You cant compare a rollerblade boot to a ski boot. Ski boots have to apply pressure to something 160+cm long whereas the pressure you put on the skate is more to the side and you only need stiffness for balance. In ski boots you need stiffness to actualy ski well. The softboots are great when your just fucking around on rails and stuff but they are a bitch to pullout sketchy landings on because the boot just has too much give to it. If people would just shell out the money to go to a decent bootfitter they would be alot happier with their boots. They are definately one thing you can't buy based on what other people tell you, if you want something that will fit and perform well. That said, the older flexons are probably the best newschool boot you can find, if it happens to fit your foot. Now more boot companies will be coming out with a 3 piece boot style like the krypton that will really make bootfitting alot easier and give you a feeling of really having your heel locked down, while remaining comfortable. That is definately the direction that ski boots are headed, just wait a year or two for k2 to get some balls and start using those flexon molds they have.