Booster Straps??

[James]

No, I haven't. I'm I'm very happy with what I have. I will look at it when I'm down at the shop.

Likely there's a pair around. Most around here take it off for the Booster.

Most of the preference depends on tbe shape of one's calf. I hate every boot I've ever had because of the calf area.

 

[David]

This may be a dumb question but...
Before I spend the money and drill holes in my boots can I try a Voile strap to see what I think? Or will that not work?

 

[Doug Briggs]

This may be a dumb question but...
Before I spend the money and drill holes in my boots can I try a Voile strap to see what I think? Or will that not work?

It'd work, to a point. It isn't as wide as power straps or Booster straps, so the pressure wouldn't be applied over as much of the cuff. Also, it is a much stretchier material than what you'd find in a Booster or power strap. You don't need to drill or permanently attach a strap to the boot to try it out. You will just need to make sure it stays in the desired location.

 

[David]

It'd work, to a point. It isn't as wide as power straps or Booster straps, so the pressure wouldn't be applied over as much of the cuff. Also, it is a much stretchier material than what you'd find in a Booster or power strap. You don't need to drill or permanently attach a strap to the boot to try it out. You will just need to make sure it stays in the desired location.

Yah but I'm Dutch and really don't want to spend $50 just to try it and I can always try 2 straps together. My current boot straps are not screwed in so maybe the Booster strap would fit in the same slots. I also have a wrap liner with no tongue like their website says but I'm sure that's not an issue. Even if Voila straps are stretchier I'm hoping it'd give me some feedback as to if I'd like it or not.

 

[James]

Booster on a wrap liner?

My current boot straps are not screwed in s

? Why not?

 

[cantunamunch]

Even if Voila straps are stretchier I'm hoping it'd give me some feedback as to if I'd like it or not.

If the Voile strap stretches more than your liner compresses, then no, it won't give you meaningful feedback at all.

 

[David]

Booster on a wrap liner?


? Why not?

You'd have to ask Daleboot that question.

 

[David]

If the Voile strap stretches more than your liner compresses, then no, it won't give you meaningful feedback at all.

My Intuition wrap liners are pretty solid so I think I'll try it just for grins!

 

[James]

You'd have to ask Daleboot that question.

Got a photo? Not sure I've ever seen a Dale boot irl.
You're Dutch with a Daleboot eh?
Why not Strolz?

 

[David]

Got a photo? Not sure I've ever seen a Dale boot irl.
You're Dutch with a Daleboot eh?
Why not Strolz?

I was in the SLC area on vacation, full custom vs a stretched shell for my really wide swampers, $700 vs $1500.

 

[James]

Hard to tell what the liner/boot actually looks like. You could thread the Booster through that slot. Then risk it falling out.

How is a Dale more custom than a Strolz? They're not making a shell for you.

 

[David]

Hard to tell what the liner/boot actually looks like. You could thread the Booster through that slot. Then risk it falling out.

How is a Dale more custom than a Strolz? They're not making a shell for you.

That's what I was thinking too since the stock strap doesn't fall out. The liner is the intuition wrap but made specifically for Daleboot.

I have 115 mm wide feet in a 10.5 (Bradock) with really short toes, skinny heel, high arch & instep, skinny ankles and large calves. I should be about a 12 but with my short toes it throws off the placement of my arch & balls too. So the shell is actually custom molded specifically for my foot. And since my feet are special it wasn't too hard to get to the factory for my fitting. No tweaking was needed at all after I left. I ski 30-40 days a year and I've got 5 seasons on them and all I've had to do was replace a toe buckle. These can easily last another 5 years or more.

 

[James]

So the shell is actually custom molded specifically for my foot.

Meaning what? They don't make an injection mold for it, that's for sure.

 

[David]

Meaning what? They don't make an injection mold for it, that's for sure.

I believe they make a mold on my foot (think Mr Potato head for feet) and mold a clog around it to get as close to your foot and ankle shape as they can before molding the liner at the final fitting. I was between 2 clog sizes so they could either stretch a smaller one or in my case they shrunk a larger one (made it shorter so I could use a larger cuff). They are also a lit lighter than Strolz.

I was told by Strolz that they use an existing shell and will stretch it where it's needed and the rest is just filled in with foam when they fit the liner. And with my high arch and width they would just use a larger boot to start with.

I was going back and forth and went to a Strolz dealer in SLC first. But when I stopped in the factory BD store it was really obvious to me that DB was the way to go. After 40+ years of looking for a better fitting/skiing boot the price was really just a bonus for me. They also offer a tech boot now but it's made by another factory (formerly a Black Diamond boot) and then stretch it as needed like any other off the shelf boot and it's not a full custom, per DB.

 

[James]

I was told by Strolz that they use an existing shell and will stretch it where it's needed and the rest is just filled in with foam when they fit the liner. And with my high arch and width they would just use a larger boot to start with.

That's exactly what Dale does. And most bootfitters actually. The Intuition gets smaller rather than bigger thoughThe difference, maybe, is that Dale uses the "original last". And adds or subtracts things to it. In some ways that has no meaning.

If they were making an injection mold for you, "fully custom", you could add two zeros to the price and then some.

 

[David]

That's exactly what Dale does. And most bootfitters actually. The Intuition gets smaller rather than bigger thoughThe difference, maybe, is that Dale uses the "original last". And adds or subtracts things to it. In some ways that has no meaning.

If they were making an injection mold for you, "fully custom", you could add two zeros to the price and then some.

I only know what I read on their website and what they told me. Either way they are the only boot That has been able to be made wide enough for my forefoot and narrow enough for mt heel and the only boot I've ever been able to keep on and buckled all day. In the past I've had "the best" bootfitter's I could find refund my money because they couldn't stretch the boot wide and high enough. I tried in MI, CO (when I lived in Vail), WY and even made a couple cry.

 

[DonC]

I only know what I read on their website and what they told me. Either way they are the only boot That has been able to be made wide enough for my forefoot and narrow enough for mt heel and the only boot I've ever been able to keep on and buckled all day. In the past I've had "the best" bootfitter's I could find refund my money because they couldn't stretch the boot wide and high enough. I tried in MI, CO (when I lived in Vail), WY and even made a couple cry.

Daleboot shells are semi-custom in that they can rivet any of their lower shells to any upper - and if I recall they make a wide range of lower shell sizes. The uppers are themselves a multi overlap design that can be customized in various ways. The lower shell is fairly thick to accommodate a lot of stretching and grinding. The intuition liner of course makes up the last part. Way back when I bought mine about 17 years ago they came with a really lousy narrow velcro power strap, so I put a booster on a while ago and think its a good combination-it fit through the slots in the back exactly. At some point they even sold them with Booster Straps included, but then switched to a typical wide velcro strap in the current design which includes a higher rear cuff with bigger slots, so the narrower booster will now slide up and down. If that ends up being a problem you could rivet it in.

If you like skiing powder with a lot of ankle flexion the combination of flipping up to the walk mode and the booster gives you a ton without making the boots loose.

 

[David]

Daleboot shells are semi-custom in that they can rivet any of their lower shells to any upper - and if I recall they make a wide range of lower shell sizes. The uppers are themselves a multi overlap design that can be customized in various ways. The lower shell is fairly thick to accommodate a lot of stretching and grinding. The intuition liner of course makes up the last part. Way back when I bought mine about 17 years ago they came with a really lousy narrow velcro power strap, so I put a booster on a while ago and think its a good combination-it fit through the slots in the back exactly. At some point they even sold them with Booster Straps included, but then switched to a typical wide velcro strap in the current design which includes a higher rear cuff with bigger slots, so the narrower booster will now slide up and down. If that ends up being a problem you could rivet it in.

If you like skiing powder with a lot of ankle flexion the combination of flipping up to the walk mode and the booster gives you a ton without making the boots loose.

Interesting! I never would have thought to try skiing in the walk mode. Worth a shot though.

 

[ARL67]

So I bought some Booster Strap Expert/Racer ( 3 stretchy bands ) mid last season but never got around to installing them. I installed them on my last outing, and ran them fully over the shell, not under the outer cuff. I had my 4th buckle set with just a bit of tension and had the Booster snugged quite tight. My boots are Atomic Hawx Ultra 110.

I found the Boosters gave me quicker responsiveness, and a more comfortable ride overall. Previously, if I had my power strap quite tight, my shins could get achy, or I'd be too upright, yet that didn't seem to allow me to flex/drive the boot and give me added responsiveness. The Boosters give me a secure interface at the top of the boot, providing better initial engagement, and the elasticity still let me drive my knees more than previously. Well worth the $45 IMO.

 

[SSSdave]

Never paid any attention to this really long revived thread but now that it is revived quickly skimmed through the discussion here and there and came to the conclusion it would improve my skiing as the notion of an elastic power strap makes mechanical logic. So just amazon ordered the cheaper Intermediate strap for $40. Figure as a light guy at 132# that cheaper product will be fine.

Back in the 80's before straps tended to be on boots and became an item of discussion, I began making custom straps for my boots shop guys usually commented on. I'm skiing at a high level in my current 2012 Lange RS110 SC boots @26.5 and tend to tighten the buckles and then the power strap to the max. In fact I would not be able to engage the buckle notches any further without a leveraging tool. So do like the notion of not having to be so extreme and how the elastic feel ought improve dynamic turns.


Side Note: Interesting how for the last few months amazon continues to hound every purchase I make trying to get me to try their Prime program with their cheap shipping carrots. But the more they try, the more resistant I become haha. Like at the check out they showed $11 shipping on what was supposed to be free. After deleting and changing shipping options a couple times it finally came up with a free shipping option though I did pay $3 in tax. So beware out there.