Apex Boots for narrow feet?

[Elangirl]

PSIA just did a review where they recommended Apex boots to ski instructors. I tried on a pair that a friend had, but they seemed really wide. Is there really only one woman's boot? I live in Montana read "rural" so there is no dealer within 200 miles.

I currently wear Dalbello Chaktras--- the 25 was too big and the 24 was too small, so I wear the the 24 and have the big toe blown out every season. I would love to stop spending $40 at the beginning of the year. The Apex seem like a good idea, but I am worried about the width of them.

 

[Obrules15]

I just switched from a Lange to the Head Raptor RX 110W, which I love. My feet were sloshing around in the Lange RX110 25.5, and still loose in the 24.5, but the Head's give lovely support. I know you didn't ask about them but I only got them a month ago and am still giddy. They are fabulous for a narrow foot.

 

[Gloria]

I just recently discovered the fulltilt soul sister has a narrow last with a wider, not wide but more anatomical wider toe box. DD had the same issues with the blowing out in the toes and hasn't had to since she got them. I have horrible big toes from ski boots and tried a pair on and they felt pretty good.
I don't know anything about Apex though.

 

[SquidWeaselYay]

I also have the narrow feet problem. After many rounds of trying to make previous boots fit, resulting in a "frankenboot" situation, I gave up and got Lange 110 RX LV, with a 97mm last. I still had to get custom footbeds and canting done (I'm a biomechanical mess), along with heel lifts, and now they are as close to perfect as I can get without going in the race boot direction! They are way softer than 110 to me it seems, after the Technica Flings I had before, but still stiff enough for me. I'm an aggressive advanced skier, about 127lbs and 5'1", muscular. I'd imagine taller and/or heavier girls might find the flex to be too soft though.

 

[SquidWeaselYay]

Also, I noticed a lot of the female ski instructors at my home mountain sporting these this year.

 

[Obrules15]

Also, I noticed a lot of the female ski instructors at my home mountain sporting these this year.

There's a great regional bootfitter that loves them.

The Lange's were narrow but I still, even after dropping a size, had trouble with too much ankle room, so be cautious of that if you have proportionately smaller ankles.

 

[artistinsuburbia]

There's a great regional bootfitter that loves them.

The Lange's were narrow but I still, even after dropping a size, had trouble with too much ankle room, so be cautious of that if you have proportionately smaller ankles.

what did you end up with? I have the tiniest ankles and that is my #1 problem. I can't get a boot small enough in the ankle that still fits large enough elsewhere to not cut off my circulation. I have normal size 7.5 medium width feet with ankles smaller than most people's wrists. It is so frustrating.

 

[Obrules15]

Head Raptor RX 110 W, got the ankle to fit then the shop blew out the toes on both the liner and the shell.

 

[artistinsuburbia]

Head Raptor RX 110 W, got the ankle to fit then the shop blew out the toes on both the liner and the shell.

duh....you mentioned that above. Sorry. I'm still mad about the rain day all weekend...

 

[Obrules15]

No worries, I would be too!

 

[artistinsuburbia]

I'm looking at the Lange RX90. It has a 100mm last and the flex is not as stiff. Completely custom mold able outside and lining. Anyone else try those?

 

[greengirl]

Elangirl, as far as I know, Apex has only one female-specific model.

I have the Apex ML3 boots. I bought them last year because an ankle/foot injury prevents me from being able to get my foot into a regular ski boot without great pain and possible re-injury.

I was skiing in the Salomon CS Instinct 90 prior to this. Those really clamped down on my thin, slightly narrow foot.

If you have scrawny feet, ankles, and heels like I do, you may run into issues with the Apex. I can't tighten the boot enough to get a really good clamped-down feeling in my ankle/heel/crook-of-foot area. Basically, I get some heel lift and ankle movement if I really crank on my skis. The rest of my foot is ultra-comfortable and toasty warm, but the slight looseness in the heel and ankle area doesn't thrill me.

I contacted Apex asking for help and they weren't able to do much except recommend a thicker sock. This was particularly disappointing given their "no return" policy. I was hoping they could offer some sort of fix with the liner boot.

I'm going to wear some cut-off socks over my regulars ones to try to add bulk to my lower calf and ankle. I don't know if that will help, though.

If you have thin, low-volume, or narrow feet, I can't recommend the Apex to you unless you absolutely cannot ski in a regular boot. They are super comfortable at the sacrifice of performance. I believe women with normal-width/volume feet would fare better in these.

 

[Obrules15]

I'm looking at the Lange RX90. It has a 100mm last and the flex is not as stiff. Completely custom mold able outside and lining. Anyone else try those?

The shell is not vacuum moldable, just easy to punch out. There are Head Raptor RS 90W withe same geometry as the 110, just a lower flex. I'd look at those with narrower ankles.

 

[artistinsuburbia]

The shell is not vacuum moldable, just easy to punch out. There are Head Raptor RS 90W withe same geometry as the 110, just a lower flex. I'd look at those with narrower ankles.

Had an incredible experience today. Got to have a boot fitting with a guy who was a custom boot fitter in Colorado for nine years, moved back home, and now works for the guy who holds the patent on the vacuum molding technique (didn't know that originated here, who knew, Willis' in Pittsburgh, is at the forefront of the industry.) He put me into the Lange SX 80 W. Says that I have a narrow leg and ankle, but a normal width foot. And the RX or the Head are too low volume for my arch. I had both on at the same time and the lange held my ankle firmly in the heel box better than anything I have ever tried on before even though it has a 102mm last. It was less roomy than the RX in a 100mm last oddly because it was shaped differently with narrow at the back and roomier at the front. I could still pick up my heel and move my ankle in both the RX and the raptor. And the volume of the 96mm raptor was way too narrow for my ball/toe area. The SX is constructed for a narrower LEG, not a narrower foot. It was AMAZING. But of course, I had way too much flex and he didn't have the 90 for me to try on. So he was going to check stock at the other store and talk to his Lange rep to see what he could come up with as he was suspicious that the 90 might not be stiff enough either ( I think it will be just fine). It is a mono injection shell, that he says is indeed heat moldable, so they would heat mold and vacuum fit the shells etc, but honestly, the out of the box experience was fascinating when you get a boot that is right for your foot and LEG.

 

[Obrules15]

Had an incredible experience today. Got to have a boot fitting with a guy who was a custom boot fitter in Colorado for nine years, moved back home, and now works for the guy who holds the patent on the vacuum molding technique (didn't know that originated here, who knew, Willis' in Pittsburgh, is at the forefront of the industry.) He put me into the Lange SX 80 W. Says that I have a narrow leg and ankle, but a normal width foot. And the RX or the Head are too low volume for my arch. I had both on at the same time and the lange held my ankle firmly in the heel box better than anything I have ever tried on before even though it has a 102mm last. It was less roomy than the RX in a 100mm last oddly because it was shaped differently with narrow at the back and roomier at the front. I could still pick up my heel and move my ankle in both the RX and the raptor. And the volume of the 96mm raptor was way too narrow for my ball/toe area. The SX is constructed for a narrower LEG, not a narrower foot. It was AMAZING. But of course, I had way too much flex and he didn't have the 90 for me to try on. So he was going to check stock at the other store and talk to his Lange rep to see what he could come up with as he was suspicious that the 90 might not be stiff enough either ( I think it will be just fine). It is a mono injection shell, that he says is indeed heat moldable, so they would heat mold and vacuum fit the shells etc, but honestly, the out of the box experience was fascinating when you get a boot that is right for your foot and LEG.

Awesome and fascinating. I'd never heard that Lange shells were heat moldable.

FYI Intuition Liners have models which will help stiffen a boot (pro-tongue) if you end up with a perfect fit but feel the SX 90 is too soft.

 

[artistinsuburbia]

Awesome and fascinating. I'd never heard that Lange shells were heat moldable.

FYI Intuition Liners have models which will help stiffen a boot (pro-tongue) if you end up with a perfect fit but feel the SX 90 is too soft.

Yes, he said that about the intuition liners! Great to hear someone else with the same opinion. Now I really feel comfortable that I was finally NOT getting smoke blown up my you know where.

Edited to add:
He also liked that I already had Sidas footbeds. says they are a great upgrade and will add them right in to the new boots.

 

[Obrules15]

No, it sounded right to me. Just be careful, not all intuition liners increase flex, so you have to get the right model (I didn't ). My favorite thing about the intuition is that they are WARM. I miss mine as I am waiting to replace them in my new boot.

It's not perfect but what I listen for in experts is good reasons why they have their belief (the SX works for narrow legs, normal feet) and an understanding of what to do if something doesn't work (new liners change flex). They have a plan if you come back, and part of their skill set is to keep working with you.

Real experience gives you times when things didn't work and options for workarounds. Also, if the technology originally developed there it makes sense they can do things other shops can't, and you'll avoid the pitfalls of a poor quality plastic with a lower melting point.

What I don't trust is "this boot is great for people like you" and "don"t worry it'll be just fine" people, those people drive me batty. If you can't cope with my incessantly asking why and be able to give good answers, I'm walking out the shop (now that I've learned my lesson).

So happy for you!

 

[Blue-CantBreathTilWinter]

I just switched from a Lange to the Head Raptor RX 110W, which I love. My feet were sloshing around in the Lange RX110 25.5, and still loose in the 24.5, but the Head's give lovely support. I know you didn't ask about them but I only got them a month ago and am still giddy. They are fabulous for a narrow foot.

 

[Blue-CantBreathTilWinter]

I have also had trouble with finding a boot to fit my Narrow feet/ high arches. I had a boot fitting last weekend and this is what they recommended for my specific issues:

• Salomon X MAX 90: (I loved these until I put them on for 10 minutes around the shop & they cut off my circulation, last of 98 was perfect but they are small top to bottom and pushed down on the bone on the top of my foot - I'm not sure what that measurement is called...) If you dont have a high arc this probably would work well for most women with narrow feet. They are also moldable, which would likely help.
• Atomic Hawx Ultra 90 or 110 W: I ended up buying these but haven't ridden them yet
• K2 Spyre - these were quite comfortable right out of the box, but the fitter thought since I am tall I should have something with a higher cuff
• Lange RX 110 LV - they didnt have it in my size so I couldn't try it...

I would love to hear from anyone else who has tried the Atomic Hawx Ultras, I can't find any helpful women's boot reviews on them.

 

[artistinsuburbia]

(I loved these until I put them on for 10 minutes around the shop & they cut off my circulation, last of 98 was perfect but they are small top to bottom and pushed down on the bone on the top of my foot -

this is a similar problem that I have. My bootfitter increased my last to 102 to increase the height because unfortunately those two things correlate. there is not a way to increase that on its own (at least according to this guy). he will add padding side to side before they heat mold them to keep the toe locked in to help control skiing. But honestly, the 102 last felt glorious. my toes weren't numb after twenty for the first time ever because there was the room top to bottom.