Boot Advice: Skinny Ankles + Big Calves

**XtrPickels** · 05-23-2022, 11:10 AM

Hey Team,

I've been needing to replace my 130 Flex Salomon Ghosts (With Pro-wraps) for a few seasons now, but they fit so well I can't give them up.
My issue is that I have a narrow foot and ankle, so I need a true low-volume boot, but my calves are preposterously large which often doesn't jive with LV boot.

I tried SMAX 130 and from the ankle down they were great. But, within a run I had to take them off, even with the top buckle / strap essentially undone.

So, what's out there with at least a 120 flex, fits my skinny feet and ankles, but doesn't vice-grip my calves to death? Bonus points if it also has decent instep volume.

**Benneke10** · 05-23-2022, 11:20 AM

Have you tried something like the Atomic Hawx or Fischer RC4 that has a moldable cuff that can expand?

**gregL** · 05-23-2022, 04:14 PM

Originally Posted by XtrPickels

Hey Team,

I've been needing to replace my 130 Flex Salomon Ghosts (With Pro-wraps) for a few seasons now, but they fit so well I can't give them up.
My issue is that I have a narrow foot and ankle, so I need a true low-volume boot, but my calves are preposterously large which often doesn't jive with LV boot.

I tried SMAX 130 and from the ankle down they were great. But, within a run I had to take them off, even with the top buckle / strap essentially undone.

So, what's out there with at least a 120 flex, fits my skinny feet and ankles, but doesn't vice-grip my calves to death? Bonus points if it also has decent instep volume.

Get the S/Max or Hawx Ultra and have someone flare/lower the cuff. Methods include heating the boot and ramming a football into the cuff, using some sort of mechanical device to flare it backward, standing in the boot with a shim in between the liner and cuff and having someone heat the cuff with a heat gun while your heels are elevated, and probably many others I haven't tried. Salomon and Atomic cuffs are a good bet to start with, as they entire boot is heat moldable in the oven.

If you need more room than the top buckle strap allows, drill another hole for the ladder.

**XtrPickels** · 05-25-2022, 12:12 PM

Originally Posted by gregL

Get the S/Max or Hawx Ultra and have someone flare/lower the cuff. Methods include heating the boot and ramming a football into the cuff, using some sort of mechanical device to flare it backward, standing in the boot with a shim in between the liner and cuff and having someone heat the cuff with a heat gun while your heels are elevated, and probably many others I haven't tried. Salomon and Atomic cuffs are a good bet to start with, as they entire boot is heat moldable in the oven.

If you need more room than the top buckle strap allows, drill another hole for the ladder.

Interesting, I have a pair of S/Max that I was about to give away. I thought you could only heat mold the lowers and that elsewhere would eventually go back to it's original form?

**gregL** · 05-27-2022, 11:50 AM

Originally Posted by XtrPickels

Interesting, I have a pair of S/Max that I was about to give away. I thought you could only heat mold the lowers and that elsewhere would eventually go back to it's original form?

Salomon has gradually increased the amount of the boot that's heat moldable (in a K-Tech oven) from just the upper portion of the scaffo, to the entire lower shell, to the entire boot including cuff. Anything that says "Custom Shell 360" is the whole boot.

In reality, you can heat and flare any boot cuff using a heat gun and it will stay there if you get it hot enough (assuming hardware and/or walkmode aren't interfering), but experience with the plastic is fairly important.

**onenerdykid** · 05-28-2022, 03:19 AM

Originally Posted by gregL

Get the S/Max or Hawx Ultra and have someone flare/lower the cuff. Methods include heating the boot and ramming a football into the cuff, using some sort of mechanical device to flare it backward, standing in the boot with a shim in between the liner and cuff and having someone heat the cuff with a heat gun while your heels are elevated, and probably many others I haven't tried. Salomon and Atomic cuffs are a good bet to start with, as they entire boot is heat moldable in the oven.

If you need more room than the top buckle strap allows, drill another hole for the ladder.

This. The football trick works wonders.