Replace 10 year old ski boots?

[Prosper]

I've been skiing in Solly X-Wave 9 boots for the past 10 years with probably 200 days on them or so. The shells are still in excellent shape and I really like how they feel and ski. Fit is performance and have had big toe punched both sides. I wear Cat Tracks to protect the soles and lugs so no issues with boot-binding interface. Fighting weight is 150lbs and mid-level 8 skier. I ski 25-30 days a year since moving to CO just over 6 years ago. Before that, 10 ski days was a banner year. I've been in Intuition liners for the past 6 years from Larry's Boots Shop in Boulder and they're starting to wear through the toes. While I've generally been happy with the Intuition liners just about every season I have to put on a few of layers of duct tape around the heels and ankles since they continue to pack out. I have a pretty hard to fit foot. I'm extremely flat footed, narrow heels, low instep, very bony foot. I really like how my current shell fits and am considering just replacing the liners again. I'm not completely sold on getting another pair of Intuition liners though and would consider Zipfit, Surefoot, or other low volume liners. Thoughts?

 

[François Pugh]

If you are happy with the boots, yes, replace the liners. If it ain't broke don't fix it. You're taking a risk if you replace them with something else, but that's up to you (I would only consider a custom foam injected liner, but that's me).

 

[James]

For the money of zipfits, $400+, you could probably get nearly a whole new boot and liner at this time of year. Assuming they have your size. Talk to Larry's.

Then keep your old boots as backup for awhile. New boots are a pain, but if not now, when?

 

[Philpug]

10 year old plastic is just tired plastic. Think also about ski designs and what has happened in the past decade...the same can be said about boots. Remember too, the X-Wave was not Salomon's most shining moments in boot design. Forget the new liner, move onto an all new boot.

 

[Sibhusky]

Where are they stored? Room temperature? Or some hot attic? I'd be worrying about the shell becoming brittle at some point, but maybe not yet depending how they are stored.

Mine have 410 days on them, but aren't as old as yours yet. The liner is perfect if not quite as white as it used to be. Eventually, they pack as much as they are going to pack. Still haven't added an extra insole, and still buckling them to the same notch. But the first year they were damn tight.

Still, I might replace them for the 2020-2021 season.

 

[Castle Dave]

This year I semi retired my 13 year old much modified Atomic 120 Freeride boots. After about 400 days on the boots I was worried they were going to explode and I would be stuck. After shopping around I ended up in Tecnica Mach 1 R LV 130. Going from old boots to modern boots I discovered a couple of things had changed.
-Old 120 flex is the new 130 flex. New style boots seem to have a slightly softer forward flex.
-New boots are stiffer laterally (side to side) making them quicker to get on edge and quicker to respond which I really notice in bumps.

 

[Uncle-A]

Buy new boots, the old plastic will let you down at the worst time. It is Murphy's Law that in the middle of a steep run or the first day of a trip to a resort that you can't find a boot fitter.

 

[Prosper]

Ok. I think I’m going to get new boots. I’m a little apprehensive since I really love my current boots and see how much my buddy fiddles with his Surefeet fit boots. Next question is where to get them. Thinking of A Racer’s Edge in Breck since it’d probably be easier for me to get adjustments when needed rather than going to Boulder to Larry’s which is not that convenient for me. Any other Denver area/front range bootfitter suggestions?

 

[Philpug]

Ok. I think I’m going to get new boots. I’m a little apprehensive since I really love my current boots and see how much my buddy fiddles with his Surefeet fit boots. Next question is where to get them.

Start by not going to Surefoot.

Thinking of A Racer’s Edge in Breck since it’d probably be easier for me to get adjustments when needed rather than going to Boulder to Larry’s which is not that convenient for me. Any other Denver area/front range bootfitter suggestions?

Racers Edge is a good place to start.

 

[NE1]

10-year-old boots? Not even debatable...plastic deteriorates, and boot fitting has advanced by leaps and bounds in the meantime. Please do yourself this favor.

 

[TexasStout]

If in Breck, you might try Jeff Bergeron of Boot Fixation. After the season, he has a house in Denver he works out of.

 

[John Webb]

If they’re like Trish’s 12 yr grey Nordicas the plastic gets brittle. One of her toe boxes cracked off!!

There was a thread 10 years ago on the dead ski forum about “Exploding Nordica’s”. Happened to many skiers after 11 to 13 yrs. They weren’t abused or kept in a hot attic !

 

[VickieH]

If in Breck, you might try Jeff Bergeron of Boot Fixation. After the season, he has a house in Denver he works out of.

I second Jeff. He does some boot work in Denver, but does not carry stock there. You'd have to go to Breck for that.

 

[focker]

My buddy's old boots (they were probably 15 years old) exploded on the middle of a run at Breck and he was left standing in the middle of the slope in his sock with a long way down the hill to go. Not fun.

IMO the nicest thing about really new boots is how easily they buckle. Buckles have come a long way.

 

[Sibhusky]

My husband's rear entry Nordica's split horizontally across the ankle while skiing. They had been stored in our vacation condo at the mountain in PA., which may have been darn hot in summer. He was taken down on a sled (dislocated shoulder). It's one of the reasons he doesn't ski anymore. It was the first day of the season and the second time in a row (ACL) he had been on a sled on the first day. It's hard to not have a first day.

 

[Philpug]

My husband's rear entry Nordica's split horizontally across the ankle while skiing. They had been stored in our vacation condo at the mountain in PA., which may have been darn hot in summer. He was taken down on a sled (dislocated shoulder). It's one of the reasons he doesn't ski anymore. It was the first day of the season and the second time in a row (ACL) he had been on a sled on the first day. It's hard to not have a first day.

I will say the plastics from this century are worlds better than the ones from the decades before and little chance if falling apart but...plastics have rebound, think about shocks on a car after 150,000 likes...they didn't just go bad...it was years of minuscule deterioration on performance...until you are wallowing down the road.

 

[Pequenita]

Coming from an emotional perspective alone, once someone starts questioning whether they should replace older equipment, it's probably the right time for them to do so: the technology has improved, the plastic has degraded, and they're probably emotionally ready to go through the fitting/purchase process.

 

[SkiSpeed]

A Racer’s Edge will treat you right.

 

[François Pugh]

I will say the plastics from this century are worlds better than the ones from the decades before and little chance if falling apart but...plastics have rebound, think about shocks on a car after 150,000 likes...they didn't just go bad...it was years of minuscule deterioration on performance...until you are wallowing down the road.

Yes, ski companies have learned that if you make ski boots out of plastic that lasts forever, nobody will buy new boots and you will go bankrupt (cough Koflach Comp 911 cough).

 

[Philpug]

Yes, ski companies have learned that if you make ski boots out of plastic that lasts forever, nobody will buy new boots and you will go bankrupt (cough Koflach Comp 911 cough).

Are you saying there is planned obsolescence in the plastic a ski boot. There are so many decision factors that go into replacing a boot before the shell starts to fatigue.