2016 Lange XT Freetour

**gregL** · 12-12-2019, 10:35 AM

Originally Posted by Jvhowube

I have a large protruding bony ankle but otherwise pretty low-volume, normal foot.

Find a bootfitter who isn't afraid to throw navicular punches on the cuff/shell border, even with the new slightly thicker liner the Hawx Ultra XTD can be tough on maleoli.

**DGamms** · 12-12-2019, 10:36 AM

I will second GregL’s comments on the Hawx XTD 130 vs Freetour LV 130.

The cuff/heel/ankle fit is much tighter in the Hawx. The walk mode of the Hawx has much more ROM and has lower resistance moving through that ROM. The walk mode on the Hawx also cannot jam with snow, which happened multiple times in my FT 130s.

Hawx XTD 130 in a 26.5 with expert Booster, green Superfeet, and stock liner: 1520 gm

Freetour XT 130 LV in a 26.5 with expert Booster, custom foot beds, and Zipfit World Cups: 2100 gm

The FT 130s have a more progressive flex to me, and when paired with a Zipfit (heavier, volume reducing) liner, it skis the resort noticeably better than the Hawx. But if I’m walking for more than an hour or so, I will choose the Hawx every time now that I have both.

**Chrispmoto** · 12-12-2019, 11:42 AM

Okay, I pulled the trigger on the 140 XT Freeride. Tell me if I am nuts when I tell you my findings. First, 220lbs, w/o gear right now, 6'4", ski over a million vertical ft a year. Ex ski guide, have spent most of my life on a hill or mountain. LOVED my K2 Spyne 130 lv with those stiffer race plates sold by the Pulse here in Revelstoke.
Needed, or wanted a stiffer boot than most boots on the rack. These felt nice in the shop. Feel great actually on the snow, heel nice and snug, whole foot actually feels really good with only one punch! Have about 7 days on them.
When I ski at about 65%, or on groomers, these boots feel GREAT. But when I really push, on bumpier, but still decently soft, not icy, snow, I get thrown around too much, end up getting bucked to the back seat sometimes, which I have never noticed on my K2's. Just feels like the boots dont have any "suspension". It almost seems like they flex nicely, then just totally stop, like the boots are hitting a wall inside. And then I get bucked around... Am I nuts?? I really noticed this when it got a bit colder out, about -12 cdn.
I am trying to find another pair of Spynes, but not looking good. I was so excited with the way theses fit, but not so stoked on the lack of "suspension" when I pin it.
Thoughts??
Thanks guys!
Oh, I wont really tour on these, a bit of slack country, but not going to use for actual touring.

**gregL** · 12-12-2019, 11:44 AM

Originally Posted by skibrd

But now saying that, GregL is the man and taking a visit to see him if you are in the Seattle area will be worth every penny. I’m haven’t been in the Atomic boot, so I can’t comment on how it skis, but two friends who ski way harder then me really like it, so if GregL recommends it, he has a reason.

Thanks for the vote of confidence, M. I'm lucky to have access to pretty much any boot I'm really interested in through work. Missed you this fall, are you back in Jackson for the season?

**skibrd** · 12-12-2019, 12:13 PM

Originally Posted by gregL

Thanks for the vote of confidence, M. I'm lucky to have access to pretty much any boot I'm really interested in through work. Missed you this fall, are you back in Jackson for the season?

I was in class at PMI for a month in May and missed you the few times I stopped by. Guys said you were doing great though. Work schedule has be out of LA and Oakland every 6 weeks, so I haven’t been up your way since May.

Yep, I’m back home. The goods are getting good, imagine that. Any chance you might be swing out this way this winter?

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**rod9301** · 12-12-2019, 01:58 PM

Originally Posted by Chrispmoto

Okay, I pulled the trigger on the 140 XT Freeride. Tell me if I am nuts when I tell you my findings. First, 220lbs, w/o gear right now, 6'4", ski over a million vertical ft a year. Ex ski guide, have spent most of my life on a hill or mountain. LOVED my K2 Spyne 130 lv with those stiffer race plates sold by the Pulse here in Revelstoke.
Needed, or wanted a stiffer boot than most boots on the rack. These felt nice in the shop. Feel great actually on the snow, heel nice and snug, whole foot actually feels really good with only one punch! Have about 7 days on them.
When I ski at about 65%, or on groomers, these boots feel GREAT. But when I really push, on bumpier, but still decently soft, not icy, snow, I get thrown around too much, end up getting bucked to the back seat sometimes, which I have never noticed on my K2's. Just feels like the boots dont have any "suspension". It almost seems like they flex nicely, then just totally stop, like the boots are hitting a wall inside. And then I get bucked around... Am I nuts?? I really noticed this when it got a bit colder out, about -12 cdn.
I am trying to find another pair of Spynes, but not looking good. I was so excited with the way theses fit, but not so stoked on the lack of "suspension" when I pin it.
Thoughts??
Thanks guys!
Oh, I wont really tour on these, a bit of slack country, but not going to use for actual touring.

You're right in what you feel.

I had the Langes for two years, and while they are ok in the bc, they are not great in the resort.

Btw, i switched to zero g and g ski better and weigh less

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**skibrd** · 12-12-2019, 09:24 PM

Skied my XT Free Tours today with an Intuition Powerwrap liner and wow they are good. The wrap definitely stiffens up the flex a bit, more support forward and aft, but it wasn’t a bad stiffen up, they kept an even flex. My feet also were warm, which is a huge plus.

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**reckless toboggan** · 12-12-2019, 10:02 PM

Originally Posted by Chrispmoto

Okay, I pulled the trigger on the 140 XT Freeride. Tell me if I am nuts when I tell you my findings. First, 220lbs, w/o gear right now, 6'4", ski over a million vertical ft a year. Ex ski guide, have spent most of my life on a hill or mountain. LOVED my K2 Spyne 130 lv with those stiffer race plates sold by the Pulse here in Revelstoke.
Needed, or wanted a stiffer boot than most boots on the rack. These felt nice in the shop. Feel great actually on the snow, heel nice and snug, whole foot actually feels really good with only one punch! Have about 7 days on them.
When I ski at about 65%, or on groomers, these boots feel GREAT. But when I really push, on bumpier, but still decently soft, not icy, snow, I get thrown around too much, end up getting bucked to the back seat sometimes, which I have never noticed on my K2's. Just feels like the boots dont have any "suspension". It almost seems like they flex nicely, then just totally stop, like the boots are hitting a wall inside. And then I get bucked around... Am I nuts?? I really noticed this when it got a bit colder out, about -12 cdn.
I am trying to find another pair of Spynes, but not looking good. I was so excited with the way theses fit, but not so stoked on the lack of "suspension" when I pin it.
Thoughts??
Thanks guys!
Oh, I wont really tour on these, a bit of slack country, but not going to use for actual touring.

Yup. Pretty normal.

I'm 50# less and 5" shorter than you, but with a racing and coaching background and a lot of time, jobs, homes, etc in the mountains over the years.

I ski 4frnt EHP 193s, FKSs, and Lange RX130s as my daily driver.

Here's my previously posted take having had several seasons on a couple of different versions of the FT130s based on my experiences skiing them with 193 EHPs, 191 Movement Goliaths, 186 4frnt Renegades, and 186 EHPs, with FKSs, 9-16s, Shifts, and Verticals.

It's about 25 posts before yours. Please feel free to do some reading of this thread to glean some information.

My post describes pretty much exactly what you asked.

Originally Posted by reckless toboggan

I have the RX 130 and the Freetour 130 (FT130)

Had 120 flex Lange's in the past.

The RX 130 is my baseline 130 flex. I measure the flex of other boots against that baseline.

The FT130 flexes softer than the baseline 130.

Ft130 also flexes a bit softer than the 120 flex Lange's I had before. But more importantly the FT130 flex differently than the 120s and 130s. The flex pattern is different. FT130s have the nicest flex pattern of the many combo boots I've tried-on and skied. They ramp up almost like the RX130 or 120. But it does feel differently to those baselines.

Many of the other combo boots I've tried-on and skied ramp up much too quickly, or they hit a wall, and it feels like your shin is going to snap. The FTs reach this point after a much longer and deeper ramp up period, to the point that I can feel myself hit the front wall of the Lange's for resort skiing, but don't really feel it in back country conditions.

Additionally, many boots hit that wall, and then if you really go beyond that, the cuff collapses the clog of the boot, and it can suddenly feel like you're going over the bars with no support from the boot. Again, the Lange FTs arrive at this point much later than other combo boots I've skied, and they don't collapse nearly as much as other boots I've skied.

The FTs do not have the rebound of the RX.

An Intuition Pro Tour and a locking power strap help make the stock FT130 boot even more like the RX130. With those installed, the FT130 is within, say, a 5 or 7 degree Celsius temperature difference of the RX130.

**skibrd** · 12-14-2019, 10:52 PM

I tried to tour my XT Frees with Power Wrap liners today. It went terribly. The liner just doesn’t want to bend, and where it over laps has too much friction for each stride. Felt like I was touring in plug boots. The Pro Tour liner is the way to go.

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**Bruce Springskiin** · 02-03-2020, 07:40 PM

Looking for a replacement walk mode mechanism for XT130LV, from 2016ish. I think the part is the same across the years. Anyone had luck finding one?

**Dee Hubbs** · 02-04-2020, 06:18 PM

Originally Posted by Bruce Springskiin

Looking for a replacement walk mode mechanism for XT130LV, from 2016ish. I think the part is the same across the years. Anyone had luck finding one?

I think you will have to buy a used boot and cannibalise it for the part. PM me if you want a pair.

**Bruce Springskiin** · 02-04-2020, 07:49 PM

I looked at that option last night. Tried removing the mechanism, it does not come out easy and has three rivets, holding it in. I did want to take it apart just yet. Doing some searching for some other beat shells? Or looking at other options from other brands since this lever could break again

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**hoarhey** · 02-05-2020, 09:10 AM

Lack of suspension in XT free tour is due to polyamide plastic?

Next year’s xt3 130 to change plastic to polyether/polyurethane so maybe that will steer the flex back to be more like the RX?

**auvgeek** · 02-05-2020, 10:17 AM

Originally Posted by skibrd

I tried to tour my XT Frees with Power Wrap liners today. It went terribly. The liner just doesn’t want to bend, and where it over laps has too much friction for each stride. Felt like I was touring in plug boots. The Pro Tour liner is the way to go.

While I don't disagree that the pro tour offers quite a bit more ROM, I toured in power wrap in Vulcans for several years without issue. YMMV.

Originally Posted by hoarhey

Lack of suspension in XT free tour is due to polyamide plastic?

Next year’s xt3 130 to change plastic to polyether/polyurethane so maybe that will steer the flex back to be more like the RX?

I'm sure someone with more experience will chime in, but I think this is basically what was said in the blister podcast by Lange's head boot guy. I'm not quite sure how Lange managed to get a PU boot to come in at the same weight and stiffness as a grilamid boot, but I guess we'll see if it lives up to the hype.

Separate note: I'm getting sick of my Lange plug boots in cold temps. Just so much work to get on and off, and despite ample punching, my fat feet are screaming after a few days in a row. Had been planning on the FT 140, but I'm trying to decide if I should hold out of next season or what. Great that they're changing to PU, but dang...

**Bruce Springskiin** · 02-28-2020, 11:13 PM

Anyone not using their WTR Sole Blocks? In Search of a pair for my promod. Generation 2, 27.5
Damn progress making my gear less compatible than Mtn Bike Bottom Brackets.

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**XavierD** · 02-29-2020, 08:11 AM

New boot skis better than the green one. It’s not an RS or even RX, but it’s closer. Big difference for me was feeling more spring and support higher up the spine of the boot. Often I feel the flex of walk boots is closer to the ankle than calf. This boot improves on that significantly. Likely a combination of the plastic and new walk mode locking mechanism. There is quite a bit to the new locking/walk mechanism. The back half of the spine shifts vertically allowing it to really set into the lower, while also allowing more forward ROM in tour mode. Additionally there is a traditional metal on metal latch on the spine.
ROM and walk mode is improved, but nothing revolutionary. I didn’t tour on it though, just walked around the demo area. Big change is in how it skis.

For me this makes the boot much more capable for General day in day out resort use. I’ll still keep my RS’s (which will still ruin any other ski boot) but am more likely to leave them at home, or at-least miss them less, on days where I’ll be seeing hike to terrain.

**adrian.bee** · 02-29-2020, 09:55 AM

Originally Posted by Bruce Springskiin

Anyone not using their WTR Sole Blocks? In Search of a pair for my promod. Generation 2, 27.5
Damn progress making my gear less compatible than Mtn Bike Bottom Brackets.

I might have these, I will send you a DM if I can track them down. I didn't use them but have moved since so I'd need to do some digging.

Anyone know what intuition liner works best in the 2018 green shells? my brother got a pair fitted in ID, and they must be a discontinued model, they are all black and have "flex comp" written on them. any idea?

**XavierD** · 02-29-2020, 12:48 PM

Originally Posted by adrian.bee

I might have these, I will send you a DM if I can track them down. I didn't use them but have moved since so I'd need to do some digging.

Anyone know what intuition liner works best in the 2018 green shells? my brother got a pair fitted in ID, and they must be a discontinued model, they are all black and have "flex comp" written on them. any idea?

Your brother has an Full Tilt intuition power wrap from a minute ago.

What are your goals for the intuition? I have used power wraps, luxury, pro tour and tour wraps in the boot. Generally I think the tour wrap is the best compromise of warmth, increased power, and good tour ROM. YMMV.

**adrian.bee** · 03-01-2020, 09:43 AM

Originally Posted by XavierD

Your brother has an Full Tilt intuition power wrap from a minute ago.

What are your goals for the intuition? I have used power wraps, luxury, pro tour and tour wraps in the boot. Generally I think the tour wrap is the best compromise of warmth, increased power, and good tour ROM. YMMV.

Word, thanks. Pretty much exactly that: warmth, increase stiffness and solid touring capabilities. I tour only 5-6 days a year so not super concerned about ROM but would like to keep the ability for sure. I panicked and bought pro wraps in the group buy and are just a little too much volume for my foot. Thanks for the help!