Flex rating

A snowHead

I know it varies between manufacturers but what flex rating would be roughly recommended for an intermediate skier, only about 12 stone, about 5' 8" tall? I can turn the speed on if necessary but in reality will be hanging around a lot waiting for less able family members.

Piste skiing only, nice long turns, nothing too athletic and certainly no freestyle!

What d'ya reckon? 80ish or a bit higher / lower?

A snowHead

Nope it doesn't vary between manufacturer the test is the same, but that's another story. Ability, speed, weight should be considered above what the manufacturers publish in catalogues and magazines. I like to advise my clients like this; Take the standard breakdown of product groups, Beginner, intermediate, advanced and expert. Simply replace these terms whilst thinking about quality of product. Rubbish, reasonable, good and excellent. These terms and types of materials used give better perspective as to why the products seem to have different qualities appropriate to the level of their skiing. The marketeers are well versed as to explain why a poor quality product should be used by a beginner without the need to highlight the reality.

So back to your question, flex rating means practically nothing, see a bootfitter, buy a boot that fits above any other factor and they will adapt it to you physiology rather than your ego or phycological needs.
Sorry to be harsh but reality often is.

Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?

SMALLZOOKEEPER, Agreed... the Nordica boots you sold me had a flex of 130 on paper which I would have considered a little stiff for my ability. Yet I can flex them so much easier than the old beginner boots I was suffering in. And they are more comfy. Cool

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Scarpa, All about the ankle flex and position, glad you are still happy.

Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.

SMALLZOOKEEPER, so, are you saying softer boots if you've plenty of movement in the ankle joint and stiffer if you haven't?

You'll need to Register first of course.

SMALLZOOKEEPER, Although I did get two ankle blisters when I did a full off piste outing on the first day of a ski hol... I forgot to tighten up the buckles after the first couple of runs. That said... I'm down to the fourth buckles now... if I run out can I come back? Laughing

Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...

Mosha Marc, No, given wight, speed and height I don't see the need for a boot that has a flex of less than 100 other than for small, light tentative women, IMExp. Boots with high flex can be easily adjusted, plus temperature change and buckle tightness add alot to the flex of a boot, a properly fitted boot will allow a boot to flex naturally, the lower flex boots are generally high volume and there for often get done up tightly and are made from plastic with high sensitivity to cold, therefore once in use will probably be stiff, non responsive/rebounding boots.

After all it is free

SMALLZOOKEEPER, interesting, cheers.

Mosha Marc, That's exactly the problem I had. To keep my feet from sliding around I had to crank the buckles up.. this led to the cuff blocking on the bulge which the constricted shell was creating around my ankles... hence my inability to flex the boot progressively. In fact one boot would seize earlier than the other which led to problems with turning one way at speed. I grew to hate them Laughing

*Ski* the Net with snowHeads

My old Salomon Ellipse 9's (90 Flex) flex noticably far less than the Salomon Falcon CS (Flex 100) that I currently have, so it varies even within manufuacturers

I think the old boots were too big and the walk/ski setting thing stiffened them too much

Help!!

Flex rating

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