2016 Lange XT Freetour

[j0z77]

Does anyone tried XT Free 140 Promodels?
I'm interested in the stiffer version of XT Free but can't find them in local shops.
How stiff are they? stiffer than ZA?

[auvgeek]

I've fondled them in the shop. Seem really nice. Definitely stiff but pretty progressive. No experience how the plastic will increase flex in cold temps vs the Lange plugs.

Maybe slightly stiffer than the RS130. Didn't fold in half when I flex it, but I'd want to try again with a Zip Fit or something. Definitely not ZB stiff, but they're also much wider with a MUCH larger heel pocket. Don't have much experience with the ZA, but I doubt you can compare them apples to apples because part of the way the plug boots flex so nicely IME is the very narrow heel, which really lets you flex into the boot without heel lift. The difference in heel width was very noticeable using the super thin liner from my ZBs, less so with the stock liner (though that was pretty painful across the forefoot for my fat feet). If I were buying them, I would probably want to go ZipFit with plenty of omfit in the heel/ankle inbounds and then maybe LV pw tour with L pads for touring. ZipFits and my fat feet don't really fit into my ZBs.

Walk mode seemed surprisingly good in rearward ROM, but I was less enthusiastic about the forward ROM.

I'd probably get them if I could afford to drop $800 on the boot & bootwork, and then another $1200 on a new lwt crossover setup, like maybe a Moment DW with Shift or Tecton binders. Right now, I'm not sure really how I'd use them alone, except maybe when it's <10F-15F and the ZBs are just too much of a pain to get on/off.

[j0z77]

Sounds great!

Are XT Free 130s noticeably softer than RS/RX130?

[reckless toboggan]

Sounds great!

Are XT Free 130s noticeably softer than RS/RX130?

In my opinion, yes. I notice it. It's not major or debilitating, but I'm aware it's softer and skis a bit differently. That can be an advantage in punchy, catchy, crusty snow, where the softer forward lean can help absorbed variable snow conditions.
XT Free is still the best performing touring boots on the downhill out there, IMHO, in that they are very close to how the RX130 skis.
The other touring boots I've skied felt like they had learning disabilities on the down, but many of those go up like absolute champs.
So, for me, its mostly about picking the boot that'll manage to get you up, and the boot that will slay the down as close as possible to my RX130.
And for me that's the XT Free.

[rod9301]

In my opinion, yes. I notice it. It's not major or debilitating, but I'm aware it's softer and skis a bit differently.
XT Free is still the best performing touring boots on the downhill out there, IMHO, in that they are very close to how the RX130 skis.
The other touring boots I've skied felt like they had learning disabilities on the down, but many of those go up like absolute champs.
So, for me, its mostly about picking the boot that'll manage to get you up, and the boot that will slay the down as close as possible to my RX130.
And for me that's the XT Free.

I have them, and in the bc, they ski very well. I skied them in the resort and it seems like I'm one step too slow in them, in bumps. Also, hitting uneven snow, i get pitched forward a but more than with my rx130.

Still a good boot.

Sent from my moto g(6) using TGR Forums mobile app

[reckless toboggan]

I have them, and in the bc, they ski very well. I skied them in the resort and it seems like I'm one step too slow in them, in bumps. Also, hitting uneven snow, i get pitched forward a but more than with my rx130.

Still a good boot.

I agree with how you described the XT Free vs RX for inbounds performance.

[Andyski]

Anyone been in the new Rossi Alltrack Elite 130 LT? It sounds like an XT FT LV (98 last vs. 97 for the Lange) but lighter and more ROM (stated 50 vs. 43 - yeah, I know, angels on the head of a pin). Asking here cuz of Lange/Rossi familial relationship. Also looking for a "manage the up, slay the down" boot and love my RX130s.

[rod9301]

Anyone been in the new Rossi Alltrack Elite 130 LT? It sounds like an XT FT LV (98 last vs. 97 for the Lange) but lighter and more ROM (stated 50 vs. 43 - yeah, I know, angels on the head of a pin). Asking here cuz of Lange/Rossi familial relationship. Also looking for a "manage the up, slay the down" boot and love my RX130s.

Sure looks like the Lange

Sent from my moto g(6) using TGR Forums mobile app

[jorion]

I love my freetours (130). The one thing that I think hasn’t been mentioned here much is that the flex in warm weather is really different. In winter they’re not that much softer than my rx130s, but in >50 degrees they’re waay softer. Much more noticeable than my maestrale rs boots. I’d almost like to get rid of my rx130s, use the xts in the resort with power wraps or zipfits, regular liners for tours, and then get a more lightweight boot for spring and summer touring.

[808cam]

Really? I tried them on the store, obviously not familiar with flex on mountain, but flex in the free tours wasn’t progressive. It’s annoying to carry two boots everywhere, bu resort boots are so luxurious.

[anotherVTskibum]

I love my freetours (130). The one thing that I think hasn’t been mentioned here much is that the flex in warm weather is really different. In winter they’re not that much softer than my rx130s, but in >50 degrees they’re waay softer. Much more noticeable than my maestrale rs boots. I’d almost like to get rid of my rx130s, use the xts in the resort with power wraps or zipfits, regular liners for tours, and then get a more lightweight boot for spring and summer touring.

I didn't realize quite how significant the temperature difference was until I skied on a cold day this fall. I have myself convinced that the 140 is the way to go (my 130s need replacement), and skiing the 130s in the spring and summer, they felt overly soft. At 5 degrees, the 130s seemed a lot stiffer, even with 300ish days on them.

[auvgeek]

Really? I tried them on the store, obviously not familiar with flex on mountain, but flex in the free tours wasn’t progressive.

Compared to what? The RS 130? Or another 130 flex touring boot?

[::: :::]

resort boots are so luxurious.

I have never had a ski boot I’d call luxurious
snowboard maybe

[reckless toboggan]

PSA: I have a pair of the Freetour XT 130 2016 in a 25.5 LV for sale.

2 tours and 2 resort days before I got the same boot in the regular volume (non-LV) model.

Pristine condition. Liner never baked. pm for pics.

$150 + ship?

[Red]Sold to Andyski[/red]

Ha! Didn't think that'd work.

[255,0,0] Sold to Andyski.[/255,0,0]

Ha!

You get the idea.

[Andyski]

PM incoming.

Update: sold to ME! Wooohoo!

[reckless toboggan]

tl;dr

Sold to Andyski.

[banzai]

Blew my left boot on Friday:

Contacted Lange warranty with pics, hoping for a quick turnaround, since these are currently my only boots. Bought them in late January 2018. Skied them no more than 12 days, 4 of which teaching my 5yo with a few solo laps at the end of the day.

[smooth operator]

Wow, that is impressive. Whatya do? Land a 100 foot cliff on hardpack?

[Breomonkey]

Duct tape will fix that! Yikes your 5yo must be hard core! Was it -15 out? Guessing that's an abnormality! Mine have been my daily drivers and the only concern I have is the long term durability of the heel lug, which seems a bit softer than alpine boots.

Good to hear the recent POV's vs. the RS130's I just picked up a pair and was worried they'd be a bit stiff for me and was looking into softening them up a bit, but I need to ski them first. I find the OG Freetour130 to be spot on for what I like. Anybody got intel on what the reduction of the RS130 is if you cut the scallops on the marked line? Lange puts the marks, but I can't find documentation only on spine bolt removal, which we all know is hotly debated. Feel free to PM if you feel this is too much of a hijack.

[XavierD]

Is your ankle ok?

[reckless toboggan]

Blew my left boot on Friday:

Contacted Lange warranty with pics, hoping for a quick turnaround, since these are currently my only boots. Bought them in late January 2018. Skied them no more than 12 days, 4 of which teaching my 5yo with a few solo laps at the end of the day.

Yowch.

Did you accidentally ski it in walk mode?

[gregL]

Blew my left boot on Friday

Strong work, for sure.

[banzai]

Yeah it was cold, but nothing extreme (-18C according to the historic readings for the resort, car showed -8C at noon). It was a one-two drop at fair speed, upon landing it felt like the walking mode engaged. I stopped next to my buddy and said I think my boot just auto-switched to walking mode (this has now become a recurring joke). The photo was taken at 11:57, we were resort skiing/slackcountry for over 3 hours by that time. Conditions ranged from pow in the morning to chop and bumps towards noon and I didnt switch the walk lever the whole day. I like to charge and have blew bindings in the past, but f me nothing like that before. The only plausible explanation I can come up with is that there was a blemish in the mold (or something like that) and it was a question of time before it blew. That aside, I am supper happy with the boots.
Funily enough my ankle is OK and I am just coming back from an ankle injury (I side stepped on it, while rushing to pick up the kids from kindergarden) . Skiing is fine, but touring hurts like a bitch. What hurts more is that its dumping right now and I have no boots.

[reckless toboggan]

...rushing to pick up the kids from kindergarden

Be careful! That shit is dangerous!

[Andyski]

Moar Freetour 130 data points.
1. Reckless is the MAN and an awesome seller. Thanks mang!
2. I've been in a 24.5 RX130 LV (opaque green lower one) for 5 years and Langes for 20 years, which is a zero-punches-but-need-powerwrap/shim-for-perfect-fit fit. Great fit, though the wraps could use another bake to tighten up the heel hold after 4 great years. Tried on the 24.5 women's Freetour 110, and it was crushingly small lengthwise (pinky fit), would be a project even for a pure inbounds boot. 25.5 Freetour 130 LV is maybe 1.75 finger (christ, I don't know), and damn close to the same length fit as my 24.5 RXs, which is weird, because the FT are obviously longer shells, but stick a sharpie back there and it is what it is. The Freetours feel tighter at the met heads than the RX130s do, even with the same liners swapped between each, but the Freetours are more volume everywhere else (makes sense as it's a size up) ESPECIALLY vertically from the forefoot to toes - good for touring, which is what I got these for.
3. The fit of the stock liners sucked for me, but that's always the case. Put the Protours from my 25.5 Vulcans (OG year vintage, which were apparently narrower than later years I've been told???) and the fit is PERFECT. The Langes are tighter everywhere than the Vulcan (which fits almost perfect for all kinds of touring - just a little 6th toe punchy) except forefoot/too vert.
4. They tour way better than I thought. Not Vulcans obviously, but entirely acceptable for full days.
5. They feel STIFF. Stiffer than my RX130s (with power wraps too!), which always felt much softer than the World Cup 120s I had before them. Definitely way stiffer than Vulcans with tongues. It's the PNW, so it's not like they've been in continental cold or anything. The flex quality is good, it's just way beefier than I was expecting given the "softer than RX" feedback here. Will back off the upper buckle tightness and perhaps ditch the booster strap I use on other boots and see if that takes the edge off.

If that doesn't work...LVS: Did you shave off any cuff to enhance the ROM?

Stoked on them so far.