Boot Flex

Post your questions/comments about Gear here

Boot Flex

Postby heather » Sat Dec 07, 2013 9:07 am

Do you know where I can find Harald's information about ideal boot flex? I know Harald prefers a stiffer flex but would like something for my son to read to explain the "why" stiffer is so important and why we don't want him to ski on an 80 flex as one coach is now recommending. He is 5'11" and 185 age 15. He is skiing high school and USSA. I have been searching the forum for an article and can not find.
heather
 
Posts: 1
Joined: Sat Dec 07, 2013 8:59 am

Re: Boot Flex

Postby HeluvaSkier » Sat Dec 07, 2013 10:19 am

Discipline is the refining fire by which talent becomes ability.

www.youtube.com/c/heluvaskier
User avatar
HeluvaSkier
 
Posts: 1526
Joined: Sun Oct 30, 2005 7:29 pm
Location: Western New York

Re: Boot Flex

Postby kirtland » Sat Dec 07, 2013 10:36 am

I think the article you are looking for is on Harald's Blog; http://harbskisysems.blogspot.com/ it is dated 13 July 2013.
More info here; viewtopic.php?f=1&t=4066&p=42309&hilit=boot+flex#p41573

If he needs to find out for himself and owns or has access to a pair of stiff boots (130 plus) with a Booster strap he can find out for himself, by loosening the buckles and adjusting the booster strap to adjust the flex. I think he will quickly find, he can't pressure the front of the ski at the beginning of the turn, and then recenter as effectively and will gets sore quads trying to. Keep in mind you can adjust the flex of a stiff boot, some, with the buckles and Booster strap, but you cannot make a soft boot stiffer.
kirtland
 
Posts: 183
Joined: Thu Nov 10, 2005 10:07 pm
Location: Mt. Shasta

Re: Boot Flex

Postby Max_501 » Sat Dec 07, 2013 12:03 pm

kirtland wrote:I think he will quickly find, he can't pressure the front of the ski at the beginning of the turn, and then recenter as effectively and will gets sore quads trying to.


The bold text is not a PMTS concept. We don't try to pressure the front of the ski at the beginning of the turn.
User avatar
Max_501
 
Posts: 4124
Joined: Thu Mar 10, 2005 7:39 pm

Re: Boot Flex

Postby Max_501 » Sat Dec 07, 2013 12:16 pm

heather wrote:Do you know where I can find Harald's information about ideal boot flex? I know Harald prefers a stiffer flex but would like something for my son to read to explain the "why" stiffer is so important and why we don't want him to ski on an 80 flex as one coach is now recommending. He is 5'11" and 185 age 15. He is skiing high school and USSA. I have been searching the forum for an article and can not find.


Heather, my racers moved to the Head Raptor 130 flex boot around 120lbs. By the end of the first year in that boot they were asking for the 150. A good 120lb racer can over flex a 130 and would absolutely crush an 80. My kids were out of the 80 flex boots before they hit 100lbs.

The article Heluva linked above is great. Here's another thread with additional information:

Important realization about ski boot flex or stiffness
User avatar
Max_501
 
Posts: 4124
Joined: Thu Mar 10, 2005 7:39 pm

Re: Boot Flex

Postby JBurke » Mon Mar 10, 2014 7:57 am

Max,
Do you have any recommendations for a brand/model of a kid's ski boot in size 18 for a 4.8 year old boy?
Skill level: This year at age 3.8, he keeps his feet together and goes straight down beginner hill (starting to get some occasional step turns).
I am looking at the Nordica Fire Arrow Team 2 for next year but want to make sure I'm not getting the wrong kind of boots.
Thanks in advance.
JB
P.S. At ages 1.8 and 2.8, he used a Nordica Nordy size 15; this year at age 3.8 he used a Nordica Super NO1 S size 16.5. I found a post asking about the adjustable Roces boot but no one had any experience with it.
JBurke
 
Posts: 21
Joined: Wed Feb 15, 2012 10:34 pm

Re: Boot Flex

Postby Max_501 » Mon Mar 10, 2014 9:10 am

JBurke wrote:Max,
Do you have any recommendations for a brand/model of a kid's ski boot in size 18 for a 4.8 year old boy?
Skill level: This year at age 3.8, he keeps his feet together and goes straight down beginner hill (starting to get some occasional step turns).
I am looking at the Nordica Fire Arrow Team 2 for next year but want to make sure I'm not getting the wrong kind of boots.
Thanks in advance.
JB
P.S. At ages 1.8 and 2.8, he used a Nordica Nordy size 15; this year at age 3.8 he used a Nordica Super NO1 S size 16.5. I found a post asking about the adjustable Roces boot but no one had any experience with it.


At that very young age with the rapid changes in foot size the Nordicas are probably fine as long as they fit well. My kids started in Rossi boots, then to Lange junior race boots, then to Head race boots. We used what fit at the time as they were constantly outgrowing the boots. Even footbeds for kids are tricky, and arguably not worth investing in, because they outgrow them so darn fast.
User avatar
Max_501
 
Posts: 4124
Joined: Thu Mar 10, 2005 7:39 pm

Re: Boot Flex

Postby JBurke » Mon Mar 10, 2014 8:36 pm

Thanks Max, I appreciate your input.
JBurke
 
Posts: 21
Joined: Wed Feb 15, 2012 10:34 pm


Return to Gear

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 12 guests

cron