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Help Needed: Low volume boots - options

MrsPlow

Ski Diva Extraordinaire
I tried on the 2021 Nordica ProMachine 115W today too! I stopped into a shop to look at Booster Straps and saw they had my size on the wall...I just had to slip it on to see what has changed. Wowza, that is going to be my next boot! Hugs my foot like it was made for me, and that was without my custom insoles in there. The flex on the new 115W felt weirdly the same as my 2019 95W.
The comparison of flex with the men's 110 version was interesting/confusing - I found the 110 too soft, it was a definite no straightaway. The 115 felt much stiffer - also tried them with the bolts out and still stiffer than the 110.
 

scandium

Ski Diva Extraordinaire
Regarding temporising the original issue, would it be worth putting full length cork insoles under the liner to take up some of that vertical volume if you're dead set on keeping the same boots?
I had a similar situation with boots that were too large to start with - a 24/24.5 shell with fairly generous width/volume which I had been fitted in when my feet were 240 and 243mm on the Brannock. I have bunions and relatively narrow heels compared to the width where my bunions are, so there are some styles of street shoe that I can never wear.
I realised my boots were TOO comfortable and I had far too much movement in them once I started taking lessons again, around 20 ski days/3-4 years into owning the boots. I ended up putting J-bars around my heels and 6mm of cork under the liner to take up some space as a temporising measure, and actually felt like that improved things significantly until I got new boots in a better size for me.
I'm now in a 23.5, with my heavy-duty ski-specific orthotics and punches/space for my bunions, and I seem to be okay with the instep volume.

I had a play with the Fischer app as well - definitely not accurate for me. I wonder whether it's because I'm sitting which changes the weight bearing through my feet (i.e. measurement is taken under different conditions to usual)

Left foot:
Length - 233.2mm (236mm on Brannock)
Ball - 96.6mm (nowhere near close, it's 100mm)
Instep 60.4mm (heel-heel 230mm)
Navicular - 35.1
Heel 56.9

Right foot:
Length 234.1mm (238mm on Brannock)
Ball 99.1mm (spot on)
Instep 57.4mm (heel-heel 226mm)
Navicular 32.8
Heel 58.1
 

WaterGirl

Ski Diva Extraordinaire
I found my quick list here https://www.bootfitters.com/reviews/results?keys=&year[]=2021&gender=women&width[]=narrow&sort_by=field_boot_msrp_value&sort_order=ASC

Today checked out what was available at shop I deal with / has most selection. Only thing I'd bother with was the K2 Anthem in a comperable width flex and updated Mach1 lv. Diasapointed no high end Head or Lange any more :crazy:

I get it its all related to covid issues/ production/ etc. So I guess I'll cobble thru this year playing around with liners. (FWIW dont bother with a Zip Fit unless your in a plug boot and have narrow ankle heels, has nothing but thin neoprene everywhere but the ankle / cork pockets so if your narrow in ball area not going to help probably worse IMHO).

@scandium great suggestions, trying a 1/16 bonex in my AT boot tomorrow...
 

Scribble

Angel Diva
I get it its all related to covid issues/ production/ etc. So I guess I'll cobble thru this year playing around with liners. (FWIW dont bother with a Zip Fit unless your in a plug boot and have narrow ankle heels, has nothing but thin neoprene everywhere but the ankle / cork pockets so if your narrow in ball area not going to help probably worse IMHO).
I had the same experience. When tried them in my old Rossi boots the heel hold was amazing but my forefoot was battered after a single mogul run. I like them better in the Lange boots, but I still feel my foot moving around more than I'd like.
 

vickie

Ski Diva Extraordinaire
To measure your instep:
Volume is the cm measurement from one side of the heel over and around the ankles to the other side of the heel. This will let you know your instep height.
View attachment 14584

How far back do you measure? All the way to the very back of the heel; for instance, to the wall if your heel was pressed up against a wall?

This is probably my 9th season of skiing. I've bought 4 pair of ski boots and will be getting #5 by next season. No one has ever measured my instep. And two of the bootfitters come highly recommended.
 

mustski

Angel Diva
How far back do you measure? All the way to the very back of the heel; for instance, to the wall if your heel was pressed up against a wall?

This is probably my 9th season of skiing. I've bought 4 pair of ski boots and will be getting #5 by next season. No one has ever measured my instep. And two of the bootfitters come highly recommended.

Most bootfitters can probably eye your foot and know whether it is proportional or not. They would measure if in doubt.

It’s hard for me to explain exact location on the heel. It’s really across the instep to the heel on each side. This article and pic might help. https://blisterreview.com/gear-101/boot-fitting-101/fit-issues-and-myths
 
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vickie

Ski Diva Extraordinaire
Ok, they're measuring down to the heel cup of the Brannock device.

My current boots are 22.5 ... Atomic Hawx Prime W 100. The bootfitter here that adjusted them said that particular boot is roomy in the heel and ankle and is really not a good choice for me. Because there are so few options in a 22.5, he wants to look at 23s for my next boot. Both feet measure at 23 or just slightly over, so the 22.5 is a close fit. I've already decided that if my next boot is a 23 and is a good fit, I'll just start shoving a new liner in it every couple of years. I've only gotten between 20 and 60 days out of each boot I've bought. New liners will be a whole lot cheaper than buying and fitting new boots so often.
 

MissySki

Angel Diva
Ok, they're measuring down to the heel cup of the Brannock device.

My current boots are 22.5 ... Atomic Hawx Prime W 100. The bootfitter here that adjusted them said that particular boot is roomy in the heel and ankle and is really not a good choice for me. Because there are so few options in a 22.5, he wants to look at 23s for my next boot. Both feet measure at 23 or just slightly over, so the 22.5 is a close fit. I've already decided that if my next boot is a 23 and is a good fit, I'll just start shoving a new liner in it every couple of years. I've only gotten between 20 and 60 days out of each boot I've bought. New liners will be a whole lot cheaper than buying and fitting new boots so often.

20-60 days?!?! Wow yikes, this is because the liners pack out or the boots were a bad fit to begin with?
 

liquidfeet

Ski Diva Extraordinaire
How far back do you measure? All the way to the very back of the heel; for instance, to the wall if your heel was pressed up against a wall?

This is probably my 9th season of skiing. I've bought 4 pair of ski boots and will be getting #5 by next season. No one has ever measured my instep. And two of the bootfitters come highly recommended.
Same thing happened to me. So many boots, so much $$, so many seasons lost to effective skill-building, because the shop attendants/bootfitters (some very highly recommended) profiled me wrong.
 

MrsPlow

Ski Diva Extraordinaire
Regarding temporising the original issue, would it be worth putting full length cork insoles under the liner to take up some of that vertical volume if you're dead set on keeping the same boots?
I got some work done on the boots on Friday, including cork insoles. Other changes are spoilers and some extra foam to protect my bony ankles. I skied yesterday afternoon and after a couple of warm up runs, I started looking for rough and bouncy conditions to test out the changes. The insoles seemed to work well - everything stayed put on flat landings where I expected to be bounced out of my boots. Left boot - very happy, better foot hold and didn't seem to have caused new problems. Right boot - probably 75% there, there's still some spare volume, so need to something else there.
 

MrsPlow

Ski Diva Extraordinaire
Ok, they're measuring down to the heel cup of the Brannock device.

My current boots are 22.5 ... Atomic Hawx Prime W 100. The bootfitter here that adjusted them said that particular boot is roomy in the heel and ankle and is really not a good choice for me. Because there are so few options in a 22.5, he wants to look at 23s for my next boot. Both feet measure at 23 or just slightly over, so the 22.5 is a close fit. I've already decided that if my next boot is a 23 and is a good fit, I'll just start shoving a new liner in it every couple of years. I've only gotten between 20 and 60 days out of each boot I've bought. New liners will be a whole lot cheaper than buying and fitting new boots so often.
Wow, I'd get through a pair a season, if not 2 in a good year, at that rate. It didn't work for me, but have you tried a full custom liner, ie injection moulded? I found them too stiff and couldn't get the tongue to be comfortable, but my husband's had good results with them. He has 1 foot half a size smaller than the other so the liner gives the bootfitter a way to put him in a small enough boot for the small foot if that makes sense.
 

edelweissmaedl

Angel Diva
The Technica and Atomic Hawx Ultra have lower insteps in my opinion so they may be good options for you.

I’ve moved on from my Atomics and am hopeful my new Fischer’s will be the ones. My problem areas are a bony instep and super narrow heal.
 

MrsPlow

Ski Diva Extraordinaire
The Technica and Atomic Hawx Ultra have lower insteps in my opinion so they may be good options for you.

I’ve moved on from my Atomics and am hopeful my new Fischer’s will be the ones. My problem areas are a bony instep and super narrow heal.
I'm planning on trying the Tecnica if it's in stock, I don't think the Atomic is available locally in my size unfortunately. My previous boots were Mach 1's, but I didn't love them - the flex felt like brick wall when it was cold and that was only the 95 flex. It'd be interesting to contrast the new version with the Nordica ProMachine though.
 

WaterGirl

Ski Diva Extraordinaire
1/16 shim too much in AT boot, one run lift served and took it out. Baby toe rubbing = no good, didn’t add much to equation. Short on mountain uphill skin and a few more lift runs All good. But it’s true a mm is a mile in a ski boot. Could help if in between sizes or packing out .....
 

MrsPlow

Ski Diva Extraordinaire
Nordica ProMachine bought and ready to start the break-in process today. Hoping it's not a case of 'to the pain' (to quote the Princess Bride) but I'm mentally preparing myself for lots of swearing and general cross-ness. Wish me luck!

In my travels around the internet, looking at reviews of various ski boot options, google helpfully suggested the related search term of 'pink ski boots'. I can't remember which ones I was searching for at the time, and to be honest, a pair of pink ski boots would be a hoot, but I thought it was telling that women's ski boots = pink ski boots...
 

MissySki

Angel Diva
Nordica ProMachine bought and ready to start the break-in process today. Hoping it's not a case of 'to the pain' (to quote the Princess Bride) but I'm mentally preparing myself for lots of swearing and general cross-ness. Wish me luck!

.

Did you end up going with a 23.5 or 24.5? Looking forward to hearing how it goes!
 

MrsPlow

Ski Diva Extraordinaire
24.5 - I can't imagine going down a size in these whereas the Salomons did feel a bit big (ie too comfy in a 24.5).
 

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