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Wilhelmson

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This will be his 10th year on skis. He can handle all the hard trails in New England without trouble. Currently 5'1" 90 lbs. Last two seasons he used the Lange RSJ60. A woman's 80 sounds like too much. Another RSJ60 would probably be fine, or is there a 70ish boot available for these transition years? The Langes fit him well. Thanks!
 

Philpug

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Lange RS SC comes in a 70, I think?
But the Lange 70 is basically the 80 shell. What size will be be in? This is such a tough age, he might stay in a 60 or 70...really tough age. So much depends on the brand of boots and where they change from junior shells to adult. This is one question you will NOT even remotely get answered on line, he needs to get into a shop and start flexing boots.
 

hbear

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Yes the 70 is effectively an adult boot and a HUGE jump from the 60 or 65. I know as my daughter is in it and although she absolutely rips (super strong skier and a top of podium racer)and also heavier than your boy, we have had to do some extensive softening to the boot for her.

That being said the 70 is better built, has the better buckles, etc. And she was crushing the 65.......

I believe head makes this transition at the 80 boot.

As posted above, you have to get to a shop. The boot is one part of the equation you simply must get correct.
 

razie

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Remember flex numbers are not standardized and thus don't mean that much on their own. Some manufacturer's 70 may be stiffer than another's 80. Don't get too hung up on this number and go to a reputable shop. I think if you do end up transitioning to an adult boot model, you need to make sure it's a LC model (Low Cuff).
 
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Wilhelmson

Wilhelmson

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Thanks for the great info. Since I know the current Langes were a good fit I'll call ahead to check that they have the 60 and 70.

In another topic some were suggesting the need for a ski flex rating system, however from my seemingly simple question it is apparent that any rating system is bound to be off by 20% at best.
 

Swede

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If the Lange 70 fits him, that is about as good a boot he can get. 90 lbs is ca 40 kgs, relatively light at 13 y/o. It is a race boot. So for for race kids 70’s are very common from U12 (10/11 y/o). A little thinner lining (colder) than eg a normal piste boot. Some kids complain about cold feet. Some have heaters in theirs when the quicksilver ’s low. Rossignol is the same boot. Different look.
 

razie

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I may be off by one year, but I think mine was on Atomic race boots 110 LC at that point, from 12 and up he was on 90 LCs, that I'm sure... also short and thin for his age... having said that, you would need to do a lot of measurements and testing to figure out precisely what's needed, done with a knowledgeable person... best with someone who's also seen him ski etc. Go to a reputable shop - see what they say, get some input from someone that sees him in person - you don't need to buy what they want to sell you, but they may notice something you don't.
 
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Wilhelmson

Wilhelmson

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Thank you, this is all very helpful.

It sounds like the lange 70 is a big move from even the 65, but other 13 year olds are already in 90 or 100.

So who in New England has a good selection of kid/teen lange and other performance boots? Our schedule through Thanksgiving is crazy so I can't make multiple trips to get him sized, then order the boots, then go back to try them on only to find that the "other" boots they have in stock are magically perfect for him.
 

NZRob

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Our 13yo boy is in 100 flex boots this season, but he is tall and at 70kg (154lb), so it was a relatively easy decision for us. He is skiing nicely and really enjoying the boots. He was on 70's last year and was flattening them (admittedly they were tired season rentals).
 

Slim

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..., he needs to get into a shop and start flexing boots.

Only problem with that is that a shop is ~70F, many boots will flex MUCH softer than outside at 0F.
Also be aware of the different plastics. Many youth boots will be made with polypropylene, which is more temperature stable than the polyurethane of higher end boots. So in the shop, the adult boot might flex almost as soft as the kids boot, but then out in the cold, the PU boot stiffens up a lot and the kids boot doesn’t, the difference is suddenly huge.

https://blisterreview.com/gear-101/a-very-deep-dive-on-ski-boots-part-1-plastics-ep-54
 

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It's something to keep in mind, for sure, but the way they flex in the shop matters. Anyways, one often misunderstood point is that we don't need to flex the boots to get forward, we need to be supported by the boot when forward, so that makes a difference, especially as the kids become better skiers.

Having said that, the current common wisdom on selecting boots for kids is captured here:


The point is not to restrict movement, but that's a complex equation, too complex to be captured in just one number, so that's why you need a knowledgeable boot fitter/coach... as stated in the video, the flex number is among the last things to look at... the way the boot is fitted and used matters more.
 
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James

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Good vid.
Wish they didn’t show the racer slamming their boot into the heel. Nothing good comes of this. I’ve seen teens ruin binding tracks this way. Not racers though. Clean the sole on the toe piece, not slamming the heel.

The jump rope. Most of the range of motion is coming from space fore/aft in the cuff, a little from boot flex. Some is likely compression of the tongue too.
This is the huge grey area in boots. You need space. Too much is too floppy, not enough can lock the leg. Theoretically, if the angle is set up properly, and you have some movement space through tongue compression, the boot could be very stiff.

4BE8CBC0-25A2-41BE-A413-F8068B3677C7.jpeg
 
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Swede

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Thank you, this is all very helpful.

It sounds like the lange 70 is a big move from even the 65, but other 13 year olds are already in 90 or 100.

So who in New England has a good selection of kid/teen lange and other performance boots? Our schedule through Thanksgiving is crazy so I can't make multiple trips to get him sized, then order the boots, then go back to try them on only to find that the "other" boots they have in stock are magically perfect for him.

Have no advice re boot guys in NE, but the Lange (Rossi) short cuff race boots should be on the shelf in 70, 90 and 110 with any serious supplier (if they carry those brands of course). Atomic/Salomon and Nordica makes great Jr race boots too (if that is what you want?). But from the sound of it, he was very happy in the Lange Jr 65. But correct, The 70 is a proper race boot and a step up from the 65, which could be described as a race inspired children’s/youth boot.
 

tinymoose

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Thank you, this is all very helpful.

It sounds like the lange 70 is a big move from even the 65, but other 13 year olds are already in 90 or 100.

So who in New England has a good selection of kid/teen lange and other performance boots? Our schedule through Thanksgiving is crazy so I can't make multiple trips to get him sized, then order the boots, then go back to try them on only to find that the "other" boots they have in stock are magically perfect for him.

Not sure where you're located, but I'm a tiny adult and at one point had junior race boots. Totem Pole in Ludlow, VT near Okemo had a good selection as did Northern Ski Works over by Killington. I also popped in the Boot Pro in Ludlow, and they may normally have a good selection but they were running low on options when I was there b/c it was late season at that point. But that might be another option. All of those places are reasonably close to one another.
 

Jeffdag

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Not sure where you're located, but I'm a tiny adult and at one point had junior race boots. Totem Pole in Ludlow, VT near Okemo had a good selection as did Northern Ski Works over by Killington. I also popped in the Boot Pro in Ludlow, and they may normally have a good selection but they were running low on options when I was there b/c it was late season at that point. But that might be another option. All of those places are reasonably close to one another.
There are several shops in NH near Waterville/Loon that have deep stocks of the Lange/Rossi (same boot) in 70 flex. Ski Fanatics in Campton NH is great, if they don't have it head up a few more exits to Sport Thoma or Rodgers in Lincoln NH
 

IceChick

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Thank you, this is all very helpful.

It sounds like the lange 70 is a big move from even the 65, but other 13 year olds are already in 90 or 100.

So who in New England has a good selection of kid/teen lange and other performance boots? Our schedule through Thanksgiving is crazy so I can't make multiple trips to get him sized, then order the boots, then go back to try them on only to find that the "other" boots they have in stock are magically perfect for him.

Ask for Charlie at Bob Skinner's in Newbury, NH (by Mt. Sunapee). Skinner's carries a large size range and selection of youth boots as they outfit a good portion of the local Kearsarge and Sunapee teams. Another good option but less race-focused is Fire on the Mountain in Dover, NH. I've also heard good things about The Boot Pro at Okemo. I agree with those who suggested keeping him in a Short Cuff boot, but as others mentioned, flex between brands (and even models) can be quite variable. The only way to truly know if a boot will be too stiff for him is to see him flex it in a shop. If you do move him into an adult boot I'd suggest a rec boot over a race boot, they tend to be more forgiving even if you increase his flex. I hope that helps!
 

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