Boots; low volume, warm, EZ on-off and killer heel hold. Pick two

**esseff** · 08-15-2016, 05:13 PM

Need new boots, want it all; warm, easy entry / exit & heel hold. I have a narrow foot, high arch and skinny lower leg / calf. #170/6'2".

On paper the Mach 1 LV looks good, (except the $$$). Anyone know / try these vs. the Cochise Pro? Mach seems more do-it-all, which would fit my ski season/needs.

Am currently a 120 Tecnica owner (Diablo) and they sucked at on/off. All else just OK. Ready for dumpster.

Any other low volume options? I generally just go to the fitter and let him do his thing. But, this year I am going to buy a pair of NOS and take them to a local fitter. This, being the cheap ass option since I need to buy my three groms new boots this year as well (and skis, and bindings.....)

**XXX-er** · 08-15-2016, 05:22 PM

Originally Posted by esseff

I generally just go to the fitter and let him do his thing.)

if you don't need to pay the fitter extra when you buy boots from him that might end up cheaper than paying a local fitter to fuck with boots you bought on the internet ... especialy if you bought the rong boot

**milestogo** · 08-16-2016, 06:15 AM

I've got similar feet issues and have been happy with dynafit mercuries, but the liners suck so I use intuitions with a shim underneath. Dunno if AT boots will work for your needs...

**PNB** · 08-16-2016, 07:20 AM

Originally Posted by esseff

On paper the Mach 1 LV looks good, (except the $$$). Anyone know / try these vs. the Cochise Pro? Mach seems more do-it-all, which would fit my ski season/needs.

I used the Cochise Pro the last two seasons, mostly in a resort on/off Piste and occasionally some skinning.
I'm quite happy with the boot and I didn't need to modify anything, not even bake the liner - just had to wait that the lines adapted itself to my feet.
In spring I bought a Mach 1 130 LV in sale.
I didn't have the chance to ski it so far, but the fitting is pretty similar to the Cochise, with just a little more room in the toes area due to the squared off boot point.
Coming out of the boot is not that easy though.
Not a major issue for me, just a little annoying.

**nickwm21** · 08-16-2016, 07:24 AM

Kryptons with a powerwrap check all those boxes...

**Tips^Up** · 08-16-2016, 11:21 AM

I tried these on, great fit out of the box. So nice to be back in a real ski boot after years in AT boots.

http://www.skis.com/Lange-XT-130-L.V...FYaAaQodA6EOQg

**auvgeek** · 08-16-2016, 11:33 AM

Take XXX-ers advice and go to the fitter. You'll save money in the long run.

That said, the KR2 Pro seems to fit your criteria better than anything else. I also happen to have a pair size 26/26.5 that I'd let go of. Shells skied 3 runs; Intuition liners brand new, never skied or molded.

**XXX-er** · 08-16-2016, 12:04 PM

how many threads have there been where buddy buys shinny new boots cheap on-line which he fucks with for a season but they hurt so much he sells them to repeat the process next season with another new boot and maybe even the season after that?

by the time you take into account paying couriers/the boot fitters and all associated costs how much money was saved?

and the pain what price do you put on the pain and poor performance while you are doing a sport that is expensive?

consider that the price of a ski boot is one of the lesser costs to skiing and maybe not the place to save money ?

IME the best place to buy a ski boot was at a resort where I could test and come back but the guy in whistler was so good I never had to come back

**esseff** · 08-16-2016, 12:10 PM

Originally Posted by Tips^Up

I tried these on, great fit out of the box. So nice to be back in a real ski boot after years in AT boots.

http://www.skis.com/Lange-XT-130-L.V...FYaAaQodA6EOQg

Great deal!

Originally Posted by auvgeek

Take XXX-ers advice and go to the fitter. You'll save money in the long run.

That said, the KR2 Pro seems to fit your criteria better than anything else. I also happen to have a pair size 26/26.5 that I'd let go of. Shells skied 3 runs; Intuition liners brand new, never skied or molded.

What was the issue for you w/boot? Bad fit?

**auvgeek** · 08-16-2016, 12:20 PM

Originally Posted by esseff

What was the issue for you w/boot? Bad fit?

Just not stiff enough and a touch long. I was led to believe the KR2 was the same fit as the Scorpion, but that's just not true. I'm now in a Lange ZB plug (140 flex), and kinda wishing I'd gone with the ZC plug (160 flex).

But I do think the KR2 is a great boot, and the best cabrio boot available. Good heel hold, easy entry/exit, reasonably narrow, stiff enough for many people, adjustable flex/forward lean, etc.

**galibier_numero_un** · 08-16-2016, 12:24 PM

Originally Posted by XXX-er

how many threads have there been where buddy buys shinny new boots cheap on-line which he fucks with for a season but they hurt so much he sells them to repeat the process next season with another new boot and maybe even the season after that?

by the time you take into account paying couriers/the boot fitters and all associated costs how much money was saved?

and the pain what price do you put on the pain and poor performance while you are doing a sport that is expensive?

consider that the price of a ski boot is one of the lesser costs to skiing and maybe not the place to save money ?

IME the best place to buy a ski boot was at a resort where I could test and come back but the guy in whistler was so good I never had to come back

And this doesn't even take into account possible foot damage from s season in a bad fit - bone spurs, etc.

... Thom

**burrito** · 08-16-2016, 12:26 PM

Originally Posted by nickwm21

Kryptons with a powerwrap check all those boxes...

I'll second that one.

**esseff** · 08-16-2016, 12:42 PM

Damn, Ligety's got nothing on you (but maybe medals)!

Originally Posted by auvgeek

and kinda wishing I'd gone with the ZC plug (160 flex).

**auvgeek** · 08-16-2016, 12:58 PM

Originally Posted by esseff

Damn, Ligety's got nothing on you (but maybe medals)!

Just saying that the KR2 isn't a "soft" boot, even if I found it too soft for my liking.

**whyturn** · 08-17-2016, 03:43 PM

Full tilt for me. Small ankles and skinny lower leg. Locks me in and power wrap is like a slipper but warm and holds. Have the Seth

**wasatchback** · 08-17-2016, 04:48 PM

The boots you seek don't exist.

There is no low volume boot that is either warm or easy to get on off that skis well.

Get boot heaters or if you think you can fit Intuition liners in there that might work.

With high arches you're pretty much fucked in regards to getting boots on/off easily. Lange might have the most instep room but they're a bitch to get on/off and aren't that low volume.

Full Tilts/kryptons are the easiest to get on off and warmest due to Intuition but coming off four buckle boots you'd be in for a real surprise when it comes to the difference in skiing them.

Cochise Pro (doesn't exist anymore) and Mach LV are very very different fits.

**Muggydude** · 08-17-2016, 09:22 PM

Could try a Solomon x max 130. Buy it online for cheap, take it to a fischer dealer and see if they'll be nice to you and let you mold it in the vacuum machine. (Maybe if you buy custom insoles from them, which are generally worth it, especially if you have high arches.) I did it with the salomon x-pros and they have phenomenol heel hold, are warm, plus easy on off if warmed up a bit. Great performance.

Granted I needed the boots to go wider, but the vacuum got rid of all the extra space elsewhere (very snug fit, but also comfortable enough). Plus the x max is lowrr volume than the x pros.

At first they weren't perfect, but all last season they were spot on. See my thread about it below. Have done some racing with them as well last season and was impressed with the boot.

http://www.tetongravity.com/forums/s...d.php?t=286755

**auvgeek** · 08-17-2016, 10:17 PM

Originally Posted by wasatchback

There is no low volume boot that is either warm or easy to get on off that skis well.

Serious question: have you skied the KR2? Which tongue and how many spine stiffeners did you have in it? In what way do you think it falls short of a 120 flex alpine boot?

**stuckathuntermtn** · 08-18-2016, 10:44 AM

Intuition Power Wraps = good heal hold, warm, and sometimes even easy on/off!
You can use the wrap liner to yank the boot shell open. Still hard after a cold powder day.

**XXX-er** · 08-18-2016, 11:30 AM

You can't buy a PW or any liner and expect it will take up the extra room because the shell is too big or the rong shell for your foot... you still need the proper shell and shell fit

**auvgeek** · 08-18-2016, 02:04 PM

For the easiest on-off and best heel hold on a traditional overlap boot, a lace-up leather liner (or Zipfit) used as an inner boot is the best. Put liner on foot, lace it up, slide foot-liner into shell. I can't imagine doing it any other way. I'm sure a heated boot bag would help tremendously in getting boots on in the morning, but I haven't sprung for one yet.

**abraham** · 08-18-2016, 02:18 PM

Yeah that's my game plan, lace up liners. Mine finally tore at the inner ankle after >400 days. I need to find a new pair this season, shells are still goof. Though it's hard to get em on after sleeping in the car

**auvgeek** · 08-18-2016, 02:55 PM

^^Clean out your PM inbox. I have a 26 leather liner from a 2014 ZB I could let go.

**whyturn** · 08-19-2016, 07:35 PM

I always laugh when people say full tilt are noodles. So there's this guy named Seth Morrison who has skied them the whole time and swears that he could not ski that way without them. He charges hard, maybe you have heard of him. Are you saying you charge harder or simply saying that racers use overlap.
In pow it's really a non issue. The power wrap with ten flex tongue is pretty stiff. Just sayin maybe demo. There are a lot of of good boots out there, good luck.