 Poster: A snowHead
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Hi all – I bought a new pair of boots this season (properly fitted) and did 3 weeks in them and they seem good
My old pair had 4 buckles but the new pair only 3 – since coming back I’ve suffered numbness in my toes – I’ve had blood tests etc and everything is normal. The doctor has said the numbness comes from the front of the foot at my ankle which is covered by the no. 2 clasp and they think that I may have damaged nerves in my feet while skiing
So just wondering if anyone else has ever had problems or any views on the pros/cons of 3 and 4 buckle boots and the support they offer - I've never had any issues with feet before
Thanks John 
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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I use 2 buckle boots without any issues...
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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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I have had that and it was down to lack of flexibility in my calf/ankle rather than the number of buckles
Ymmv
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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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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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@Weathercam, how are they? Would probably go with the Mtn Lab flavour but interested to know.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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@meh, I was lucky to demo them, and loved them so much I bought the demo ones after three days of use!
I did try the stiffer Blue one http://mtn.salomon.com/products/freeride/mtn-lab-boot.htm but did not get on with them, but not the fault of the boot as it later turned out the original insoles were left in prior to having my custom ones put in, so unfortunately was unable to make a fair judgement as they were so tight due to having two sets of insoles in, and I went back to the Explorer as I sort of thought it was fate as I loved them so much 
Though one French guide I know in La Grave uses the Blue Ones.
Like I say I've used them a lot. I refer to them as my carpet slippers, so easy to get on and off and unlike most testers who tend to so call "test" the equipment for all of half an hour or so arriving at a conclusion which is then published on YouTube I really put these through the mill, both skiing (on numerous skis) and did a couple of circa two hour tours on them.
Like I said, since the test I've pretty well used them nigh on every other day. From boot-packing to long ski tours.
Only issue was / is that my ankle bone was a wee bit sore, but I always have had problems with them as they are so prominent, but with these I can release all the buckles and skin up sans issue, like wearing a pair of trainers, only having to worry if I start skinning on a more demanding traverse in icy snow.
For next season (I know sad) I've bought some Scott 183 Cascades (110 wide) which will be my winter touring skis mounted with the heavier Guardian bindings rather than tech ones, and will still use these boots on them, as pretty well my powder off piste kit.
In short if you hadn't noticed, I love them 
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@Weathercam, flex stiffness? I am tempted by the Labs as the everyday boot but usually ski alpine race boot 130-150...
I'n reasonably sure marked 120 will be fine
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@Weathercam, cheers, am tempted by new boots so the labs are on the short list if fits.
Any reason for the Guardians over the Beast 14 or Kingpin? I sold mine on as they really didn't work with the Mercury and am totally loving the Beast 16 after a couple of seasons skiing on them.
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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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@Johnor, ...not an isolated case. It depends how much you were cranking down the pressure and whether the boots are a last which is well matched to your foot. Spots of tension in the boot can cause the damage you describe. Will it get better? My right foot has not recovered from over-tight Rossignol freestyle boots - and that was ten years ago. I still have numbness and weird sensations in that foot (small toe and second toe in), especially in damp cold like we have in the UK in the winter. But maybe you will be luckier and it will restore.
I will most likely get a barrage of abuse, but I wear relatively loose four-clip boots. Reason? I ski non-stop for hours, and have often done training exercises with my boots undone. And I have found that it's no problem skiing in loose-ish boots after doing that. I have 26 mondo boots, am a shoe size 40-41 and my favourite boots are X-waves and 1040s (x wave last) of maybe ten years' ago - wear them using the loosest setting on the clips. The new x-pro salomon appear to be very close to the x wave last. Perfect for my feet. Lange RX seem also to be a similar last, perhaps also based on the w wave I understand.
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| Quote: |
I have 26 mondo boots, am a shoe size 40-41
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I am the same shoe size and my boots are mondo 24.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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@valais2, I bet you're not screaming down a super-g course most of the time?
I had a full oversize pair of boots last time (Nordica Dobermann 150) as I simply couldn't get my feet into the "correct" size without assistance. As it was I still had to drive home in them and couldn't remove them until they warmed up.
Provided the mechanical linkages between the important bits are there the rest is somewhat or entirely immaterial.
That said, I am much happier in my correctly sized current Salomons. But I usually ski with lower clips undone ( and have toyed with removing them and the upper clips pretty soft.
Unless I am screaming down said race course.@Johnor, 3 or 4 clips will obviously make a difference but if you're having problems it's a fit issue (and probably/hopefully easily rectified by a good fitter).
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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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@meh, the skis I'm getting are the actual ones I tried and they come with skins and the bindings - though like I say they will not be my touring skis - just that I like packing skins on most of my various ventures.
@under a new name, the Blue ones are stiffer, so could well fit the bill.
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Have to say those Explorers look a really good compromise. I'd be seriously interested if I hadn't bought a pair of Fischer Transalp Vacuum TS Lites (crazily verbose name) - 3 clip boots. I'm pleased with these in that they are very comfortable (the vacuum fit think is pretty fabulous if you have awkward feet), have an amazing skin/walk mode, brilliant heel hold (vacuum fit again I think) and the soma stance seems very logical to me (worth thinking about if your feet naturally splay a bit - essentially the last is set so that your feet can point about 1 an 11 o'clock when the skis are straight). If you read reviews you'll see that they get some criticism for being a bit soft - not the boot itself just that the shell is a bit low at the front. I'd agree with this in chopped up snow and heavy "powder" with wider skis. I've stuck some intuition powerwrap liners in them which has really fixed that problem though - they drove my new ranger carbonlites very happily Plan is to use the stock tongued liners for longer tours and the intuitions for lift served days.
Having used Beast 14s for a few days now I can't imagine choosing to go back to a non-tech binding. They do seem to be the best of all worlds. Something very satisfying about using something so beautifully engineered too.
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You know it makes sense.
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@pam w, @under a new name, ...yep...dead right, I am not screaming down a GS course but neither am I simply dawdling about on leisure pistes. Pam I think it depends on the last - I am 25 in tecnicas and 26 in salomons, and old Lange boots cripple me in a 26. But then my feet are a bit weird, having been crammed into climbing shoes for weeks at a time - and some of those shoes look the size of my right ear rather the size of an adult shoe. Although I knew 41 = 26 might cause howls of outrage, surprise and fear & loathing, they really do fit very well and is the right size according to the salomon foot measuring thing....
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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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