Narrowest last touring boot

[bthomson22]

I might be an anomaly here, but after owning both Hawx Ultra XTDs and ZGTPs (both in 25.5, I wear a 9.5 street shoe), I'd argue the ZGTP fits narrower around the midfoot, but roomier in the toe box (and definitely longer). I didn't have to stretch my XTDs but did have to punch the toe box (still wasn't comfortable). Conversely, I had to stretch my ZGTPs but didn't require a toe punch. So while the Hawx has a narrower last on paper, I'd argue the ZGTP is actually narrower. I tested this without liners as well - bare foot in the boot. Definitely felt the sides of the ZGTPs, not as much in the Hawx. That all being said, ZGTPs feel "roomier" overall - just pressure on the sides of the midfoot.

[McShortyShorts]

https://www.backcountry.com/salomon-...ing-boots-2022

They released these, but they aren’t low volume. Did notice in the latest 50 episode that Cody was wearing a similar boot in a different color. Maybe a narrower/stiffer version or just the pre release version from last year?

I stopped in Corbetts last Feb/March to try on some touring boots... the Tecnica ZGTP in the smallest size they had (25.5) was ginormous on my feet, and the employee helping me suggested waiting until September to try Salomon's new, narrow touring boot. I thought I had read about it in the 22/23 gear rumors page too, but I looked back just now and couldn't find any mention of it. Ah well. I assume the demand for a boot like that is very low and if a few of their sponsored athletes like Townsend wanted something like that they can just make a few full custom shells rather than an entire boot model

[Eluder]

I might be an anomaly here, but after owning both Hawx Ultra XTDs and ZGTPs (both in 25.5, I wear a 9.5 street shoe), I'd argue the ZGTP fits narrower around the midfoot, but roomier in the toe box (and definitely longer). I didn't have to stretch my XTDs but did have to punch the toe box (still wasn't comfortable). Conversely, I had to stretch my ZGTPs but didn't require a toe punch. So while the Hawx has a narrower last on paper, I'd argue the ZGTP is actually narrower. I tested this without liners as well - bare foot in the boot. Definitely felt the sides of the ZGTPs, not as much in the Hawx. That all being said, ZGTPs feel "roomier" overall - just pressure on the sides of the midfoot.

I would say the ZGPT is narrower at the back of the midfoot, specifically where the fifth metatarsal joins the cuboid from the lateral side. This can be a very sensitive spot. Width wise, its was bigger everywhere else in my experience.

[detrusor]

No, the wife didn’t want them. She went in with no preconceived notion looking for the lowest volume boot…the guy didn’t even have her try on the atomic or Tecnica. He said those were the lowest volume, she tried them on and said well I guess I’ll have to make these work. Smacks of a dynafit perks system going on.


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[bthomson22]

I would say the ZGPT is narrower at the back of the midfoot, specifically where the fifth metatarsal joins the cuboid from the lateral side. This can be a very sensitive spot. Width wise, its was bigger everywhere else in my experience.

Yup - that's exactly where I needed a stretch. Agreed, wider everywhere else though.

[Eluder]

No, the wife didn’t want them. She went in with no preconceived notion looking for the lowest volume boot…the guy didn’t even have her try on the atomic or Tecnica. He said those were the lowest volume, she tried them on and said well I guess I’ll have to make these work. Smacks of a dynafit perks system going on.


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shitty

[gregL]

. . . I assume the demand for a boot like that is very low and if a few of their sponsored athletes like Townsend wanted something like that they can just make a few full custom shells rather than an entire boot model . . .

Making a "few custom shells" is neither easy nor cheap, and I'm not sure Cody ranks high enough on the totem pole to warrant it. Marco Odermatt, maybe. I heard Dalbello developed 21.5 Krypton and Lupo AX boots for Angel Collinson, but then decided to go ahead and sell them to the public . . .

[kootenayskier]

Lifts closed early due to multiple trees falling on power lines, so spent the day trying to resolve my wife’s touring boot issues. I measured her feet as 265mm long, 250mm instep, and 90mm wide. In the resort she loves her 95mm Dobermans (with both rivets removed) with an Intuition FX Race liner to take up volume, but finds she’s swimming in her Lange XT130 LVs with Intuition Pro Tour HVs (she also hates the angles and “feel” of her Langes). It seems that despite years of growth, the size of the touring market still doesn’t justify companies investing in a low volume touring boot, so what’s the answer? I just keep hoping that true custom boot manufacturing becomes a reality in my lifetime.

[Eluder]

Lifts closed early due to multiple trees falling on power lines, so spent the day trying to resolve my wife’s touring boot issues. I measured her feet as 265mm long, 250mm instep, and 90mm wide. In the resort she loves her 95mm Dobermans (with both rivets removed) with an Intuition FX Race liner to take up volume, but finds she’s swimming in her Lange XT130 LVs with Intuition Pro Tour HVs (she also hates the angles and “feel” of her Langes). It seems that despite years of growth, the size of the touring market still doesn’t justify companies investing in a low volume touring boot, so what’s the answer? I just keep hoping that true custom boot manufacturing becomes a reality in my lifetime.

My wife has similar problems, her alpine boots are 96mm heads. For a similar boot (touring wise) the Roxa R3 is worth a try... They are not 100% there but better. The stance will be closer to the Dobermann and they will be tighter at the talus joint, which the LV Langes are deceivingly big in, this is also a very important spot of the foot for fit and control.

Thankfully my wife deals with stuff like this better than I do.

[mntlion]

its too bad, but its really pricy to make a new boot shape ($50K/size) so takes a LONG time to get that back. Plus touring is a small part of the skiing market, plus narrow is a small part of the skiing market. you are the 1% (at best)

One of the lower volumes is the K2 mindbender LV. Also comes down to a real size 22.

Nordica strider elite 130 is another one, (but maybe not avail to smaller sizes)

[auvgeek]

One of the lower volumes is the K2 mindbender LV. Also comes down to a real size 22.

Unrelated to the above (whose wife has super narrow but size 25 feet), but the problem we've seen with 4 buckle boots in the smaller sizes (23 and smaller) is that the forward ROM is substantially affected by the middle two buckles hitting. Not really a big deal on alpine boots, but definitely a problem for touring. And you can't really remove the 3rd buckle because it's what keeps your heel locked down in a 4 buckle boot. It's the reason my wife tours exclusively in the 22 Backland when she also owns the 22 Hawx 115.

I'm hopeful the BOA system that many companies are migrating towards will help solve this problem.

[mntlion]

yup: boa might help

I have seen that buckle issue before (both on touring and non) usually a small grind of the buckle itsself will help?

[PNB]

its too bad, but its really pricy to make a new boot shape ($50K/size) so takes a LONG time to get that back. Plus touring is a small part of the skiing market, plus narrow is a small part of the skiing market. you are the 1% (at best)

One of the lower volumes is the K2 mindbender LV. Also comes down to a real size 22.

Nordica strider elite 130 is another one, (but maybe not avail to smaller sizes)

How would the two models compare to, say, a Lange RX LV?
Thanks in advance.

[mntlion]

How would the two models compare to, say, a Lange RX LV?
Thanks in advance.

I have not sold the RX, but I'm guessing the K2 is a bit lower volume.

plus add a good, supportive custom footbed (key in this situation) and maybe a thick/dense intuition liner.

[gregL]

I have not sold the RX, but I'm guessing the K2 is a bit lower volume.

plus add a good, supportive custom footbed (key in this situation) and maybe a thick/dense intuition liner.

The 97mm RX/XT3 LV and 98mm Hawx Ultra are both lower volume than the K2 98mm last. The cushier liner in the Mindbender also packs out more quickly than either of the others.

[PNB]

The 97mm RX/XT3 LV and 98mm Hawx Ultra are both lower volume than the K2 98mm last. The cushier liner in the Mindbender also packs out more quickly than either of the others.

Thanks for all the replies.
I bought some Lange XT 130 LV (the white ones, basically RX with a symbolic walking mech.) back in 2015 size 26,5.
Accordingly to Verifyt my feet are some 27,2 and 27,7mm and about 102mm while standing.
I never molded the liner and at the beginning it felt a bit like having my feet in a vise, but the pressure was very even and after a long while the boots are quite confortable with just a bit of grinding to give more room to the big toe because it was a bit too unconfortable there.
At the end of the last season I bought some RX 130 LV in the same size after having tried any candidate I could grab.
The newer RX seems to have more room in the toebox out of the box.
What concerns me is that the boot is from the beginning TOO confortable and I expect it will become too wide after some time so I was wondering about better options.
As a comparison, the Salomon MTN Lab in size 27 I use for touring was also too wide and I solved the issue with this Palau liner plus a buttefly pad to lock the heel https://palau-ski-boot-liners.com/sk...power/?lang=en
After 2-3 Seasons Iḿ still very happy.

[gregL]

The newer RX seems to have more room in the toebox out of the box. What concerns me is that the boot is from the beginning TOO confortable and I expect it will become too wide after some time so I was wondering about better options

The newest Lange lasts are a little roomier, but not so much in the width across the met heads - they raised the instep height to make the out-of-box fit more appealing to taller instep feet. It won't really get much wider, as there is little foam in the forefoot to pack out (compared to around the ankle and heel), but there isn't much out there in recreational boots that is narrower. Even race lasts aren't really all that much tighter in the forefoot, it's in the midfoot/ankle/navicular where you really notice the difference, but that might be the direction you should take if you really want a snugger fit. Beware, getting a 92mm plug boot to fit, ski and walk to your satisfaction could be a long-term project and will probably require a skilled bootfitter with a race background. And BTW, this is the wrong thread for this conversation.

[m7b51e]

The new Head Kore rs130 lv boot is nice and narrow
I have been skiing it all southern hemisphere winter and would definitely recommend.
I have tried a lot of narrow touring boot on the market and found tecnica Cochise, k2 mindbender lv etc. all to be wide for low volume boots