Any thoughts on Full Tilt boots? Or other easy off boots?

[Covie]

Well I’ve got some seriously gnarly feet these days and have major issues getting my high instep out of my boots esp. when cold/stiff. The top of my foot is bruised all ski season from the painful removal and I now have these knobs on top of my foot. I’m thinking full tilt since they open up like a corvette hood. Any other easy off boots to look at? I like stiff flex- currently in a 110. I have narrow calves narrow heels. Hopefully I will be able to see a boot fitter Covid permitting! Has anyone tried full tilt? Bonus weird knob on foot - pic included so you know what I’m talking about. TIA!

 

[santacruz skier]

I have a knob on my left foot. Just like yours. I have older Tecnica boots that are not so easy to get off so I know what you mean!

 

[Après Skier]

I haven‘t tried FT boots. If you end up trying them please let us know what you think. They certainly seem to be well loved by a lot of young people.

 

[Jilly]

@Covie, have you been to a boot fitter? They can do wonders. Dabello is another brand with a hybrid opening.

 

[liquidfeet]

For years I've used a small hairdryer to soften the flaps on my boots as I get ready to boot up. It's those two front flaps of plastic that are the problem. I point the hairdryer down onto the base of the tongue, right behind and between the two flaps. The hot air bounces around between those three things - the two flaps and the tongue, and the flaps get soft enough very fast to painlessly stuff my feet in or pull my feet out. I keep the hairdryer in my bootbag. I am not the only instructor in the locker room using a hairdryer to get into stiff performance boots.

This season, if I ski which I may not do, I'll be booting up in the car and the hairdryer option will not work.

 

[Jenny]

I loved my Dalbellos. When I injured my ankle and had to get them off it didn't even hurt then.

Current boots are Roxa which is the same kind of opening. They're pretty easy on and off, too. I wanted to stay with the same design as the Dalbello because I like it so much.

I also have narrow calves/heels/feet but I think the fitter said they were low volume, so your instep might be an issue.

 

[WaterGirl]

@Covie We all know the best boot is the one that fits your foot. If you want the three piece shell for ease of getting in the boot its Dalbello, Roxa or Full Tilt.

For the 'Cabrio' boot it would seem that most run 99 to 100+ last. Not sure what size / volume foot you have. Ans also not sure how the other brands run width wise. The Dalbello Chakra appear to be the narrowest at 98. Roxa are 99- 102 (I have tried the Roxa tour boot and it did not feel that wide).

Full Tilt have a 99 and 102 last. DD had full tilt boots for park, and they worked great for her purposes at the time. I did get her a "10" flex tongue to stiffen up the boot but despite claims of a stiffer flex it probably was closer to a 85-90 stiffness other boots imho the few times my feet were in them. The soul sister is 99 last and comes with a 6 flex tongue and is medium soft. I'm not sure you will find the stiffness you are looking for if you are in a 110 They also the smallest size they have is a 23.5. If you are a true 22.5 the Roxa and the Dalbello will be a better bet. Hopefully you can get a chance to try several brands on - they may or may not solve your problem.

 

[Kiragirl]

Try Nordica Speedmachine. I tried them on recently, very flexy in front, very soft front flaps. Excellent heel fit/hold.

 

[Covie]

Thanks for the options and feedback, I wasn’t aware of the other brand options. The hair dryer made me smile. It might come to that indeed. I think I’m willing to give up some stiffness??? Hard to say. The 110s were my sized up pregnancy boots and I’ve lost 60lbs so perhaps the 110 would be like cement blocks. I’d try em on to see but the idea of taking them off terrifies me even at room temp :(
Going to check out my options over the next several weeks. Hopefully I come out feet unscathed!
Thanks again, love this community.

 

[kiki]

If you are using a bootfitter let them know that easy entry is part of your criteria.
When I got my last set I let my bootfitter know I wanted performance boots that would connect me to my skis better, keep my feet warm so they don’t go numb, and would be easy to get on and off. My Lange RX110’s are easy to put on and off with no struggle and I do not think I sacrificed performance
The bootfitter must have done some magic

 

[Jilly]

@kiki....that background looks familiar...Whistler Village Sports?

 

[kiki]

@kiki....that background looks familiar...Whistler Village Sports?

@Jilly you have a sharp set of eyes!

 

[Jilly]

Spent too much time there last trip out! Looking for Barry....

 

[gingerjess]

@kiki....that background looks familiar...Whistler Village Sports?

Time for a new photo guessing thread!

 

[birchrun]

I’m late to the party but I have Full Tilt Soul Sisters and they are the best boots I have ever skied in. I did not upgrade the tongue and consider myself an aggressive skier though I prefer bumps at my home mountain in PA so there’s that. My boots are 22.5-23. Full tilts break on the half shell.

My best friend also has a high instep and was finding it impossible to get her boots on a couple few years ago. I suggested Full Tilts because of their easy entry and she has been really happy with them. Just my two cents!

 

[Covie]

I’m glad to see a review for the soul sister. I wasn’t able to try that model on, just not in stock at the 6 shops I went to. I ended up with @Kiragirl’s suggestion. The Speedmachine was the winner! Can’t wait to try them on snow. The Lange XT3 110 was nice too. I’d say 70% of the boots were problematic getting my rigid foot out but there were a lot of stiff yet easy on off boots to my surprise. Thanks for all the suggestions. It gave me a starting point on my search.

 

[liquidfeet]

Not this year, but I always use a hair dryer to warm up the stiff flaps on my boots. Then they can be easily pried open to get the foot in. I use the hair dryer for both booting up and de-booting. This year doing both in the car will be a challenge.

 

[Abbi]

Well I had thought about looking at the new Nordica rear entry boots, these look interesting and potentially really comfortable as well. Especially with the need to boot up in the car and walk in ski boots. I can barely keep mine on for three or four hours with the foot problems I have, despite many trips to the boot fitter. My aging messed up arthritic feet leave me in a potential work in progress on any boot! So... Dahu? https://www.skidahu.com/

 

[MaineSkiLady]

Full Tilt here, last 4 years. DH for 6 (but he was a huge Raichle Flexon Comp fan in decades long gone). I did not like the overlap Intuition tongue of Soul Sisters. I wound up with Rumor (no longer made, alas) with a regulation tongue. Better. We both use a #6 tongue - we both lean to softer flex. Easy to acquire - and change - tongues of different stiffness.

Easy in and out, for sure. 99 last is good for my feet. Not all. Was in 98 for years. With modifications (6th toe blowouts).

Some Dalbellos also have cabrio-type shells (not all). Roxas are very good-DH now uses these for uphill, free-heel.

 

[Covie]

Not this year, but I always use a hair dryer to warm up the stiff flaps on my boots. Then they can be easily pried open to get the foot in. I use the hair dryer for both booting up and de-booting. This year doing both in the car will be a challenge.

I know the car factor is going to be interesting for sure! Drive home in the boots haha!