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

**splat** · 10-19-2018, 08:47 AM

Originally Posted by jasonb

I'll check out the SX, thanks.
Part of my problem is that I reside in Wash DC, and either have boot work done by another fitter when I am on mountain somewhere, or I wait til I get back and get work done after the fact.
Took me 5 or 6 trips to 2 different bootfitters to get where I'm at now, neither pushed me towards a new shell after I asked, but after this many tries and only getting to "okay", I think it's time to start fresh.
I will probably wait to get fitted until the next trip I take, but I'd like to educate myself before going in so I can avoid bad interactions.

Take a hammer and a felt pen with you skiing to mark the exact spots while/after skiing for better fits when you get back to the shop..

**TheK12** · 10-19-2018, 10:09 AM

I'm in the Lange XC, which is basically the SX mold with a hike mode, and it fits me perfectly right out of the box! Love this boot and originally bought it so I could do some easy tours and side country but hike mode isn't that great...

Which brings me to my question. For those that are touring, what boots are you in? Looking for a pin compatible boot (to use with Salomon Shifts) with the same fit/volume as the Lange XC (Lange SX).

**Core Shot** · 10-20-2018, 06:38 AM

Originally Posted by jasonb

I'll check out the SX, thanks.
Part of my problem is that I reside in Wash DC, and either have boot work done by another fitter when I am on mountain somewhere, or I wait til I get back and get work done after the fact.
Took me 5 or 6 trips to 2 different bootfitters to get where I'm at now, neither pushed me towards a new shell after I asked, but after this many tries and only getting to "okay", I think it's time to start fresh.
I will probably wait to get fitted until the next trip I take, but I'd like to educate myself before going in so I can avoid bad interactions.

Watch out for the in season fitting in a mountain town where your size is out of stock. The best fitters will decline the sale and give you the model info and send you elsewhere
The shit shops will grind and punch to move product off the shelf.

My fitter friend told me 2 years ago about the sx130. Told me to buy it. I found it online.
Skied it unmolded the rest of the winter. Had him heat mold the next winter. Never needed a punch. And I can actually use the 2nd buckle for the first time ever.

You may want to try them on in a local shop before stock runs out.

It’s the first high volume performance boot for high insteps.
High volume used to mean cankles and fat calves.

**steved** · 10-21-2018, 09:46 PM

Atomic Hawx Magna

*Grabbed some Hoji Pro Tours....~50% of the fit is great but some of it needs to be stretched. Terrific cuff(upper & lower). Compatability is pathetic, must have other
buyer/potential buyers woundering what Dynafit's strategy is = screw 50% of the crowd, make changes....thus screwing the other 50%...instead of doing some real work to
create two nice shells of the same boot or two names....who gives a hoot if they're to create a new name(as they already have).

**Eluder** · 10-21-2018, 10:22 PM

Originally Posted by Bobcat Sig

The Lange SX seems to be a good option. Though when I tried them after retiring my RX130s, they were dog shit and didn't go with them. Maybe Lange changed the last?

In any case, I ended up with some Atomic Hawx Ultra. Some punches and custom liners and they are quite good.

At the end of the day; it's all about the boot-fitter. Find a good one and commit to multiple visits. Some of the newer shells have reduced those visits, but you still need to start with the right shell. And be prepared to pay retail - always worth it for properly fitting boots.

The newer 100 last RX series is bigger in the instep than a off the self Mach One and skis better than a SX. Check them out at the same time.

**Bobcat Sig** · 10-23-2018, 12:08 PM

Originally Posted by Core Shot

It’s the first high volume performance boot for high insteps.
High volume used to mean cankles and fat calves.

That was always my beef with HV boots; they were built for doughy middle-americans. Because apparently skiers only had two kinds of feet; narrow, skinny elven feet or big fat feet with no ankles. I've long wanted a wide forefoot, high instep and a locked down ankle and heel with a proper 120 or 130 flex. Finally, boot makes are figuring this out.

**jasonb** · 11-21-2018, 01:10 PM

bumping this after trying on a bunch of boots over the past couple weeks.. did not like the hawx magna. lange SX130 was close. in the end i was actually able to go down a shell size in the dalbello pantera 130 and still have a better fit around the instep than previous. really like the feel so far, probably the first boot i've had on where i didn't feel like i needed to crank all the buckles (and risk pain) to get a secure fit.

**splat** · 11-22-2018, 09:45 PM

Originally Posted by Core Shot

It’s the first high volume performance boot for high insteps.
High volume used to mean cankles and fat calves.

The new boots are getting wider at the tops of the cuffs by leaps and bounds.

**XavierD** · 11-22-2018, 11:41 PM

I’ll give a nod to the Tecnica Mach 1 HV 130 as a phenomenal high volume fore foot and instep while still providing good rear foot hold. One of the better ‘out of the box’ fits for my rigid high volume foot. I’m still gonna ski my RS LVs cause I can, but this is the boot of fit for a consumer with my foot.

**splat** · 11-23-2018, 02:52 AM

My left foot is good with stock fits. My right ankle/foot got shattered and is spread way the fuck out, so that's the one that gets special fitting.

**Driver** · 01-14-2019, 10:44 AM

Originally Posted by XavierD

I’ll give a nod to the Tecnica Mach 1 HV 130 as a phenomenal high volume fore foot and instep while still providing good rear foot hold. One of the better ‘out of the box’ fits for my rigid high volume foot. I’m still gonna ski my RS LVs cause I can, but this is the boot of fit for a consumer with my foot.

You running intuitions in those HVs? Heard good things about the stock liner but I run power wraps typically.

After years of cramming and massively punching, pretty stoked on the sound of the 103 last perf fit here.

Currenly in KR2 Pros for alpine. Will be sad to give up the cabrio but it's time to stop punishing my feet.

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**Bobcat Sig** · 01-14-2019, 11:56 AM

Originally Posted by XavierD

I’ll give a nod to the Tecnica Mach 1 HV 130 as a phenomenal high volume fore foot and instep while still providing good rear foot hold. One of the better ‘out of the box’ fits for my rigid high volume foot. I’m still gonna ski my RS LVs cause I can, but this is the boot of fit for a consumer with my foot.

I like the sound of this. Spent last season and this season on a pair of Atomic Hawx some-such, made with the Pebax. The fucking boot-footer blew out my right boot way too much and it's all sloppy. Like scary amounts of play. I need (want?) new boots.

I'll check out those Mach 1s.

**Ritalin Kid** · 01-14-2019, 01:10 PM

I’ve been struggling to get my wide and high feet comfortably in my Atomic Hawk 130 Ultra Xtd. I’ve stretched the toe box but don’t have enough room for custom foot beds...anyone skied the Full Tilt Ascendent yet?...thinking that’s the right boot for my beefy feet.

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**riser4** · 01-14-2019, 04:26 PM

Originally Posted by Ritalin Kid

I’ve been struggling to get my wide and high feet comfortably in my Atomic Hawk 130 Ultra Xtd. I’ve stretched the toe box but don’t have enough room for custom foot beds...anyone skied the Full Tilt Ascendent yet?...thinking that’s the right boot for my beefy feet.

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Switch to Atomic Hawx Magna? I got it all, wide toes, high arches, huge instep. And narrow heels. I just bought the 130 flex and have two days on them. So far me likey. However, the 130 is a little hard to find.

**riser4** · 01-14-2019, 05:06 PM

I guess I suck at reading comprehension. I failed to see the Xtd. If you are looking for a Touring boot, I can't help you. However, for an inbounds boot for beefy feet, I am liking the Magna.

**riser4** · 01-14-2019, 06:29 PM

Originally Posted by Bobcat Sig

I like the sound of this. Spent last season and this season on a pair of Atomic Hawx some-such, made with the Pebax. The fucking boot-footer blew out my right boot way too much and it's all sloppy. Like scary amounts of play. I need (want?) new boots.

I'll check out those Mach 1s.

So my bootfitter heated the entire boot (Atmic Hawx Magna) as they are designed, and then buckled, but not super hard. I don't think I am going to need anything blown out, unlike previous boots.

I have never been able to fit in a Technica. They are torture devices on my feet and shins.

**Ritalin Kid** · 02-11-2019, 10:02 PM

Has anyone tried skiing without the boot board? I’ve got a stiff footbed and it feels pretty good walking around the house? Only draw back I noticed is seems to decrease the forward lean.

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**Muggydude** · 03-12-2019, 03:13 PM

Repost from another thread - anyone tried X Pros, Hawx Ultras, and Hawx Primes and can compare the heel hold between the 3?

Also, is the only difference between the hawx 120 and 130 the hardware in the back spine (130 had two screws installed, 120 has one)? I assume not but curious

**mr_pretzel** · 03-12-2019, 08:13 PM

Originally Posted by Muggydude

Repost from another thread - anyone tried X Pros, Hawx Ultras, and Hawx Primes and can compare the heel hold between the 3?

Also, is the only difference between the hawx 120 and 130 the hardware in the back spine (130 had two screws installed, 120 has one)? I assume not but curious

Ultra has a tighter heel than the prime.
130 has stiffer plastic than 120.

**Muggydude** · 03-12-2019, 08:29 PM

See below

**mr_pretzel** · 03-12-2019, 08:45 PM

I molded a pair of hawx XTD 130s in the salomon oven and was not stoked on how the heel/ankle turned out

**Muggydude** · 09-12-2019, 06:49 PM

Little update that might be useful to people. My foot is short (size 9-9.5 length), quite wide ~103mm at the forefoot, have extra “meat” all along the outside front half of the foot. My instep measures about two sizes bigger than my length. Forefoot is also thick in height.

This past season I bought Salomon X-Pro 130s and some Atomic Hawx 130 Prime S’. Out of the box, they both fit my foot pretty well. X-pro felt a tad narrower in the forefoot, definitely had a tighter heel pocket. A touch higher instep and toe box.

I skied the x pro’s for about 7-8 days with some new Zipfit Sidewinder Free Ride (Grand Prix - high volume) in them. Great performance but too tight in the heel, instep, and forefoot width. Not bad but somewhat painful. Needed to unbuckle a lot. Definitely not enough instep and toe box height. I will note I probably should have gotten the lower volume ZipFits, but they weren’t available at the time.

Decided to mold the X-Pros, by putting shims under the footbed. I used the included “size reducers” that come in the atomic and Salomon boxes. One under each footbed, plus I went to the arts and crafts store and got this very dense felt-type material and made extra shims - added one under each footbed, and another one under only the front half of each footbed. So about 4.75mm shims under the front half of the foot and 3.5mm under the rear half.

I then padded the entire top of my foot and instep with two layers of 2mm thick adhesive backed foam from the crafts store. On the outer edge of my foot I did 3 layers of the foam for width. Very thin sock over everything.

Molded them in Salomon oven (maybe not quite 10 min). Took them outs with feet in liners already put the boots on. Light buckle. Immediately put on the cool packs, kept skiers stance for 10 minutes. During this the heels were really pinching, whole foot feet squished.

Afterwards, I took out all the foam, shins under the footbed. Perfect! Still snug everywhere, but actually have enough room over my instep and forefoot and width too. For once in my life it seems like I’ll be able to buckle the forefoot buckles.

For the Hawx 130 s, I molded them once with the ZipFits, no padding or shims. I could tell afterwards that I just didn’t get enough space over my instep and forefoot.

Went back, remolded the exact same way as the x pros, just with 6 minutes in the oven and this time we waited another 5 minutes before putting on the cool packs. The Hawx definitely seems to expand more than the x pros did - not sure if that’s due to thinner/different type of plastic, fact that it was the second mold, or that we waited to put on the cool packs.

Afterwards, they also feel pretty much perfect after taking out all the foam and shims. Can definitely tell the shell spread width wise and the instep opened up. Heel hold seems very slightly worse - this was easily remedied by either keeping a single size adjuster shim under each footbed ~2mm), or moving to a thicker sock with a little padding around the heel.

Will report back this season about how they ski, but I’m very optimistic.

Flexing the boots on the living room, x pros definitely feel noticeably stiffer and substantial. Looking forward to comparing how they ski.

Overall so far I’d definitely recommend this method of molding for people who need a good anoint or extra instep and toe box height. The amount of padding and shims may sound aggressive, but the shells don’t actually expand out the same amount as you pad. There’s not too much worry of over-expansion, because as I mentioned you can always keep in some or all of the shims if needed to take up extra room, or move to a thicker sock.

Cuff alignment/canting also seemed to improve a bit through the molding process, more so for the Hawx.

I’d recommend molding the liners (stock or aftermarket) separately before you mold the shells. I wouldn’t mold them together