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Hunki

Booting up
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I was talking with my wife about these today and we will probably look at them for her next year. My wife is a very casual intermediate skier and comfort and ease of entry/exit are important to her.
My wife loved her old Sollies because ease of entry...I have to help her with her new Salomons because they're so stiff. Of course, after 48 years of marriage, what husband wouldn't. ;) We may need to look at these next year also if she decides to keep skiing after her 75th birthday.
 

Andy Mink

Everyone loves spring skiing but not in January
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I have to help her with her new Salomons because they're so stiff.
In lieu of new boots may I suggest a heated boot bag if she doesn't already have one? SOOOOO much easier to put on a warm boot.
 

Andy Mink

Everyone loves spring skiing but not in January
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Hunki

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I'm solidly in the camp that thinks there is a place for a rear-entry boot. Like many, my Atomic Redster boot provides great fit and performance, but, they are an absolute PITA in entry and exit mode, especially when cold. My son and I have the same foot size, one time, and one time only, did he try to use my boots, any guesses as to the reason? I would not expect rear-entry boots to be embraced by the dedicatecd Pugski community, as it runs country to dogma to get the best fitting/perfoming boot available. For newer and lower skill people, they could just bring more people into the sport. It will be interesting to read the reviews.

A little antidotal story. When I returned to skiing, over 10 years ago, I used my Solly SX 92's, white with some nice pink highlights. Took a lesson at Alta, on the first ride up, my instructor assessed my boots as a performance hinderance. On the last ride up, she semi-apologized and said I was doing just fine in them. Two days later, I joined a husband/wife team at Snowbird who were instructors at Bellayre, pretty much the same scenario. Prior to the next season, bought a pair of 4 buckle Sollies, and, got welcomed to the PITA world of putting them on and off. Did my skiing improve greatly, it did, but, I also spent a lot of time working on better technique.

My only pair of RE boots were Raichles which I loved because I have a very narrow heel, and the cable system held it firmly in place. After I wore them out, I moved on to the Raichle Flexon Comps which I skied for 16 years before ripping off the heel of my right boot while skiing my Rossi S7s in Cascade powder at Crystal Mountain and watching my ski float down to the bottom of Green Valley. After retrieving my ski and hiking back up the bowl to the gondola, I downloaded to the ski shop at the base and checked out some Dalbellos but decided on the lighter and (to me) easier to enter, Seth Morrison Pro Full Tilt. After skiing them for the last 3 years, they seem to be holding up well, and I'll probably ski them for the next 10 years which would put me at 87. Martin (can't remember his last name now) was the bootfitter at the shop, and did a great job of fitting the liner and footbed in the boot. Had to get them tweaked once, but they're working great for now with 151 days on them.
 

Big J

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Yeah, but did they make the same length boots with different perimeters? If not, what's the point? You're back to this boot fits or not and basing it on length is the same, no?
No one publishes any measurements of boots. So you're left with the shop. Some know, some don't. The whole situation is ridiculous.

So, Hanson invented the rear entry boot?
https://retro-skiing.com/2015/12/rear-entry-ski-boots-the-impossible-dream/
Skied the Hanson Citation on Pro Patrol in 1979. They had a cracking problem for all on the Patrol who used them. I then got the Hanson Stiletto because of the cracking problem of the Citations. I have no idea what happend to them. I thought the Hanson boots skied well just did not hold up as a daily driver.
 

Erik Timmerman

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D0322BDF-3AE8-4F0F-ADB3-C71FE1C603DA.jpeg
This guy should be buying a pair.
 

Tom K.

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I'm sure this will never happen, but I'd demo a Savor in 120 or 130 tomorrow. Why not?!
 

Goose

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I think there could actually be a larger market then just beginners, and older folks or more relaxed skier groups. But the hurtle imo to get over would be consumer ego. Im certainly no boot tech expert but Id bet nowadays they can again make these boots for a whole chunk of the more serious and avid skier crowd much better than they did back when they were popular. Problem is that it would be a sign of inferiority on the slopes even if they aren't inferior. But its kind of like the ego that boot flex has. And for too many folks...no one would want to be "that guy". At least not until a percentage of highly valued higher level reviewers and "skiers" wore the more advanced versions and also approved of them. I don't think many average folks who ski don't actually need what they own anyway. And probably including myself too.
 
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Philpug

Philpug

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So, @Philpug , have you skied them yet?
Yes, I have. Honestly it is just what I expected, a boot for people who ski verses hard core skiers. Easy on off, comfortable and performed well. I ski in a 25.5 and the test boot was a 26.5. I did have a bit of extra room up front but my heel wasn't too sloppy. I did ski it with the Savor ski whch it is desgned to work with. It skidded well and was able to progress from a wedge to a carved turn. I would still liek to see a higher performance RE boot from someone in the (near) future. I don't see them replacing a traditional overlap but complementing it in the market.
 

James

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I think there could actually be a larger market then just beginners, and older folks or more relaxed skier groups. But the hurtle imo to get over would be consumer ego. Im certainly no boot tech expert but Id bet nowadays they can again make these boots for a whole chunk of the more serious and avid skier crowd much better than they did back when they were popular. Problem is that it would be a sign of inferiority on the slopes even if they aren't inferior. But its kind of like the ego that boot flex has. And for too many folks...no one would want to be "that guy". At least not until a percentage of highly valued higher level reviewers and "skiers" wore the more advanced versions and also approved of them. I don't think many average folks who ski don't actually need what they own anyway. And probably including myself too.
I think there's a market.
@Philpug could answer, but I suspect the Rear Entry category was ruined by a flood of lousy boots. Nordicas that flexed rearward instead of forward, etc.
Like GM ruined the passenger car diesel market for decades with their piece of crap diesel engine. Then VW came along, had great success then ruined it again with their shenanigans.

But the current Atomic is designed for rentals. Alpina has been making rear entries for years, so this isn't a "new" thing. Just more widespread marketing.

IMG_6086.JPG

Scott Schmidt

Hey, aren't those @mdf 's boots?
 

Goose

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Yes, I have. Honestly it is just what I expected, a boot for people who ski verses hard core skiers. Easy on off, comfortable and performed well. I ski in a 25.5 and the test boot was a 26.5. I did have a bit of extra room up front but my heel wasn't too sloppy. I did ski it with the Savor ski whch it is desgned to work with. It skidded well and was able to progress from a wedge to a carved turn. I would still liek to see a higher performance RE boot from someone in the (near) future. I don't see them replacing a traditional overlap but complementing it in the market.

Would you say in a higher performance they wouldn't replace because they simply wouldn't/couldnt be quite as good or just because of an expected resistance to be accepted? Or perhaps a bit of both?
 
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Philpug

Philpug

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Would you say in a higher performance they wouldn't replace because they simply wouldn't/couldnt be quite as good or just because of an expected resistance to be accepted? Or perhaps a bit of both?
Every product has limitations. Lets be realistic with these.
 

LuliTheYounger

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I think I was born after the rear-entry era - what makes the flex performance so much different from a standard boot? Were they always just softer plastic for the beginner market, or is it something about the mechanics of them?
 
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Philpug

Philpug

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I think I was born after the rear-entry era - what makes the flex performance so much different from a standard boot? Were they always just softer plastic for the beginner market, or is it something about the mechanics of them?
It was as much a fit design. Think about a 4 buckle boot, the buckles bring the shell to the foot for a more efficient transfer on energy to the ski. Rear entry boots, the shell was more static in shape and used mechanism such as cables or air bladders to contain the foot but it pulled it away from the shell. Some like the very popular Salomon SX series had different flex adjusters. Basicly the ease of exit and entry of the boot was at the cost of efficiency in performance.
 

Goose

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Every product has limitations. Lets be realistic with these.

When i asked I was referring to them possibly manufacturing a more performance oriented RE and not these specific pair.
 

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