I just got my first set of skiboards w/ releasable bindings (thanks Jeff Singer!!) and am now trying to find a pair of boots. I've done a lot of reading and have gone to the closest boot fitter, and I'm just left with more confusion. Between me being new at skiboarding, and the bootfitter knowing very little about them, it was tough talking to him about the different boots I tried. So if anyone could help with some of these questions I'd really appreciate it.
Forward lean - Bootfitter said I really should have some forward lean in the boots to get good bent knees for carving, but online here I'm sure I've read you want to be as upright as possible. I don't think they make boots that are straight up do they, so what is a good forward lean angle to shoot for? All the boots I tried on felt like I was falling forward, standing on the balls of my feet, and had minor calf/quad burn just standing there after a few minutes. Is that normal or a sign of too much lean? I wish manufactures would list the lean angle...that's so hard to track down.
Walk mode - some boots like the Dalbellos I tried on and the Salomons my wife tried, have a walk mode. Would it be wrong to use this all the time to achieve a more upright stance? I'm assuming it would be a problem....
Size - bootfitter said my toes should just slightly touch the front of the boots when they are brand new. He said when I bend my knees my heels will come back and my toes won't touch. Sure enough, in the size he had me in, 27.5, that was correct. I think I've read here that on skiboards you don't want your toes to touch because you're going to be standing more upright. So how do I stand upright, if the boots force me forward? Seems I'll be fighting the boots the whole time I'm on the skiboards and just wearing myself out. This kinda goes hand in hand with the forward lean question above. Not sure what to do. Size up and fight the lean or size correct and give into the lean?
Flex - when it comes to flex, I've read a lot of people here really like the Full Tilts because how flexible they are. But reading other places makes it sound like a 60 or 70 flex is a beginner level boot. My bootfitter was putting me in 90 flex boots. I'm new to skiboards, but have been snowboarding for 15 years so I don't really want a boot I'm going to 'out grow' once I get through the learning curve. That said, what's the general consensus on what's "too stiff" for skiboarding? Or is this a personal preference question?
Comfort - seems everyone agrees comfort is most important. Every boot I tried on felt like the pivot point of the boot was digging into my inside ankle bone. The bootfitter couldn't seem to adjust them or find a pair that didn't have this issue, so I left a little discouraged. He said it was probably from my overpronation...I'm thinking the pivot bolt just needs extra padding.
Anyone else have this problem and have any tips?
The boots I tried on were Dalbello and Nordica. My wife was able to try on Salomon QST Access and said they were really comfortable. I'm going to try to get to another place that has Salomon and Atomic in my size to try out. Its a couple hour drive to get to a Full Tilt dealer, so not sure I'll be able to try them on. If anyone has brand recommendation I'm all ears. I can't find much on the Salomon QST Access boots, but if there's anything positive or negative about them I'd love to hear it as well.
Sorry for all the questions.....
Forward lean - Bootfitter said I really should have some forward lean in the boots to get good bent knees for carving, but online here I'm sure I've read you want to be as upright as possible. I don't think they make boots that are straight up do they, so what is a good forward lean angle to shoot for? All the boots I tried on felt like I was falling forward, standing on the balls of my feet, and had minor calf/quad burn just standing there after a few minutes. Is that normal or a sign of too much lean? I wish manufactures would list the lean angle...that's so hard to track down.
Walk mode - some boots like the Dalbellos I tried on and the Salomons my wife tried, have a walk mode. Would it be wrong to use this all the time to achieve a more upright stance? I'm assuming it would be a problem....
Size - bootfitter said my toes should just slightly touch the front of the boots when they are brand new. He said when I bend my knees my heels will come back and my toes won't touch. Sure enough, in the size he had me in, 27.5, that was correct. I think I've read here that on skiboards you don't want your toes to touch because you're going to be standing more upright. So how do I stand upright, if the boots force me forward? Seems I'll be fighting the boots the whole time I'm on the skiboards and just wearing myself out. This kinda goes hand in hand with the forward lean question above. Not sure what to do. Size up and fight the lean or size correct and give into the lean?
Flex - when it comes to flex, I've read a lot of people here really like the Full Tilts because how flexible they are. But reading other places makes it sound like a 60 or 70 flex is a beginner level boot. My bootfitter was putting me in 90 flex boots. I'm new to skiboards, but have been snowboarding for 15 years so I don't really want a boot I'm going to 'out grow' once I get through the learning curve. That said, what's the general consensus on what's "too stiff" for skiboarding? Or is this a personal preference question?
Comfort - seems everyone agrees comfort is most important. Every boot I tried on felt like the pivot point of the boot was digging into my inside ankle bone. The bootfitter couldn't seem to adjust them or find a pair that didn't have this issue, so I left a little discouraged. He said it was probably from my overpronation...I'm thinking the pivot bolt just needs extra padding.
Anyone else have this problem and have any tips?
The boots I tried on were Dalbello and Nordica. My wife was able to try on Salomon QST Access and said they were really comfortable. I'm going to try to get to another place that has Salomon and Atomic in my size to try out. Its a couple hour drive to get to a Full Tilt dealer, so not sure I'll be able to try them on. If anyone has brand recommendation I'm all ears. I can't find much on the Salomon QST Access boots, but if there's anything positive or negative about them I'd love to hear it as well.
Sorry for all the questions.....
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