What happens when too many days on boots?

[DougW]

Maybe a stupid question but as I have just switched over boots was wondering if I took taking this pair of boots to 250 ~ over 5 seasons to far. It was a stiff boot and really never felt any slop or movement . Seemed to need to crank up buckles more this season mid day. One of my last days on this pair was on Big Dumps and felt like skis were over powering me. Could it be that lateral stiffness was not what it used to be?

[old goat]

I don't know the answer--whether boots get softer with age, although obviously the liners pack out. I do know that people get softer with age. You aren't the same man you were when those boots were new.

[Stoned4Days1]

I have a pair of boots I bought 3 seasons ago and have put over 500 days on em and I dont notice any difference in how they ski. I do notice a difference in the liners and the way they fit likely because theyre a 98 last with very little work done and my other boot is a 100 last which needed almost zero work. For reference theyre a Rossi AllSpeed 130 Elite.

I think the answer to this question depends a lot on what boots youre talking about and the material theyre made of. for example, I would expect a Grilamid or (PA Polyamide) boot to get more soft with age as opposed to a boot made of PU (polyurethane). This is because PA plastics are lighterweight and PA boots generally have a more progressive flex as opposed to PU which is heavier and has a more uniform flex pattern that I imagine would be less prone to degradation and reduction in flex.

Blister has a great podcast on boot plastics and more in depth ski boot stuff, check it out. https://blisterreview.com/gear-101/a...plastics-ep-54

[tenB]

You aren't the same man you were when those boots were new.

Truth spoken

[stuckathuntermtn]

Modern plastics are pretty good. The old days, especially the white ones, UV would make the plastic brittle over the years and they could crack on a cold day.
Nowadays? No idea. If I found a pair of boots that worked that well for me, I'd ski them till they died.

[2FUNKY]

Maybe a stupid question but as I have just switched over boots was wondering if I took taking this pair of boots to 250 ~ over 5 seasons to far. It was a stiff boot and really never felt any slop or movement . Seemed to need to crank up buckles more this season mid day. One of my last days on this pair was on Big Dumps and felt like skis were over powering me. Could it be that lateral stiffness was not what it used to be?

Put some intuitions in them and keep skiing them.
The boot more than likely hasn’t softened, esp with only 250 days. The liners have definitely turned to shit tho. I skied a beloved pair of salomon boots a long time ago for well over 500 days before i retired them and only due to the toe and heel blocks being so worn out.

[DougW]

I do know that people get softer with age. You aren't the same man you were when those boots were new.

I refuse to accept the obvious logic of this statement.

The boots in question where the Lange super banshee and the Rossi squad 130 carbon. Both from same year 2010 that got me through 10 seasons plus 13 days this year. I think I put the ~ same number of days on each. I never walked in them from the parking lot so the soles were in pretty good shape. Had to move over the upper buckles to new hole and were pretty close to the last slot.

Part of the reason for the question is that I have had a running gag with a ski instructor that I should replace my boots. I retort that I want to get down to less than a $1 a day of use. ( which I did on the Rossis) . I kinda want to know if he was half right.

I will have to take out the big dumps once the new boots are broken in and see if its the old skier or the old boots that were over powered

[stuckathuntermtn]

I've never heard of ski boots getting softer with age. Yeah, the liners pack out or break down, but if anything, the plastic should harden over time as it becomes less elastic. Unless plastics have really really changed that much.

[XXX-er]

I think plastic would break as opposed to just getting weak so IMO mostly its the liner that packs and feels soft,

the buckles and other plastic parts bend break get FUBARd

For people who tour a LOT ( i'm talking 100+ day seasons ) the cuff hinges can wear

I had a pair of Garmont Xena's ( womans endorphin ) I was overpowering those boot I assume cuz I had to check/tighten all the screws and fasteners of the buckles/ hinges/ walk mode every 2 weeks becuz they would all be loose, I recently tried wiggling the cuffs and they are definalty worn

I gave the XENA's to GF and at least momentarily she doesn't think i'm an idiot

[NorCalNomad]

I've never heard of ski boots getting softer with age. Yeah, the liners pack out or break down, but if anything, the plastic should harden over time as it becomes less elastic. Unless plastics have really really changed that much.

+1

Even though I don't work with ski boots I do work with polymers in footwear. All plastics will change as the plasticisers or other chemicals slowly leach out of them or are oxidized. Think brittle lawn chairs, or any old plastic part with a white film. Some polymers will get soft and/or sticky but you're not going to find that in footwear.

[XXX-er]

Just one word

its Dustin Hoffman day

[ACH]

I believe that another thing to consider is the mechanical aspect of the parts of the boot.
Whether we are talking 2 or 3 piece shells, you have a more or less mechanical pivot at the main point of articulation.
Plastic wears on its self and the tolerance between those parts will loosen up over an extended period of time. What might feel like the boot being softer could be a loss of tallerance between the parts.

Also, stock power straps become less effective over time, all my boots that are older than two seasons end up with Booster straps.

Another thing to factor in is the weight/mass of the skier...
The bigger the person, the more stress they put on the equipment.

+1 for new liners, there is a reason why companies like Intuition and Zipfit exist.
My experience tells me that a decent higher end boot shell will last a good long time if they are cared for.

[MTT]

Yes boots wear out. And you can tell. Some years back I bought the exact same boots that I had skied the past two seasons. First I just took the liners out of the new boots and put them in the old shells. Still a bit sloppy and unresponcive to my input. I had broken down the liners and the shells.

I guess it depends on how you ski. But at some point a boot breaks down. And really you can tell. they don't last forever.

They way I ski and what I expect. It takes me about 100 days. And the boots are toast.

[stuckathuntermtn]

Interesting. Was it pivot hardware loosening up or actually breakdown of plastics?
It seems mostly that plastics get more brittle with age, so the boot should actually get stiffer in a way, barring any loosening of hardware, widening of pivot points, etc.


I hear that on power straps too. The Dalbello Lupo straps don't look like they're designed to last very long