Stiffen Diablo Fire...

[XtrPickels]

... So I like the Fire's when I was back in NH skiing trees on my legend (8000's, I wish we had more pow)

Now that I'm in colorado (hopefully bozeman in January) I'm looking at some bigger skis and I'm thinking a little stiffer of a boot might be nice.

I was just reading footloose's reviews and they mentioned a quick way to stiffen flex (assuming beyond the normal flex thing) but didn't say what.

Would this be locking the dual pivot thinger with screws in both holes?

I need to step it up, land that thing switch and ride it into the road

[crashnburn'd]

I have no idea how to stiffen them, but if you figure out please let me know. These boots are one of my bigger mistakes of the past few years.

I can see how putting screws in the dual pivot things would stiffen them, but I think they're be potential to really screw up the canting.

[mntlion]

put the stock power strap around the liner only and then add a second one around the shell and liner.

try that before the second rivits, but the front rivot should keep the upper cuff straight while you drill more rivits in.

[XtrPickels]

Crash- I put the other bolt in the dual pivot(inside only) I don't think its going to mess up the cuff alignment... just the inward or outward pivot. I'll try them out this weekend and report back, seems like it might be a pretty quick fix (christy's hooked me up with extra bolts

Mntlion- If i had another powerstrap I'd be all over that. Gonna keep it in mind though

[crashnburn'd]

I have the race Booster Straps (the original strap is not at all elastic) on my boots... There really isn't a good way to attach it and there's no way to remove the old strap w/o cutting it off. For me, even as stupidly as they are rigged, they do work a lot better than the normal straps though. Maybe I'm misunderstanding what mtnlion is saying, but I don't think there's room for what he's describing. I've tried using both straps and I didn't like it.

[mntlion]

Mntlion- If i had another powerstrap I'd be all over that. Gonna keep it in mind though

if you need one let me know
not booster, but WAY cheaper and I think just as good. Ive used both

[Core Shot]

Bump, cuz I'm thinking about either stiffening my Magnesium Diablos or selling them while they are still brand new.

Did the double bolt solution work?

I dont think its a booster strap issue, because when I look down I can see the forefoot compressing and the ankles flexing outwards. Its an overall shell stiffness issue.

100 stiffness index my ass!!

[ChowdahRidah]

Just had my first day on my new Fires and also found the angle area to be a little squishy. To me it felt more like the liner had to much material around the hinge point then anything to do with the shell. Coming from a pure bred race boot I actually enjoyed the little bit of give in the flex but the squishyness around the ankle I need to figure out.

Thoughts???

[Core Shot]

Chowdah - I agree about the squishy ankle. The soft plastic in the lower boot seems to be totally deforming.

Here's what I had posted in a thread I started, but I'm deleting that in favor of this thread:
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OK, I got these Tecnica Diablo Magnesium and so far I've been house flexing them, and damn if they don't seem soft.
FYI, they are last years boot.

I wanted a bit softer than my old Tecnica TNT Exposion 10's, but I swear these are soft as my Garmont G-Rides (maybe even softer).

Am I hallucinating?
Is it a room temperature issue?

They do seem to stifffen a bit when I clamp the second buckle harder, but I really can't do that on the hill due a freakishly large instep (which is why I end up in Tecnica in the first place).

Help me, please!
Do I sell these now while they are still new and get something stiffer?
Or are they really stiff enough for aggressive riding.

PS - 6'4" 215 pounds of man meat

[Raps]

I think the fires are less stiff than the magnesiums, no?

I have a pair of last years magnesiums - skied em all season and liked em. I put custom beds in em and had em heated to widen em out for my waffle stompers. Because of the hinges and easy entry, they feel soft from the start but when i got on mountain they definately provided me enough support and stiffness....however, i'm like 50 pounds lighter than you......so i'm not sure, but i wouldn't sell em before you test them out on the moutain because they are a great boot. What kinda skiing are you gonna be doing? I'm a former racer so i like a stiffer boot..... The Daiblo mag seems like a good mix between stiffness(lateral support) and comfort. Plus if you suffer from shin bang at all, the new shin pieces provide mucho comfort. Much better than my old TNTs, ICON carbons and multiple Langes. Hope it helps a little, even though i'm not your size at all.....

[Core Shot]

Thanks, Raps. I had heard great things about last years Magnesium, which is why I bought them.

I'm sure they are laterally stiff, but I want a boot that can drive a big fat ski through high speed chowder and funky junk at high speeds.

One other thing is that I have the Hot Form liner. I suppose that heating it will stiffen things up a bit, but I am still somewhat distressed about the amount of lower shell flex. Granted its room temperature, but things get warm in Spring skiing and I dont want a winter-only boot.

All feedback is appreciated! thx.

[XtrPickels]

I'm not going to get a chance to get out this weekend to test out the the double bolt solution... probably not until mid next week.
I'll say that it pretty much stops flexing at the ankle and its all shell deform now... whether thats good or bad will have to wait to be seen until they're on the snow.

I tried on some Adrenelin's last week and I umm, ahem, think they might have been stiffer then my fires.

Now that I think about it, we have some carbon fiber sheets laying around the lab, I wonder if I can retrofit something... looks like I'll be in the office today...

[H-wood]

Core Shot- if you can overflex that boot in your living room, what do you think is going to happen when you try to drive a big fat ski through high speed chowder and funky junk at high speeds?
That boot is probably too mushy for you at 6' 4" and 215. It will stiffen up in cold temps, but not enough for a big guy skiing aggressively. Feeling the shell bulge out away from the front of your ankle right at the most crucial point in a turn is not good.
You need to be in 130ish boots or plugs- remember, all this stuff is made for average sized Europeans: a boot that is kind of racy for a 160 pound guy will be a bedroom slipper for you, regardless of your ability.
It's worth it to demo, and buy from a shop that can do shell grinding etc., even if it costs more.

[Core Shot]

Thanks, H-wood.
I guess I knew that all along, but just needed someone to tell me to sack up and get another stiff boot like my old explosion.
I have learned how to charge hard on a pair of G Rides, so I know I can ski softer boots, but my main alpine boots should not be this soft.



Point taken. Boots will be sold while they still have virginal value.





but damn, they are soo comfy, and they haven't even been hot formed yet!

[Core Shot]

Those boots are plenty stiff enough. You can lock up the dual pivot, or just rivet the back if you need them stiffer. Plus those boots are suposed to be soft. You should not need a stiff boot to properly drive a big fat ski.

I dont think locking the cuff will help (dual bolts or rivets) since it is the lower boot shell that is flexing and distorting so badly.

I know I don't NEED a stiff boot to drive a big fat ski. I can ski my G-Rides just fine on a LP. Also, point proven by telemarking big fat skis.

I am talking PREFERENCE here. If my alpine boot is going to be as soft as my rando boot, then what's the point?

BTW, decision made. Boots too soft for me.
Will be sold while they have value and no stink.

[XtrPickels]

I got out on snow yesterday with the locked cuff Diablo Fires.
Seemed to take care of the problem, I don't remember thinking to myself that they were too soft. Probably going to take the extra bolts out to see if the problem comes back... woulda down it yesterday but had other issues that I'll post a TR about.

I'm in the 170-175lbs range. I think this is a good solution for us... Big guys like Core on the other hand would probably still over flex the boot.