Flywalker Posted February 13, 2012 Report Share Posted February 13, 2012 My wife is in a newish pair of UPZ RC10's... the cream coloured ones. The red tongues have already been installed but she can't flex the boot as much as would be nice for anything other than gate training or going full out on groomers. l am trying hard to avoid going down the "2 pairs of boots" road as we ski too. There is a limit to our storage space. Can these things be cut up or ground out somehow to achieve a bit more flex? Bear in mind she's only 5'1" and maybe 48kgs..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ernie00 Posted February 13, 2012 Report Share Posted February 13, 2012 I changed my liner to a Scarpa thermo liner and they are feel significantly softer. So you have have an old deeluxe liner laying around you could give it a try. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keyser Soze Posted February 13, 2012 Report Share Posted February 13, 2012 We actually had a good thread about softening boots (usually geared toward softening ski boots), and I'm sure it'll be available via the Search function once the older posts become available again. For now, here's some input from skiers/snowboarders (not myself) pulled from other discussions: - Intuition Liner- Get a Booster Strap (outside the liner, inside the shell) - Remove any bolts from the spine of the boot, without forgetting to either plug the holes with plastic caps, or cover the inside with duct tape. Then we get into knife work, which isn't a reversible process. - Cut down the front of the shell: -->*I used to have a pair of Nordica Grand Prix when I raced. Since i'm not that big of a guy, but tall, I needed them to be a little softer (130 flex index). The boot fitter that did the work for me took the under tongue in the front of the shell. The was a hole about 1" or so down from the top of that piece of plastic, he took a dremmel tool and cut out a line from the top of that plastic tongue to the hole. The tongue was now split into 2 pieces, somewhat. It definitely made them a bit softer, he guessed it took them down to 115 or 120 flex index. - Cut along the dotted lines. I have pulled the following examples: -->Take the liner out of your boots. You should see a variety of dotted lines running along the cuff of the inside of the boot. Yup, you guessed it, cut here. Start with trimming the material below your second buckle to allow for more unhindered flex. -->Remove the liner from the shell. you can cut out a small triangle on the back cuff of the shell to soften it. (shell might have dotted lines on the back. make a V that is 2-3cm wide and 5cm deep. drill a 5mm hole at the bottom of the "V" to prevent cracking.) -->if you do decide to cut the v out of the back, it is really easy to do. start with the small v first. Heat the shell up with a heat gun, it will get really soft. then use a razor blaze and it should slice through really easy and give you a precise cut every time. -->As for cutting, a v-cut works in solly's, and in most it is inscribed with a dotted line. Heat it up with a heat gun and cut with a knife. Put a screw driver behind the place you are cutting so you don't cut in the outer shell. However: -->I would not follow the advice in that thread. Cutting a v in the back of the boot is old (mid 90's) Proper way to soften boots since 2000 (because of the new design of boots and skis) is to take the up cuff off the boot and extend the v cuts on the sides of the boots. I do this at least 20 times a winter. DONT CUT A V IN THE BACK OF THE BOOT!! I also came across this: - v or u notching the inside & outside walls of the lower cuff shell. when done, place boots side-by-side & place a rod in the notches to ensure they are even/level (avoid hockey stick style cuts) -->Ditto on this. Race boots should have the side u notches. The v cuts on the back are old school and not really the way boots should be cut down because you do not want to lose the progression on the flex. I would also not cut away the front as that can hammer your shins. I have scene this done and people then complain of shin bang. Please note that I have never cut boots myself. I would recommend that you go and get any modifications done by a professional. I've attempted to attach images, but I'm having trouble. I've uploaded them elsewhere instead... http://i44.tinypic.com/30w86eo.jpg http://i43.tinypic.com/9r5awz.jpg http://i42.tinypic.com/dzyql1.jpg http://i43.tinypic.com/23k57v7.jpg Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
queequeg Posted February 13, 2012 Report Share Posted February 13, 2012 http://i44.tinypic.com/30w86eo.jpg http://i43.tinypic.com/9r5awz.jpg http://i42.tinypic.com/dzyql1.jpg http://i43.tinypic.com/23k57v7.jpg None of those boots resemble the UPZ shells at all. I don't see much opportunity for softening the UPZ, aside from putting them in walk mode, and possibly taking a dremel tool to the tongue to thin out the plastic a bit. UPZ's have pretty soft flex to begin with IMO. If your wife is finding them too stiff, I would consider: 1. A softer liner, such as the Intuition Godiva, or possibly the Dalbello ID Thermo Storm. 2. Dremeling out the thickness of the tongue, to reduce resistance. 3. Riding in walk mode, or sourcing lower-rated springs to replace the stock springs in the lean mechanism. (note: riding in walk mode can be hazardous to your ankles). If you look at the RC-10 shell, the cuff is designed to rock back and fourth quite freely absent the resistance from the lean mechanism, tongue and liner. Also: make sure that you have your forward lean mechanisms set at the right stops. If they are not, you will encounter the end of the lean mechanism's range of motion too early, and the boot will seem stiffer than it actually is. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keyser Soze Posted February 13, 2012 Report Share Posted February 13, 2012 None of those boots resemble the UPZ shells at all. Yeah, sorry. I've never ridden UPZ, just trying to share some of the boot softening info. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
queequeg Posted February 13, 2012 Report Share Posted February 13, 2012 Yeah, sorry. I've never ridden UPZ, just trying to share some of the boot softening info. No worries dude :) I was just clarifying for information's sake. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
michael.a Posted February 13, 2012 Report Share Posted February 13, 2012 Easy. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dingbat Posted February 14, 2012 Report Share Posted February 14, 2012 How tight does she have to buckle the cuffs? I've been trying out a pair of RC-10s and notice a huge difference in the cuff flex depending on what notch I put the cuff buckles in. The boots I'm in have a thermoflex liner. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flywalker Posted February 14, 2012 Author Report Share Posted February 14, 2012 I haven't watched her do up the boots but l will definitely note which notch she uses next ride. So the key here is to barely have them done up? She does have really strong legs/calves so it isn't a power thing. She skis like a demon in Lange boots which aren't known for being soft. The original liner is in there now however l may look at those thermoflex/intuition liners to remove the stiff liner tongue from the equation. Good tip... thank you! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kitu Posted February 14, 2012 Report Share Posted February 14, 2012 Here's the link to Arnaud's ACSS (seen on the benttech's pictures, mine is just a bit different, so no picture attaced).. http://www.extremecarving.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=8405&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=0 That ACSS + Booster strap + Conformable Foam Liner works like a dream - for me on UPZ RSV or something (Virus labeled). Removed all the shin bang, and using hard tongue (so I didn't want really soft, and 88kg's).. First phase was Booster Strap with a tongue raising mod (pictures attached of the bootster strap and it's related tongue mods), helped a little on the shin bang. Second Phase was Conformable Foam Liners with shell modifications on a local bootfitter to get it properly fitted on the ankle section, removed the shin bang totally and feels like slippery without any foot movement, except on toes section (must find out the foam liners for my skiing boot also :)) Last phase was modding with springs of different hardness with ACSS, default spings were too soft for me, but the original spring system a lot too restrictive on movement, but good for racing. With soft springs and with soft tongue (red) I think that the combination can be tweaked to rather soft. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
piusthedrcarve Posted February 14, 2012 Report Share Posted February 14, 2012 Easy. :) Mine as well. Now I'm using Blue springs but if snow get harden, I use red springs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gtanner Posted February 14, 2012 Report Share Posted February 14, 2012 Where do you get these BTS-like assemblies for UPZ? Do you find it's a big difference from the original ride-walk modes? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
piusthedrcarve Posted February 14, 2012 Report Share Posted February 14, 2012 Where do you get these BTS-like assemblies for UPZ? Extremecarving.com's Arnaud has them. Oh he is also BOL member too. PM him and ask for ACSS. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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