 Poster: A snowHead
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Hello,
In the market for new boots. I see that Atomic has the heat moldable, Fisher has the vaccum bags (boot shop told me yesterday Fischer is going away from this) other brands like surefoot custom foam liner etc.
I am looking to hear from actual Strolz owners. Are the shells outdated as some boot shops have told me. Is this they way to go for custom boots? What do you think Strolz boots owners?
Thanks in advance.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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@Matt Dumas, I've got Sidas moulded liners. I think they are great. They do wear at the heel as they have to be taken out of the shell to get them on then pushed back in
Also heard good things about Zipfit.
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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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What's your Surname?
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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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@CH2O, what mine?
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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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Don’t tell him Pike!
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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@AL9000, whistle while you work. 
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Pikelops? 
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@Old Fartbag, don't panic
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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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I'm in Strolz and wouldn't ski in anything else. The shells are heavy but the fit is really good, if it's done by a good fitter. Am on my third pair, current pair with 5 weeks on them.
They have updated the intermediate shell; the expert shell is the same it's been for 15 yrs thru all the boots I've had. The liner is heavily updated.
I have scarpa touring boots too which were fitted by a really good fitter but there is night and day between them. The Strolz don't pinch anywhere, but are very precise. People give them stick given the price and age of the shell but the tech is in the liner and I think they're great. My 2p and others will disagree, but there you go.
(Nb the best option would be to put their liners on someone else's shell, but not sure where you can get that done).
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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@AL9000, at least it is not Mr floppy
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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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but ... but .. what colour?
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@Matt Dumas, i see you are in new hampshire, where there happens to be a strolz fitting center. if you feet are incredibly wide and have a whole heap of issues then strolz may be the right thing but for the most part go see a really good boot fitter and have them custom fit you a boot, it will be A) lighter, B) cheaper, C) more up to date
any one of these guys can help you, some might be a little drive away but they are all NH or VT if any of them honestly think the strolz is a better option for you they are all man enough to tell you that and send you off to get it
Marc Stewart @ windam mountian resort
Bill Haight, @ green mountain orthotic lab Stratton Vt
Nick Blaylock @ Nicks boot fitting mount snow
Paul Richeson Feet first Plymouth NH
PJ Dewy @ Racestock sports waterbury
i know the first three personally and the others have a very good reputaion in the area
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You know it makes sense.
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Can someone please specify why Strolz is not up to date, and why/how it matters?
I love my Strolz!
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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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IMO as long as the boots are comfortable, fit, and work well for the skiing I want to do, all is good. I'm not really concerned with the latest greatest hyped tech features. But fit is all..
Oh, and they are the right colour.....
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Poster: A snowHead
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Ok. I went with the Strolz Evolution S. 3 piece shell that I had buckled wrong both days of skiing. Very stiff shell and a heavy boot. Slightly more forward lean than I am used to. When I started to get thigh burn a few times, I believe it was because I was backseat. Like @Old Fartbag said, boot fit is very precise. No pinching and every nook and cranny of my foot is supported. Crazy high arches. Skied Jay Peak. 40 Runs in two days. I had to really tighten the boot down as I have mop handles for lower legs. As a result of this, my inside ankle bones are a little sore. I could feel that pain when taking a break in the lodge. I also notice that when I am standing around (NOT skiing) I can lift my heel up a little in the boot if I try to stand on my toes. I noticed this hiking up a small steep hill to a lift. When I ski I didn't notice any heel lift but will certainly be paying attention for that.
I guess the jury is still out on these boots. I will post more when I ski them more but season is winding down here in NH. Apparently Strolz are the Gold Standard for custom fit. The whole liner is foamed around the foot, bottom, top and sides. I am told that some other custom foaming doesn't cover the entire foot. I was previously in Rossi Speed 120. When I put the boots side by side, the Strolz are shorter by 3/4 of an inch. I can definitely feel this precision in my turns as my toes are now right up to the front of the boot.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Apologies, spotted this thread late.
I bought Strolz custom fitted boots from Alber Sport, St Anton 14 years ago. An impulse buy, I never revealed the true cost when I got home!
Until then I’d always had aches or pains (crushed feet, arch or instep feeling. Custom made footbeds weren’t the solution). That ended instantly with the Strolz boots. Whilst family and mates continued to grimace with their boots.
They fit like a glove, a great investment.
They do now need a couple of small repairs, I plan to contact Lech HQ once this season’s over to see if this can be done properly in the UK or by shipping them to Austria.
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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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Also had Strolz for about 15 years. Great boot, but agony to get on and off. Also I thought their buckles were crap! I now have a custom fit from Ertl-Renz* here in Munich. Even better than my old Strolz, and super easy to get into as well!
*Martina Ertl, world champ skier and hubby ... unfortunately divorced so it's just Renz now
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Just get Zipfit liners.
They do take a few days to really form to your foot but the overall fit and control is simply fantastic.
Once fully formed they are incredibly comfortable too....not in a soft and cuddly sense, it's the way that they totally hold your whole foot, yet without a single.pinch point
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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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I also went from Strolz to Zipfits (in an Atomic boot). Strolz boots were good. A properly sized & fitted 4-buckle boot, with Zipfit liners, is better. Much better - at least for me.
I hated the buckles on the orange Strolz boots, which I got just after they were released. I was in & out of the shop getting broken buckles replaced. They eventually got it right. Sort of. They however remained fiddly, especially if caked in snow.
Comfort in Strolz, like all foam boots, depends so much on the skill of the boot fitter. If the foaming does not go right, then there are limited options to rectify, especially if the liners are too tight. Those options are: replace the liner, shave the outside (if too tight), and pad (if too loose). No such issue with Zipfits.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
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Strolz boots are amazing. I have used them for over 20 years. Now on my third shell (the blue ones). I think I am on my fourth or fifth liner. Like getting a tailor made suit on Saville row, they will fit you and only you. The fit will be very precise. I don't wear a sock during fitting. I too, have heard the complaints about the buckles, I find that they work very well with micro adjustments that can be made throughout the day, with gloves on. They are a heavy boot, not great for touring. They don't pinch anywhere, I have never had any boot pain. When it is cold, minus 20 or more, my toes can go a little numb. This is easily fixed by releasing the buckles on the lifts.
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Ld, I notice with my Strolz that the boot board has a super high heel to toe drop. I certainly feel like my heel is positioned higher than in the Rossignol boots being replaced. Is this just something that I have to get used to? What is the benefit of this heel being so much higher than the toe? My foot is certainly locked in. Arches, forefoot, super snug. If I have the fitter grind the board lower I feel that the rest of the boot’s fit will be altered or my toes may begin banging.
What do you think? Thanks.
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Matt, The higher heel will help turn the front of your skis. If you do it right; washing off speed in the powder, just using the front of your skis, is a wonderful feeling. I think if you did some grinding of the boot board, then the fit would indeed change. If it were a Strolz boot fitter then you should be OK, anyone else, I would be weary.
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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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| rungsp wrote: |
Just get Zipfit liners.
They do take a few days to really form to your foot but the overall fit and control is simply fantastic.
Once fully formed they are incredibly comfortable too....not in a soft and cuddly sense, it's the way that they totally hold your whole foot, yet without a single.pinch point |
Have to agree with this. I’ve had exactly the same experience with ZipFit liners. I got my boots and ZipFit liners from the wonderful CEM at Solutions4Feet. And then after three or four years, I fancied a new pair of boots from CEM, and the ZipFit liners transferred over easily.
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Thank you so much for the response. I was very nervous about this heel height and the cabrio design, but I guess I will just have to get used to them. I did ski 40 runs in two days at Jay Peak about 3 weeks ago. I had no pain or soreness with this boots except for the fact that I had to really crank down the top buckles to hold my ankle in. I will add a little stick on foam on the ankle. My pictures and videos show me in the backseat so I will have to attenuate to the boots.
@rungsp, I am familiar with Zipfit, but the Strolz are custom foam molded to my foot. I don't see any scenario where I get a better fit than a strolz liner. The looseness around my ankle is due to the fact that I have really skinny ankles and I don't think any boot will allow me to not use foam.
Thanks for all of the replies. I boxed up my ski gear yesterday, sadly. Spring has sprung in the Northeast U.S.
Matthew
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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By the way:
As of this (past) season, the new name for the original Strolz Boots is Hannes Strolz. (At least in Europe, not sure in US.)
Reason: there have been major problems with the Strolz Shops company, close to bankruptcy, which in fact were only recently definitely solved in court.
It looks like, in that process there also have been big issues within the Strolz family.
As of this last season, the original Strolz Boots are being sold as Hannes Strolz. https://hannes-strolz.com/en/ski-boots
Already before these problems, the Skiboots and the Shops were separate companies by the way. The financial issues were only for the shops, the skibootcompany has always remained healthy financially.
In Lech, these Hannes Strolz boots are not being sold in the Strolz Store anymore, but in a separate, dedicated shop.
To make things worse, Strolz (the store) has introduced a new skiboot, in cooperation with Tecnica, named Strolz-Tecnica. https://strolz.at/pages/skiboot
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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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Yes. My boots say "Hannes Strolz" on the heel. I can see a problem staying in business. It is a very niche market as far as the whole custom game and very expensive. Some will say that the shells are "dated" etc. Also, you can get foamed liners from other places and use newer shells from lots of different companies. I am surprised that they are not being sold in Lech anymore. What are they selling in there? Clothing?
I saw the Technica collab. Simply stated, looks like you can get the Strolz liner in a Technica boot. This isn't all that new as Strolz has a touring liner that they have been fitting to a Scarpa shell for a while.
I can't wait to really ski these bad boys. The comfort is amazing and the fit is solid. Maybe my liner will simply fit into that Technica boot, although the Technica collab was billed as a "limited run."
My boot was fitted/made in NH. I had a very positive experience with the fitter there. I will have more to report after next season.
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You know it makes sense.
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@Matt Dumas, I have had a couple of pairs of foamed liners, not Strolz ones though, both of them had lots of foam around the ankles, they didn't need extra foam padding to get them to fit.
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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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I would love to know the backstory of what the heck happened. Very interesting.
My Strolz fit, I have just become used to a real tight ankle hold. No heel lift when skiing, but I just like it tight all the time. Personal preference I guess and probably why my toes get cold if I ski 9am right to last chair when it is 9 degrees F!
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Poster: A snowHead
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@Langerzug,
Hello,
I take this opportunity to ask a few questions about Strolz ski boots.
I'm 40 and I've been skiing since I was a child, but my feet are horrible and I start to feel too much pain if I spend too many hours on skis.
This year I decided to get myself a custom made pair of Strolz. I don't understand who I should contact to make an appointment and do all the necessary operations (measures, 3D model, foaming, etc).
I live in northern Italy in the Dolomites, among other things a few kilometers from the headquarters of the Tecnica group (Tecnica, Nordica, Blizzard, Lowa, etc), but I'm willing to go as far as Lech and take a little summer holiday just to get rid of the pain in my feet.
In a nutshell, should I go here:
www.strolz.at
or here
https://hannes-strolz.com/en/news/skibootique-the-new-premium-store-in-lech?
I'd be interested in hearing your advice, as you seem very knowledgeable on the subject.
Thanks in advance for your cooperation.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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@Misugi14, if you want the true strolz then you need to go to Hannes Strolz
the strolz.at website is the store in lech that now sell a rebadged tecnica boot with a foam liner
alternatively ... what are the problems you suffer from? the strolz boot has its place for some issues but for others it is next to useless
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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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@Misugi14, for the record, @CEM, is one of the most experienced and knowledgeable boot fitters on here (anywhere?).
Might be worth explaining a bit more about your problems - he will probably have good advice - before going down the Strolz route.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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@CEM, @under a new name,
thanks a lot for your prompt reply.
I have flat feet so the ski boots press the sole of my foot. Plus I have a bony bump in both my big toe and little toe. (similar to hallux valgus). It's not a pathological condition, but at the end of the day I feel very strong pain in both of these areas.
I'm currently wearing Nordica Hell&Back that have been worked on the sole of the foot at the Tecnica Group factory. So the main problem is the bony bump of the toes.
If I had to get a new ski boot without any processing, I would surely hurt both the sole of the foot and the bones of the outer toes.
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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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@Misugi14, those sound eminently fixable by a good boot fitter …
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@Misugi14, I would say any good fitter will send you to e.g. Strolz if that's what's most appropriate, but 99% of the time will sort you out just fine.
In recent years boots have become lighter ...
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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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I had a pair of strolz boots approx 20 years ago. I got into ski touring and Strolz shells were too heavy so moved onto other boots. Skiers were using the Strolz liners in other boots back then.
Strolz market their ski boots as every pair of boots being unique, as if they mould every single boot shell to the customers feet but I'm not sure this is the case. My strolz boots were just a standard off the shelf shell with a foam injected liner - many ski boot manufacturers offer this.
If another shell fits your feet better than a Strolz boot then IMHO Strolz won't be the best option. Better to go to a an experienced/great boot fitter and let him/her choose the best shell and footbed for your feet.
If you have major issues (e.g. deformed / injured / abnormal feet) I can see Strolz being a good option if the shell has to be specially adatped for your feet ( as I understand it Dale boots do this too, probably others too) but otherwise I don't see what Strolz offer that other ski boot manufacturers don't. Anybody know?
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| Misugi14 wrote: |
@CEM, @under a new name,
thanks a lot for your prompt reply.
I have flat feet so the ski boots press the sole of my foot. Plus I have a bony bump in both my big toe and little toe. (similar to hallux valgus). It's not a pathological condition, but at the end of the day I feel very strong pain in both of these areas.
I'm currently wearing Nordica Hell&Back that have been worked on the sole of the foot at the Tecnica Group factory. So the main problem is the bony bump of the toes.
If I had to get a new ski boot without any processing, I would surely hurt both the sole of the foot and the bones of the outer toes. |
ok so there are a couple of things going on but nothing that should phase a decent boot fitter FWIW i don't think you need to spend the money on a strolz boot
the bony lumps are a simple fix, the fitter just needs to stretch or grind space into the shell or adjust the liner to accommodate them, this is simple bread and butter work for any boot fitter
flat feet that cause the boot to press on the sole of the foot? is this pressure under the ball of the boot? or somewhere else, this is the slightly more difficult bit but only because the cause hasn't been established yet... Treat the cause NOT the symptoms i suspect that your foot is either not properly supported or your calf muscle is tight and your foot is being loaded due to this... the key here is finding a fitter who understands this part of the puzzle
from where you are these guys are both very good Fede is closer for sure, but both are top notch fitters
https://www.fedebootfitting.com/
https://contiskibootservice.it/
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FAQ
