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Thread: K2 Cortex

  1. #76
    Join Date
    Jan 2017
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    Seattle, WA
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    2,273
    That heel is not gonna work for me without some work! Tried them on yesterday. Very nice feeling boot and I actually love the double BOA, but my heel spur says no and my S/Pro Alpha's already fit pretty well. Fits a bit shorter than the S/Pro's. I had about .75 finger vs 1 finger in the S/Pro. Very unscientific.

    I don't think the instep is particularly low. Feels like a normal 98mm lasted modern boot minus the heel which is very fitted.

  2. #77
    Join Date
    Dec 2021
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    109
    Question.

    Whats the reason for going for a two.five degree ramp angle on the boot board? I see this industry push towards everything getting flatter and flatter. For example -- A lot of people like Pivots because of the decently flat ramp angle found on them. The new ATK Hy binding has apparently a zero degree ramp angle. And now this new freeride ready boot is coming with a much more flat ramp rangle of two.five degrees. I think most alpine boots are between four and five degrees. And then we have the problem that every manufacturer is probably measuring that internal ramp angle a little differently, so we have to take those numbers with a grain of salt.

    I have worked pretty hard in the last few years to improve my ankle dorsiflexion to the point where this is the first year I feel like I can pressure the cuff of my boot adequately without adding heel lifts. In the past, adding heel lifts helped with opening up my ankle more, but it also raised my leg up in the boot, and as a result I didnt have a cuff that went as high on my leg as Id like (I have long tibias). Also a heel lift in certain boots will raise the heel just enough to lead to the heel bite issue that results in a lot of people developing or aggravating their heel spurs.

    Anyways yeah. Im super curious about the Cortex. Room for the toes (sidebar: literally no reason for ski boots to bind your toes and start developing bunions), tight ankle and instep, and tight cuff sounds like a killer combo. But Im not sure if Ive improved my biomechanics enough to be able access the cuff appropriately with a somewhat flatter ramp angle. Hell, maybe going from four or five degrees to two.five isnt such a big deal?
    Last edited by PeaHead96; 02-09-2025 at 10:03 AM. Reason: broken ass site

  3. #78
    Join Date
    Aug 2015
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    Seattle
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    211
    Quote Originally Posted by PeaHead96 View Post
    Question. Whats the reason for going for a two.five degree ramp angle on the boot board? I see this industry push towards everything getting flatter and flatter. For example -- A lot of people like Pivots because of the decently flat ramp angle found on them. The new ATK Hy binding has apparently a zero degree ramp angle. And now this new freeride ready boot is coming with a much more flat ramp rangle of two.five degrees. I think most alpine boots are between four and five degrees. And then we have the problem that every manufacturer is probably measuring that internal ramp angle a little differently, so we have to take those numbers with a grain of salt. I have worked pretty hard in the last few years to improve my ankle dorsiflexion to the point where this is the first year I feel like I can pressure the cuff of my boot adequately without adding heel lifts. In the past, adding heel lifts helped with opening up my ankle more, but it also raised my leg up in the boot, and as a result I didnt have a cuff that went as high on my leg as Id like (I have long tibias). Also a heel lift in certain boots will raise the heel just enough to lead to the heel bite issue that results in a lot of people developing or aggravating their heel spurs. Anyways yeah. Im super curious about the Cortex. Room for the toes (sidebar: literally no reason for ski boots to bind your toes and start developing bunions), tight ankle and instep, and tight cuff sounds like a killer combo. But Im not sure if Ive improved my biomechanics enough to be able access the cuff appropriately with a somewhat flatter ramp angle. Hell, maybe going from four or five degrees to two.five isnt such a big deal?
    So there are a few things to unpack here. The cortex has a 2.5 ramp with a 15 forward lean giving an overall net of 12.5degrees. If we look at the new race boots from atomic, the Redster/Remedy it's 4 ramp with 16 forward lean for a net of 12degres. So there is only half a degree of difference between the two despite the pretty different ramp angles.
    Basically what we did with Cortex is take a more conventional race build like the Redster, RS, Raptor etc and rotate the whole inner last back to flatten the ramp. Why did we do this? Well this is a freeride boot not a race boot. When you build a race boot you are building it with a certain ski type and terrain in mind. Race skis are vastly different than modern freeride skis and the terrain could not be more different.

    When testing with our athletes we found when using modern freeride skis, skis which are more centered, often twins and softer in the nose then a race ski, it really helped to flatten the ramp angle of the boot. You do not need or want to be pushing into the tip of a freeride skis in the same manner you do a race ski type the falter ramp allowed for a much more centered and balanced feeling on the ski. It's not huge so if you are still carving on harder terrain it's not going to throw you off but when skiing soft snow on modern skis it will give we feel an advantage over a traditional race boot.

  4. #79
    Join Date
    Dec 2021
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    109
    Quote Originally Posted by tompietrowski View Post
    So there are a few things to unpack here. The cortex has a 2.5 ramp with a 15 forward lean giving an overall net of 12.5degrees. If we look at the new race boots from atomic, the Redster/Remedy it's 4 ramp with 16 forward lean for a net of 12degres. So there is only half a degree of difference between the two despite the pretty different ramp angles.
    Basically what we did with Cortex is take a more conventional race build like the Redster, RS, Raptor etc and rotate the whole inner last back to flatten the ramp. Why did we do this? Well this is a freeride boot not a race boot. When you build a race boot you are building it with a certain ski type and terrain in mind. Race skis are vastly different than modern freeride skis and the terrain could not be more different.

    When testing with our athletes we found when using modern freeride skis, skis which are more centered, often twins and softer in the nose then a race ski, it really helped to flatten the ramp angle of the boot. You do not need or want to be pushing into the tip of a freeride skis in the same manner you do a race ski type the falter ramp allowed for a much more centered and balanced feeling on the ski. It's not huge so if you are still carving on harder terrain it's not going to throw you off but when skiing soft snow on modern skis it will give we feel an advantage over a traditional race boot.
    Awesome, I appreciate the reply and explanation. I’m stoked to try them when available in the fall — especially if it has a low volume cuff, ankle, and instep. I’m assuming the entire cortex series shares the exact same mold and thus fit? Not sure I’m aggressive enough to appreciate the one-forty model, even though im tempted just because of the tech toes alone

  5. #80
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    Aug 2011
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    panhandle locdog
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    8,159
    You can easily make a boot softer…

  6. #81
    Join Date
    Aug 2015
    Location
    Seattle
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    211
    Yes the mold is the same for all so the shell fit will be the same.

  7. #82
    Join Date
    Mar 2025
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    2

    Flex comparison

    For those who already skied on it, can you share some insights on the Flex please. My goto boot is the Mach1 LV 130. That is more or less the perfect flex for me. I bought a pair of Mindbenders 2 years ago, but I needed the 140. For me the 140 mindbender has about the same flex as the Mach 1 LV 130. The Mindbenders 130 were quite significantly too soft. However, I had other 140 boots like the Lange XT pro 140 and that was way too stiff, I didnt liek that boot.
    Is the Cortex 140 similar in Flex to the Mindbender 140 or does the Cortex 130 come closer?
    Thanks for any info

  8. #83
    Join Date
    Dec 2019
    Posts
    973
    The cortex plastic is MUCH thicker than the Mach one or the Mindbender. With that, the flex comes on a bit different. A bit more progressive where I have always felt the M1 was pretty stiff off the top. The 140 when cold is real stiff. I would say the 130 would be closer to the M1 than the 140. Although the 140 has a line that you can trim to make it a 130 if you want the color/tech toes.

  9. #84
    Join Date
    Aug 2015
    Location
    Seattle
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    211
    Quote Originally Posted by K1mJ0ngTr1ll View Post
    The cortex plastic is MUCH thicker than the Mach one or the Mindbender. With that, the flex comes on a bit different. A bit more progressive where I have always felt the M1 was pretty stiff off the top. The 140 when cold is real stiff. I would say the 130 would be closer to the M1 than the 140. Although the 140 has a line that you can trim to make it a 130 if you want the color/tech toes.
    Yeah I think this is the best answer. The boot is going to feel very differnt tahn either teh Mach or Mindbender, not just stiffer. The Cortex 140 will be stiffer but if you want that feature set you (tech toe) you can cut the lower shell to soften or if you dont need the tech insert I would try the 130.

  10. #85
    Join Date
    Mar 2025
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    2
    Quote Originally Posted by K1mJ0ngTr1ll View Post
    The cortex plastic is MUCH thicker than the Mach one or the Mindbender. With that, the flex comes on a bit different. A bit more progressive where I have always felt the M1 was pretty stiff off the top. The 140 when cold is real stiff. I would say the 130 would be closer to the M1 than the 140. Although the 140 has a line that you can trim to make it a 130 if you want the color/tech toes.
    Thanks this helps a lot! Yes, the inserts is kind of the reason I am looking at them (colors are nicer on the 140 but I could live with the green). I dont like the new M1 2026, they changed the fit a lot. So if it wasnt for the tech fits in the Cortex, I would just buy another 2025 M1 on sale for next year. But if I can replace my mindbender and the M1 with a Cortex, that would be a game changer as 95% of the time I do short hikes. I was just worried about he Flex being too hard. But if you can change the flex, I will definitely try them.

  11. #86
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    Aug 2015
    Location
    Seattle
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    211
    Quote Originally Posted by max.rittmeister@gmail.com View Post
    Thanks this helps a lot! Yes, the inserts is kind of the reason I am looking at them (colors are nicer on the 140 but I could live with the green). I dont like the new M1 2026, they changed the fit a lot. So if it wasnt for the tech fits in the Cortex, I would just buy another 2025 M1 on sale for next year. But if I can replace my mindbender and the M1 with a Cortex, that would be a game changer as 95% of the time I do short hikes. I was just worried about he Flex being too hard. But if you can change the flex, I will definitely try them.
    The biggest change you will feel is how damp the boots feel. Somthing else to note is not overtightening the cuff BAO. Boa makes it so easy to tighten the boots nearly everyone overtightens it initially and this can make the boots feel really stiff. Expereiment going slightly looser and you will find a swet spot which works I would guess. The 140 also has the powerplate which you can use to adjust the repsonse of the cuff and then you can always cut teh shell if you need too.

  12. #87
    Join Date
    Nov 2019
    Posts
    135
    anyone else having a hard time getting the liners in and out of the cotex 140? I only have a few days on them and switching between the stock liner and some intutions to see what route i want to go but fuck getting the liner in is a real task even with my foot in the liner. coming from some raptor 140rs.

  13. #88
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    Aug 2015
    Location
    Seattle
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    Quote Originally Posted by troth View Post
    anyone else having a hard time getting the liners in and out of the cotex 140? I only have a few days on them and switching between the stock liner and some intutions to see what route i want to go but fuck getting the liner in is a real task even with my foot in the liner. coming from some raptor 140rs.
    they are a thicker walled shell so never going to be the easiest to get on unfortunatly. Ensure you try to keep the boots at least somewhat warm before you put them on. For example if you drive to the hill keep them inside the car/truck where it's warmer rather than in the trunk or bed. Something else to consider is what is limiting the boot from opening enough. It could be the upper cable on the cuff. We have had a few skiers need to use a slightly longer cable on the cuff to allow the cuff to open slightly wider which in turns allows the lower shell to open wider. When putting the boot on next time if you find the upper cuff is stopping the boot from opening wide enough for you then you may want to try a longer cable. The cables are free from boa and really easy to install.

  14. #89
    Join Date
    Jan 2011
    Location
    Alta
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    3,337
    Ok this has been a long time coming. But I’ve finally put in enough time on the cortex one forty to get a good feel for the boot. I normally ski in doberman plug boots and have been waiting for a narrow boot with toe tech footings for a while. I skied the recon team and it was okay but never loved the feel due the different plastic. The stock liner in the cortex isn’t bad, but I needed to take up some space to make the boot work. Tried a zipfit gara and it was just too tight on the sides of my heel. Eventually settled on a pair of nordica pro machine liners and the fit is now high performance but not ridiculously tight and cold like my Dobermans. The plastic on the cortex feels great, very high performance. As for the double boa, it’s not perfect for me. I have a highish instep with low volume fore foot. In most four buckle boots w like the toe buckle tight and the instep buckle is just latched enough to not come loose. This isn’t really achievable with the lower boa, so I’ve settled on having some wiggle room in the toes. I will say this is the first and only boot I’ve ever skied where I still feel like I can totally charge and have some room for my toes so I guess that’s a good thing but it did take some getting used to. The upper boa is awesome really gets the tongue in place on the shin and flex is perfect. All and all is a really good boot, i wish it was slightly lower volume but I know I’m in the minority coming from skiing a plug as my daily driver. I’d actually love to try the boot with the boa intuition liner but I’ve already put too much money into these as is. If the cortex fits your foot and you want a high performance boot with tech fittings and no walk mode. These things are awesome.

  15. #90
    Join Date
    Apr 2007
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    3,305
    Your last few sentences speak to me. I really wanna hop on this boot. What’s holding me back? My current RS[emoji637][emoji639][emoji[emoji6[emoji640][emoji638]][emoji640][emoji6[emoji640][emoji638]]]/Intuition Pro Tongue fits really well.

    I just want those tech toes.


    Sent from my iPhone using TGR Forums

  16. #91
    Join Date
    Jan 2011
    Location
    Alta
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    3,337
    Cortex is lower volume than a lange rs. Also thicker plastic, so more powerful. GW soles are also really nice compared to alpine soles for walking in ski boots. I know the RS is a very popular boot, but I’ve also seen a bunch of skiers totally fuck up their heel in that boot as I think there’s to much movement that leads to bone spurs.

  17. #92
    Join Date
    Feb 2019
    Location
    Blue Idaho
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    19
    Quote Originally Posted by jacob_dbu View Post
    That heel is not gonna work for me without some work! Tried them on yesterday. Very nice feeling boot and I actually love the double BOA, but my heel spur says no and my S/Pro Alpha's already fit pretty well. Fits a bit shorter than the S/Pro's. I had about .75 finger vs 1 finger in the S/Pro. Very unscientific. I don't think the instep is particularly low. Feels like a normal 98mm lasted modern boot minus the heel which is very fitted.
    Very nice, thanks. C\Since you couldn't stuff a Zipfit Gara in there, can you compare Cortex & Dobermann fit? Which Dobi, which liner? Data points are super helpful.
    I'm also on the hunt for a super narrow freeski/gripwalk shell. Currently using a Lange ZA + Zipfit Corsa, but the WOrld cup liner works for me too. The corsa is way warmer. Fully swimming in a Lange RS...

  18. #93
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    Jan 2011
    Location
    Alta
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    3,337
    I’d say, that despite the cortex being longer volume, if you’re fully swimming in a lange rs the cortex with stock liner might not work. I can wear a Lange plug with zero work. 92 last Dobermans need two punches for me and the heel pocket is significantly tighter on Doberman than cortex. I ski Doberman plugs with the stock liner which I think is a great liner for being stock. Albeit cold. I forgot to say in my previous review that the boot board in the cortex is awesome does a great job smoothing out the ride and is especially helpful on firm landings.

  19. #94
    Join Date
    Feb 2019
    Location
    Blue Idaho
    Posts
    19
    Muchas gracias, great beta.

    Yep, Lange plug with super minimal work also. I'll try on some Cortex & Remedy when they arrive in our little valley, but probably just need to screw on some rubber lifters and go ski... ZA/ZB are pretty hard to beat, skiing wise.

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