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Do you need a stiff boot for a stiff ski?

 Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
I've got a pair of Salomon X-Wave 8 Free boots that are about 12 skiing weeks old that I used to use with my old Scream 8's. I recently bought the Stockli Stormrider XLs (174) and have heard all the banter about them being stiff.

So do I need to upgrade my boots to utilise these skis? Is there any detriment to using a soft boot with a stiff ski?

I'm 5ft 11, and weigh 80 kilos/178 pounds/12.5 stones; on the S&R scale I'm a 7/8 and Smallzookeeper's scale 5.25 Toofy Grin . Like to rip down the piste (50%) and trying to get more off piste action (50%).

What do you reckon?

Cheers

BB

snowHead
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 Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Nope, take them to a bootfitter. Behind the canting rivets on the coller there is a small blank, like a small circle, about 3mm in Diameter. Get them to drill it out, and then repeat the process with a 6.5mm bit. Ask them then to remove the screw rivets and inserts from an X-wave 10, or, Pro-Model(Gun-Lab-Pro-thingy-1080-Spaceframe-Whateversalomoncallitthisyear), or Course. Pop them into your boots and hey presto an X-Wave9.5.

This is assuming you need a stiffer boot. Try it, if it doesn't help, take the rivets and inserts out, with a 5mm allon-key and put some super cool duct-tape over the holes.

Repeat the process until you have, light fluffy peaks that slide off the back of a spoon. Twisted Evil
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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?
SMALLZOOKEEPER, If you dont know what you are on about I would rather you didnt post.................. wink Respect dude.
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 You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
Frosty the Snowman wrote:
[b]SMALLZOOKEEPER, If you dont know what you are on about I would rather you didnt post.................. wink Respect dude.[/b]


Hear me blow our trumpets, we helped design the X-wave. wink
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 Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
SMALLZOOKEEPER wrote:
Behind the canting rivets on the coller there is a small blank, like a small circle, about 3mm in Diameter. Get them to drill it out, and then repeat the process with a 6.5mm bit. Ask them then to remove the screw rivets and inserts from an X-wave 10, or, Pro-Model(Gun-Lab-Pro-thingy-1080-Spaceframe-Whateversalomoncallitthisyear), or Course.


SZK

Dude, I'm not sure if this is a wind up but how would I be able to convince a bootfitter to canabalise a set of top end boots for parts for mine? Anyway, I may be visiting some friends in Chamonix in January so might pop in to ask your advice on this or buying some new un's.

Cheers

BB
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 You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
Anyway, back to the original question -

Do I need stiff boots for stiff skis? Puzzled

Cheers

BB snowHead
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 Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
bucking bronco wrote:
SMALLZOOKEEPER wrote:
Behind the canting rivets on the coller there is a small blank, like a small circle, about 3mm in Diameter. Get them to drill it out, and then repeat the process with a 6.5mm bit. Ask them then to remove the screw rivets and inserts from an X-wave 10, or, Pro-Model(Gun-Lab-Pro-thingy-1080-Spaceframe-Whateversalomoncallitthisyear), or Course.


SZK

Dude, I'm not sure if this is a wind up but how would I be able to convince a bootfitter to canabalise a set of top end boots for parts for mine? Anyway, I may be visiting some friends in Chamonix in January so might pop in to ask your advice on this or buying some new un's.

Cheers

BB


Would hope this wouldn't cause too many problems. Alternativley the screw rivets are available as spares, ask any shop, failing that, see you in January, we carpet the floor with boot parts. Twisted Evil
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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!
bucking bronco, what's stiff? Been a thread on that somewhere here.

Unless you're chasing FIS points, and possibly even then IMHO, it's a moot point. If you like stiff boots (I do) ski stiff boots, if you don't, well... don't. Someone like SZK may be able to give you advice.

Which brings us back to "stiff skis". Again IMHO, "stiff" is often used as a synonym for "not forgiving", "not for the punters", etc. The Stockli (which I will admit I have not skied, though I'd quite like to) is as stiff as anything else. I.e. you can''t tell without an engineers test lab and you and I probably aren't going to talk about the same sort of stiffness.

Basically, you are trying to reconcile (as we all often do) a very poor set of information with what your needs are. IMPO this is a problem with ski reviews in general. Have a look also at the opinions after last weekends ski test. 3 of us tested the same ski, we are all different and of reasonably disparate ability and formed wildly different opinions of the Dynamic VR27. Different people have wildly different needs.

Reviewers may suggest it's a tricky ski, but I very much doubt that your boots are going to make the difference to whether you are happy on them or not.

That said, darn, they might if your technique is not as good as it needs to be. Save the money about to be spent on new boots and have a couple of private lessons with a good coach would be my advice. Also, if your coach thinks you need new boots, they should tell you.

Advice?
1. try with your current boots.
2. If you're not happy, take a lesson. You might find that a very small element of your technique is causing all the trouble (if you're not happy that is!).
3. Consult SmallZooKeeper in Chamonix. What's cheaper - £300 on new boots or a £60 easyjet flight, £40 carhire, £40 hotel and £40 lift pass? Crikey! a weekend in Chamonix solves your problem and gets you 2 days skiing.
4. Give in to the marketing and waste a bunch of useful cash.

Oh, short answer? No "stiff" skis don't need "stiff" boots. A friend of mine is an ex-Olympian and WC racer and skied ridiculously soft boots for racing. He liked 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.
David Murdoch wrote:
bucking bronco, what's stiff? Been a thread on that somewhere here.

Unless you're chasing FIS points, and possibly even then IMHO, it's a moot point. If you like stiff boots (I do) ski stiff boots, if you don't, well... don't. Someone like SZK may be able to give you advice.

Which brings us back to "stiff skis". Again IMHO, "stiff" is often used as a synonym for "not forgiving", "not for the punters", etc. The Stockli (which I will admit I have not skied, though I'd quite like to) is as stiff as anything else. I.e. you can''t tell without an engineers test lab and you and I probably aren't going to talk about the same sort of stiffness.

Basically, you are trying to reconcile (as we all often do) a very poor set of information with what your needs are. IMPO this is a problem with ski reviews in general. Have a look also at the opinions after last weekends ski test. 3 of us tested the same ski, we are all different and of reasonably disparate ability and formed wildly different opinions of the Dynamic VR27. Different people have wildly different needs.

Reviewers may suggest it's a tricky ski, but I very much doubt that your boots are going to make the difference to whether you are happy on them or not.

That said, darn, they might if your technique is not as good as it needs to be. Save the money about to be spent on new boots and have a couple of private lessons with a good coach would be my advice. Also, if your coach thinks you need new boots, they should tell you.

Advice?
1. try with your current boots.
2. If you're not happy, take a lesson. You might find that a very small element of your technique is causing all the trouble (if you're not happy that is!).
3. Consult SmallZooKeeper in Chamonix. What's cheaper - £300 on new boots or a £60 easyjet flight, £40 carhire, £40 hotel and £40 lift pass? Crikey! a weekend in Chamonix solves your problem and gets you 2 days skiing.
4. Give in to the marketing and waste a bunch of useful cash.


Oh, short answer? No "stiff" skis don't need "stiff" boots. A friend of mine is an ex-Olympian and WC racer and skied ridiculously soft boots for racing. He liked them.


That quite a useful point 'Murdoch'. But maybe he ain't "Gettin' on no plane, ya crazy fool"
Sorry, me mate is an A-Team fan and thats all he says.


Twisted Evil
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"Don'n take me for no fool, you motha - {censored}"

Cheers Mate, just you be waiting for me in January!
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
BB,

I have the same skis in the same length and I'm 5 lbs heavier. You definitely don't need to apply a lot of forward pressure to get them to carve. So no you dont need stiff boots. In fact I'd suggest changing only one thing at once - skis first, get used to them, then decide whether you WANT new boots.

With the stormriders, you do need to be fairly dynamic - get the skis well outside the line of the body, angulate, move fairly quickly or inject a bit of energy. At 7/8 you should be OK. I'm, I guess, a strong 8 and I've had no problems.

Enjoy

J
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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.
I wouldn't go stiffer boots at this stage and share the opinions as above. Again, stiff means put the skis where they need to go and you have little room for mistakes. Thats why you may need forgiveness in one thing or another. The XL's aren't brutes and some of it is, to a degree, marketing hype. They are a stiff ski which holds an edge above its contemparies abilites IMO but you need to find how the ski works for you and you could be confusing things if you don't know whether it is the boot or the skis giving you any problems. I would call the XL a freeride ski usable for an 8 type level upwards. I don't know if your boots can go this far but I would try them in the conditions you want to use them first and then get down the boot shop if you need to after that.

My very good skiing friend has downgraded to a softer boot - relatively - and uses Excreams...!!! Horses for courses....!!!!
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 So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
Guys

Thanks for the advice - at the end of the day it makes sense when experimenting to change just one thing at a time. I'll stick to the old boots for now, I guess the Twisted Evil in me wanted to splash some £££ on new shiny boots!

Cheers


BB
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