Boots boots boots....

[TahoeCharlie]

I just read this entire thread and either I am "missing" something or I don't understand the initial problem - water in the boots. I am pretty sure that every overlap boot will leak if you don't tighten the lower buckles. So tighten the lower buckles and they should stop leaking - no? You seem to have done this and reduced the leakage in later posts.

They will leak because there is no "soft" gasketing material in the overlap other than across the front of the toe box. Overlap boots rely on hard plastic over hard plastic to "seal". If you don't apply pressure, by fastening the buckles, irregularities in the plastic surfaces will cause minute "gaps" that will allow water to penetrate. OTOH, It could be poor boot design of the overlapping flaps that may not seal properly or gap when flexed with the buckles open or not tightened sufficiently.

 

[Nobody]

Don't know. Ever since I gave up skiing with the two lower buckles loose or opened, an exercise I find extremely useful, the phenomenon has greatly reduced its intensity (then the use of heated bags and such devices has helped dry out completely the boots making them ready and comfy for the next skiing day). It is strange, though, since I am on the third pair of Tecnicas (TNTs, then XT17s and now the 9.8R) with the interlude of a pair of very good but not for my feet Dalbello Scorpions. In all three (the two older Tecnicas and the Scorpion) skied the same way and never experienced water as in the 9.8R. This summer I have at least one more trip planned to the bootfitter and will see what solution/bypass/analisys he will propose (meanwhile I have also managed to snap a pair of ZGGP, same measure 27.5 bsl 315 as the 9.8R, to use for freeride/short skinning skiing, can't wait for snow to come...)

 

[James]

Duct tape the overlap and the joint at the front. Then you can ski with boots loose if desired. I've noticed that on my Fischer yellow boot the tape doesn't stick well. They're not big leakers though as I tighten the buckles on those.

Besides water, taping will keep out snow and cold air. The former makes your feet cold as it melts and makes yor feet very cold. My Lange plugs used to be near intolerable even on days in the 20's. Taping made a huge difference. But I would ski them loose or unbuckled.

 

[Jilly]

Do you find that your feet sweat? Mine do, so I get moisture between the liner and the shell. In my Technica Diablo Pro's you could see the condensation. As mentioned take the liners out every time you ski and dry them out.

If you think snow is getting in...duct tape time or maybe this stuff: https://www.bootducks.com/product-details.html

 

[Nobody]

Definitely it is snow that seeps through and then melts because of the body heat (or hut heating during pauses).
Again, in all three previous boots I did not notice the phenomenon, although since Diablo and the 9.8/9.3 series share the lower shell, it.might be a thing started.then.
Oh, yes I used duct tape on the xt17, but only in the front of the boot at the joint...
No, I haven't noticed my feet sweating, well, not to such a noticeable extent, of course I take it for granted that some moisture is coming from feet perspiration, as any other part of the body is bound to do during an exercise...

 

[Tricia]

I just re-read this thread. I wonder if you've done anything extra to relieve pressure on the instep so you can buckle the boots?

 

[Nobody]

Hi Tricia, no, I haven't (substantially) modified the the boot yet, just taken notes of what might need, except to substitute the standard insoles with my old and overdue comform'able ones (that has given me a bit of extra volume in the toe area, at the cost of feeling the ft a bit relaxed) snow seepage was occuring with both .
In short:
-There hasn't been any problem with pressure on the instep when buckles were closed, I simply took the habit, many years ago, to ski the first runs of each day with the buckles loose or opened as an exercise, then to progressively tighten the buckles to reach the "optimal" for the rest of the day...
-Never had experienced snow seeping in between the boot and the liner's and subsequently melting down and soaking the liner's to the point that I noticed the feeling to the extent I am experiencing with the current 9.8r (water dripping out of the boot in the evening).
-I am on my third iteration of Tecnica ski boots (TNTs, XT17 and now the 9.8r - overlapping and alternating with the XT17 during the last years a pair of Dalbello Scorpion 130 - check my avatar on the left eheheheh)
-On the XT17s I was indeed "duct taping" the overlap section in front of the first buckle (zoom in the avatar pic, and you'll notice that the duct tape colour is orange rather than the usual grey, so not to stand out too evidently) but that is about all.
-Snow seepage had diminished since I started to buckle the boots to the normal setting (for me) since the first run of a day and never opened it unless inside a hut.
-Each evening once home I dry the boots and liner's in a heatable boot bag (acquired in 2016). Previously was using portable boot dryers (still use those in combination with the bootsbag from time to time)
-Going to vist the bootfitter to see wether it would be better to reinsert the standard insoles (against which I have nothing, except that I've been happy with my comfrom'able for the past 20+ years) or get a new custom pair (see previous comment about comform'able being 20+ y.o.) and, amongst other mods, maybe also to replace the standard velcro strap with a camlock type (boosterstrap like).
-I need to see them anyway to fit the ZGGPs I have just bought from their shop...

 

[Nobody]

Why I then did start this thread?
Out of curiosity.
All through this winter I met a few people skiing into the 9.8 series and reporting the same thing, excessive snow infiltration.into the boot and then a substantial quantity of water as a result, coming out of itat the end of the skiing day. Wanted to check wether this had been noticed on this side of the pond as well...

 

[Nobody]

Well, the new season has begun and for the first day (after a three months interval)...I had the choice to ski in the newly acquired zggp or the slightly older R9.8.
Having selected SL skis for the day, the boot choice was obvious...
The Stelvio glacier here in northern Italy is about the closest one which operates this time of the year, so there we went.
Full and busy with racing teams, instructors clinics, coach clinics and...us. I was not.there for the fum of it, obviously, rather to start up and put my body back into.the business of skiing. But here we talk boots so I will spare more details about the day and get to the point. This morning I have found on my fore shins , both legs, a double line of parallel blisters, exactly distanced the size of the velcro strap...
I suspect I tightened it toouch (haven't yet replaced it with a booster strap, which being elastic might have avoided it), or might the cause lie elsewhere?

P.s. kept closed the lower buckle all time except at lunch inside the restaurant, no water in the boot...

 

[Pat AKA mustski]

I am glad to hear that your water in the boots problem was solved. I've never experienced that with any of my boots. I have to say, I think I would take them back if they leaked. I have enough problems without adding wet feet. I always loosen my buckles in the maze. I do tighten them down for skiing though.

 

[CalG]

Never turn your boots upside down to drain out the water, It is so defeating.
Better to be Fat, Dumb and Happy (even with wet feet) than to be aware of just why your feet feel frozen in ice cubes.

Or, Keep the water out, dry your boot's when you are not in them. Dry and warm beats cold and wet every time!