2011/2012 UPZ Boots

[teach]

Now I understand why my Yak-Trax are a loose fit. I used the 324mm length, but now I see that's only with the DIN heel, way too long with the snowboard heel. Anyway, they have been working really well--if you get them seated in the heel ledge they stay on. (Yes, they're the Ski-Trax. )

[scrutton]

I use the small size YakTrax SkiTrax on my 287mm (25.5/26/26.5) RC10s. These worked fine at first, but started to fall off all the time, which annoyed me greatly. I found the X-small size on a closeout, but these require lots of stretching to put on, almost too much.

Small size SkiTRAX made by YakTrax fit my mondo 28 UPZ's great. Just did a test-fit, and they couldn't fit better. I used the sizing chart on their website to select my fit.

[Corey]

I end up walking around in my boots a lot at SES so I was rapidly wearing out my Fintec heels and UPZ toe pieces, not to mention the frequent slips due to the hard plastic soles. I got a set of the SkiTrax in size small for my 27 boots - they fit great and snug. But they fell off within 100' of my condo. I think it's because the UPZ sole is already rockered, so the toe cup distorts and falls off easily.

I got a bike spoke from a local shop, cut it to just fit width-wise in the toe cup, and bent it to fit the contour of the pocket. Then I punched a hole with a typical single hole paper punch in the center of the toe pocket. A shoelace passed through the hole to pull on the spoke, a couple of knots higher up slid under the toothed portion of the toe-buckle, locking it up and on the toe of the boot. The spoke is just to transfer the load to the entire width of the toe pocket instead of just a shoelace pulling in one little spot. That withstood even some light running for buses without falling off. The only time one came off was when I pivoted on my toes on carpet to turn around when I forgot something.

The SkiTrax are REALLY nice to walk in compared to UPZ with Fintecs, they are squishy like tennis shoes under your boots.

Also, don't trust the "find a dealer" on the YakTrax site. The three shops that were listed as dealers in Aspen had no idea what I was talking about. I found them in some other random shop.

Edited February 14, 2012 by corey_dyck

[dingbat]

Rather than start a new thread, .......

UPZ shell size thread.

There's a chart down the bottom of the thread. I ended up in a 287mm shell with 26.5ish feet in a fairly thin thermo liner. I need to get the toes punched out though.

[Corey]

I got a bike spoke from a local shop, cut it to just fit width-wise in the toe cup, and bent it to fit the contour of the pocket. Then I punched a hole with a typical single hole paper punch in the center of the toe pocket. A shoelace passed through the hole to pull on the spoke, a couple of knots higher up slid under the toothed portion of the toe-buckle, locking it up and on the toe of the boot. The spoke is just to transfer the load to the entire width of the toe pocket instead of just a shoelace pulling in one little spot.

Pictures added:

[Allee]

II got a bike spoke from a local shop, cut it to just fit width-wise in the toe cup, and bent it to fit the contour of the pocket. Then I punched a hole with a typical single hole paper punch in the center of the toe pocket. A shoelace passed through the hole to pull on the spoke, a couple of knots higher up slid under the toothed portion of the toe-buckle, locking it up and on the toe of the boot. The spoke is just to transfer the load to the entire width of the toe pocket instead of just a shoelace pulling in one little spot. That withstood even some light running for buses without falling off. The only time one came off was when I pivoted on my toes on carpet to turn around when I forgot something.

You know how I know you're an engineer? :)

[Corey]

Weird - my wife said something similar. ;)

[Puddy Tat]

the newer upz boots have a different cant plate at the hinge point. Then my 08 rtr's. Does this change the flex direction, like assm.?

old ones have the screw in the center.

Didn't see this comment a year ago. It's to make it easier to adjust the cuff canting for bow legged (me) or knock knee types. With the RTRs you had to drill the shell to adjust the canting now you just need to adjust the angle of that disc.

Dave

[Surf Quebec]

What are the main differences between the current model RC-10 and the UPZ of 6 years ago , I'm thinking buying a pair from a local guy, they're red UPZ , it's written RSV on the side.

[Puddy Tat]

I think the RSV's might be even older than six years old. The RSV's were the predecessor to the RTRs which are the predecessor to today's RC-10s.

I've only seen pictures of the RSVs red with grey tongue (and I saw one person riding them) but from comments on here I'd say they were stiffer and they may have had a poorer quality liner than the flo-liner used in the RTRs and RC-10s.

Dave

Edit: the toe ledge may have also changed between the RTRS and RC10. I think I saw a picture in one of the t-nut or not to t-nut threads.

[Aracan]

I sold a pair of RSVs once because they were too small. I am pretty sure I wasn't a father then, so that definitely makes them older than six years :)

They were also somewhat rust-prone (especially the rivets that kept on the buckles), they were very stiff, and the liners, while marketed as "Flo liners", were crap compared to the current ones. Don't get me wrong - I love my UPZs, but they have come a long way since the RSV. The only things they have in common are the overall shape and the forward lean system (which is not all it could be, if you ask me).