 Poster: A snowHead
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Hey guys need some opinions, think I've come up with a Touring boot masterplan (or at least a yank suggested it and it seemed like a good idea), now I need some level headed people to tell me if I'm simply wrong.
So, the story so far.. love race boots, stiff freeride boots etc.. current boots are Rossignol B-squads (daily driver I guess), Salomon lab-mediums old super tiny race boots and a pair of Dynafit Titan TF-X, which fit great but honestly I hate them!!
They are one of the only light boots that holds my girly ankles down but they have to be cranked to blood-stopping tightness before they flex ok and if i even touch the back seat it's like being smacked in the calf with a 2X4, the boot feels crazy low on the cuff and skiing them with my style simply doesn't work.
What I want is a touring boot that tours WELL and rides powder WELL!!
So here's the plan, proper touring boots (like the mercury or vulcan) with a spoiler and a really stiff intuition type liner, result; decent tourer, dynafit compatible and good downhill fun....
Or is that just Bollox???
The new "touring" freeride boots i've tried don't seem to fit the bill, either too wide on the foot or too heavy for real tours.. but before I throw money at this idea is there anything i should consider, boots to try, tricks, tips? seriously, any input would be greatly appreciated!
M
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Usually you dont't need stiff boots to rider powder well - you need stiff boots to desl with ice amd crud.
Currently ski Garmomt Radiums and have little problem on any of it. On the other hand required boot stiffness and more importantly boot fit is more important!
Lookimg to uograde this year to Scarpa Maestrale RS or similar - but have not skiied these so cannot provide input as to feel.
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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Dynafit Vulcans are stiff as ****, you may not need an uber-stiff aftermarket liner as well.
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Dynafit Vulcans are stiffer than ****, you'll definately not need an uber-stiff aftermarket liner as well. Mercury's (at the same weight but a lot cheaper) are gonna be stiff enough for most & many of their users will still remove the tongue in powder. Vulcan/Mercury have a very narrow heel fit with a 102mm last. Cochise Pro Lite virtually same weight as the Vulcan/Mercury & also has a snug heel but in a 98mm last. If the fit's right any of those should meet your requirements for a one boot solution but they're still 3/400g heavier than an out'n'out multi-day touring boot.
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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Cheers for the feedback guys, has opened far too many questions though,
1: I thought the Titans were meant to be stiffer than the other models?
2: a 102 last seems pretty wide to me? normally chatting about 94'ish in race boots...
3: Discussed the possibility of the higher instep creating a fulcrum/lever effect causing higher pressure on the calf when I lean back, does that make any sense? Also are the other models any higher on the cuff?
4: The liner of the 3 year old Titan is super soft at the top so if the others are the same, some sort of spoiler might still be needed?
5: Also is the Maestrale RS worth considering?
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You'll need to Register first of course.
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I have the RS and like them. They are stiff (120?) when skiing plus light and flexible on the up. It has a highish instep but that can be adjusted. The liner is superb. The cons would be, they seem lightly made so I wonder at their long term robustness plus you can't use them in a normal down hill binding. I would recommend them.
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jbob, Did you try them on with any other AT boots, how would you describe the width of the heal, I literally have the girliest ankles I have ever seen...
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dulcamara, how tall/heavy are you?
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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6 foot, maybe 12.5 stone, certainly not a big lad
I just found the Titans felt really low on the cuff and as a result they got overpowered whenever things got even a little hard. Even tho they are only a couple of cm lower than my rossi B-squads.
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dulcamara, and what's your foot length?
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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dulcamara, I have wide feet at the front but narrowish heels. They felt ok trying them on but it was after proper fitting they felt really good. I did try a few different boots, the RSs were best. I have heard they don't suit everyone, I would think if you were very flat footed they might be no use.
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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spyderjon, not measured it but normal boot is 27.5 mondo, so lets go with 27.5 cm
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dulcamara, with the Cochise you'll likely need to downsize. The Vulcan/Mercury have a short external BSL for their mondo size - IIRC the 27 shell is only 304mm so be prepared for a possible binding remount depending on how much adjustment you have left in the heel.
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You know it makes sense.
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Recently sold the Apartment and made some money so tempted to get a whole new lightweight touring set up , so not worried about remounting anything, just want to get the boots right first (after I have settled on the boots, the hard part of picking skis begins!)
Issue is while everything is reduced at the moment, trying stuff on is 20 times harder, that's why I'm trying to narrow it down to a couple of choices.
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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Ok, probably about to say something stupid:
If I try on the Titan TF-X can I make the assumption that the Mercury/Vulcan will be around the same fit? (all boots listed below seem to have the same theoretical last) again i have the smallest ankles in the world!
I have tried
Scarpa Maestrale - 27.5/28, holds the heel fine, little short for long touring, If anyone honestly thinks this will free up with time i might justl go back and buy them!
Scarpa Maestrale RS - 28.5/29 too wide on the heel, right length though.
Dynafit Titan TF-X 27/27.5 holds the heel great, far too short for long tours.
Have the chance to try the One or TLT5 in 28/28.5, If that fits can i assume the Mercury or vulcan will also fit? I can order a couple of sizes but to send them back costs a fair amount each time so don't want to waste too much money on postage....
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Poster: A snowHead
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Maestrale will be too soft if you want something stiff. Try on the One for the fit as other than the materials it's identical in shape to the Mercury/Vulcan.
I love my Mercury's FWIW. 
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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meh, are your mercurys pretty small? I just want the one with the smallest heel box!
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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Yes but obviously I don't have your heels. 
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| meh wrote: |
| .......Try on the One for the fit as other than the materials it's identical in shape to the Mercury/Vulcan....... |
+1
The One/Mercury/Vulcan is a different last to the Titan. And AFAIK the One/Vulcan/Mercury is narrower in the heel.
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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dulcamara,
Have you tried an intution liner in your titans? I hated the stock liners in my titans and replaced them with intutions.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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No I haven't tried that but it has been suggested, seems like it would work but the boots are pretty much dead, 3 seasons full time instructing on them and all the buckles are broken in some way and the shell is certainly not as stiff as before.. Think I'm gonna go more touring orientated and order the mercurys though, compared to the vulcans it seems like they will have a nicer flex pattern and nothing I've read suggests the changes in material are worth the extra 200 euros!
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dulcamara,
Fair-e-nuff. Wasn't aware you had used the Titans for instructing and they were so beat up - thought you would have used your alpine boots for instructing. Do you need alpine binding compatibility? - not sure the One/Mercury/Vulcan offers that.
If I were to replace my Titans today it would be between the Dynafits and the Cochise.
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Sorry to drag this thread up again but want to make a decision in the next day or so on a complete touring set up (skis, binding, boots, skins). have played with the Mercury and i'm convinced its flex is stiff enough, my main concern is laterally, this boot will be driving a wide ski far to often on ice or windpack, Im happy to pay the extra 200 euro if there is any doubt that the mercury can handle it, or if the Vulcan will be that much better, otherwise I'll go with the Mercury...
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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dulcamara, prior to ordering my Mercury boots for delivery this Sept I specifcally asked this question to both Anatom (Dynafit's UK Distributor) & Dynafit directly & the answer was that there is no difference in their lateral stiffness. The difference is in their forward flex only, the Vulcan being a genuine 130 flex with the tongue installed (some reckon even more) & the Mercury a 120 with the tongue installed. The shell/clogs are made of the same material but the Mercury has the carbon fibre cuff to give the extra stiffness without adding weight. Mercury is only 10g per boot heavier than the Vulcan & they have identical liners. At your weight unless you ski like Hoji go for the Mercury.
Anyway, on ice & windpack edge sharpness & the lateral stiffness of your ski/binding combo would have more of an effect than any slight difference between the boots - that's were a carbon ski construction c/w the metal to metal boot/binding interface tech of bindings really scores.
And if you're feeling flushed spend the saving on some Beast 16's 
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| spyderjon wrote: |
| dulcamara, prior to ordering my Mercury boots for delivery this Sept.... |
I thought you had got some Technica Cochise last season? No Likey?
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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How wide are the Cochise Pro Lites and Mercurys / Vulcans?
Cochise Pro Lite 120 = 100mm?
Cochise Pro 130 = 98mm?
Mercurys / Vulcans = 103mm?
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Appropriate liners would negate the majority of fit issues, the Cochise is the easiest, sometimes too much so, boot to stretch.
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You know it makes sense.
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| CH2O wrote: |
| Appropriate liners would negate the majority of fit issues..... |
Yes, but when you're spending a sizeable amount of £/€/$ you don't really want to have buy an aftermarket liner as well.
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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| CH2O wrote: |
| Appropriate liners would negate the majority of fit issues, the Cochise is the easiest, sometimes too much so, boot to stretch. |
So if we just get "appropriate" liners and stick 'em in the oven at the local sports shop, there's no need to employ the services of a proper bootfitter? 
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Poster: A snowHead
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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The Atomic boot is hilarious, and what get said even more so.
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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| CH2O wrote: |
| The Atomic boot is hilarious, and what get said even more so. |
In what respect?
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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I still like the look of the new Scarpa Freedom SL. If I want a really stiff boot for downhill I'll just hike short distances in a normal redster alpine boot and leave it undone
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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So it looks like the Freedom SL has a 2 degree laterally offset cuff. See
http://www.scarpa.co.uk/files/public/Ski_Information_PDFs/FREEDOM_TECH_OVERVIEW.pdf
I don't know why they've done that. I usually run 2 degrees the other way - i.e. 2 deg negative owing to my biomechanics being generally f@cked. Am I right in assuming that the Freedom isn't going to have enough cuff adjustability for me to get it to work? Unlikely that I can get to a proper bootfitter.
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FAQ
