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Softening ski boots

 Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
I have a pair of Fischer RC4 110 boots. They fit ok but I'm beginning to think I would be better with a slightly lower flex that I can bend more easily. I think I've seen something about being able to take out one of the two bolts in this spine of the boot, but I can't find the info again. Removing a structural component of the boot isn't something I want to do lightly.
I'm only looking for a temporary fix - I'm likely to be replacing them anyway next season - but it would be good to see whether my gut feeling over flex is right.
Any thoughts? Madness, or a good option?
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 Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
I don’t know about that boot but look at the manual - it might explain about removing the bolt. If you don’t like it, just put it back in. The boots will also soften with wear and in warmer weather
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
@moseyp, the manual is next to useless...just a few pictures. No hint there.
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@mgrolf, Have a look inside the shell, if there are any lines of dashes near the top of either part of the shell then one way that they can be softened is to cut along the line.

I take out the lower bolt in my Nordicas sometimes, I'm not sure how much it really softens them though. At least you can put it back again, cutting the shell is permanent.
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
@rjs, thanks. I'm not really ready to cut the boots yet...looking for a reversible solution first.
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@mgrolf, what do you weigh. My opinion would be that 110 boots are already at the low end for a grown adult...
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Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
@under a new name, 65 kg. Indoors I can get my knees over my toes, and I don't tend to feel (on piste at least) that I can't flex. But as I start to do more off piste, a couple of instructors have had me jumping to turn - and I struggle to flex my ankles enough to jump just with my legs (if that makes sense). Hence thinking about trying softer boots, before I invest in new kit next year. I'll likely be getting free ride type boots but with tech inserts, and the choice is somewhat limited if I do indeed want a low flex boot.
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 After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
mgrolf wrote:
@under a new name, 65 kg. Indoors I can get my knees over my toes, and I don't tend to feel (on piste at least) that I can't flex. But as I start to do more off piste, a couple of instructors have had me jumping to turn - and I struggle to flex my ankles enough to jump just with my legs (if that makes sense). Hence thinking about trying softer boots, before I invest in new kit next year. I'll likely be getting free ride type boots but with tech inserts, and the choice is somewhat limited if I do indeed want a low flex boot.


That doesn't sound like the boot is too soft, if you can get your knees over your toes!
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@mgrolf, not sure about jumping to turn either.

I don’t think your boots are too soft.
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By jumping to turn do you mean like you might use in a narrow chute ??
If so that's (ime) done more by pushing off hard with the upper leg, then lots of gravity assist to get the skis around and down, not so easy to do on the flats.
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@essex, I was presuming it was some weird jumping to initiate in the soft, although you are quite right if it’s in a steep chute, but by which point I would be wanting a more, rather than less, responsive boot.
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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.
@mgrolf, Not 100% the same, but if you just slightly slacken the ankle and/or top buckles/ power strap then that should give you some idea of a more flexible boot, especially if you take up any space with, say, rollmat-type foam ( bodgers r us!).
I use quite a bit of 'jumping' on skis. Nowhere near an expert skier, nor fully qualified to advise, but from a quick instinctive think about what you describe, I would tentatively suggest that it isn't ankles or flex that comes into play (or isn't only) when initiating a movement like that so much as other parts of the hip and leg chain, plus various other bits of weighting/position and technique generally. I could be wrong.
P.S. I am a mature and not currently strong woman with tiny feet and I ski in 110 boots ( not Fischer's to be fair). Not sure that I could get my knee that far forward (as I see it whilst standing), even with small feet, with the boots at full operating tightness, tho'.


Last edited by And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports. on Fri 30-03-18 16:40; edited 1 time in total
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@Grizzler, good point re relaxing buckles/strap.
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 You know it makes sense.
You know it makes sense.
@under a new name, the exercise was to jump off the outside leg into a turn, heading towards jump turns in steep tight places I think. The instructor (a well respected snowHead ) seemed to have fairly even flex/bend in his ankles, knees and hips so stayed centred, whereas I was bending much more at the knee and then having to break at the waist to avoid sitting back. And I barely got off the ground!
@Grizzler, good idea, it's a while since I've skied with my boots undone so I could try that.

All of this is in some ways irrelevant, given that I'll be putting my trust in a boot fitter next autumn, but in between it gives me something to think about and try Very Happy
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 Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
mgrolf wrote:
.....I'll likely be getting free ride type boots but with tech inserts, and the choice is somewhat limited if I do indeed want a low flex boot.

Most freeride touring boots are softer than their alpine counterpart of the same flex - usually due to their ski/tour interface/mechanism - so I'd be careful about going softer.
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 Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
@spyderjon, I tried on a pair of tecnica cochise 120 dyn last weekend - nice fit but they felt stiff, I was struggling to flex my knees over my toes. I'd assumed they'd be softer (or at least not noticeably stiffer), as you say. Got me wondering, and it's hard to find anything here that's not 120/130+ (or 70?!) flex.
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 Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
A different power strap might work. I’ve done boot cutting and bolt removal but you need to be very cautious. Making the flex softer is fine but you can also inadvertently increase the range of flex, which if it becomes more than the range of flex in your ankle can lead to Achilles’ tendon damage.
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