New boots, Head 15/16, size?

[Eiszapfen]

Hello,

I need new boots, last season I realized that my Lange boots with flex 100 are just too soft (I'm 1,84 m, 70 kg).
I will go to a shop near me, I read that they use a foo-scanner called BootDoc, I don't know if that's worth anything...
I guess I will try the Head raptor rs 140 first, they seem to be the followers of the rs 130. Do you know if they are also fine, or is there a significant difference between those two models?
My foot size is 28 cm length and 100 mm width. My current lange boots are 28.5 mondopoint which felt fine to me, they also have a last of 100 ( is it okay?).
The new RS 140 have a last of 100 at 28.5 mondopoint. Is that okay or should I look for a narrower boot (or smaller mondopoint) ?
Are there any other boots I should short list?

Thanks for the help! Just love the forum, so much great info

[DougD]

I doubt anyone can offer specific size advice via the internet. Here's what works for me.

ALWAYS take your old boots with you when trying new ones. They are your baseline, so you can judge how any differences will affect your foot and fit.

For shell length, pull the liners, slide your foot in until your toes touch the front, then gauge the space behind your heel. 1cm or less is a race fit. ~1.5cm is a performance fit. 2cm or more is a "comfort" fit... too big for good skiing. Check this with your old boots first, so you know what you're used to, then adjust as you prefer.

For width, if the old 100mm Langes worked without big problems (except being too soft) a new 100mm Lange may be a good choice. My feet measure 1-2mm narrower than yours, but my 100mm Langes are a good fit. Lower buckles are barely buckled, just enough tension to keep them closed. No harm in trying a 97-98mm shell. A 95mm shell is likely to require a lot of shop work.

Don't know how Heads fit vs. Langes. There's more to it than length and width. Height above the instep is also critical. Only way to judge is to try them all on. Try Head on one foot and Lange on the other. Walk around. Be prepared to spend hours, it will be worth it to get it right.

As to flex, I'm smaller than you (1.78m/61kg) and Lange RX130 flex is fine for me, wouldn't want anything softer. FYI, RS130 is slightly stiffer than RX130.

As to PMTS suitability, Head and current RS/RX series Lange are both okay. Go for whichever fits best.

When you can, get to Portes du Ski in the Netherlands for a PMTS alignment, footbeds, etc. No non-PMTS shop is likely to have tge knowledge to get those right. It can make a huge difference.

[Eiszapfen]

Thats a very good idea to take my old boots with me! Thanks for the tip!
With the Lange boots I have another big problem, except from the flex. I have strong pain at the ankle joints on the inside. I had footbeds made and the pain disappeared on the left foot, but it still hurts a lot on the right side. Another customer in the ski shop which made my footbeds told me he had the same problem, but when he switched to head it was gone. He said the Lange are narrower at the ankle area than the Head boots...

I just removed the liner and it looks like I have about 2 cm of room. Also I realised that when I kick back the heel inside the empty shell, my inside ankle hits the shell wall exactly at the point where I feel the pain. Is this normal, or should the ankle not touch the shell when the liner is removed, so this boot would be the wrong one for my ankle structure?

[DougD]

Good intelligence.

Now you know that 28.5 mondopoint is the longest you'd want in that particular Lange last. You could consider shorter if you wanted a more race-like fit. Don't assume that other boots will be the same length... they may or may not be. Other models and (especially) manufacturers may differ. You should shell fit any boot in which you're interested to find the best length.

Inside ankle friction can be caused by a mismatch between the shell shape and your ankle, by over-pronation, or both. Only a qualified bootfitter can tell - and he/she can often make a boot work with correct footbeds, liners and shell modifications.

Lange's upper models are narrow at the ankle and cuff - perfect for my chicken legs, lol. Try the Heads and see if they're better, but my best advice is still to visit Portes du Ski (or Harb Ski Systems!). I've used a dozen bootfitters in 35 years. All but one got my setup wrong. I'll never buy boots, liners or footbeds from a non-PMTS shop again. For me, anything else is a waste of time and money - and it negatively impacts my skiing.

[Eiszapfen]

One day I will definitely visit a pmts shop and the camp in austria, when I'm done with university, that's for sure! Currently I can't manage to get to Rotterdam, though...
That's why I'm keen on buying a boot that is pmts compatible, so I'm able to have it set up right later. I think I read somewhere, that some improvements can also be done at the camp...
A pmts shop in the Alpes would be absolutely awesome! I would be there this season . Maybe some day, when pmts is more common, but this time will come because it simply works best.