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CraigH

Booting up
Skier
Joined
Oct 10, 2018
Posts
32
So last year I needed new boots. My old Dalbello Axons from 2012 were actually too big(insert dig about boots being too big here). I wanted to spend $600-$700 on a 90-100 flex range boot. I've been skiing on and off for the past 30 years(. I've only been skiing once per year the past few years and am pretty small(38 years old, 5'3", 140lbs). You could quality me as an athletic aggressive skier who enjoys challenging terrain just short of hucking cliffs. My technique lacks polish and muscle memory because I live in Atlanta.

I went to the legendary Matt Sheets at Teton Village Sports in Jackson Hole last year to get fitted. The problem was that he didn't have any men's boots in my size, but he referred me to Pat Sullivan at JH Sports next store. The only size 28 was a Lange RX 130 for $900. I didn't want to spend that much, so I checked every other store in the village for size 28s. 1 Store had a Nordica 100 flex, but the liner in the Lange was just SOOO much better fitting IMO. I absolutely had to buy boots. Those Dalbellos weighed a ton and my foot was swimming in them because of the packed liner and too-big shell. The guy at JH Sports said he would give me the Lange 130s for $650 because of all the stuff, so I got those. I LOVE the liners. They are super tight and keep my heel planted and my experience matched the reviews I read after the trip.That 130 flex had me worried. He wound up taking BOTH flex bolts completely out. Based on Lange's website removing both bolts results in a 20% reduction in flex(so a 104 effective flex) I've heard differing opinions on whether this was a good idea or not. What do you think?

This is all anecdotal because I have nothing to compare to except the previous trip a whole year before. The boot was super responsive and light. I really like the boot.... BUT It felt like I really had to push the boot hard to flex it forward, but that may have just been mental and me being intimidated by that big flex number. And even then it felt like I couldn't get it flexed as much as I would have liked. My body was felt like I was always standing too far upright in relation to my ankle and hip angle. I had to STRONGLY dorsi-flex my ankles while simultaneously driving into the boot to feel what I considered(which may be wrong) enough flex into the boot to get to a proper position during aggressive skiing. I've always just just driving into the boot was sufficient with much dorsi-flexion. I took the highest level group class the next day and had to cut out 2 hours early because I was just SOOOO tired. That's never happened before, but it could have been any combination of : trying to keep up with more advances skiers, skiing harder terrain in a larger volume than I've done in other classes, and me having to work harder than normal to drive the boot. I don't really know if any were were main cause.

Do you think that boot is too stiff or was I just over-skiing my abilities?? If so, What are my options? I don't want to throw down another $600 on boots again and I REALLY LOVE that liner.
 

markojp

mtn rep for the gear on my feet
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Aside from wondering about the size, NEVER remove both screws from the spine of your RX boot. The boot NEEDS to be connect at the back of the cuff by design with at least one of the two screws. Also, without the screws, it's possible to fold the upper over the lower of the boot in a forward fall and rip your Achilles. I know two people who have done this. If the boot is too stiff, the plastic in both the upper and lower of the boot can be strategically cut. A competent fitter will know how to do this.
 

BGreen

Out on the slopes
Skier
Joined
Dec 5, 2016
Posts
537
Location
Colorado
To answer the original premise, you should be able to just about crush the boots inside. If you can't they're too stiff. For everything beyond that, I refer you to @markojp 's response.
 

RuleMiHa

Out on the slopes
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Joined
Sep 2, 2017
Posts
576
Location
Philadelphia, PA
So last year I needed new boots. My old Dalbello Axons from 2012 were actually too big(insert dig about boots being too big here). I wanted to spend $600-$700 on a 90-100 flex range boot. I've been skiing on and off for the past 30 years(. I've only been skiing once per year the past few years and am pretty small(38 years old, 5'3", 140lbs). You could quality me as an athletic aggressive skier who enjoys challenging terrain just short of hucking cliffs. My technique lacks polish and muscle memory because I live in Atlanta.

I went to the legendary Matt Sheets at Teton Village Sports in Jackson Hole last year to get fitted. The problem was that he didn't have any men's boots in my size, but he referred me to Pat Sullivan at JH Sports next store. The only size 28 was a Lange RX 130 for $900. I didn't want to spend that much, so I checked every other store in the village for size 28s. 1 Store had a Nordica 100 flex, but the liner in the Lange was just SOOO much better fitting IMO. I absolutely had to buy boots. Those Dalbellos weighed a ton and my foot was swimming in them because of the packed liner and too-big shell. The guy at JH Sports said he would give me the Lange 130s for $650 because of all the stuff, so I got those. I LOVE the liners. They are super tight and keep my heel planted and my experience matched the reviews I read after the trip.That 130 flex had me worried. He wound up taking BOTH flex bolts completely out. Based on Lange's website removing both bolts results in a 20% reduction in flex(so a 104 effective flex) I've heard differing opinions on whether this was a good idea or not. What do you think?

This is all anecdotal because I have nothing to compare to except the previous trip a whole year before. The boot was super responsive and light. I really like the boot.... BUT It felt like I really had to push the boot hard to flex it forward, but that may have just been mental and me being intimidated by that big flex number. And even then it felt like I couldn't get it flexed as much as I would have liked. My body was felt like I was always standing too far upright in relation to my ankle and hip angle. I had to STRONGLY dorsi-flex my ankles while simultaneously driving into the boot to feel what I considered(which may be wrong) enough flex into the boot to get to a proper position during aggressive skiing. I've always just just driving into the boot was sufficient with much dorsi-flexion. I took the highest level group class the next day and had to cut out 2 hours early because I was just SOOOO tired. That's never happened before, but it could have been any combination of : trying to keep up with more advances skiers, skiing harder terrain in a larger volume than I've done in other classes, and me having to work harder than normal to drive the boot. I don't really know if any were were main cause.

Do you think that boot is too stiff or was I just over-skiing my abilities?? If so, What are my options? I don't want to throw down another $600 on boots again and I REALLY LOVE that liner.
This sounds like a fore/aft boot balance problem to me. The Lange is significantly more upright than many boots. That might affect the available vectors of force depending on your personal geometry (femur length, torso length, etc.). Also, if the boot is still too long your leg will be even more upright. You might find a small lift fixes your problem better than decreasing your flex. Depends on what is actually the problem. I ski in 110's and am 145lbs and am not aggressive.
 

ski otter 2

Making fresh tracks
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Nov 20, 2015
Posts
2,920
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Front Range, Colorado
Not sure what the problem for you is, and I am not a boot fitter - but: I have RX 130s (me 5'10"/145-150 lbs). When I got my first pair of these, I too felt I couldn't easily get forward to pressure the tips enough. A solution, for me, was a wedge shim or lifter under my heal in both boots, just taped to the liner between the liner and the boot. (It was about 3-4 mm tall at the back of the triangle wedge/shim.) This solved my problem instantly, the next time I went skiing. No further problems. The next time I got RX 130s, I just moved the wedge, although I eventually changed it out to one about 1 mm or so less tall, made of cork instead of the rubber of the first one.
Such wedges you can get at almost any ski/boot shop, usually free. They are variously made of cork, rubber or plastic.

Not sure if this will work for you, but it's quick, cheap and worth a try.
 

markojp

mtn rep for the gear on my feet
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OP, if you are indeed 5'3" and are wearing a size 28 rx boot, out of the box, the cuff will most likely be too high and boot too upright for you unless you have a large, low calf, but at 140#, it seems unlikely.

Something seems off here.
 

Philpug

Notorious P.U.G.
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There are a couple of things going on here. First, lets make sure the boot is the right size which seems to be a concern, because a 28.5...is a generous 28.5 at that sounds big for a 5'3" 140lb skier...since none of us are present with the skier and the boot...lets start with a shell fit. @CraigH pull out the liner, put your foot in the shell and touch the front of the shell with your toe. If you have more than say 3/4" behind the heel and the back of the shell, there might be an issue. IF the shell is indeed correct, making the boot softer, is relatively easy by citting down the saddles. But I am getting ahead of myself. The RX is a farely upright boot which could be contributing to getting forward and being able to flex and get forward in the boot. But I really think the boot is too large.
 
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TS
CraigH

CraigH

Booting up
Skier
Joined
Oct 10, 2018
Posts
32
Aside from wondering about the size, NEVER remove both screws from the spine of your RX boot. The boot NEEDS to be connect at the back of the cuff by design with at least one of the two screws. Also, without the screws, it's possible to fold the upper over the lower of the boot in a forward fall and rip your Achilles. I know two people who have done this. If the boot is too stiff, the plastic in both the upper and lower of the boot can be strategically cut. A competent fitter will know how to do this.

I'm going to try putting 1 screw back in on my next trip and see how that goes.
 
Thread Starter
TS
CraigH

CraigH

Booting up
Skier
Joined
Oct 10, 2018
Posts
32
To answer the original premise, you should be able to just about crush the boots inside. If you can't they're too stiff. For everything beyond that, I refer you to @markojp 's response.

What do you mean by "crush"? You mean dorsi-flex it forward as far as i will go?
 
Thread Starter
TS
CraigH

CraigH

Booting up
Skier
Joined
Oct 10, 2018
Posts
32
Not sure what the problem for you is, and I am not a boot fitter - but: I have RX 130s (me 5'10"/145-150 lbs). When I got my first pair of these, I too felt I couldn't easily get forward to pressure the tips enough. A solution, for me, was a wedge shim or lifter under my heal in both boots, just taped to the liner between the liner and the boot. (It was about 3-4 mm tall at the back of the triangle wedge/shim.) This solved my problem instantly, the next time I went skiing.

Actually, I do recall having to do this to my Dalbellos too. Thanks! I'm going to try that on my next trip.
 

Brian Finch

Privateer Skier @ www.SkiWithaGrimRipper.com
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Nov 17, 2015
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WHOA... not sure how I messed that up. They are 24-24.5

Well this changes things. One issue with the smaller sizes is that the cuff & clog tend to run into each other & bottom out too quickly.
 
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CraigH

CraigH

Booting up
Skier
Joined
Oct 10, 2018
Posts
32
OP, if you are indeed 5'3" and are wearing a size 28 rx boot, out of the box, the cuff will most likely be too high and boot too upright for you unless you have a large, low calf, but at 140#, it seems unlikely.

Something seems off here.

Yeah, I put the wrong size. My correct size is 24-24.5. I was fitted by a guy who I saw MANY posts around the internet about(Matt Sheets) being an amazing boo fitter.
 
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CraigH

CraigH

Booting up
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Joined
Oct 10, 2018
Posts
32
There are a couple of things going on here. First, lets make sure the boot is the right size which seems to be a concern, because a 28.5...is a generous 28.5 at that sounds big for a 5'3" 140lb skier...since none of us are present with the skier and the boot...lets start with a shell fit. @CraigH pull out the liner, put your foot in the shell and touch the front of the shell with your toe. If you have more than say 3/4" behind the heel and the back of the shell, there might be an issue. IF the shell is indeed correct, making the boot softer, is relatively easy by citting down the saddles. But I am getting ahead of myself. The RX is a farely upright boot which could be contributing to getting forward and being able to flex and get forward in the boot. But I really think the boot is too large.

I put the wrong size. It's a 24-24.5. Fits like an amazing glove! i was fitted by a very well known bootfitter(Matt Sheets in JH).
 

Analisa

Making fresh tracks
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Joined
Dec 29, 2017
Posts
982
Buckle them up at home and see if you can flex them standing around your living room. If you can't flex it at room temperature and without the other variables of staying balanced while skiing, it doesn't really bode well for flexing it out on the slopes.

Agree with @RuleMiHa that there are other variables with the ramp and forward lean that could be frying your legs. I keep a pair of old Lange RXs for demo days since they have a standard alpine sole, but I don't like the ramp angle and have a tendency to get a little backseat and roast my quads. I'd go to a bootfitter - probably a different one for a second opinion (and based on @markojp's comment). It took me close to 2 years to get all the little fittings right on my daily driver boots without one.

FWIW, I'd also say the boot shell is the most important piece of equipment you'll buy. You mentioned trying on a Nordica and turning it down for the liner, but there are lots of aftermarket liner options (or buying a cast-off Lange liner when someone who goes aftermarket lists the stock ones on eBay). I'm not familiar with the Jackson Hole ski shop scene, but shop selection is just as important as a fitter's competency for getting the right boot. Lange makes an RX 100, so I'm surprised it wasn't mentioned if you liked the fit of the 130 but went looking for a 100ish flex boot.
 

markojp

mtn rep for the gear on my feet
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... limited dorsiflexion can be an important factor if that hasn't been checked.
 

markojp

mtn rep for the gear on my feet
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I'm going to try putting 1 screw back in on my next trip and see how that goes.

You NEED to. How much is your deductible?
 
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CraigH

CraigH

Booting up
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Joined
Oct 10, 2018
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32
... limited dorsiflexion can be an important factor if that hasn't been checked.
I have much better than average dorsi flexion. I've been doing Crossfit for 9 years and Olympic lifting training for 2-3; which requires good dorsi flexion.
 

BGreen

Out on the slopes
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Dec 5, 2016
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What do you mean by "crush"? You mean dorsi-flex it forward as far as i will go?

I mean that you should be able to flex the boot through its or your full range of motion — whichever is less — while standing in both boots. It shouldn’t be too easy, but you should be able to do it.
 

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