SIA 2017: Reports from the Floor

[Erik Timmerman]

@epic, can you elaborate on ""really nice"? How do they compare to, say a lace-up liner or a Zip-fit?

The ones I saw are lace-ups. They are full leather. Looked nicer than a zip-fit to me construction wise. Felt as good as the Dobie liners I've been using for years. The best ones aren't in all of the boots, but they go down to at least the 140 and 130 Vacuums. Not sure what happens after that.

 

[Monique]

The issues with the walk feature have plagued high end boots since they have come out...Maybe it is unrealistic to expect to much versatility out of a 130 flex boot?

I knew it! I commented to my fitter about associating walk mode with intermediate alpine boots, and he said not necessarily. But it sounds like I'm not totally off base.

 

[Muleski]

Nordica and technica are the same boot Lange and Rossi are the same boot Head has their boot, Salomon has their boot (which is also painted for SOME people like an Atomic) and there is an Atomic boot. Right @Muleski ? LOL

Rumor has it.....been going on for a long time. One of my friends was really excited to be hired by Lange to support Tomba. Quickly learned that a key part of his job was to spray paint a couple pair of Tomba's older shells to the current look. Also replace the buckles and other "signage." I think a lot of it is at least within the same family these days......haha!

 

[Muleski]

The issues with the walk feature have plagued high end boots since they have come out...Maybe it is unrealistic to expect to much versatility out of a 130 flex boot?

I tried the Strider on, it will go head to head with the Cochise and there is some sibling rivalry there

Thanks. My impression was that it was problematic for some, significantly, and not at all for others. The Cochise issues are the ones that I hope get resolved. I also sort of hope that the STRider is a bit different. Would not really be interested, myself, in actually touring in either.

Look forward to it. Try to pace yourselves and have fun!

 

[Brian Finch]

Plug boots change less than race bindings. Nordica is bringing a new GP boot in with a 140 flex...
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@Philpug what's the thinking behind a 140 consumer race boot? Keeping up w Lange?

 

[markojp]

...and Head. It's like the whole 98 and 100 thing with skis.

 

[markojp]

Any chance you can keep your eyes open for powder skis longer than 195cm? That would suite my niche

196 Bodacious.. A reissue of v1.0, I can't imagine anyone not an NFL defensive tackle who happens to be a ripping good skier complaining 'not enough!'

 

[Carl Kuck]

Seen any wicked awesome tie-dye jackets?

 

[Alexzn]

196 Bodacious..

 

[neonorchid]

Nordica and technica are the same boot Lange and Rossi are the same boot Head has their boot, Salomon has their boot (which is also painted for SOME people like an Atomic) and there is an Atomic boot. Right @Muleski ? LOL

I knew about Solomon/Atomic, not Nordica/Technica. Regardless, my hobbit feet toes fit the Solomon X-Max and Nordica Speedmachine boots I have (or had), out of the box without modification. A rarity for me. Most fit my metatarsals fine and push either my pinky toe and or big toe inwards. I have never been able to fit my toes in Atomic or Technica boots. Not even the new '17 Cochise boot @Brian Finch said allowed for toe splay like a minimalist trail running shoe. Which it does if we are talking about letting the metatarsals stretch out. They have a bump out at the little toe metatarsal (where I don't need it), then taper to a cone from there and still push my pinky toe inward:\

 

[Bill Talbot]

A touring Pivot? There is less chance that than a Pivot 15.

Did someone say LOOK Pivot 15?

 

[James]

I'm actually interested to know from shop people there how many shops hate Look Pivots. Basically because of the stupid adjustment I guess. When the instructions say "wiggle", clearly it's not precise but a black art. Anyway, I got an earful when I went to get a binding check. Is this hatred common?

 

[Tom K.]

Any chance you can keep your eyes open for powder skis longer than 195cm? That would suite my niche

I saw a Fischer Ranger 108 in 202 today on the JH tram.

Pretty sure it was a 108. Positive it was 202.

 

[Josh Matta]

202cm Fisher 108s do actually exist.

 

[Andy Mink]

Also interested to hear what the inside talk as about the Tecnica Cochise boots and what changes may have been made to the 130, after this first year. Seems like they had some issues to work through, at least with some of them.

What was up with the Cochise 130's? I just got a pair and so far like them. The one has been stretched some by @Philpug to try and relieve some of the pressure induced numbness in my right forefoot.

 

[Brian Finch]

I knew about Solomon/Atomic, not Nordica/Technica. Regardless, my hobbit feet toes fit the Solomon X-Max and Nordica Speedmachine boots I have (or had), out of the box without modification. A rarity for me. Most fit my metatarsals fine and push either my pinky toe and or big toe inwards. I have never been able to fit my toes in Atomic or Technica boots. Not even the new '17 Cochise boot @Brian Finch said allowed for toe splay like a minimalist trail running shoe. Which it does if we are talking about letting the metatarsals stretch out. They have a bump out at the little toe metatarsal (where I don't need it), then taper to a cone from there and still push my pinky toe inward:\

Yeah... it's a very long/tall toe box, but it does not let you splay that way an Altra or VivoBarefoot shoe would. Shown next to a Dobermann for comparison.

 

[Brian Finch]

202cm Fisher 108s do actually exist.

Paging @epic can you bring us a set to Stratton?!!

 

[Philpug]

What was up with the Cochise 130's? I just got a pair and so far like them. The one has been stretched some by @Philpug to try and relieve some of the pressure induced numbness in my right forefoot.

There have been some issues with the walk feature..with more aggressive skiers..you should be fine.

 

[Andy Mink]

There have been some issues with the walk feature..with more aggressive skiers..you should be fine.

Yeah, I don't think it'll be a problem!

 

[Muleski]

What was up with the Cochise 130's? I just got a pair and so far like them. The one has been stretched some by @Philpug to try and relieve some of the pressure induced numbness in my right forefoot.

I know that there have been issues with the boots refusing to stay iin ski mode. You'd flex forward, and they would pop into walk mode. I had heard about it, but two friends of mine have recently gone through it. Theirs are apparently some of the first made, and one has had them quickly replaced by his dealer. The other is waiting for his to arrive, and has been assured it would be quick. I was wondering if there was a redesign of that component on the way from Tecnica readily admits it was a problem. Maybe they feel they have it right. These guys liked the boot on general, a lot, but that problem made them unskiable and I think it showed up fast. It was not repair, it was replace.

One of my friends is a dealer and he seems to think the newer ones have a better alignment of the mechanism. My kids both sports a lot of alpine time in Scarpa Freedom RS and SL's and never pop loose. That boot has a pretty burly mechanism. And it is an AT boot with an alpine bias, I'd say.

Maybe the general concept is asking a boot to do too much?

Edit: re the Cochise, the two guys are big, young, very aggressive skiers. Hard on everything. And everybody seems to think "early model" issues only.