Tecnica boot flex opinions?

[floatingyardsale]

So I have been fighting my current boots (Salomon X Pro 80s) a lot this season. The fit is getting sloppy in the midfoot and heel but I also feel like I am crushing the boot, especially on warm days. I can get them to work but I'm scouting their replacement and there are tasty deals.

Anyhow.... Tried on a Technica Mach 1 LV 115 in my usual 24.5 and it was kind of astonishing how well it fit. Firm everywhere but no pinching. Could flex it in the warm shop. Decided an impulse boot buy was dumb.... But...

I know flex numbers aren't consistent between brands but is it insane for an intermediate skier (165cm, 60kg +/- cookies, more fit/strong than skilled) to consider something that high?

Please tell me yes so I don't go hunt these down on sale.

 

[chasinghorizons]

No

I may be biased. But I'd personally rather grow into a stiffer boot than be held back by a soft boot. If you're a strong skier and have a good forward stance, I think you'll appreciate the higher flex as you progress.

 

[floatingyardsale]

I wind up in the backseat more than I'd like (especially in bad light), but I do get a lot of days per year.

 

[newboots]

You're about my size (+/- chocolate). I tried a Salomon S/Pro 100 and a Nordica Pro Machine 95. I was happy in both (trying on) - the bootfitter wants me in the Nordicas, but for the shape of the boot, not the flex. He was happy with an 85 or a 95 flex in the Nordicas.

I'm 68, and probably not as strong as most of the women here. The strength of your legs (and probably most importantly, your core) is also a factor.

A boot salesman said to me, we need to pressure the boot, but not necessarily to flex it. I dunno - I took it with a grain of salt.

 

[chasinghorizons]

I wind up in the backseat more than I'd like (especially in bad light), but I do get a lot of days per year.

*Shrug* I'm no boot fitter. But I went into a Tecnica Mach1 LV 95 flex as an intermediate (with backseat issues too) and had no regrets (except the one time I tried putting them on in a cold parking lot without warming them up first...). I'm 5'1" and 110 lbs +/- ice cream - not sure how that correlates, but 115 flex at your stats seems totally reasonable to me. On warm days, I think about 105 flex boots too (plus the Tecnica 105 is really pretty this year...) :3

Have you tried on the less stiff versions of the Mach 1? Did they not feel as good?

 

[AJM]

Sounds good to me, I have the same boot but a 95 flex. I'd say with your stats you'd be fine, you can always take the bolt out of the back to soften the flex a bit if you need to. x

 

[floatingyardsale]

*Shrug* I'm no boot fitter. But I went into a Tecnica Mach1 LV 95 flex as an intermediate (with backseat issues too) and had no regrets (except the one time I tried putting them on in a cold parking lot without warming them up first...). I'm 5'1" and 110 lbs +/- ice cream - not sure how that correlates, but 115 flex at your stats seems totally reasonable to me. On warm days, I think about 105 flex boots too (plus the Tecnica 105 is really pretty this year...) :3

Have you tried on the less stiff versions of the Mach 1? Did they not feel as good?

They had only the one make/model in my size - it wasn't a planned shopping excursion. I tried them just to see what a 98mm last felt like!

Sounds good to me, I have the same boot but a 95 flex. I'd say with your stats you'd be fine, you can always take the bolt out of the back to soften the flex a bit if you need to. x

Wait, this is a thing? Because if it is I might just go for it - if I can soften it if it turns out to be too much on the slopes then I'm a lot less worried about the flex.

You're about my size (+/- chocolate). I tried a Salomon S/Pro 100 and a Nordica Pro Machine 95. I was happy in both (trying on) - the bootfitter wants me in the Nordicas, but for the shape of the boot, not the flex. He was happy with an 85 or a 95 flex in the Nordicas.

I'm 68, and probably not as strong as most of the women here. The strength of your legs (and probably most importantly, your core) is also a factor.

A boot salesman said to me, we need to pressure the boot, but not necessarily to flex it. I dunno - I took it with a grain of salt.

My other sport is road cycling/MTB with a preference for climbing. I'm basically all quads (though less weight training than I used to do.). Thanks for the helpful benchmark!

 

[AJM]

It sure is a thing, I've had it done on the exact same boots, I got my bootfitter to do it when I first got mine and I struggled with the flex (I'm a bit of a lightweight and strength dosent even feature in my vocabulary ) then when I got used to them I had them put the bolts back in .....easy peasy. There's other slightly more drastic options they can do to soften flex as well but I say give them a go if you loved the fit x

 

[liquidfeet]

@floatingyardsale, a good knowledgeable bootfitter can soften a boot whose flex is a problem when skiing. This fix would be permanent, as the bootfitter cut a notch in the shell to allow more forward movement of the top of the cuff. Removing a bolt is temporary and you can do it on your own.

On the other hand, if you can flex the boot in the shop, you probably will like it as it is on snow. If it really fits, go for it and go ski to see how you like it. Fit is the most important thing, and flex too high is always better than flex too low.

**How do you know this boot fits well enough that after 15 days on snow the liner won't pack out and leave your foot moving around in there? Did the bootfitter in the shop do a shell check?

 

[MrsPlow]

It sure is a thing, I've had it done on the exact same boots, I got my bootfitter to do it when I first got mine and I struggled with the flex (I'm a bit of a lightweight and strength dosent even feature in my vocabulary ) then when I got used to them I had them put the bolts back in .....easy peasy. There's other slightly more drastic options they can do to soften flex as well but I say give them a go if you loved the fit x

Same here - had both bolts removed from my 115 flex boots initially, then added 1 back in after I was starting to over-power the flex. And I've still got the option of 1 more bolt if I decide I want it.

 

[WaterGirl]

@floatingyardsale It definitely sounds like you need new boots. Sloshing around in your boot and over flexing does not lend itself to correct transmission of power to the ski.

I'm surprised no one else other than @liquidfeet has mentioned the having a fitter check the fit and other dynamics of your ankle and foot. I understand not everyone is able to access a fitter, nor are all boot sellers competent fitters. That being said, there are many more variables other than flex, including your anatomy and your foot and ankle flexibility. A boot that is firm everywhere with out pinching could be a sloppy boot in 10 days..... (although the Mach1 liners are pretty good IMHO esp in the higher flex) If a 98 is comfortable you may need a narrower boot or perhaps you could even size down to a 23.5..... It all depends on if you are wanting a recreational vs performance fit.

 

[AJM]

@floatingyardsale It definitely sounds like you need new boots. Sloshing around in your boot and over flexing does not lend itself to correct transmission of power to the ski.

I'm surprised no one else other than @liquidfeet has mentioned the having a fitter check the fit and other dynamics of your ankle and foot. I understand not everyone is able to access a fitter, nor are all boot sellers competent fitters. That being said, there are many more variables other than flex, including your anatomy and your foot and ankle flexibility. A boot that is firm everywhere with out pinching could be a sloppy boot in 10 days..... (although the Mach1 liners are pretty good IMHO esp in the higher flex) If a 98 is comfortable you may need a narrower boot or perhaps you could even size down to a 23.5..... It all depends on if you are wanting a recreational vs performance fit.

I had to size down in the Mach 1's from my normal size x

 

[Iwannaski]

@floatingyardsale … fwiw, my experience when getting my boots was that the fitter did a great job matching my foot shape to the boot that worked.

BUT. He made assumptions about my preferences that I had to correct. He was going to put me in a larger shell - I asked for smaller, b/c I’ve obsessively read every boot thread here - and he was going to put me in a softer flexing boot.

I’m tall with a long leg and therefore some solid leg leverage, as well as heavier/muscular with STRONG legs. I asked him to up the flex. I literally have NO regrets. I flipping love my boots. The only thing I had to have done - which we knew I would need all along - is a cork footbed.

Not everyone who skis is as obsessive as this crew, and so I think “gen pop” tends to prefer the comfort to the control that the better fit provides.

 

[floatingyardsale]

Oh you all are great. In response to the questions: no bootfitter available. Previous bootfitter did put me in a 24.5, heat molded it, footbed.

More details: I'm a 24.5 with a supportive insole. I tried the 23.5 and the 24.5 and I can't uncurl my toes in the 23.5 - in the 24.5 they push against the front until I seat my heel. They were firm everywhere - and a little tight at the big toe joint, and I'm assuming a proper footbed will make them snugger. I'm really sensitive to any pressure on my toes due to fairly significant bunions (will need a punch or molding.)

My feet have strong but overly flexible arches. I have flexible ankles and calves.

Current boot is on a 100 last, and seems to be so big with respect to volume - I can curl my toes and raise my arch, or lift all my toes (windlass.) I think I have about 80-90 days on the boots and they seem to get soft in anything above 25 degrees, and wider as the day goes on (I'm assuming sweat.) They were bugging me last spring but I figured I'd give it another season and I've managed with some extra heel holds/sleeves.

They were supposed to be stiff enough for me to grow into a little but I think I might have? Maybe they weren't right to begin with? It's possible bootfitter saw 40-something mom who skis with her kids and figured I'd never improve. The cycling equivalent would be the mom on the hybrid bike. I bought them when I was starting to get comfortable on blues at the start of last season. Now I'm venturing into ungroomed blacks with varying amounts of success (why u hide rocks in powder) and my goal is to be able to ski all the bumpy blacks so I don't have to deal with the skied out groomers unless I want to. I still ski a lot with the kids but that's gone from bunny hill and greens to the 5yo skiing blue groomers while howling like a wolf - which means that while 2/3rds of my ski time is still with kids, I'm doing more skiing and less child wrangling.

 

[Iwannaski]

why u hide rocks in powder

Omg, rofl.

 

[SmuggsSkier]

Same here - had both bolts removed from my 115 flex boots initially, then added 1 back in after I was starting to over-power the flex. And I've still got the option of 1 more bolt if I decide I want it.

A bootfitter once told me not to remove both bolts. Of course, I've heard lots of opinions about boots.