I found carving of softboots really difficult, but really easy and comfortable on hardboots. I doubt I could now carve in softboots even.
I say start straight in hardboots. Why not? They're more natural, more comfortable, easier to carve.
Me and 4 other people I rode with all had RC10 (one was a girl and she had RC8). We all had similar experience to you, and all got new liners. Mine are Palau overlap hard from carver.si