2016 Lange XT Freetour

[japanada]

I mean i really didnt argue. I needed new heels which they quickly sent me.

[japanada]

Ive seen other people rocking horseshoes too. Usually from jesters/griffons

[galibier_numero_un]

Anyone using Intuitions with their XT Freetours? If so which ones and what's the verdict vs the stock liner?

I love my Powerwraps in them (and every boot I've used them in - Scarpa Maestrales, Dynafit Titans, Garmont Megarides, etc.).

... Thom

[reckless toboggan]

I mean i really didnt argue. I needed new heels which they quickly sent me.

I get that as a temp fix. But I feel like they should fix the plastic mix and send you a pair that doesn't warp like play-doh. Are we beta testing Lange now?

Toured in mine but haven't put them in alpine binders yet. Have a feeling I'm going to be sorely disappointed if I do.

I thought this was supposed to be the one boot to rule them all.

Glad I hung on to my RX130s.

[XavierD]

Seriously?

Lange's fix for fucking up the plastic is to send you a Band-Aid metal horse shoe?

Fucking disappointing Lange.

Why is this disappointing? These are the same devices many racers are installing to improve power transfer. It is a quick and functional fix which not only works but allows folks to continue skiing on boots that already fit.

[reckless toboggan]

Why is this disappointing? These are the same devices many racers are installing to improve power transfer. It is a quick and functional fix which not only works but allows folks to continue skiing on boots that already fit.

It's disappointing because Lange has released a ski boot and obviously used too soft a plastic that seriously deforms when used both in downhill ski bindings and alpine touring ski bindings, which is actually the expressed purpose of the product.

[XavierD]

For what it's worth it's not the softness. It's the density. It's PA plastic (grilamid in this case) you will get the same issues if you repeatedly use a Tecnica ZeroG or Dynafit Vulcan in a standard alpine binding repeatedly. Well they came up with a fix for it, which is simple, solves the issue and allows people to keep skiing. Would you prefer they have folks send their boots in a wait several months for a warenty pair? Lange is out of these boots.
My guess is they will have a more elegant solution by mid fall or the following year when they release an updated Freetour with dual core molding.

[rod9301]

For what it's worth it's not the softness. It's the density. It's PA plastic (grilamid in this case) you will get the same issues if you repeatedly use a Tecnica ZeroG or Dynafit Vulcan in a standard alpine binding repeatedly. Well they came up with a fix for it, which is simple, solves the issue and allows people to keep skiing. Would you prefer they have folks send their boots in a wait several months for a warenty pair? Lange is out of these boots.
My guess is they will have a more elegant solution by mid fall or the following year when they release an updated Freetour with dual core molding.

If I use the free tour only with pin bindings, is there ahhh drawback to the soft plastic?

[XavierD]

If I use the free tour only with pin bindings, is there ahhh drawback to the soft plastic?

I don't think so. There has not been any issues with previous pbax and grilamid tech boots.

[skibass]

I'm surprised they only sent you heel spurs and didn't offer to replace. Mine are getting swapped out at the end of the season.

On my pair I experienced some deforming around the toe inserts when using tech bindings but nothing that impacted the boots ability to function.

I'm not disappointed at all. Lange customer service was awesome and did the right thing- can't complain about that.

[reckless toboggan]

I'm surprised they only sent you heel spurs and didn't offer to replace. Mine are getting swapped out at the end of the season.

On my pair I experienced some deforming around the toe inserts when using tech bindings but nothing that impacted the boots ability to function.

I'm not disappointed at all. Lange customer service was awesome and did the right thing- can't complain about that.

Glad you're getting a replacement. That's a much better solution to a manufacturer warranty issue that impacts the entire lower shell of the boot. I don't think a small metal horseshoe fixes the issue of soft plastic present in the entirety of the lower shell.

[2002fxsts]

FWIW the I have LV RS and Freetours and I find the Freetour significantly lower volume. I have to punch them but not the RS.

I just bought a pair of XT and I have RS130 now. My RS took some adjusting like removing the bottom layer and shaving the toe box and instep. Do you use superfeet? I have full Kork and I am hoping I can use them in the new XT as well.

[anotherVTskibum]

With my coaching season over and no lifts turning locally (well, until summer camps), I've had time recently to do a fair bit more skinning in my Freetours. I'm still loving the ROM and skiing, but the lace-up system on the liners tends to loosen on my during skinning. Combined with what seems to be a little bit of packing out on the liners, I've got more foot movement within the liner while skinning than I'd like. Anyone else experiencing this?

(yes, the simple answer is probably "tie the damn laces above the useless plastic thingy, you JONG", but I have to admit that I'm kinda missing the Factor's BOA closure right now).

Also, I'm around 115 days on mine, and the wear on the shells isn't bad. The liners, on the other hand, are starting to wear out at the back of the heel (probably because I pull them every night). Annoying—I'd hope to get more than one season out of liners—but given that most people neither pull 'em every night nor ski 100+ days/year, I'm not too annoyed by it yet.

[rod9301]

With my coaching season over and no lifts turning locally (well, until summer camps), I've had time recently to do a fair bit more skinning in my Freetours. I'm still loving the ROM and skiing, but the lace-up system on the liners tends to loosen on my during skinning. Combined with what seems to be a little bit of packing out on the liners, I've got more foot movement within the liner while skinning than I'd like. Anyone else experiencing this?

(yes, the simple answer is probably "tie the damn laces above the useless plastic thingy, you JONG", but I have to admit that I'm kinda missing the Factor's BOA closure right now).

Also, I'm around 115 days on mine, and the wear on the shells isn't bad. The liners, on the other hand, are starting to wear out at the back of the heel (probably because I pull them every night). Annoying—I'd hope to get more than one season out of liners—but given that most people neither pull 'em every night nor ski 100+ days/year, I'm not too annoyed by it yet.

How do they compare to the factors?
The factors were too big in the throat and my foot kept sliding forward when skinning.

How about how they ski compared to the BD?

[auvgeek]

Annoying—I'd hope to get more than one season out of liners—but given that most people neither pull 'em every night nor ski 100+ days/year, I'm not too annoyed by it yet.

Sounds like you're the perfect user for zipfits inbounds and intuitions for touring...

[skibrd]

Sounds like you're the perfect user for zipfits inbounds and intuitions for touring...

If I kill another pair of RS140s, I was thinking about trying the inbound Zipfits in my freetours for inbounds and touring liner for touring. I saw Zipfit now has a touring liner, but haven't heard anything bad or good about it.

Does anyone have experience with getting Zipfits to work with the Freetours?

[anotherVTskibum]

How do they compare to the factors?
The factors were too big in the throat and my foot kept sliding forward when skinning.

How about how they ski compared to the BD?

The throat is tighter; getting my foot around the pivot point definitely requires opening the boot with both hands rather than just shoving my foot and liner in (yes, I put the liners on first). On cold days, I try to keep the shells in the warmer portion of the truck because putting them on when they're truly cold is a bitch.

I've got the "normal", not the LV, Freetour, and they're definitely roomier in general than the same-size Factor—I'm wearing actual ski socks, not liners, for the first time in I don't know how many years (I skied a 26.5 in Adrenalins, then Factors, and both of those boots I wore just liner socks; the Adrenalins were punched, the Factors weren't). As noted, getting my foot around the corner into and out of the boot is more challenging, but they're otherwise more comfortable than any boot I can remember.

No comparison in skiing. The Langes ski like a real ski boot rather than like a pretty decent AT boot; the flex may not be stiffer, exactly, but it's definitely more progressive with less chance of bottoming out (the latter has only happened to me a handful of times when I've been forward on the skis in spring conditions and hit something like a rut). I had mostly convinced myself to get a pair of true touring boots and a pair of race boots this year after many years with a one-boot compromise on my feet, and the Langes convinced me I didn't need to do that.

[YoEddy]

If I kill another pair of RS140s, I was thinking about trying the inbound Zipfits in my freetours for inbounds and touring liner for touring. I saw Zipfit now has a touring liner, but haven't heard anything bad or good about it.

Does anyone have experience with getting Zipfits to work with the Freetours?

I ski the RS140 & Freetour as well and have Zips for both. I intended to use the same liner for both boots, but find the Freetour just a bit lower volume than the RS, and my original zips were getting kind of old (6-7 seasons) so I bought another pair. I have probably 2 tubes of extra cork in my original Zips used in the RS, but have the stock amount in the Zips for the Freetours. Both liners are WC models, but different vintages.

Walk mode is obviously a little more restricted with the zips, but the Freetour isn't stellar compared to say a Vulcan to begin with any way. They obviously ski a shit-ton better with the Zips, but the liner doesn't make up for the lack of rearward cuff 'beef'. Bottom line is they ski really well but aren't going to be a true touring set up, but then again it's not that kind of boot to begin with.

[XavierD]

Also, I'm around 115 days on mine, and the wear on the shells isn't bad. The liners, on the other hand....

Stock liners in any boot last ~100 days before they are toast. Pretty much all of them are heavily packed out after about 60.
Intuition liners don't last quite as long.

you need zip fits or foam injected if you want liners to last beyond one 100 day season.

[rod9301]

The throat is tighter; getting my foot around the pivot point definitely requires opening the boot with both hands rather than just shoving my foot and liner in (yes, I put the liners on first). On cold days, I try to keep the shells in the warmer portion of the truck because putting them on when they're truly cold is a bitch.

I've got the "normal", not the LV, Freetour, and they're definitely roomier in general than the same-size Factor—I'm wearing actual ski socks, not liners, for the first time in I don't know how many years (I skied a 26.5 in Adrenalins, then Factors, and both of those boots I wore just liner socks; the Adrenalins were punched, the Factors weren't). As noted, getting my foot around the corner into and out of the boot is more challenging, but they're otherwise more comfortable than any boot I can remember.

No comparison in skiing. The Langes ski like a real ski boot rather than like a pretty decent AT boot; the flex may not be stiffer, exactly, but it's definitely more progressive with less chance of bottoming out (the latter has only happened to me a handful of times when I've been forward on the skis in spring conditions and hit something like a rut). I had mostly convinced myself to get a pair of true touring boots and a pair of race boots this year after many years with a one-boot compromise on my feet, and the Langes convinced me I didn't need to do that.

Thanks. I had the adrenalines too, what a shitty boot.

I tried the freetour in the shop, in ski mode they didn't have a lot of support when you push back, like you're getting in the back seat.

Did you feel this skiing?

[anotherVTskibum]

Stock liners in any boot last ~100 days before they are toast. Pretty much all of them are heavily packed out after about 60.
Intuition liners don't last quite as long.

you need zip fits or foam injected if you want liners to last beyond one 100 day season.

OT except for comparison, but my Factors have way, way more than 100 days on them and the original liners are still in decent shape (which surprised me). I've killed three sets of sole blocks, one set of walk-mode switches, and a couple of buckles, but the liners are neither packed out nor excessively worn on the outside, despite the same take-em-out every night routine. I think I put something like 10 years on those boots, and while my average day count over that time is probably closer to 75 or 80 than 100, that's still a lot of mileage on the original liners.

[anotherVTskibum]

Thanks. I had the adrenalines too, what a shitty boot.

I tried the freetour in the shop, in ski mode they didn't have a lot of support when you push back, like you're getting in the back seat.

Did you feel this skiing?

I didn't notice any lack of rearward support, and I spend plenty of time using the tails of my skis. The power transmission fore and aft is pretty damn good, IMO, and felt just fine while driving race skis, even from the back seat.

They are a relatively upright stance, as discussed elsewhere in the thread, and I like that; some people don't. They only time they don't have good rearward support in my experience is in walk mode, and I do find that to be a bit more of a problem than with some other boots—the walk mode on these is only really free-floating if you have the cuff buckles on the climbing bales and the power straps loosened. If you tighten up the buckles but forget to flip the switch or somehow get it back in walk mode (or the mechanism doesn't lock in properly after switching it), you get a lack of rearward support that makes skiing...interesting...without the immediate "ah, f&@$, I'm in walk mode" response that I've had when doing so in other boots.

[YoEddy]

.... I tried the freetour in the shop, in ski mode they didn't have a lot of support when you push back, like you're getting in the back seat.

Did you feel this skiing?

I guess it depends on a lot of variables like your weight, strength, speed, snow, etc.. but for me YES, they are 'spineless' compared to a race boot, but no worse than any other AT boot, and certainly not bad or an issue in most snow conditions they belong in.

Still, it's unnerving when 'forget' you're not in a race boot and go to power off the rear of the boot and you get that feeling like you just tipped too far back in a chair. On the other hand it's a good exercise for staying balanced in SL gates ...

[Kenny Satch]

What about the new V-lock 2.0
Is it that much better than the original?

The Ski/Hike System 2.0 features Lange's Power V-Lock technology, which consists of a metal-on-metal lock

[rod9301]

What about the new V-lock 2.0
Is it that much better than the original?

Is this on the 16-17 boots?