gibbons Posted January 19, 2007 Report Share Posted January 19, 2007 I finally got my snowboard boots dialed in. I have UPZs, and they just didn't feel as "good" as my Tecnica Icon Carbon ski boots. And for you UPZ haters out there, I had thermofit Raichles, and they fit about as unsatisfyingly. In my humble mechanical engineer's opinion, having skied for 33 years, worked in a ski shop, and watched ski boot technology evolve, I think the spongy alpine boot liners are pretty cheesey in comparison. If you don't believe me, stop by a ski shop and marvel at a ski boot liner. Maybe that's why alpine boots cost 1/2 of what a good ski boot does. I think putting on an alpine boot feels like sticking my foot in a big marshmallow. They can be buckled down tight enough to cut off blood circulation, but still allow my foot to move around (both UPZ and Raichle). They are like a blast-from-the-past '70's Head Air boot (we called them air-head boots at the shop). Their tongue support and shin protection is non-existent. There is no defined toe box. No hard ankle L-pads. No differential padding density. No rigid contoured footbed. Blah blah blah. One day the UPZs' shin bang removed the hair and first layer of skin from my shins, just short of bleeding. I was going to go riding the next day too, which would have been a real problem. So I took the liners out of my Tecnica ski boots and stuffed them in the UPZs. Wow! What a dramatic fit difference! The stiff tongue "shells" on the Tecnica liners wrapped around my thrashed shins and perfectly distributed the pressure. I didn't even feel the previous day's damage. It was so nice to feel the heel pocket hold my heel securely down. I could wriggle my toes but still have firm hold down on my in-step. The only negative is that they are really, really hard to put on. Anyone wanna buy some size 26 UPZ thermo fitting liners? I will never use them again. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slopetool Posted January 19, 2007 Report Share Posted January 19, 2007 One of my riding buddies told me I needed a boot that had more "meat and potatoes". I've now stuffed a Raichle F1 pro liner into the shell and replaced the softer tounge with a slightly stiffer one. I love my Frankenboots! Good job, Gibbons! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blue Bird Posted January 19, 2007 Report Share Posted January 19, 2007 I tried to put the Zip Fits from my ski boots into my board boots, bummed they wouldn't work (shell volume in my Raichle 224's is to small). I agree that ski boot quality is much higher than hard boots. Ski boots do have a much larger market, boils down to supply and demand. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr D Posted January 20, 2007 Report Share Posted January 20, 2007 where does a guy buy a good ski boot liner? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blackbird Posted January 20, 2007 Report Share Posted January 20, 2007 I was thinking of doing this with my Hard shells... But liners for ski boots... well the good ones anyways are hideously expensive... good stuff Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gibbons Posted January 20, 2007 Author Report Share Posted January 20, 2007 eBay is the place for boots, there are a million. There are other places, too, like SureFoot the ski boot fitters. They have their own house brand liner that has a chemical injected bladder for a perfect fit. I like the concept of that, but I have been lucky with the fit of stock ski boots and even out-of-the-box footbeds. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blue Bird Posted January 20, 2007 Report Share Posted January 20, 2007 where does a guy buy a good ski boot liner? look for a Zip Fit dealer to start. The problem with mine is that they are silicone injected which translates into not working with any other shell. The new Zip fits are a cork material that forms to your feet each time you wear your boot. so as long as there is enough room in your boot shell to accomodate a liner, you will have a custom boot each day. If you can find a silicone injected liner they are the bomb. The problems are; -the liners will outlast your shells -as the size of your lower leg shrinks because the liners were fit for lower legs that ski 70+ days per year, they do not fit any more. I only get out 20 - 30 days anymore and being a desk jockey doesn't help to keep me in shape. If one skis/boards similar number of days per year silicone injection is the way to go. if you are not consistent in your days the cork liners or remoldable liners are the shiznit. I think that Zipfit has discontinued the silicone liners, but some dealers still have some left. The guys that fit me are pretty bummed that silicones are no longer available. A ski boot liner will definately add stiffness to any snowboard boot on the market, just know what you need. http://www.zipfit.com/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
deeluxflow Posted January 20, 2007 Report Share Posted January 20, 2007 they are a little pricey, but the foam injected liners are awesome,and while you're at it, check out custom footbeds, if you're going to drop on the liners, you might as well go the whole 9 yards. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr D Posted January 22, 2007 Report Share Posted January 22, 2007 I have two sources of custom orthotics that I get at wholesale so no worries there. I am having a set made as we speak for less than half what the bootfitter can get them for. It is a definite help to add footbeds that fit thats for sure. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
carverbob Posted January 22, 2007 Report Share Posted January 22, 2007 If you are interested in getting a well-made, heat-moldable liner, for a good price, there was a listing on eBay where a shop was selling new Tecnica liners for $70 a pair, and had 20+ pairs for sale. The listing is no longer active, but you can still contact them through e-Bay (seller ID: bbassett00) or see the completed listing 280069016662. Another option is to get one of the newer Intuition liners with the "Power Wrap", around $225, http://www.intuitionsports.com/page126.htm . The best fit, but most expensive (~$365) is to go with the full custom injection liner. Con'formable sells them through shops, and the SureFoot ones mentioned earlier in this thread are made by Con'formable. Cheers, Bob Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pow Posted January 23, 2007 Report Share Posted January 23, 2007 I agree that ski boot quality is much higher than hard boots. Ski boots do have a much larger market, boils down to supply and demand. That makes sense, except logically softboot liners would also be superior to hardboot liners... What went wrong? No softboot liner Ive found can hold a candle to my thermoflex liners. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
felix Posted January 23, 2007 Report Share Posted January 23, 2007 Hehe - did you do it after reading about it in other threads where I recommended it? If not I'm sure many others have done it before too. It's just a logical consequence you draw when skiing and boarding and those hardboots feel like a pain in the xSS Damn, why did I need to directly use the top of line ski inner boot for this, I'm getting sick of switching them back and forth. As snowboard hardboots are rather low volume (at least Raichle) you should go for a top of the line liner, they are lower volume. and the second plastic tongue (for Fischer liners this tongue is two times harder than the raichle ones) beefs up the boot Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
felix Posted January 23, 2007 Report Share Posted January 23, 2007 That makes sense, except logically softboot liners would also be superior to hardboot liners...What went wrong? No softboot liner Ive found can hold a candle to my thermoflex liners. Second that. Except for Dee Luxe softboots I've never had any that provided good comfort, its allright but once you crank up your three strap bindings they don't withold the force and become really uncomfy. Oh wait I remember my old softboots that had no innerboot, they were actually not too bad. S'pose I didn't have any proper bindings by then. Thinking of putting skiboot liners in those damn sofboots too? I just wonder how I can fit them in as I allways cut away the front part of softboot innerboots to downsize. The heelpocket of skiboots is bigger than that of softboot liners. Damn I go figure. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gibbons Posted January 23, 2007 Author Report Share Posted January 23, 2007 Felix, no, I didn't see your posts about the same topic, I just had an epiphony in frustration. I didn't want to scribe Park City Saturday, so I took the ski boot liners out to put them in my ski boots. It was a monster getting them out!!! I had to put the boot in the binding, and have my wife stand on the board so I could pull hard enough to get it out. And when we got to PC, the snow was actually pretty good except for the rocks, stumps, and bare patches. I think they turned up the churn depth on the grooming machines. The skiing was actually kinda fun again. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr D Posted January 24, 2007 Report Share Posted January 24, 2007 Second that. Except for Dee Luxe softboots I've never had any that provided good comfort, its allright but once you crank up your three strap bindings they don't withold the force and become really uncomfy. Oh wait I remember my old softboots that had no innerboot, they were actually not too bad. S'pose I didn't have any proper bindings by then.Thinking of putting skiboot liners in those damn sofboots too? I just wonder how I can fit them in as I allways cut away the front part of softboot innerboots to downsize. The heelpocket of skiboots is bigger than that of softboot liners. Damn I go figure. My raichle hardboot liners work quite well in my softboots but my softies are a little big for me. I think you'd have volume issues if the shells aren't a little big to start with. I have found the vans with the thin heatmold liners to be very comfortable softboots. I don't think most people bother to mold them but it makes a huge difference. Don't let just any body mold them they shrink easy if they get to hot. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thumper Posted January 25, 2007 Report Share Posted January 25, 2007 I had good luck with the Dalbello Gold liners. They're made by Intuition and work like a charm in the Suzuka/AF600. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.