 Poster: A snowHead
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So in the past I've always bought 'blind' and without trying boots on. On the whole, the boots I've bought have been fine in terms of fit, but there's always been the nagging doubt that they could fit that little bit better. Anyway, I was at Tamworth yesterday (taking the little man to see santa) so I dropped in to TSA to have a butchers at some boots. The guys there were really helpful and after telling me which brands suits which kinds of feet, I decided to try on some 32 TM Scott Stevens - wow! All I can say is actually trying before you buy can't be overlooked.
At £230 these boots are going to take some massive justification to actually purchase, but having the guy tell me how I should be checking the fit - making sure my toes hit the end of the liner (but being able to wiggle them), doing forward leans to check for heel lift (etc) - has brought home the importance of seeing boots in the flesh. It was also good to see how an actual lacing system works, as opposed to the speed lacing I have on my current Ride boots. I was always a bit doubtful of whether actual laces would be as good but I was surprised that they're as good as they. The staff gave me the spiel about it being a pro model and if laces are good enough for a pro then they should be good enough for standard riders, but in the end I kind of agreed. (Un)fortunately, the missus dragged me out of there before i could buy them.
My mind is made up though that despite boards and bindings being eye-catching and cool things to buy, boots really are something i need to pay attention to in order to get more from the riding experience....
Last edited by Poster: A snowHead on Mon 26-11-12 14:30; edited 1 time in total
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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They'll fall to bits.
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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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Personally, since i've switched to the BOA lacing system, I doubt i'll ever go back, they're just too damn convenient - particularly if you want to adjust quickly during the day.
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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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Specialman, beware the "you toes should touch the end of the liner". I was told this by the guy in EB/TSA in Bristol and during the fitting I checked and rechecked, it was confirmed and reconfirmed. The rest of the fit was good so I bought the boots. Fast forward three weeks and my last two days in spent in pain on every heel edge turn as the ends of my toes were battered off the toe box. (I'm sure someone will be along soon to tell me my technique is wrong, or my bindings were to loose or some such). I took them back and after a bit of discussion a full refund, I bought a pair where if I flex right back in the boot I just brush the end of the box, when in bindings therefore it's not an issue.
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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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Not to try boots before you buy, makes my toes curl though hopefully not enough to touch the end of the boots as ^. Try a few pairs, you know immediately if they are ok or not, and then keep them on a bit longer for comfort ie if your feet go dead after 10 mins probably not for you. They will pad out a little bit but not much so don't go for a really tight fit hoping they will loosen up or don't go for a floppy fit as they seem nice in the shop. snug, comfortable, minimal heel lift (and not all in white) should be all you need to know and not giving yourself a hernia trying to get them on or off.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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| Quote: |
if your feet go dead after 10 mins probably not for you.
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Specialman, re the boa, I'm using an old pair of Vans Encores, with the single winder, and have done for about 5 years on the same pair (probably get 1 more year out of them, but thats to do with some of the stitching beginning to go, liners etc.) Still on the original lace, never had a problem with them, or any need to rethread. No corrosion, no breakages, ratchet still as positive as it was when new - know some people who've had problems with wear on the eyelets the lace passes through, but mine have never had an issue.
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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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Specialman, Yep, they used to make bombproof kit, loved it and sold them in spades, last few years we see them regular like, keep an eye on the out sole of the boots, that's where they seem to go first, there are some photos on FB of a pair of Salomon vs Thirty Two after 1 years use in the same hands. The results are at best shocking.
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CH2O, got a link to that?
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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I'd go to Bicester.
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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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couple of good tips I got when buying a new pair a couple of years ago - take the liners out of the boots and try on th eliners so you can really tell where your toes are - I think brushing the ends when you stand straight, when you flex into riding position they should not be touching is the normal wisdom. and also putting your feet in the boots without the liners - you should have around an inch space (couple of fingers) space when your toes touch the front of the boots. That all helped me get a good fit - Salamon synapse I think they were - been comfy as carpet slippers, no heel lift, no more need to crank bindings up, no foot pain. Mind you it took me several goes to find a good fitter and get the right size 
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Cynic, AFAIK CEM doesn't do snowboard boots, though happy to be corrected if he does now.
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You know it makes sense.
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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: |
| Specialman, Yep, they used to make bombproof kit, loved it and sold them in spades, last few years we see them regular like, keep an eye on the out sole of the boots, that's where they seem to go first, there are some photos on FB of a pair of Salomon vs Thirty Two after 1 years use in the same hands. The results are at best shocking. |
120 days hard riding on the Salomon compared to 60 days on the 32 boots. Wonder if this is a widespread issue? Also, wonder if it's model-specific? Never seen that model of 32 boot before.....
Mind you, 60 days riding.... that 10 holidays for me. I can only dream of getting the missus to agree to that
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Poster: A snowHead
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Unfortuantely I don't think so, if people walk in with a 32 boot, we can be pretty much sure what's up, our SB Boot guy was infact a client with this very issue 3 years back, now riding a Salomon Pledge in it's 3rd year of regular abuse. However I hear your point, most people are happy after Ten weeks of seperate holdays over a prolonged period to change their boots. I'm just unhappy the way the SB companies get a good product, build a rep, then jump ship regards manufacturing and it all goes Tits, be glad you don't have Burton, THE most over rated, poor quality trash you can imagine from a design and qulity point of view, but hey, they're Burton.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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"be glad you don't have Burton, THE most over rated, poor quality trash you can imagine from a design and qulity point of view, but hey, they're Burton."
Yep afraid I have to agree with that - although I did have a good pair of their ak gloves. I reckon salamon boots are hard to beat if they fit your feet.
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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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lib-banana, I got a nice Burton Beanie, fits my head
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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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Having riden with Salamons, Vans, Burton and 32s I would without a doubt say that the 32s and Burton have been the best fitting. But this is very much down to how they fit my feet and could really be different for someone else. The main reason I rate them is the fact that the inners are the most secure and minimise heel left. As a result I didn't end up having to over compensate by over tightening the outers or even the bindings, thus causing dead feet.
Its easy to bash the big B, but there is something to be said for the R&D that they have accumulated over the years. My pair of Ions did a whole 6 months pretty much riding every day and then another couple of winter hols after that. Beastily stiff, mind. I currently have the 32 Lashed FT which have been brilliant apart from wearing through the laces at a rate of about once a week (no joke). 32 happily sent a replacement pair, but I have experienced the exact same problem. Seems to be where the lace rubs on a metal eyelet under the upper binding strap. Despite this, I just love the lightness and snug fit. So I am going to take a gamble on this season's Lashed but with good ol' traditional laces and see how they get on... Fingers crossed.
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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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| CH2O wrote: |
| .......be glad you don't have Burton, THE most over rated, poor quality trash you can imagine from a design and qulity point of view, but hey, they're Burton. |
My first pair of boots were Burton Motos - rode one week and the lacing system broke. Mind you, sent them back to Burton and had a new pair sent out immediately. Still made me question the QC....
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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| Quote: |
AFAIK CEM doesn't do snowboard boots, though happy to be corrected if he does now.
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I just like Bicester.
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qwertyuiop7, Hard facts to face when you've been caught up with their marketing, it's not too late to turn and run, save them robbing you for the rest of your life.
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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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qwertyuiop7, awww and you were doing so well up until you started sipping on the ol' Cupertino Koolaid.
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So I went into my local shop, Boarder's Boards, and tried on some 32 JP Walker lights in yellow - pricey at £170 but super comfy, really light thanks to the sole, medium flex but mega looking. Fitted great but with a much softer feel than the TM Twos. Got me thinking whether they'll be too flex or whether it will actually be beneficial.
Also tried on some Rome Libertines that were in the sale (£90); really well put together and lots of support, but a slightly bigger footprint and wider across the foot. They're black too, which kind of goes against my aesthetic side
Both are lace-ups, which I think I'm sold on now instead of these speed lace systems. I suppose the key thing with boots is you're always taking some form of a gamble unless you can actually demo them on the slope with your board and binding - plus, after a day or two of hard riding, it's iunkown as to how they'll shape to your foot and how they'll feel once you start to break them in. The Rome boots deffo feel like they'll take longer to break in, but that could be also down to the extra support above the ankle. The JPs feel like they're already broken in and are good to go straight from the box....
Decisions, decisions....
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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With 32,s the fit is after heatmoulding the ultralon liners( which they claim to use)
Thats what I would be concerned about... not before heat standing in a store... thats how you fit low impact footwear to walk down the road buying milk and bread.
Alpine boots used at speed to transfer force to a edge through the boot from the foot are another boot fit/flexibility game.
Above are posts of caution and points of experience.
No one ever says they bought low quality wrong fitting boots they always have a story, its a very well worn path of sales and lack of knowledge with both rider and salesman having fault.
Been down that road.
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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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Having had Salomon F22's for years now I am loathed to go back to a traditional lace up system. Specialman, My only piece of advice with buying lace ups, is ensure you take small screwdrivers with you, to wrap the laces around and then pull up on the screwdrivers... I may have fairy liquid hands, I don't know, but my hands used to be red raw after a couple of days of yanking laces tight... 
Having said that, I upgraded my F22s, to the new model, a couple of seasons back and wore them out to Chamonix... They tore my ankles to shreds...!!!!! So another piece of advice... make sure the shop will allow you to take them home for a couple of weeks and wear them around the house, so you can 'really' get feel for how your feet sit in them... And anyone who argues that 'no shop will allow you to do that', yes they will... My local shop always lets their customers take boots away to wear about for a week... I just chose not to as they felt really comfy from my shop try... and as I owned the older F22 model I didn't think it would be an issue... How wrong was I...
Personally I would love to upgrade to these
http://snow.vans.com/product/infuse-snowboard-boot/
Think is the price tag of £300+ and lace system really puts me off... Anyone got them???
Good luck anyway dude... Boots are by far the most important piece of kit you will buy... make sure you get them right...!!!! 
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You know it makes sense.
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Boots have arrived - unbelievably stiff and supportive. They feel the same as this year's TMs that I tried on, so happy in the respect that I know they fit. Now to see about heat moulding the liners?...
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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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give em time! 
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Poster: A snowHead
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