineering slipper but it's not holding me back.

The instep buckle is crap though. I've got a crack in another one, it's days are numbered.

[spin2win]

Thanks for the info guys! Are you both on the carbon version? The buckles seem a little fiddly (and easily broken)...would it be possible to replace them with something a bit more substantial (dalbello, etc.)? I have tiny hobbit strides, so rearward motion is the least of my worries. I really need to track down a pair to carpet test.

[nickel]

The buckles aren't fiddly. their use friendliness is fantastic actually. the ladder over the instep has been prone to breakage at the flare from narrow to wide. Replacement with other buckles might be possible but not plug and play. may require different hole locations.

carbon version, yes.

[sethschmautz]

Carbon version here also. I am in the minority in this thread in that I haven't had any of the problems that others have expressed in this thread. My boots are watertight ave I haven't broken a buckle. My toes have gotten a little come, but haven't had that since I swapped in pro tours. I think Nickel has far more days on his than I so on mine, however, so it may just be a matter of time for me for some of the other issues.

Seth

[nickel]

Was in touch with Salewa again. Apparently I'm one of the only ones experiencing the buckle ladder issue. This boggles my brain as I've never ever ever experienced such a problem in 29 years of skiing. The odd buckle has let go from age after multiple seasons of use or upon a freak impact but never have I broken 6+ buckle ladders in exactly the same place in exactly the same way.

Salewa said they will send replacements and that the previous ones sent to me must have been lost in the mail...

I'm frankly a bit shocked that there aren't a pile of others having this problem. I just broke another one a few days ago.

Salewa folks are nice FWIW.

[LiveLarger]

So after around ten days in this boot, the liner is really starting to give away. Seriously, this has to be the shittiest liner ever?

I'll have to get intuition liners for it. Did adding intuition liners increase weight? Or make it tour less nice in any way?

[sethschmautz]

I have not checked weight of my protour liners against the stock liners, but previously it has been a weight savings to go intuition.

I actually think the stock liners tour a little better, but not enough to negate the better fit of the intuition.

Seth

[nickel]

Here's the important question:

Did anyone who got this boot like it enough that they wouldn't like to try a Hawx 130 or Dalbello 130? I know I would...

[LiveLarger]

Here's the important question:

Did anyone who got this boot like it enough that they wouldn't like to try a Hawx 130 or Dalbello 130? I know I would...

I like it quite a bit, the only thing is dislike is the liner. Dalbello seems heavier and doesn't have rockered soles? Or am I missing something. Not having rockered soles is a deal breaker for me as it makes it f.. frightening to hike over narrow mountain ridges etc then.