2016 Lange XT Freetour

**Breomonkey** · 02-22-2017, 05:27 AM

Hot damn, these boot's seem to fit me great. I'm a little concerned on the instep height with my insoles, but stock they felt like a slipper. I might be able to get away without any boot work! 130 Flex was a little softer at room temp than I expected. I'll have to get them cold. Hoping to ski them this weekend, but I don't think Protest are the right call and it's the only ski I've got with binding compatibility. Do I dare wedge them into the older STH with the toe set at max ht?

The freetours made my Lupo TI's, which I thought were a nice secure fit feel boxy and clunky. Lupos + Expert booster were stiffer (again room temp) than the 130 Freetour, but the Freetour walk mode was even better than i expected. I never could quite get my head around actually touring in the lupo's.

The only downfall/dilemma I have with the Lange boot is the WTR sole. It sure feels like the future of bindings will be compatible across WTR/MNC range. In the interim, it leaves me trying to figure out binding swaps on my ski's and the big question of do I get to play at demo days?

For me, the ability to have tech compatibility and a 1 boot plan for the limited touring I do outweighs the WTR challenge. And I'd much rather stroll around in a WTR boot.

So this leaves me with the question, If I got another Lange alpine boot instead of swapping out bindings, what has the closest fit to the Freetour? Unfortunately my local shop didn't carry the freetours and has limited lange selection, even more limited in my size.

**skibass** · 02-22-2017, 05:42 AM

I haven't noticed any increase in damage from using my Kingpins- I think the plastic in general is weak and any friction between heel or toe will cause the plastic to deform. Still love these boots but waiting on Lange to respond.

Originally Posted by skibrd

Will using the Kingpin/Beast 16 heel piece stop some of the damage to the heel lip?

**rod9301** · 02-22-2017, 06:32 AM

Originally Posted by Breomonkey

Hot damn, these boot's seem to fit me great. I'm a little concerned on the instep height with my insoles, but stock they felt like a slipper. I might be able to get away without any boot work! 130 Flex was a little softer at room temp than I expected. I'll have to get them cold. Hoping to ski them this weekend, but I don't think Protest are the right call and it's the only ski I've got with binding compatibility. Do I dare wedge them into the older STH with the toe set at max ht?

The freetours made my Lupo TI's, which I thought were a nice secure fit feel boxy and clunky. Lupos + Expert booster were stiffer (again room temp) than the 130 Freetour, but the Freetour walk mode was even better than i expected. I never could quite get my head around actually touring in the lupo's.

The only downfall/dilemma I have with the Lange boot is the WTR sole. It sure feels like the future of bindings will be compatible across WTR/MNC range. In the interim, it leaves me trying to figure out binding swaps on my ski's and the big question of do I get to play at demo days?

For me, the ability to have tech compatibility and a 1 boot plan for the limited touring I do outweighs the WTR challenge. And I'd much rather stroll around in a WTR boot.

So this leaves me with the question, If I got another Lange alpine boot instead of swapping out bindings, what has the closest fit to the Freetour? Unfortunately my local shop didn't carry the freetours and has limited lange selection, even more limited in my size.

Try the rx130, very similar fit, and they ski well.

**DGamms** · 02-22-2017, 09:36 AM

Originally Posted by Breomonkey

Hot damn, these boot's seem to fit me great. I'm a little concerned on the instep height with my insoles, but stock they felt like a slipper. I might be able to get away without any boot work! 130 Flex was a little softer at room temp than I expected. I'll have to get them cold. Hoping to ski them this weekend, but I don't think Protest are the right call and it's the only ski I've got with binding compatibility. Do I dare wedge them into the older STH with the toe set at max ht?

As stated earlier in the thread, I've been running them with STH 14s on multiple skis, probably 40 resort days now. Appropriate release from the toe everytime I've needed it. The only downside: I ripped the brakes off the heel pedestal on two separate skis doing 180s/360s in the baby park. Not sure if that was just a function of using old bindings or that the WTR heel rubber generated more torsional force on the brake when landing spins.

As far as plastic wear, mine don't look nearly as bad as some of the photos seen here. Probably 40 days STH 14s, 5 days Kingpins, 5 days Vipecs. The plastic has some dings and seems a little softer than most alpine boots, but no extreme wear and tear.

I had a resort day where I forgot my alpine setup and skied 10-20" of heavy new snow with my Freetour XT 130 LV, Kingpin 13, and 184 cm 4Frnt Ravens. Damn, that combo gives up very little downhill performance as a touring setup. Freetours with ZipFits and WC Booster

**Breomonkey** · 02-22-2017, 11:05 AM

Originally Posted by DGamms

As stated earlier in the thread, I've been running them with STH 14s on multiple skis, probably 40 resort days now. Appropriate release from the toe everytime I've needed it. The only downside: I ripped the brakes off the heel pedestal on two separate skis doing 180s/360s in the baby park. Not sure if that was just a function of using old bindings or that the WTR heel rubber generated more torsional force on the brake when landing spins.

As far as plastic wear, mine don't look nearly as bad as some of the photos seen here. Probably 40 days STH 14s, 5 days Kingpins, 5 days Vipecs. The plastic has some dings and seems a little softer than most alpine boots, but no extreme wear and tear.

I had a resort day where I forgot my alpine setup and skied 10-20" of heavy new snow with my Freetour XT 130 LV, Kingpin 13, and 184 cm 4Frnt Ravens. Damn, that combo gives up very little downhill performance as a touring setup. Freetours with ZipFits and WC Booster

Thanks for recapping your experience. I assume you raised the STH toe to max height and adjusted the wings as appropriate?

**DGamms** · 02-22-2017, 11:48 AM

Originally Posted by Breomonkey

Thanks for recapping your experience. I assume you raised the STH toe to max height and adjusted the wings as appropriate?

Yep, not even sure if max height was required. I adjusted so I could slide a drivers license between the AFD and the boot sole without much friction.

**anotherVTskibum** · 02-22-2017, 12:44 PM

Originally Posted by Breomonkey

Do I dare wedge them into the older STH with the toe set at max ht?

My experience roughly matches DGamms...I've got at least 35 days in STH14s, 5 or 6 in old Drivers, and everything has worked so far (no releases on the Drivers, but I've managed not to crash, either; a couple of releases on the STH14s, and no non-releases that should have been--my legs are still intact). I don't do the spinny stuff, so no comparison points there.

**DGamms** · 03-04-2017, 05:29 PM

Can't remember who posted about it earlier, but I've now also had the Freetour XT walk/ski lever ice up on me to the point that I can't revert to ski mode without clearing snow/ice from beneath the walk/ski latch using a knife. It's only happened when postholing in deep snow during touring transitions.

Otherwise, I still love the boot as a quiver of one. It is not that low volume in the heel and ankle, but ZipFits + Bontex shims + extra OMFit + spoilers + Booster straps have made it the best all around fitting and skiing boot I've ever tried, and it still tours reasonably well with all that shit added to it.

**kevino** · 03-06-2017, 08:44 AM

Originally Posted by DGamms

Can't remember who posted about it earlier, but I've now also had the Freetour XT walk/ski lever ice up on me to the point that I can't revert to ski mode without clearing snow/ice from beneath the walk/ski latch using a knife. It's only happened when postholing in deep snow during touring transitions.

Otherwise, I still love the boot as a quiver of one. It is not that low volume in the heel and ankle, but ZipFits + Bontex shims + extra OMFit + spoilers + Booster straps have made it the best all around fitting and skiing boot I've ever tried, and it still tours reasonably well with all that shit added to it.

That was me. The two times I had it happen were when I dug pits, so since then I've just started putting the boots into ski mode while digging.

**dkny2la** · 03-07-2017, 08:15 PM

In case anyone is interested, I'm selling a pair of Lange XT 130 Freetour LV ski boots - 28.5 - brand new in box.
http://www.tetongravity.com/forums/s...ox-550-shipped

**skibass** · 03-08-2017, 08:28 PM

So lange got back to me and are giving me a new set of boots for next season. Letting me use them for the rest of the season then an easy swap. Great customer service. Looks like this was a bad batch and I may have gotten an early production pair.

**galibier_numero_un** · 03-08-2017, 08:59 PM

Great news!

... Thom

**reckless toboggan** · 03-08-2017, 10:05 PM

Originally Posted by skibass

So lange got back to me and are giving me a new set of boots for next season. Letting me use them for the rest of the season then an easy swap. Great customer service. Looks like this was a bad batch and I may have gotten an early production pair.

Care to share any production/serial numbers so we can check our boots?

**dcpnz** · 03-09-2017, 01:37 PM

Are their two types of sole blocks floating around for freetours??
I feel like every product image I've seen have white soles and every one I've seen in person have black. Different for lv and std? Production change? Or am I just imagining this?

**Breomonkey** · 03-09-2017, 06:27 PM

Does it matter? I mean, I'm sure not planning on wearing these out on a boat! :-). That's what the topsiders are for.

**dcpnz** · 03-09-2017, 07:20 PM

Well if it's just color then no but if there's a functional difference then maybe

**skibrd** · 03-11-2017, 11:08 PM

My Freetours feel and ski way better then my old TLT6Ps, but I'm already maxing out the buckles, and they don't feel as comfy as my RS140 liners. I also do not have the control I was hoping for well skiing, and I think this is because the liners are thinner then what I am used to. Any suggestions on a touring liner that will take up some of the volume in the boot, not sacrifice too much of the walk mode, and improve the skiing performance?

**galibier_numero_un** · 03-12-2017, 02:39 AM

Originally Posted by skibrd

My Freetours feel and ski way better then my old TLT6Ps, but I'm already maxing out the buckles, and they don't feel as comfy as my RS140 liners. I also do not have the control I was hoping for well skiing, and I think this is because the liners are thinner then what I am used to. Any suggestions on a touring liner that will take up some of the volume in the boot, not sacrifice too much of the walk mode, and improve the skiing performance?

Are you sure you got the right size shell? It sounds to me as if you might be looking to throw good money after bad.

I found the stock XT-130 Freetour liners' to be a bit thick (not at all thin), and I'm running Powerwraps as a result of this (and 'coz I have history with Powerwraps).

... Thom

**DGamms** · 03-12-2017, 01:50 PM

Originally Posted by skibrd

My Freetours feel and ski way better then my old TLT6Ps, but I'm already maxing out the buckles, and they don't feel as comfy as my RS140 liners. I also do not have the control I was hoping for well skiing, and I think this is because the liners are thinner then what I am used to. Any suggestions on a touring liner that will take up some of the volume in the boot, not sacrifice too much of the walk mode, and improve the skiing performance?

I'm the opposite of Thom for fit. Even with a punch for big toe width and a heel spur punch, I'm about a 1 cm/less than one finger shell fit in the 26.5. But the instep height and heel/ankle volume is too roomy for me with the stock liner for resort skiing.

So I tinkered with modifications for resort skiing: size 27 World Cup ZipFits with 3 sticks OMFit added per liner, plus custom foot beds, plus 2 bontex shims and a heel lift per boot, plus WC Booster strap, and BAM! Best fitting boot I've ever skied downhill. The ZipFit, when appropriately stuffed with additional OMFit to fill the dead spaces in the shell, provides the best heel and ankle fit imaginable. Better than the plug Tecnica R series and Fischer Vacuum 130s I used to ski. Far better than the my last set of Intuiton Pro Tongue liners.

Again, the downside is that for touring, the ZipFits add weight and decrease ROM a little. If I'm touring for a few hours, I leave in the ZipFits. If I'm going on an all day tour or especially if I'm going multiday backcountry, then I've been switching to the stock liner (but still using the Bontex shims, footbed, Booster, etc). Using this liner switch method in my Freetour 130 LVs, I haven't reached for my dedicated alpine boots or my weight weenie TLT6Ps all season.

**japanada** · 03-12-2017, 11:56 PM

I called and spoke with a tech guy at rossi about a degrading heel piece on my XTs and he said the soft plastic is causing an issue for some people. We must have had wirea crossed bc he sent me 2 metal horseshoes that are meant to go on top of the heel lugs to prevent the plastic from getting beat up. If someone wants them let me know and ill get them off to you.

**Breomonkey** · 03-13-2017, 06:30 AM

I'll jump on the spare pair if you've still got them. PM either details inbound.

**dkny2la** · 03-14-2017, 07:31 PM

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

**SeatownSlackey** · 03-14-2017, 08:44 PM

cant compare to stock since ive been rocking pro wraps since day one. love wrap style intuitions and am very happy. only issue with wrap style liner is that i initially felt a few degrees too upright since XT is already a fairly upright shell.

**dkny2la** · 03-14-2017, 09:14 PM

Originally Posted by SeatownSlackey

cant compare to stock since ive been rocking pro wraps since day one. love wrap style intuitions and am very happy. only issue with wrap style liner is that i initially felt a few degrees too upright since XT is already a fairly upright shell.

Thanks for helpfull feedback. Any issues with ROM when in walk mode? Do you happen to have any experience with Intuition wrap vs tounge style liners?

**reckless toboggan** · 03-14-2017, 09:55 PM

Originally Posted by japanada

I called and spoke with a tech guy at rossi about a degrading heel piece on my XTs and he said the soft plastic is causing an issue for some people. We must have had wirea crossed bc he sent me 2 metal horseshoes that are meant to go on top of the heel lugs to prevent the plastic from getting beat up. If someone wants them let me know and ill get them off to you.

Seriously?

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

Fucking disappointing Lange.