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Gear How do you buckle your boots?
- Thread starter Lauren
- Start date
- Joined
- Nov 16, 2015
- Posts
- 9,892
I tend to leave mine completely loose or very lightly buckled and haven't had any problems with the boot rubbing my foot uncomfortably. I have Scarpa Freedoms, which are certainly adequate for touring, but have much less degree of motion than a pure touring boot.
Walk to 1st lift as loose as possible. Then always a green or low blue warmup run with boots pretty loose.
After warmup run I'll tighten normally. If doing an extra steep run I may tighten top & mid section more.
Sounds complicated but it's not.
Got bit once breaking a leg on The Wall at Kwood by violating this rule (boots loose) and other problems
powder ski's on ice.
dull edges.
weak -post surgery etc (only real injury in 30 years! )
After warmup run I'll tighten normally. If doing an extra steep run I may tighten top & mid section more.
Sounds complicated but it's not.
Got bit once breaking a leg on The Wall at Kwood by violating this rule (boots loose) and other problems
powder ski's on ice.
dull edges.
weak -post surgery etc (only real injury in 30 years! )
I had no idea there was a correct sequence to buckle your boot.. I guess it's a good thing that I pretty much do that sequence anyways! I've known from other boot fitters that the calf buckles and power strap do the bulk of the work and the foot buckles are just there to hold the shell together.
I have the Lange XT 130 Freetours (which I love!). When I am skinning, I keep the bottom two buckles done up to regular tightness or sometimes I loosen them off a little bit if it's warm and my feet are expanding (if I'm skinning in India on a warm day), but I totally loosen the top two buckles and the powerstrap when in walk mode. The Freetours have silver bails on the end of the top two buckles and I put the ends of the buckles into these bails.
The buckles are then held in place by the bails and now I have a greatly increased range of motion, a longer stride and I'm much more efficient therefore. The boots tour really well like this and the struggle fest is definitely less. I don't have to use the lace up liners and I haven't had a problem with any rubbing or blisters. I actually find it quite pleasant to have the tops of the boots open, with more air flow and my ankles and feet seem to appreciate it more.
I started touring in race boots and frame bindings and as much as I appreciated their ability on the down, I could never go back to a system like that. I love those silver bails on the end of the buckles, they really make a difference. On the way down then obviously I'm tightening everything up and am back in ski mode (when I remember to switch into ski mode..... ha ha!). The ends of the buckles do sometimes get jammed into the bails and can be hard to release but I find coarse language and a little subtle violence (a bit of a gentle slap or three) seems to get them unstuck.....
My two cents.....
- Matt
The buckles are then held in place by the bails and now I have a greatly increased range of motion, a longer stride and I'm much more efficient therefore. The boots tour really well like this and the struggle fest is definitely less. I don't have to use the lace up liners and I haven't had a problem with any rubbing or blisters. I actually find it quite pleasant to have the tops of the boots open, with more air flow and my ankles and feet seem to appreciate it more.
I started touring in race boots and frame bindings and as much as I appreciated their ability on the down, I could never go back to a system like that. I love those silver bails on the end of the buckles, they really make a difference. On the way down then obviously I'm tightening everything up and am back in ski mode (when I remember to switch into ski mode..... ha ha!). The ends of the buckles do sometimes get jammed into the bails and can be hard to release but I find coarse language and a little subtle violence (a bit of a gentle slap or three) seems to get them unstuck.....
My two cents.....
- Matt
