HEAD vs HEAD...

[Marek]

I am on the ski boots market now, need something 95 mm wide. Head is on my short list, so, how 2008 HEAD Raptor B3 RD ( dark grey one ) differs, in terms of stance, geometry, build etc, from its latest incarnation: 2014 B3 RD ( white one ), both 130 flex ind.
I can buy that 2008 gray for about 100$ plus shipping and 2014 white for 330$.
Is that new white model worth spending 200$ more?

[jbotti]

In the newer version they have made some modifications that make it easier to get in and out of the boot. Other than that the boots are pretty similar.

[Marek]

Thanks J.
I have had not an opportunity to ski Raptors RD, even wear them on, but skied Raptors RS 115, mondo 235 (my wife's gear, we have similar foots), they are 98 mm wide and felt too loose for me (around ankles and in forefoot area), even wearing my ZipFits WC. Hope that shells mold of both, RS and RD are pretty similar, end tighter rd will fit me just right.

[Mac]

I would be wary about the older gray colored RD's. I had a similar experience, had a chance to pick up a pair on the cheap. They were hard to get on and off, and that's when they were warm.
When they were cold, they were like a block of granite. I was told by a shop guy that there was something about the grey colored material that made them less pliable than the others, but I don't know if there's any truth to that. But $330 for a pair of last year's white model is a pretty sweet deal. If it was me, that's the direction I would go in.

[Marek]

Thanks for warning Mac!
This is from HH post:
["...In the past years Diana has moved from Dolomite to Dalbello and now she's in a head RD 150 World Cup. Every time we made a boot change, the boots got stiffer and narrower, both laterally and fore/aft.
We know Diana has improved her performance. It is based partially on boots, mental attitude and also technique. Stiffer, tighter boots have made the difference for her mechanically, because she has a very loosely constructed foot, what we call a pronating foot..."]

Excessive pronation is my problem also, and wondering if going stiffer ( even up to 150 ) will help cure my stance issues...? From the other side I am only 5'4" tall and weigh 130lbs, so this is very compact build and I am not Diana's level skier...in the past years I moved from 110,120 to 130.

[ToddW]

Harald posted his views on 150 raptors back in 2008 in response to a question from MonsterMan. Google query site:pmts.org fingers of steel

Personally, I like the 150 raptor, but you'll need to work with a bootfitter more than once to get them dialed in. By virtue of their greater stiffness, they exhibit minor alignment or fitting issues on snow that a 130 might hide. [In case you're wondering, they're not scary stiff ... just the next step up from the 130]