SallyCat
Ski Diva Extraordinaire
Review: Salomon X-Max 110 W Boots , sixe 26.5
Me: 5’8” 175lbs. Very narrow feet. Orthotic: Instaprint custom footbed.
Low-to-middling intermediate returning to skiing after 20+ year hiatus. Skis in the Poconos mainly, and VT/NH occasionally. Skis: Volkl Charisma 163s.
I measure 27.5 on the brannock device, but with a 26.5 instep. I’m coming to the Salomons from a Lange RS 130 26.5 that had been toe-punched twice and aggressively cut to soften the flex. I wear ZipFit Garas (size 26). I’ve struggled with boot fit pretty significantly for someone who’s been skiing as briefly as I have.
My problem with the Langes was the flex. Despite all the softening (and there is literally no material left to cut or bolts to be removed) they were still very stiff, and when the temperature dropped into the 20s, they began to stiffen even more. Though I could flex them somewhat in a warm room, they were ice-bricks in the winter air. My calves hurt all the time and I never could achieve a balanced feeling over my feet. I felt dramatically less confident than I had the previous year, during which I’d worn a pair of ridiculously big/wide (for me) 27.5, 104mm-lasted Salomon X-Pro 80s.
Out of frustration and with a “nothing ventured, nothing gained” approach, I tried on an X-Max 90w at a resort ski shop because they were there, and because I’d heard they were a narrow fit. Well, they fit my feet shockingly well, even lengthwise. The flex of the 90 was far too soft, though, and the shop didn’t carry the 110, so I did something I’ve always sworn I wouldn’t do: I ordered the 110s on line. When they arrived, they felt just as snug as the 90s. I did a shell-fit check and had a finger-and-a-half’s space between my ankle and the shell. Everything felt good. Not cushy-comfortable, just very snug and secure.
I skied the X-Max’s all day and into the evening Sunday, January 8 and can say so far that I like them much better than the Langes, and I like them even more with the ZipFits than the stock liners. My calves weren’t painful at all, and the flex/shape/fit or whatever Jedi magic it is in these boots really made a difference in my performance. I don’t know the reason for this (as compared to the Langes) but I felt as though I could really feel where the weight on my feet was, and where it should be (thanks, Ursula!), and I could get myself stacked over my feet really easily on blue trails. I had a lot of fun and gained some confidence back. And I was comfortable all day.
So there it is: after eleven months of sturm und drang, of wasted money, of being told my feet were a “problem,” to which pseudo-race boots subjected to serial butchery were the only solution, I found a precise and comfortable fit almost literally out of the box.
Notable Fit Details:
· These boots are long: The 26.5 fit me perfectly, and I am solidly, incontrovertibly, a 27.5 on the brannock. I did not have to alter the toe area at all. (The BSL for the 26.2 X-Max is 205).
· This boot has a very low instep. I have really low-volume feet and the top-of-foot area was tight enough to diminish circulation. Once stretched a bit at home, though, they were fine.
· Grain of salt here because I’m inexperienced: I think the flex is fairly true to an “average” 110 or maybe 100? I have read that earlier incarnations of this boot were so soft as to be almost floppy. I’m a novice skier, but at the same time I bring some heft and leverage to the table, and these do not feel soft. They feel even and secure. They don’t come anywhere near collapsing, even when I bring my full weight down over a flexed ankle.
Pros:
· The power strap is positioned so as to make it easy to put it between the shell and liner, rather than over the shell (though that works, too).
· The sole plates are replaceable.
· The heat molding customization works very well, even when done at home via holding just the forefoot area over a steaming pot of water for 60 seconds and deploying some padding over the top of my foot. Tightness problem: solved.
Cons:
· The sole plates are hard plastic, and thus slippery when walking. I plan to wear my Ski Skootys boot-bottom protectors with these as much as possible.
· I read that the “custom shell fit” process may negatively alter the fit of the shell for people with very narrow feet. One reviewer recommended holding off on the whole shell-heating procedure unless absolutely necessary. Perhaps have a bootfitter spot-heat if you don’t want to compromise the overall fit.
· I experienced a bit of unwanted space and some uncomfortable rubbing in the ankle area when using the stock liners. (The ZipFits solved this, though).
Question:
Heated boot bag: yay or nay? I’m worried that routinely subjecting the plastic of the X-Max’s customizable shell to the warm bag might compromise its plastic and thus the snug fit. My understanding is that what makes Salomon's Kaprolene plastic easy to alter is its relatively low softening point when heat is applied. A heated bag would be nice for making the ZipFits easier to insert, but would it deform the boots?
Me: 5’8” 175lbs. Very narrow feet. Orthotic: Instaprint custom footbed.
Low-to-middling intermediate returning to skiing after 20+ year hiatus. Skis in the Poconos mainly, and VT/NH occasionally. Skis: Volkl Charisma 163s.
I measure 27.5 on the brannock device, but with a 26.5 instep. I’m coming to the Salomons from a Lange RS 130 26.5 that had been toe-punched twice and aggressively cut to soften the flex. I wear ZipFit Garas (size 26). I’ve struggled with boot fit pretty significantly for someone who’s been skiing as briefly as I have.
My problem with the Langes was the flex. Despite all the softening (and there is literally no material left to cut or bolts to be removed) they were still very stiff, and when the temperature dropped into the 20s, they began to stiffen even more. Though I could flex them somewhat in a warm room, they were ice-bricks in the winter air. My calves hurt all the time and I never could achieve a balanced feeling over my feet. I felt dramatically less confident than I had the previous year, during which I’d worn a pair of ridiculously big/wide (for me) 27.5, 104mm-lasted Salomon X-Pro 80s.
Out of frustration and with a “nothing ventured, nothing gained” approach, I tried on an X-Max 90w at a resort ski shop because they were there, and because I’d heard they were a narrow fit. Well, they fit my feet shockingly well, even lengthwise. The flex of the 90 was far too soft, though, and the shop didn’t carry the 110, so I did something I’ve always sworn I wouldn’t do: I ordered the 110s on line. When they arrived, they felt just as snug as the 90s. I did a shell-fit check and had a finger-and-a-half’s space between my ankle and the shell. Everything felt good. Not cushy-comfortable, just very snug and secure.
I skied the X-Max’s all day and into the evening Sunday, January 8 and can say so far that I like them much better than the Langes, and I like them even more with the ZipFits than the stock liners. My calves weren’t painful at all, and the flex/shape/fit or whatever Jedi magic it is in these boots really made a difference in my performance. I don’t know the reason for this (as compared to the Langes) but I felt as though I could really feel where the weight on my feet was, and where it should be (thanks, Ursula!), and I could get myself stacked over my feet really easily on blue trails. I had a lot of fun and gained some confidence back. And I was comfortable all day.
So there it is: after eleven months of sturm und drang, of wasted money, of being told my feet were a “problem,” to which pseudo-race boots subjected to serial butchery were the only solution, I found a precise and comfortable fit almost literally out of the box.
Notable Fit Details:
· These boots are long: The 26.5 fit me perfectly, and I am solidly, incontrovertibly, a 27.5 on the brannock. I did not have to alter the toe area at all. (The BSL for the 26.2 X-Max is 205).
· This boot has a very low instep. I have really low-volume feet and the top-of-foot area was tight enough to diminish circulation. Once stretched a bit at home, though, they were fine.
· Grain of salt here because I’m inexperienced: I think the flex is fairly true to an “average” 110 or maybe 100? I have read that earlier incarnations of this boot were so soft as to be almost floppy. I’m a novice skier, but at the same time I bring some heft and leverage to the table, and these do not feel soft. They feel even and secure. They don’t come anywhere near collapsing, even when I bring my full weight down over a flexed ankle.
Pros:
· The power strap is positioned so as to make it easy to put it between the shell and liner, rather than over the shell (though that works, too).
· The sole plates are replaceable.
· The heat molding customization works very well, even when done at home via holding just the forefoot area over a steaming pot of water for 60 seconds and deploying some padding over the top of my foot. Tightness problem: solved.
Cons:
· The sole plates are hard plastic, and thus slippery when walking. I plan to wear my Ski Skootys boot-bottom protectors with these as much as possible.
· I read that the “custom shell fit” process may negatively alter the fit of the shell for people with very narrow feet. One reviewer recommended holding off on the whole shell-heating procedure unless absolutely necessary. Perhaps have a bootfitter spot-heat if you don’t want to compromise the overall fit.
· I experienced a bit of unwanted space and some uncomfortable rubbing in the ankle area when using the stock liners. (The ZipFits solved this, though).
Question:
Heated boot bag: yay or nay? I’m worried that routinely subjecting the plastic of the X-Max’s customizable shell to the warm bag might compromise its plastic and thus the snug fit. My understanding is that what makes Salomon's Kaprolene plastic easy to alter is its relatively low softening point when heat is applied. A heated bag would be nice for making the ZipFits easier to insert, but would it deform the boots?
