Lace up liners?

[vindibona1]

I knew they were a thing, but hadn't even contemplated them at all until I saw a video of Deb Armstrong and right in the middle of the video, right on the slope Deb pulls the shell off her foot and there she is standing in a lace-up liner. And then I saw a video hawking a product called a "boot horn" (like shoe horn) to help get lace-up liners in and out of the shells. And then I thought I saw Michaela or some other racer pull their liner out, right on the hill. I think in all these years those I've only seen one or two other people within my circle that had them. For some reason they looked awkward and troublesome.

So what's the skinny on these liners? How are they different/better than standard liners? Warmer? Colder? Better fit? What fit systems are available and/or best with them (assuming the lace-up is generic to different brands? Which are the most popular brands?

Hey... A lot of us are cooped up indoors in self-sequestration. What else have we got to do but get better educated??? TIA

 

[Doug Briggs]

I like that the liner can't move with relation to your foot. The liners that came with my Fischer RC4 Pros have significant stiffness to them when laced up.

For touring the lack of shifting around your foot means no hot spots. For touring that is key as you end up loosening the cuff to walk.

My Fischers and my touring boots (also telemark boots) are my sole experience with lace ups. I love them.

 

[Tony Storaro]

No idea how it is to skinny on lace up liners, as moving uphill on foot is something I just started considering in light of the recent lift closures, but for downhill they are awesome.
There is entire thread here on ZipFits.

About the boot horn-I assume you mean this one:
I tried it, it works great for lace up liners-easier in and what is more important-protects the liners from scuffing on ridges and nuts on the shell.

 

[oldschoolskier]

I use a 7” wide 4-6mil thick poly sheet, slip it in slide in and pull out. Roll it up and stick in pocket. Wears out cut another piece.

You can buy a lifetime supply at a building supply shop.

 

[KevinF]

I've been using BootDoc foam liners the past couple seasons. I've been using the optional laces on them.

Yes, it can be a bit of a hassle getting your liner-clad foot in the boot some days, but a heated boot bag makes it a lot easier. The above-mentioned boot horn device helps a lot as well.

I went from stock liners in my Lange's to full-custom foam lace-up liners; it's hard to say which aspect of the change contributed to the increased comfort I now enjoy.

Lace-up liners do mean that I now have one other thing to carry from the car to the lodge to boot-up in the morning. Boot bag, liners, poles and skis is a bunch to carry, as the liners don't fit in the boot bag.

 

[Tony Storaro]

I use a 7” wide 4-6mil thick poly sheet, slip it in slide in and pull out. Roll it up and stick in pocket. Wears out cut another piece.

You can buy a lifetime supply at a building supply shop.

Absolutely!
Everyone can cut one out of a plastic bottle. works the same.

 

[Wade]

I bought this boot horn when I bought my Zipfits. I find it much easier to get into my boots lacing up my liners and then getting into the boot that I did when I was getting into the boot with the liner in it.

 

[DTSugarbushVT]

I bought this boot horn when I bought my Zipfits. I find it much easier to get into my boots lacing up my liners and then getting into the boot that I did when I was getting into the boot with the liner in it.
View attachment 96843 View attachment 96842

Where did you get that?

 

[vindibona1]

OK... So I watched Sven's video on Zipfit. Does the molding part of the liner only mold around the heel/ankle area? Are the Zipfits better/warmer than other liners?

 

[dbostedo]

Lace-up liners do mean that I now have one other thing to carry from the car to the lodge to boot-up in the morning. Boot bag, liners, poles and skis is a bunch to carry, as the liners don't fit in the boot bag.

Ah... so you don't store your liners in the boots. I always figured folks with lace up liners just stored them in their boots. I.e. to boot-up, you'd pull the liner out of the boot, put it on, and then put on the boot.

 

[Wade]

Ah... so you don't store your liners in the boots. I always figured folks with lace up liners just stored them in their boots. I.e. to boot-up, you'd pull the liner out of the boot, put it on, and then put on the boot.

I’ve always put my liners into my boots for transport and pulled them out to boot up. Never considered carrying them separately.

 

[Wade]

Where did you get that?

Bought it from Steve Bagley at Christy Sports at Snowbird. They sell (or at least sold) a ton of Zipfits and had a pretty good stock of the boot horns when I bought it 5 years ago.

 

[Steve]

OK... So I watched Sven's video on Zipfit. Does the molding part of the liner only mold around the heel/ankle area? Are the Zipfits better/warmer than other liners?

It molds the tongue as well, which is the most critical area as the tongue pushes the foot down into the heel pocket.

They are very well made, not sure about warmth comparison, but seem good to me.

 

[Erik Timmerman]

Never seen those boot sliders before. Never needed one. There's a process for getting the lace-ups into your boots.Once you've learned it, it's pretty easy. I use the sides of my hands to hold the cuff open while I pull the lower open with my thumbs.

 

[Alexzn]

Well, the most difficult part of using lace up liners is getting out of them...

 

[KevinF]

Ah... so you don't store your liners in the boots. I always figured folks with lace up liners just stored them in their boots. I.e. to boot-up, you'd pull the liner out of the boot, put it on, and then put on the boot.

If I’m flying somewhere I’ll put the liners in the shells for transportation.

But for road trips... no. The liners dry by themselves out of the shell. Plus getting them in by hand. OMG. It’s like trying to get toothpaste back in the tube. I can’t do it without warming up the shells first. Maybe I’m just a wimp?

I can get them on without the boot horn thing, but the horn makes it easy.

 

[bbinder]

I have lace up Intuition liners. I leave them in the shells - getting in and out with the liners in the shells is marginally more difficult than with the stock liners. I love having the laces to tighten the liner around my foot.

 

[Uncle-A]

Many years ago a few boot manufacturers tried to put a walking bottom on ski boot liners. It was not done with a better fit in mind, it was like an after ski boot for walking and driving. It never really caught on as a selling point but the liners were not sold separately and were just not available separately you could only get the liner with a shell so just being able to purchase a liner separately is a plus. Maybe it is a good idea to try one of these lines even if you don't have major issues with your foot. It seems that they would be easier to slide in if you have a three piece shell ski boot but the boot horn looks like a nice tool. I have used a thin plastic sheet just to get my foot in my own boot and that has worked for me and since many of us here have boots that are better fit than most I would think that many of us would have tried this method.

 

[Tony Storaro]

I’ve always put my liners into my boots for transport and pulled them out to boot up. Never considered carrying them separately.

Carrying the liners separately saves one in and one out. In multiple day trips that's a lot of saved ins/outs which translates to much less scuffing of the liners by the shell which in turn translates to much longer liners life.
And they are not cheap.

 

[James]

I’m using a Head lace up liner with a Nordica Doberman tongue in a Head B3 boot. For years I’ve used Doberman lace ups in Lange Plugs, then a Fischer boot. Tried the Intuition pro tongue. Went back to Doberman.

I’ve stretched the Dobie in width before. Nit crazed where they put the seam on the side - right near the 5th/6th if you have it, toes.

@KevinF , just use a carabiner and clip the liners on the outside of the boot bag. You’ll never forget them. Won’t work if there’s no pull straps though.

Anyone needing a 255mm Zipfit liner, I have one that's lightly used for sale. 255 is length on bottom.