I’m a quality skier, can handle any part of the mountain, but learning tricks at an older age is rough. I ski 120 flex boots, riding Armada JJ 2.0, and when I’m practicing 180s, working up to 360, my fucking legs are getting destroyed by my boots. I can ski double blacks all day and I don’t hurt like I do after a half dozen faceplants trying 180s. Shins and calves beat to hell, so much that I can barely ski the following day. Is my boot flex too stiff? What kind of boots and what range of boot flex are park riders working with?
Boot flex question
- Thread starter Old_Dog
- Start date
lilgapaboi
Member
I can almost take my boots off when theyre on all the way and I never get shin or calf pain
zeerob
Member
Seems most park boots today are around 90 - 100 flex. Some rear entry (e.g. Full Tilt) and some traditional boots also reduce shin bang with wrap liners, as opposed to tongue liners, for more continuous shin contact.
One of the ironic trade offs of learning tricks is that the landings on smaller and even a lot of medium sized jumps are relatively flat so the repetition can be wearing. As you get more comfortable, larger hits typically have steeper landings and reduce impact forces, but obviously the speed and air for these types of jumps increase the risk of injury if you go down hard.
I rock 120 flex boots 90% of the time and never have issues jumping in them (33 y.o. and try to hit a jump line at a minimum of once per lift access ski day, often just to straight air). If it's going to be a jib day or a pure park day due to the snow not being good enough for the techy zones, I rock an old pair of 95 flex boots. Best park boot I ever had were the old Salomon SPKs and I believe they were a 100 flex. Those things were so damn comfortable, I'd coach in them, walking and standing on the slope all day, but if I tried to ski the steeps or chunder-y off piste terrain, the softness of the boot led to some shin aches from having to push really hard to get quick edge response. I've heard great things about Dalbellos freeride/freestyle line, but can't speak to them as I haven't ridden them.
That being said, as a life long skier and racer as a youth, your shins and legs will get used to the abuse. I'm not saying there's never shin bang (I rock booster straps 24-7 on all boots, which really helps), but it definitely gets less noticeable over time.
Love the progressions no matter who you are and keep trying!
One of the ironic trade offs of learning tricks is that the landings on smaller and even a lot of medium sized jumps are relatively flat so the repetition can be wearing. As you get more comfortable, larger hits typically have steeper landings and reduce impact forces, but obviously the speed and air for these types of jumps increase the risk of injury if you go down hard.
I rock 120 flex boots 90% of the time and never have issues jumping in them (33 y.o. and try to hit a jump line at a minimum of once per lift access ski day, often just to straight air). If it's going to be a jib day or a pure park day due to the snow not being good enough for the techy zones, I rock an old pair of 95 flex boots. Best park boot I ever had were the old Salomon SPKs and I believe they were a 100 flex. Those things were so damn comfortable, I'd coach in them, walking and standing on the slope all day, but if I tried to ski the steeps or chunder-y off piste terrain, the softness of the boot led to some shin aches from having to push really hard to get quick edge response. I've heard great things about Dalbellos freeride/freestyle line, but can't speak to them as I haven't ridden them.
That being said, as a life long skier and racer as a youth, your shins and legs will get used to the abuse. I'm not saying there's never shin bang (I rock booster straps 24-7 on all boots, which really helps), but it definitely gets less noticeable over time.
Love the progressions no matter who you are and keep trying!
