Input On Boots

NSwidow

NSwidow

Member
Hello friends! I’m posting on behalf of Troy. who is a dirty blue name and doesn’t go here. He works for 4FRNT Skis and Roxa Boots and is working on trying to improve the ladies’ big mountain boot game.

Troy’s voice below:

I’ve been told that outside of race boots, there aren’t many options for aggressive boots to charge in. The boot we have right now is the Eden (http://www.roxa.com/eden_105.php?lang=2) but there’s a lot of room for improvement (as I have been told).

After talking with a couple women on the SFS and FWQ, here’s what I have:

-have a narrower last (closer to 93, the race average, than 100mm)

-a stiffer flex. 115 is what I’ve been ballparked. The FWQ and SFS people tell me that most are riding race boots with a 120 flex, and 115 would be closer to idea.

-tech toe and heel

-ditch the girly colors

-keep the intuition liner, walk mode

What are your thoughts? Anything else you’d like to see, or something you disagree with?
 
Yes!! Sounds like Troy is on the right path. I definitely agree with a 100-115 flex and narrower last. I'd also throw in smaller sizes. It's tough to find something I like in a 23.5... especially with tech toes and heels. I know know a handful of ladies who have feet that are even smaller than mine. Color really isn't important but if you were to ask my opinion I'd say the boots in the link above are fucking hideous. I'd still rock em if they fit well and skied well though.
 
I'll second that around 115 is probably a good flex. I went from a full tilt to lange back to full tilt because race fit is not my style. I'd argue that full tilts can be used as a big mountain boot..if it has the right tongue. I ride with an #8 and it works great for me. I would be even happier in a mix between a race boot and a full tilt though which seems like a Roxa boot is kind of like that. But I will say I'm not crazy about the pink boot but I love the soul sister design. So I would vote don't totally kill the girly vibe..it just has to be done tastefully.

Hopefully this helps and if you have any more questions I'd love to give more input!
 
I'm definitely not up to speed on my boot technologies, models etc. etc. but in my amateur opinion...

Kill the girly thing honestly. There's way too much focus on making women's boots fuzzy, and fluffy, and splattered with "girly" colours. That's not to say that yes having bomb ass looking boots is sweet but I'd waaaay rather have a boot that fits and performs.

Intuition liners are a definite yes.

I definitely agree with ^. Something that can kill it everywhere, interchangeable tongues are a major plus.

When I was looking for new boots I was going from 6 year old full tilt sally's and unfortunately I am one of the few who have TINY feet, i'm talking 22's and everyone tries to put me in junior boots which is never going to happen. It's a pain in the ass not being able to get boots that are 100% fit to my foot size. Finally found the dalbello kryzma's and i am in love, they're a true 22 (and look sick as fuq). Unfortunately I only had them about 2 weeks before I injured my knee so i didn't have a ton of time to test them out. But I was really happy with the time I had with them. Can't wait to get in them again next year.

one thing I did find really awesome about the kryzma's were the different boot boards. They give you two options, a rubber one or a plastic one.
 
topic:NSwidow said:
After talking with a couple women on the SFS and FWQ, here’s what I have:

-have a narrower last (closer to 93, the race average, than 100mm)

-a stiffer flex. 115 is what I’ve been ballparked. The FWQ and SFS people tell me that most are riding race boots with a 120 flex, and 115 would be closer to idea.

-tech toe and heel

-ditch the girly colors

-keep the intuition liner, walk mode

What are your thoughts? Anything else you’d like to see, or something you disagree with?
Click to expand...

Wow, nailed pretty much everything I would ask for, although I don't know what a tech toe and heel is.

I'm pretty sure that boots suffer from the same problem as skis in that when they downsize the models they don't keep things proportionally true. So the smaller sizes may be shorter but they aren't necessarily any narrower than their longer counterparts, even though they should be. There is a huge need for narrower women's boots.

Likewise there is a huge void when it comes to finding sizes 23 and smaller ski boots. 22 is not that weird of a size, last time we asked here on lady gabber it seemed like nearly half the ladies here are in size 23 or smaller boots. Half the time I visit my boot fitter I see him struggling to find boots for ladies that need a smaller size. Why isn't anyone filling this void?

The only thing else I would request is an intuition powerwrap liner NOT the tongue liner. I dislike having extra seams, potential pressure points, and the shifting around that can occur with a tongue liner. Wrap liners also maintain a more even flex in every direction.
 
Troy again:

Thank you all so much for the input thus far! We're starting to feel out a solid path. But, what are the sizes that most of you wear? Is the smallest 22, or should we go closer to 21 or even 20?
 
Am I right in thinking that the biggest difference between men and women's boot is the different cuff height?

I think for most girls, the lowered cuff height is a good thing (I believe it's because our calf muscles sit lowered). Personally it doesn't effect me because I have really long legs but I see that as a good thing.

I think the increased Flex that you've talked about is a great thing. My biggest complaint in admittedly the only girls boots I've skied in is that they're too soft. I would prefer a 120 flex if I were to chose.

For them to be made out of the stronger plastic would be great. Would make them more durable, better flex and stiffer. (more expensive though if that's a consideration.

The last is hard, there doesn't really seem to be a standard girls foot. But there is clearly a need for a narrower last for many girls.

The thing I like most about my girls boots are the lining is made out of a soft fluffy material that makes putting them on super easy, although an intuition liner would be good (albeit pricy).

A booster strap I think is a must.

A problem a lot of girls have is an increase Q angle, and therefore their knees 'fall in' (go together) so a boot with a larger canting ability would be awesome if it's possible. Or even a system where you can easily get different plates to put on the bottom of the boot to change the angle.

Replaceable heel and toe pieces would be good so the boots are more durable.

I will have more of a think and talk to our head boot fitter in the shop and give you some more thoughts later :)
 
Another thought, as women tend to have thinner heals and ankles (Even if they have fatter feet) increased plastic around the heel would be good. So it can be ground out as needed but can also accommodate those girls with narrower heels without having to fill in the gap purely with padding.

You would have to have a look at ramp angles too, they tend to be different in men's and women's boot supposedly because of the different centre of gravity? So a lot of women's boots have higher heels and toes. I don't know enough to know whether this is a good or a bad thing.

4 buckles, micro adjustable buckles as well as multiple holes to move the buckles brackets so that those girls with wider or thinner calf muscles can change the buckles to suit themselves.
 
13378884:NSwidow said:
Troy again:

Thank you all so much for the input thus far! We're starting to feel out a solid path. But, what are the sizes that most of you wear? Is the smallest 22, or should we go closer to 21 or even 20?
Click to expand...

22 for me. I personally don't know any other girls that small, the girls i know generally around a 24
 
So, compared to the girls that have already posted, I'm on the opposite side of the spectrum. I have huge feet, like they suck. I wear a pretty average 25 size, but need a starting sole length of around 103 and then sometimes even have to punch out. I would physically not be able to ride a 93-8 last boot.

I have the Full Tilt Mary Janes right now (the wide boot compared to the soul sister) and the width is sooo great, but they seemed to have not taken the heel into consideration. I can move my heel around in the boot which is not good. They widened the toe box AND the heel, but I don't have square feet... If it's a wide last it needs to be a wide toe box with a tapered down heel.

All in all, it's going to be hard to make a catch all boot.

Sizes from 22-26? maybe even 27.

A high performance flex 115 - 120

Intuition liner.

Colors are meh to me, fit is more, but I do love my black mary janes.

Definitely a fan of ski and walk modes.

As for flex, in the end, the best would be to have two last options. It will be more like two different boots (size and mold speaking), but to apply to all women you will need to offer a narrow and a wide option.
 
13379201:errrka said:
So, compared to the girls that have already posted, I'm on the opposite side of the spectrum. I have huge feet, like they suck. I wear a pretty average 25 size, but need a starting sole length of around 103 and then sometimes even have to punch out. I would physically not be able to ride a 93-8 last boot.
Click to expand...

You have no idea how jealous I am of you. 25 is a real size, you can actually find 25's in both women's AND men's boots. I'm jealous of your wide foot too. My heel is tiny and just swims around in pretty much every boot. I would kill for some solid heel lock down options.

Yes you have to get a lot of boot punching done, but a good boot fitter can stretch a boot an insane amount. My forefoot is actually a 99 last width but I'm in a 93 last boot just so I can get some reasonable amount of heelhold, my bootfitter has punched the bejesus out of the forefoot. I would always rather have the option of needing to punch and grind out a shell, then having to shove foam in there which is a temporary and imprecise solution that often causes more problems then it solves.

I don't mean to belittle your problems, but girl, I would totally trade places with you.
 
13380653:Cyanicenine said:
You have no idea how jealous I am of you. 25 is a real size, you can actually find 25's in both women's AND men's boots. I'm jealous of your wide foot too. My heel is tiny and just swims around in pretty much every boot. I would kill for some solid heel lock down options.

Yes you have to get a lot of boot punching done, but a good boot fitter can stretch a boot an insane amount. My forefoot is actually a 99 last width but I'm in a 93 last boot just so I can get some reasonable amount of heelhold, my bootfitter has punched the bejesus out of the forefoot. I would always rather have the option of needing to punch and grind out a shell, then having to shove foam in there which is a temporary and imprecise solution that often causes more problems then it solves.

I don't mean to belittle your problems, but girl, I would totally trade places with you.
Click to expand...

Haha the saying is true, you always want what you don't have. It's so bad right now, I thought I had found the perfect boot for my foot and width, but lately my heel has been swimming in it, like to the point where I can lift my whole heel up at least an inch... Noooo good! But at the same time it's almost too right on the wide part of my feet.... Ohhhh boot problems
 
A little trick I use for sloppy heel cups is to take an old beer coozie (either neoprene or foam depending on how much volume you want to take up) and cut out a U shape that comfortably fits upside down over the top of the heel. I like to attach it on the outside of the liner because it's more comfortable for me and you don't pull it off every time you take your boots on and off but play around and see what works best for you.

I don't know if this trick will work for you ladies because I've only used it when I'm trying to stretch an extra season (or two, whoops) out of a pair of boots that fit really well when I first got them but are now pretty packed out and loose.
 
Small sizes! I'm a small 22 and could probably cram into a 21.5. Three piece boots are awesome. As far as colors, not excessively girly but I do enjoy boots that aren't super boring colors.

One thing I always have issues with are getting them tight enough in the ankles, my foot fits great but I have the smallest full tilt cables they make and I still have to twist them and put my booster straps under the tongue to really get them where i want. That's with tons of boot work as well to accommodate my teeney ankles and calves.
 
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