Review - Salomon Idol 8

[Bravosarah]

I can’t tell you what a great boot this is. Powerful and responsive. I’ve skied this boot three times so far; once in rain/snow mix, once in the cold (colder than usual) and the last was bluebird. On the bluebird day I skied hard and fast and really put the boots to it!

The boot itself is rated as 80 flex (out of 120) and comes with replaceable soles and a removable spoiler.

The liner is toasty warm, as on my cold day my core got cold, but not my toes. This is unusual for me as I always thought I got cold because my toes were cold. Now I know this isn’t true, I’m cold because it’s bloody cold out.

Features I really like:

- The instep buckle is ‘3D’ which means it can be remounted slightly more forward or backward. Fantastic feature for those like me who have a high instep, no ones instep is in the same place and this feature allows the bootfitter to ensure the buckle is not directly above your instep.

- It has what Salomon calls a ‘flat seal’ the shell overlap under the buckles is a lot smaller. This feature is sheer genius, and the result is a boot that is incredibly easy to get in and out of, from someone who has ankle issues – thank you Salomon! The seal is made waterproof by a rubber seal and the seal was tight through the rain.

- Great heel support, it’s like it was made for my narrow heel. This is why from now on I will only buy women’s specific boots. What a difference it made in the responsiveness of my skis!

- The liner. It’s warm, toasty and that’s worth repeating! The tongue and ankle areas are heat mouldable for a better fit.

What should be noted:

The footbed that comes with the boot is pretty flat, at least by my standards (high arch) so a custom footbed or Superfeet insoles are recommended.

My foot:

Calf: Low & wide
Hindfoot: Narrow
Midfoot: High arch, high instep
Forefoot: Regular w/slight pronation

Great boot, highly recommended!

 

[IcyBum]

Does the boot run true to size? If you could say something about how close to your shoe size it is that would help. I'm considering this boot, also (wear a 7-7.5 US women's) and I think my size would equate to the Salomon 24. The master boot fitter near me is trying to smoosh me into a really tight-fitting Technica size 23.5 that is pure pain. I tried a Head Dream Thang 10 in 24 and was amazed at how comfortable that was. But it isn't all about comfort, is it...

 

[Little Lightning]

Are the Head's comfortable because they are too big or do they just feel good? Why does your bootfitter like the Technica for you over the Head's?

I have the Dream Thang 10 and I love it. My foot is small and boney. My bootfitter says I'm a classic Lange fit except for the high instep. The Dream Thang fits my foot better than any other boot I've ever had. It accomodates my high instep and doesn't irritate my bones. It's narrow enough in the heel to hold my thin heel and accomodates my wider calfs.

I have 45 ski days on this boot and am still happy with it, (by this time in other boots I've had I'm seeking adjustments to make them fit better).

After 60-70 days I give up and buy new boots, I'm hoping my Dream Thangs last longer.

Last year I had a pair of Langes that my bootfitter spent hours of work on. They were very tight in the beginning of the season and got worse as the liner packed out and the season progressed. I tried them on at the beginning of the season and compared to the Dream Thang fit they were horrible, I quickly donated them to GoodWill.

Your bootfitter has the expertise to know what is the right boot for you but for me those pure pain Lange's didn't get any better.

 

[IcyBum]

Thanks for your thoughts LL...much appreciated.

Well, the story is that I was first at one shop (great sale!) and then a second shop. The master boot fitter I mentioned was at the first one. He had me in the painful Technicas (one of the blue Flame models). I found him to be a fast, knowledgeable talker but not the greatest listener - a little "I know my stuff, I know what's better for you" (and probably he did). But because of his rather dismissive attitude and my feeling of being rushed into a boot I felt uncomfortable going into all my questions. And because he was so quick to come to a decision without much of my input, I felt a bit distrustful of his judgment - and don't yet trust mine completely re: ski boots...thus my conundrum. I know the boot has to feel short, very snug, even possibly uncomfortable at first but really felt the Technicas were downright painful. That guy didn't seem to want to hear that.

I drove on to a second shop - their boot fitter was out of the shop just then - where I had more freedom to try on a few different boots. I tried a lower model Technica in half sizes above and below what the first guy had me in, with the same painful outcome (i.e. Technica not for me!). I swam in Dalbello Kryptons of various sizes (I currently have 5-yr old Dalbellos in 25 that were not fit to me correctly - I can get 2+ fingers in back of my heel in the shell!). Loved some Nordicas but they pinched the sides of my feet up by my toes. The Heads were the right size AND just felt great out-of-box...thus my question. I need to get back there on a day when that shop's boot fitter is there, obviously.

And - I have an additional problem that I'm afraid will really complicate matters. I broke my hip in Aug. '06 and the compression bolt used to pin my shattered femur back together wound up sucking up an inch of femur length. So my left leg is now an inch shorter than the right. What do boot fitters do with that situation?! I have custom orthotics that I live in because if I don't use them my pelvis tilts down toward the short leg side, then my back, neck and shoulders begin to hurt, etc. Oy!

 

[volklgirl]

So my left leg is now an inch shorter than the right. What do boot fitters do with that situation?! I have custom orthotics that I live in because if I don't use them my pelvis tilts down toward the short leg side, then my back, neck and shoulders begin to hurt, etc. Oy!

The boot fitter can add a lifter under the boot for your short leg. Depending on your ski/binding interface, he may just add it under your binding giving you dedicated Left and Right skis because this is easiest. However, if your interface doesn't allow that, or you have a quiver, they can add the lifter on the bottom of your boot, then grind the top of the toe and heel lugs down to keep the height OK for the binding tolerances. A full inch may require a combination of solutions, though.

 

[IcyBum]

That makes sense. That's what I've done under my bike shoe - almost an inch of shims under my cleat. Kinda hard to walk in but what can you do. I think the bike situation is a lot more complicated so I have hope that I can figure out shimming/boot adjustment for the ski situation.

VolklGirl, I've enjoyed reading your posts (and learned a lot). I know you skied and liked the Fuegos even though they were not your preferred length (am I right?). Did you ever have a chance to ski them in a longer length that you liked, and have you skied the Burnin Luvs or Rossi Attraxion 3 (or is it the 5 that's more comparable?)? I'm going to be demo-ing skis later this week in Vermont (assuming I can get the boot issue figured out) and your $.02 would be great (and anyone else's!). Thanks!

 

[volklgirl]

Actually, I skied the Fuego in both the 161 and the 154. Due to my hard charging style, weight, and love of speeeed , I found the 161 much more to my liking. Both performed very similarly in terms of turn size, shape, and liveliness, but when compared side-by-side, the 154 was much less stable at speed and got bounced around in the crud more (keep in mind I'm 190+ lbs and prefer gum flapping speeds ).

I have not tried the Burnin's but have tried the Lotta's. They're just not my style.....I hit their speed limit very early on and didn't find anything outstanding about them in comparison with the other 10 skis I tried.
I also haven't tried the Attraxtion although I was very impressed with the Z9 last year.

Definitely take a spin on the Nordica offerings this year if you can. I think everyone who's tried the Firefox has been very impressed (or fallen desperately in love), me included - even in a 154!! The Firefox had serious stability lacking in the Fuego of the same length and had a more calm/relaxed feeling.

 

[IcyBum]

I'm still getting used to the sizing + radius + flex (+ graphics, of course!) characteristics of these skis and am having trouble keeping track. In the biking world it's nuts, too, with frame styles and sizes, seat positions, handlebars and reach and drop and crank length and all of that - it seems all we do is get more - dare I say it - anal about these techie gear objects of desire! But in a good way, of course! We're lucky there's more and more technology out there for us discerning consumers.

But back to your ideas - for your specs I'm not surprised you liked the 161s. I'm 5'2" (or was!)/159cm and skiing on 2002 160cm (just above the top of my head) Dynastar Speed 63 SX (63 waist like a tiny wasp!) which want to turn in tiny circles very, very fast. I've always wondered whether their being slightly "too long" meant they were a bit on the fast side. I've loved them - but I've been dreaming of trying something a little more versatile.

Since I'll be skiing 99% in New England, and since I have never met a day of powder that didn't throw me for a loop (but I'm great on hardpack!) I don't think I'll go for too much wider a waist than an additional 10mm. That's my thinking - a wider carver will do. Does that make sense to you? One of these days I would like to ski in powder without making a fool of myself (new skis would help? more days on the slope = more $, not in great supply) but for now will stick to what I know...

I got a really strong feeling from Wendy and others that the Firefox was a dream machine for demanding skiers. I'd go for it in a 154 - don't want to lose out on speed...or should I go shorter? I know, I know, it's off to demo I go...
Thanks!

 

[Bravosarah]

Does the boot run true to size? If you could say something about how close to your shoe size it is that would help. I'm considering this boot, also (wear a 7-7.5 US women's) and I think my size would equate to the Salomon 24. The master boot fitter near me is trying to smoosh me into a really tight-fitting Technica size 23.5 that is pure pain. I tried a Head Dream Thang 10 in 24 and was amazed at how comfortable that was. But it isn't all about comfort, is it...

Sorry I took so long IcyBum. Yes the boot runs true to size and now that I've used the boot many times since this review, I must reinforce my recommendation. It performs beautifully, is nice and light and kept its waterproofness in deep powder.

What did you end up getting?

 

[retromaven]

I ski on the women's Solly Rush, also 80 flex, which is a couple seasons behind the Idol (which I loved, when I went to try everything on at the shop - and I too have the same problems as Bravosarah, due to my foot specs which tend to be like hers, with both Tecnica and Dalbellos) and maybe? a model down, but since initial investment of having to replace all my gear at non-beginner level was steep, I opted for the past season model to save money. I love these boots as well.

Like Bravosarah, find these liners amazingly warm. I always had frozen toes, and I have Reynaud's which make me prone to cold extremities and frostbite, and never once have my feet gotten cold in this boot and I have never had to use anything but the boot and Smartwool socks to stay toasty, so to me that really says something.

I have a wide calf (but narrow heel), and even though initially I got a little nip around the top of my calf, now that the tongue of the boot has molded around me, that's no longer an issue. I love the 3-D instep buckle she mentioned, and I moved it to the secondary position for my high instep, and just keep it on the second notch, not really tightly clamped, as I don't need it to be.

I wear a size 7.5-8 shoe and my boot is a 25. I'd say they are pretty true to size as well. I have to say, these boots as the liners heat up inside from skiing start to get just a wee bit loser, and pack out pretty quickly, so don't be tempted to go larger...go as small as you can tolerate, IMHO.

Anyway, Solly is about the only boot I've tried that can handle my calf out of the box and I have to say it's been a great performer and warm too! I give another big thumbs up to the Rush/Idol women's boot series.

 

[IcyBum]

Sorry I took so long IcyBum. Yes the boot runs true to size and now that I've used the boot many times since this review, I must reinforce my recommendation. It performs beautifully, is nice and light and kept its waterproofness in deep powder.

What did you end up getting?

Oh no problemo - and I was away skiing so missed your PM (thanks!) - after trying some on in a shop I ended up getting a good online deal on the Salomon Rush 8 (on sale at SierraTradingPost for $250ish). I wear size 38 in many Euro-sized shoes (aka ~7.5 U.S.) so got the size 24 in the Salomon. I'm very happy with them except for one little niggling issue: there is a piece of spandex stretchy tape on the instep of the liner that looks like it is supposed to pull the left and right sides of the boot liner together across a wider foot than mine is. Unfortunately, on me the spandex thingy just folds over onto itself and becomes a hot spot on my instep (left foot only). Should be easy to solve with a pair of scissors but I don't want to go there yet. STP has a very generous return policy but I wouldn't want to push it by snipping anything...

I wore them with my green Smartfeet insoles (I can't risk using my custom orthotics and getting them wet, etc.) and removed the calf height adjusters altogether. Forgot to use the heel inserts, though.

 

[IcyBum]

I ski on the women's Solly Rush, also 80 flex, which is a couple seasons behind the Idol (which I loved, when I went to try everything on at the shop - and I too have the same problems as Bravosarah, due to my foot specs which tend to be like hers, with both Tecnica and Dalbellos) and maybe? a model down, but since initial investment of having to replace all my gear at non-beginner level was steep, I opted for the past season model to save money. I love these boots as well.

Like Bravosarah, find these liners amazingly warm. I always had frozen toes, and I have Reynaud's which make me prone to cold extremities and frostbite, and never once have my feet gotten cold in this boot and I have never had to use anything but the boot and Smartwool socks to stay toasty, so to me that really says something.

I have a wide calf (but narrow heel), and even though initially I got a little nip around the top of my calf, now that the tongue of the boot has molded around me, that's no longer an issue. I love the 3-D instep buckle she mentioned, and I moved it to the secondary position for my high instep, and just keep it on the second notch, not really tightly clamped, as I don't need it to be.

I wear a size 7.5-8 shoe and my boot is a 25. I'd say they are pretty true to size as well. I have to say, these boots as the liners heat up inside from skiing start to get just a wee bit loser, and pack out pretty quickly, so don't be tempted to go larger...go as small as you can tolerate, IMHO.

Anyway, Solly is about the only boot I've tried that can handle my calf out of the box and I have to say it's been a great performer and warm too! I give another big thumbs up to the Rush/Idol women's boot series.

Hi SkiMaven,

Just read your post after replying to Sarah's. Very interesting (or maybe not so much so for divas who have been doing this a lot longer than I - for them maybe it's a little bit of "duh"!) that we have the same feet/fit issues and picked the same ski boot! I'm on the smaller size of 7.5 so the Rush 8 in mondo 24 is doing very well for me. I was a little concerned about the space behind my heel during the shell fit but the shape of the boot (i.e. leaning so far forward) I think exaggerates that space. I've adjusted the 3D buckle, changed ankle buckle position and feel like I'm dialed in pretty nicely (skied hard in them this past weekend and finally feel like I have the control over my skis that I should have). I might go for a slightly higher volume insole as my old green smartfeet are pretty worn, and there is the issue of whether to use my orthotics (or at least a wedge to get my left leg even with the other). Also, my right foot is a smidge smaller than the left so I had to set buckles differently on that boot than the left and wear a thicker sock. I'm very happy so far with the adjustments you can make with the boot, and especially with the price savings...now to get some new skis!!

 

[persee]

Bringing this thread back to life...

So I've been told my feet are best suited by Solomon boots. Ok. That was told to me by a boot fitter I trust to at least tell me that - see my "Boot Dilemma" thread for why I'm actually here asking for more advice. So is this a good boot for me. Skis I've always been able to choose on my own by knowing my skiing, my goals, and then reading reviews for those with similar physiology to determine if I'd like it. So what I'm hoping to do is determine whether this boot is a fit for me in the same way.

Me I'm a high intermediate/low advanced skier (so think 7.9 skier) I don't think I'm overselling or underselling my ability but I guess one can never be completely unbiased about their own ability. If I'm not there yet probably the only thing keeping me from that is my current boots. I ski on Volkl Attiva AC3s (aka Tierras) now and really enjoy them and find I can control them well and have a blast on them. Physical stats - 33 (next month), 125-130lbs, 5'3.5, strong core and lower body (I was a top level dancer in my youth (long again) but the muscle doesn't go away!) I have never had problems with cold feet in my current boots (Nordica W8Ws) and generally don't have too fussy of feet. I want a good performance boot so I can keep up with my husband and go all day. I want my boots to take me and my skis to the next level. I'm now skiing blacks regularly - you get the ideas! So would Salomon Idol 8's be a good choice? I think the Idol 10's (although I saw my size at an utterly amazing price) are prolly a bit too stiff/too much boot for me. Feedback please!

 

[IcyBum]

If you happen to be a 27.5 you're in luck - Rush 8 is on sale at REI.com for $140 right now.
I'm very happy with the Rush 8. I do find that they aren't as thick a plastic as my Dalbellos were and that my feet have felt a little colder from time to time. I c/wouldn't say that's the general population's experience, though, since at my perimenopausal age various parts of me are feel...well, ICY! - with no apparent warning. Either it's Reynaud's (in the bum?) or just hormonal. More likely the latter. Anyway, my Rush 8s fit me properly, in size 24, whereas I was swimming in the size 25 Dalbellos I had and probably all the warmer for it, with that extra layer of insulating airblock!
My body specs and ski ability pretty much match yours, persee, though I am much weaker skier off-piste than on, so haven't tested the boots on even a mid-fat or in anything more than a couple of inches of fresh. I think the variability in placement and adjustability of buckles is key for a skier of any ability and there the Rush 8 excels. I ski without the calf risers (thick calves, narrow ankles!). I also use the footbed/heel aligners they came with and some OTC footbeds I found. I'll get around to a custom footbed when I figure out how to handle that - having a 1" shorter left leg means I should really have a riser of some sort out below the boot. But that's another story.
Hopefully you can get them from a place like REI that will let you ski in them and return them if they don't work. Yes, that really is part of the REI 100% satisfaction return policy and they get great reviews (and lots 'o business) because of it, a la a few other online retailers.
That's my $.02!
IB

 

[banana]

Sorry to bring up an old thread. I have this boot, and it is a really good boot while going downhill, but once I stop, I get cramps in my calfs and when I take them off and start walking it feels like I've pulled something in my ankles.

I did get them properly fitted when I first got the, two years ago, and at first I thought I just had to ski them properly in, but after two years it shouldn't be doing this to my feet. I've never had any problems with other boots.

Has anyone else experienced anything like this?

Other than the fact that it kills my legs, I'd say it's a great boot, and suits me really well when I'm on the move.