Mrs.DW killed a pair of boots in 3 years- need replacement

[DougW]

She got a pair of Atomic Hawx 90W in Nov 2011 and now she has a 3/4' heel lift. Now that to means she has completely packed them in 3 years as she had that last year, probably about 120 ski days but a lot of 1/2 days in there. Buckles totally cranked. Rechecked shell fit and and about 1/2" - 5/8" behind heel so not crazy shell to big.

Second guessing 20/20 hindsight might have been a too easy fit out of the box boot so thinking going to push for a narrower last plus higher performance boot so at least 100 flex. Something like a Lange XT 100 W Low Volume or Atomic Waymaker Carbon 100 but that might be a too comfie out of the box. Any suggestions?

I have broken lots of boots in my day but never packed out a boot to that degree in 100 days. Cracked shells in 1/2 of that but never totally packed out.

Is it worth going to a boot fitter to modify boots to at least getting the rest of season out of them?

[island_boy81]

Intuition liners.

[NakedShorts]

Can you move the top buckle placement? That is what those other holes are for. Move both if you can. (Since you are doing the full crank already) Bales are twisted in too?
Superfeet footbeds.
Custom liners. Good luck finding a "professional boot fitter".

[Sparwood Dave]

Unfortunately Intuitions won't fix a boot that is too big. The shell fit isn't awful but you are right that the last probably has too much volume and is too wide. Check out some of these boots looking for something in a 98

http://stores.ebay.com/asogear/Women...=p4634.c0.m322

and maybe try on a 98 at the local shop but warn her they would/should be almost uncomfortably tight. I also suggest you read reviews on the XTs and Waymakers with special attention to the effectiveness of the walk mode.
Hope that helps
Merry Christmas

[dcpnz]

120 days on a stock liner sounds pretty good to me....Many would be replacing liners way before that

But are you saying she has a 3/4" heel lift installed in boot or she has room to lift her heel 3/4"?

[DougW]

3/4" is what she says she can feel her heel lift. Fractions not her forte so who knows may only be 1/2". Top buckle has no where to go hole wise as already on tightest position, Next can be moved. However I have found out that she took as gospel from the boot fitter never to apply too much force to her buckles so she does have room to make tighter she just didn't even though her heel was moving.

[XavierD]

crushing the boot (via buckles) wont help to much.

intuitions won't help. generally cant fix a bad shell with a liner, zip fits would be a better bet though.

Lange LV could be a good idea or salomon 'max' shell.

other issue could be the boot is too soft. how is her ankle ROM?

atomic waymaker has more room than the hawx, as does the hawx2.

[DougW]

120 days on a stock liner sounds pretty good to me....Many would be replacing liners way before that

Really? On my boots are on my 6th year , probably 200 days ( 60 plus last year) and pretty much hard days as not a light weight. Now I've never had a pair of boots 6 years before. Last year I did have to move over buckles. I have heard lately from people the same thing so not disbelieving this assumptions. Boots lange super banshees 130.

[DougW]

Unfortunately Intuitions won't fix a boot that is too big. The shell fit isn't awful but you are right that the last probably has too much volume and is too wide. Check out some of these boots looking for something in a 98

http://stores.ebay.com/asogear/Women...=p4634.c0.m322

and maybe try on a 98 at the local shop but warn her they would/should be almost uncomfortably tight. I also suggest you read reviews on the XTs and Waymakers with special attention to the effectiveness of the walk mode.
Hope that helps
Merry Christmas

ASOgear - the only place | look on ebay

[Sparwood Dave]

It's not about the liner. The boots are just too big (maybe not lengthwise but volume wise for sure)
We all know this but it's worth repeating. -
When a boot is properly fitted the it should feel very tight but without specific 'hot spots' for the first several days even with very thin socks. After the liner does it's initial packing out then the boot should be comfortable and further packing out will occur very slowly. A boot that fits properly will not require buckles cranked to the max to compensate for being too big. In a perfect world the liner would wear out before it packs out. Of course all that depends on the quality of the liner. For example Intuitions are very high quality liners and they give me about 200 days. They look thrashed at that point ie; the fabric cover is pulling off and may be torn however the foam still has total integrity.

[mntlion]

sounds like the shell is just too big

100-200 days is about right for liners only

THICK intuitions might help for another 50-100 days.

if she goes new shell, 10mm shell fit and sides of foot lightly touching both sides at the front. Easy to make it winder if needed, hard to make the heel tighter.

If you order online, great. Odds are I can help at Soul too. $500ish with all the fitting work, and no shipping or guess work what might work (thinking full tilt, technica cochise 98mm ladies, or fling Rossi exp 100 ladies, etc)

[angrysasquatch]

I'm 1/4 for buying boots on the internet/ on sale that sounds kinda right. Yeah, it's a lot cheaper than going to a boot joint, but I haven't seen any savings yet. The guys at Selkirk are pretty good, and super convenience for little alterations is the way to get a good fit IMO.

[glademaster]

Really? On my boots are on my 6th year , probably 200 days ( 60 plus last year) and pretty much hard days as not a light weight. Now I've never had a pair of boots 6 years before. Last year I did have to move over buckles. I have heard lately from people the same thing so not disbelieving this assumptions. Boots lange super banshees 130.

Yes really. Many people feel stock liners, and Intuitions are shot after 50-60 ski days. Shells don't last more than 250-300 days for most skiers before the flex starts to deteriorate too. My Lange RX120's are noticeably softer and provide less rebound/snap out of a turn that they did when they were new. They have about 220-240 days on the shells and will be discarded for new ones at the end of this season. Realistically, I should have gotten new shells at the start of this season, but I can make these work another year.

6 year old shells are shot unless you ski 15 days a year.

[XXX-er]

I'm 1/4 for buying boots on the internet/ on sale that sounds kinda right. Yeah, it's a lot cheaper than going to a boot joint, but I haven't seen any savings yet. The guys at Selkirk are pretty good, and super convenience for little alterations is the way to get a good fit IMO.

so are you saying only one out of 4 pairs of boots you bought on line actualy fit/worked out ?

Sounds like the OP's wife has boots that are completely rong size

I am a big proponent of going to a fitter and paying list altho the best fitting Shell I ever bought was ironicaly on line, a Mercury from Monod

Intuitions are lasting >100 days

[sb]

We need pictures of said feet, no socks, b4 we can offer any moar free advise.

[jmedslc]

Intuition liners.

Yup, for approx 125$ you can freshen boots to near new status.

[DougW]

No internet for a couple of days. She went into Selkirk and before I got in there to see what was going on she had bought new Lange RX110 LV low volume . So completely different boot than what she had. Yes she had way too wide a boot for her foot and the number of days she skis. But its funny that most women's higher end boots have a 100mm last its like they don't expect women to want a good fitting boot only a comfortable boot right out of box. She had bought them at Ski West where I have had good luck. I think in Calgary they see a mid aged woman they think comfort. Even though she only has a couple of days on them and can hardly do up all the buckles her skiing has improved a lot. Of course heel not moving a round has got to help.

[XXX-er]

.. I think in Calgary they see a mid aged woman they think comfort.

Thats a huge assumption but possibly a correct one?

When i tried to help a GF buy tele boots I found her size 26/high volume garmonts were 3 sizes larger than her low volume feet and she didn't like scarpa's that were the correct size, she got distracted on something else ... I gave up

[DougW]

Yes really. Many people feel stock liners, and Intuitions are shot after 50-60 ski days. Shells don't last more than 250-300 days for most skiers before the flex starts to deteriorate too. My Lange RX120's are noticeably softer and provide less rebound/snap out of a turn that they did when they were new. They have about 220-240 days on the shells and will be discarded for new ones at the end of this season. Realistically, I should have gotten new shells at the start of this season, but I can make these work another year.

6 year old shells are shot unless you ski 15 days a year.

I have been having this discussion with a ski instructor friend in the lodge. He was going to try on my boots to test hypothesis that my boots has lost stiffness ut size didn't work out. They probably have but since they started at 130 are still probably good for this season. I will be able to do an almost apple to apple comparison to my replacement boots, Rossi b squad 130. I think I'll do that now once the Rossi warms up a bit for being in the barn.

[DougW]

Thats a huge assumption but possibly a correct one?

I think the whole industry is this way. Every time I looked at a woman's boot , high end 100 flex, when you dig for the last it was 100-101mm. I was beginning to think that most women have wide feet.
When Mrs went into Selkirk the switch/mode changed on the boot fitter when she said she skied 60 days. I wonder how many women suck at skiing cause they are floating around in comfie boots.

[Timberridge]

I wonder how many women suck at skiing cause they are floating around in comfie boots.

Yet, they'll wear these and proceed to dance in them for 6 hrs at a wedding...

[DougW]

...... I will be able to do an almost apple to apple comparison to my replacement boots, Rossi b squad 130. I think I'll do that now once the Rossi warms up a bit for being in the barn.

yes the new Rossi are stiffer but not a ton

[Peruvian]

Do folks fit alpine boots like tele boots by removing the liner, putting your foot in the shell so toes are touching the front and then see if there is one finger space between the shell and heel? That has always been the best indicator for my family.

[glademaster]

Shell fitting a you describe will help you find the proper length shell, but width/overall volume is also very important to determine relative to your foot. One finger is also crude, most alpine skiers shoot for 8-15mm of spacing behind the heel with a shell fit.

The vast majority of skiers purchase boots based on what they feel like in the shop, as so few places offer boot demos, it's really all you have to go off of. If you've never logged a 100+ day season where you can truly feel the effects of a liner packing out over a short period of time, it's hard to conceptualize a proper shell fit. If you ski 15 days a year, your 1 size too big shells will probably ski fine, because it will take you a decade to pack out the liners.

[mntlion]

I find that most stores only carry 100+ boots for ANY sex.