boots dilema
 

Hello!
I have a question concerning these boots:
1) Nordica Smartech 8 (flex 70)
2) Salomon Performa 6.0 (flex 80)
3) Salomon Evolution2 7.0 (flex 70)
I have to choose one of them and I can't make up my minds. My feelings
about comfort are similar and prices are the same.
What would you choose if you were me?

Greetings.
Lukas

lal_truckee wrote:
NOTHING!?!?!?
Looks like another instance of the dreaded "empty post!" Anyway,
repeating myself ...

£ukaszZa³uga wrote:

Hello!
I have a question concerning these boots:
1) Nordica Smartech 8 (flex 70)
2) Salomon Performa 6.0 (flex 80)
3) Salomon Evolution2 7.0 (flex 70)
I have to choose one of them and I can't make up my minds. My feelings
about comfort are similar and prices are the same.
What would you choose if you were me?


1) Why do you "have to choose one of them" from such a limited
selection? Sounds like you're getting jerked around by a poor shop into
buying something they have on the shelf. DON'T. There is a very large
selection of boot brands out there (often at much better equivalent
prices than these two highly advertised two brands) that each fit a
slightly different foot better.

The boot process is:
first find the brand line that fits your foot best;
second find the model in that line that fits your skill level;
third tweek the final selection to perfection.

All the above is much easier with the aid of a good bootfitter (I'm
tempted to say impossible for the newbie, without the aid of a good
bootfitter.)

Finally, forget gizmos such as walk settings, etc: all bull****. You
don't walk in ski boots, you ski in ski boots. Get a properly designed 4
buckle plain vanilla boot.

On 2004-01-12, lal_truckee penned:

1) Why do you "have to choose one of them" from such a limited
selection? Sounds like you're getting jerked around by a poor shop
into buying something they have on the shelf. DON'T. There is a very
large selection of boot brands out there (often at much better
equivalent prices than these two highly advertised two brands) that
each fit a slightly different foot better.

The boot process is: first find the brand line that fits your foot
best; second find the model in that line that fits your skill level;
third tweek the final selection to perfection.

All the above is much easier with the aid of a good bootfitter (I'm
tempted to say impossible for the newbie, without the aid of a good
bootfitter.)

Finally, forget gizmos such as walk settings, etc: all bull****. You
don't walk in ski boots, you ski in ski boots. Get a properly designed
4 buckle plain vanilla boot.


I agree with all of the above, except that I do have to say that I love
the "walk" setting on my boots. It's not a deal-breaker for me or
anything, but it sure is nice to be able to straighten out my legs when
clomping around the lodge, hoofing it back to the car, etc.

--
monique

lal_truckee wrote:

lal_truckee wrote:

Finally, forget gizmos such as walk settings, etc: all bull****. You
don't walk in ski boots, you ski in ski boots. Get a properly designed 4
buckle plain vanilla boot.

What about some other features like canting adjustment, flex
adjustment, forward lean etc? Heat-molded footbeds? Heel lifts?

Worthless gizmos, or useful features? Enquiring minds want to know....

--
//-Walt
//
//

On 2004-01-12, Walt penned:
lal_truckee wrote:

lal_truckee wrote:

Finally, forget gizmos such as walk settings, etc: all bull****. You
don't walk in ski boots, you ski in ski boots. Get a properly
designed 4 buckle plain vanilla boot.

What about some other features like canting adjustment, flex
adjustment, forward lean etc? Heat-molded footbeds? Heel lifts?

Worthless gizmos, or useful features? Enquiring minds want to
know....


I have a little slider that is supposed to adjust the flex.
It sucks. No matter where I set it, snow always packs into it and
pushes it to the same setting.

I have custom footbeds, and I really do like them. I've had them so
long, though, that I can't remember what it was that they fixed.


--
monique

Walt wrote:

lal_truckee wrote:

lal_truckee wrote:


Finally, forget gizmos such as walk settings, etc: all bull****. You
don't walk in ski boots, you ski in ski boots. Get a properly designed 4
buckle plain vanilla boot.


What about some other features like canting adjustment, flex
adjustment, forward lean etc? Heat-molded footbeds? Heel lifts?

Worthless gizmos, or useful features? Enquiring minds want to know....

You want opinions? I've got opinions. What I don't have is knowledge, so
take my opinions with a bottle of good beer with which to wash the
appropriate grain of salt down.

The walk feature requires that they deliberately figure out how to
remove rear support and then try to "latch" it back in - always results
in a compromise, IMO. Think "rear entry" crapola boots. Think
"mid-entry" crapola boots. Hell, think "soft" boots, the newest version
of crapola "rear entry" boots.

The canting adjustment feature doesn't adjust cant - it adjusts leg
shaft angle - can be usefull, but true canting is better, IMO.

Flex is part of the shell - an adjustment means the shell is inherently
weak, and they will try to stiffen it by an adjustable spring somewhere
near the heel, all the way around the boot from where the flex is
applied (by the shin) - always results in a compromise IMO. (Each
manufacturer makes several boots in a "race" line, mainly with different
flexes. That's the way to go.)

Forward lean feature depends on how it is achieved - no inherent lean,
with a lock where you want the lean, results in a weak shell - see flex
comments; inherent lean adjusted by shims can work well, IMO.

Heat molded footbeds are excellent or crap: depends on who makes them;
but they need to be part of the fitting process and not as after market,
since they affect fit hugely.

Heel lifts are often used in changing fit; maybe means the fit is wrong?
Ask a bootfitter.

Walt wrote in message ...
lal_truckee wrote:

lal_truckee wrote:

Finally, forget gizmos such as walk settings, etc: all bull****. You
don't walk in ski boots, you ski in ski boots. Get a properly designed 4
buckle plain vanilla boot.

What about some other features like canting adjustment, flex
adjustment, forward lean etc? Heat-molded footbeds? Heel lifts?

Worthless gizmos, or useful features? Enquiring minds want to know....


Those "gizmos" are only as good as the bootfitter who helps you set
the boots up for effective skiing.

"Monique Y. Herman" wrote in message
...

I agree with all of the above, except that I do have to say that I love
the "walk" setting on my boots. It's not a deal-breaker for me or
anything, but it sure is nice to be able to straighten out my legs when
clomping around the lodge, hoofing it back to the car, etc.

The walk feature is something you will use less and less as you ski on them
more and more. Eventually you will find yourself walking spastically across
the room unless you have your boots on -and locked in the ski position of
course :-) By the way Monique did you get new boots or get the old ones
reworked?

F. Plant

I just purchased the Salomon Performa 7.0, which was based on much
research and trying them on. I was originally going to go with either
a different Salomon or Technica Boot, based strictly on research, but
once I tried them on, the Salomon Performa 7.0 fit the best. I also
read reviews from the various Ski Magazines, and talked with store
staff. Go with ability and fit first, then gadgets last. Good luck!!!

"£ukasz Za³uga" wrote in message ...
Hello!
I have a question concerning these boots:
1) Nordica Smartech 8 (flex 70)
2) Salomon Performa 6.0 (flex 80)
3) Salomon Evolution2 7.0 (flex 70)
I have to choose one of them and I can't make up my minds. My feelings
about comfort are similar and prices are the same.
What would you choose if you were me?

Greetings.
Lukas