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Do I need Booster Straps?

tinymoose

Ski Diva Extraordinaire
I saw that print in the shop - love it! When I was talking to a shop gal I trust, she indicated the Expert model is what most of the racers around here use. I am right above the line dividing Intermediate and Expert when I take both weight and skill into account, but I went with weight as well.

For those that haven't seen it, here is the chart:


View attachment 14592
Interesting. I had the junior model on my old RC4 boots, but I was having so many flex issues with those boots (as it turns out b/c of the cuff height), I was scared to go higher. This would put me on the low end of the intermediate model based on weight and skill. I haven't bothered to put them on my current boots.
 

contesstant

Ski Diva Extraordinaire
Those of you who've had them on boots before, why didn't you remove them from those boots and move them to the new boots? I think mine have been on 6 pairs of boots. My husband's Boosters are probably 12 years old, maybe older. Even if the bolts on the back of the boots aren't the same, you can just create new holes for the new bolt pattern. (I'm not sure if I should be happy or embarrassed that I know so much about this stuff because of my stupid boot sagas!)
 

tinymoose

Ski Diva Extraordinaire
Those of you who've had them on boots before, why didn't you remove them from those boots and move them to the new boots? I think mine have been on 6 pairs of boots. My husband's Boosters are probably 12 years old, maybe older. Even if the bolts on the back of the boots aren't the same, you can just create new holes for the new bolt pattern. (I'm not sure if I should be happy or embarrassed that I know so much about this stuff because of my stupid boot sagas!)

Got rid of the old boots and didn't think to pull them off. I was just so happy to have new boots I could flex to any degree, it didn't really register to try them on the new boots. The booster straps also never did much for me, as I could barely flex my old boots, so I had never noticed any benefit from them previously. Probably why it didn't occur to me to pull them off.
 

NewEnglandSkier

Ski Diva Extraordinaire
I had them on an old pair of boots that I had major issues with (Tecnica Fling). We added them to those boots to address a tongue/flex issue but they did nothing to resolve the issue so I just never used them again. I did remove them from the boots when I got rid of them, so I still have the Booster straps if I ever want them, but I haven't felt the need for them--the regular power strap on my current boots (dalbello scorpion 105) works fine for me.
 

MissySki

Angel Diva
I think I’ve had so many different issues with boots that the Booster strap itself seemed like a fix on one boot and when I moved on from them it didn’t occur to me to move them. Now I want to try them on my current boot, but I can’t find a darn allen wrench to fit what I need to get them off my old boots! :doh: So will likely need to bring them to the shop and have them figure it out. I’ve literally tried like 12 different ones and they are all either too big or too small, super annoying..
 

tinymoose

Ski Diva Extraordinaire
I think I’ve had so many different issues with boots that the Booster strap itself seemed like a fix on one boot and when I moved on from them it didn’t occur to me to move them. Now I want to try them on my current boot, but I can’t find a darn allen wrench to fit what I need to get them off my old boots! :doh: So will likely need to bring them to the shop and have them figure it out. I’ve literally tried like 12 different ones and they are all either too big or too small, super annoying..

Yeah, they sorta felt like a "fix" to me too, as we'd originally added them to the race boots to try to make them feel less stiff/improve my ability to flex them.
 

Mary Brosnan

Ski Diva Extraordinaire
I recently (last season) switched my straps to Boosters, and love them. My biggest problem was my existing power straps had a limit on how tight they could physically go. It wasn't tight enough to hold the boot securely against my shin. That small gap created regular shin bang, and a loose feeling.

For me, the strap does a couple things worth noting:
- The metal closure allows me to get the strap tighter, and the boot cuff to fit better. It removes any gap between my shin and the tongue of the boot, this creates an instant energy transmission at the start of my turn. A properly fitting "normal" power strap will have a similar feeling.
- The elasticity of the strap creates a more snappy rebound at the end of my turn. The boot seems to return to it's "resting position" much quicker with the assistance of the Booster strap.

I'm not really sure about it creating a more progressive flex pattern. I feel like the flex comes from the boot material and construction, not from the powerstrap. The powerstrap is all about the transmission of energy from the skier, to the boot, then to the ski...not the flex pattern. If anyone has any data/information on it changing the flex in a more progressive way I would love to read it.
Thank you! This is very helpful.
 

liquidfeet

Ski Diva Extraordinaire
I love my Booster straps. I secure them around the top of the liner, not around the shell. Then I buckle the shell which covers up the Boosters. I feel securely locked into the cuff with the Boosters because I can stretch the strap tight as I clamp it in place. Without the Booster, with only the rigid velcro strap that most boots come with, my squishy leg just doesn't feel united with the top of the cuff. It feels like it's wobbling around. I would never give up my Boosters.

Does this really affect my control over my skis in any way? The two cuff buckles secure the stiff plastic into a rigid shape on top of the liner with its Booster holding it to my leg all snuggly like, and my liner doesn't compress much. So all the Booster strap does is secure the top of the liner to my lower leg to remove any slop. The elasticity of the strap helps me get it snug.

I've never understood how the Booster provides a "progressive" flex. Even if it's secured around the outside of the cuff, those two cuff buckles and the stiffness of the boot spine determine how much the cuff flexes, not the Booster.

However, my leg moves differently inside a boot when there is a rigid strap vs an elastic Booster. When there is no Booster making the liner snug, my lower leg moves forward a bit before it runs into the boot shell and tongue. There's slop in there, slowing down the timing of the leverage I apply to the tongue and through it to the shovel of the ski.

With the Booster, there's no slop and no lag time. That's a performance issue. No lag time is good.
 
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arbusch

Ski Diva Extraordinaire
In my ski buddy's situation, the Alta instructor comment was that he had "skinny legs." We were looking at the top of the boot on the slopes after pulling up his ski pants. In addition to the Booster Strap, the other addition that afternoon was the Eliminator to make the ski boot tongue thicker. So the goal seemed to be to make for a better fit near the shins. The instructor uses both himself.
Did the Eliminator make a difference? I have booster straps so I can get the top of my boot as snug as possible to my shin. I have tiny calves and struggle to get the top of my boot snug enough even with the booster strap. I always have a bit of a gap. My top buckle is as tight as you can get it.
 

marzNC

Angel Diva
Did the Eliminator make a difference? I have booster straps so I can get the top of my boot as snug as possible to my shin. I have tiny calves and struggle to get the top of my boot snug enough even with the booster strap. I always have a bit of a gap. My top buckle is as tight as you can get it.
At first Jason wasn't sure. But he's continued to use the Eliminator even though it's a bit of a pain to place them when booting up. The Alta instructor uses both. His comment when he made the suggestion initially was that he uses both himself because he has "skinny legs" like Jason.
 

teppaz

Angel Diva
I don't really know much about booster straps. What happened in Dec was that my Alta instructor strongly recommended that my ski buddy get some. He's an older advanced skier who learned as an adult. It was the next to last day of the trip, so he didn't get too much chance to tell what the advantages were. His boots are relatively new.


That matches what the Alta instructor said. My ski buddy got the Intermediate version.
I skied with a great instructor at Big Sky and he recommended a Booster strap (he uses it himself). He estimated I had a good boot fit but said the strap would lock me more into that desired forward position. I got them installed and after just a couple of days I'd say they fit the purpose. Not a huge difference but noticeable enough that I have no regret.

My only thing is that it's not easy navigating the closing mechanism and the battery for my boot heaters. I noticed a whole thread about that issue so I'll have to study it to find ways to make the setup work a little better for me.
 

badger

Ski Diva Extraordinaire
My experience with these after a season, and halfway through this one, is that they allow me to NOT feel locked in at the top of the cuff. I have a Junior race boot so the cuff height has been a great help to my body size being quite small, and the Booster allows me to create my own preference for how the top of the cuff needs to be. I do not tighten the top cuff buckle more than past the first or second bail and can use the strap to provide the additional tightness with the elasticity to move more freely. In this way I feel more flexible fore and aft without feeling constrained.
I installed these myself ( quite simple ) .
 

marzNC

Angel Diva
I installed these myself ( quite simple ) .
Whether or not installation of the booster strap is simple depends on the boot design. For my ski buddy's boots, drilling a new hole was required. He had it done at Alta Ski Shop, which has lots of experience.
 

BlizzardBabe

Ski Diva Extraordinaire
Love mine. I put them on when I bought my new boots about 3-4 seasons ago. I was able to simply replace the factory power straps by unscrewing them from the back of the boots. Very simple operation on Lange boots.
 

BlizzardBabe

Ski Diva Extraordinaire
My only thing is that it's not easy navigating the closing mechanism and the battery for my boot heaters. I noticed a whole thread about that issue so I'll have to study it to find ways to make the setup work a little better for me.
Ditto. I had to slide the battery holder into a less than optimum position, but it is all worth it. :smile:
 

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