Looking to find the Lowest Volume 100-110 Flex Race Boot

[AmyPJ]

Update: (I've received several messages that were very encouraging that my silly thread has helped some women get into a narrower boot ) I took the boots to Park City to a fitter recommended by a few folks and after a not-very-thorough assessment, he determined I needed to be canted 2 degrees out on my right side. I couldn't ski! I was devastated--my new boots were ruined. My husband and I created a 2mm-ish duct tape shim to get them back level. Spent the weekend in Sun Valley this weekend. On Friday, I was just struggling so we did two runs then trekked to Sturtevant's in Ketchum to see if they had any ideas on how to fix the cant. Well, I struck gold. The fitter who was there (Matt) knew what he was doing. I could tell after asking him a few questions about hypermobility and excess dorsiflexion and his first comment was he wanted to "gas pedal" me inside the boot. YES. We then looked at my flexion just standing and I was overflexed, so we stood the cuff up to 16 degrees but left the spoiler. Then he went on to check cuffs and alignment.

All these years, I have been canted OUT on my right side to some degree or another or at the very least, left flat. I needed to be IN by 1 degree! (It worked!) Then the creative minds began to work on how to not only level the cant from 2 degrees OUT, but to add another degree IN. He didn't have any 3 degree canting plates that would fit my boot, but he had a 1 degree. So, we did the 1 degree, re-used the duct tape cants but on the other side, and voila, at least until we can find a more permanent solution. Bonus is that Pete, the guru fitter there, came in while we were working on things and verified that yes, in fact, I needed to be in one degree and could even go with 1.5. He routered them then sent me out the door.

Unbelievable. All these years when I have said that my turns feel so uneven, like I am skiing on two totally different bodies, only to find out by a chance lucky encounter that I needed to be canted in the opposite direction. My turns felt so much more symmetrical. I also removed the spoiler as it just didn't feel right with the gas pedals on the boot board, and I was so much better stacked.

I haven't even looked at the gas pedals. I'll have to pull them out and get some pictures. They do feel a little round under my met heads, but this helps spread my toes out and increase circulation. Now I have my work cut out for me getting rid of all the bad defensive habits I have developed over the years.

 

[James]

Update: (I've received several messages that were very encouraging that my silly thread has helped some women get into a narrower boot ) I took the boots to Park City to a fitter recommended by a few folks and after a not-very-thorough assessment, he determined I needed to be canted 2 degrees out on my right side. I couldn't ski! I was devastated--my new boots were ruined. My husband and I created a 2mm-ish duct tape shim to get them back level. Spent the weekend in Sun Valley this weekend. On Friday, I was just struggling so we did two runs then trekked to Sturtevant's in Ketchum to see if they had any ideas on how to fix the cant. Well, I struck gold. The fitter who was there (Matt) knew what he was doing. I could tell after asking him a few questions about hypermobility and excess dorsiflexion and his first comment was he wanted to "gas pedal" me inside the boot. YES. We then looked at my flexion just standing and I was overflexed, so we stood the cuff up to 16 degrees but left the spoiler. Then he went on to check cuffs and alignment.

All these years, I have been canted OUT on my right side to some degree or another or at the very least, left flat. I needed to be IN by 1 degree! (It worked!) Then the creative minds began to work on how to not only level the cant from 2 degrees OUT, but to add another degree IN. He didn't have any 3 degree canting plates that would fit my boot, but he had a 1 degree. So, we did the 1 degree, re-used the duct tape cants but on the other side, and voila, at least until we can find a more permanent solution. Bonus is that Pete, the guru fitter there, came in while we were working on things and verified that yes, in fact, I needed to be in one degree and could even go with 1.5. He routered them then sent me out the door.

Unbelievable. All these years when I have said that my turns feel so uneven, like I am skiing on two totally different bodies, only to find out by a chance lucky encounter that I needed to be canted in the opposite direction. My turns felt so much more symmetrical. I also removed the spoiler as it just didn't feel right with the gas pedals on the boot board, and I was so much better stacked.

I haven't even looked at the gas pedals. I'll have to pull them out and get some pictures. They do feel a little round under my met heads, but this helps spread my toes out and increase circulation. Now I have my work cut out for me getting rid of all the bad defensive habits I have developed over the years.

Canting is weird. There’s really no way to fully know if thick side out or thick side in will work. Except by trying.
It is surprising though that the opposite was never tried years ago.

 

[Tony S]

Canting is weird.

I know, right?

 

[AmyPJ]

Canting is weird. There’s really no way to fully know if thick side out or thick side in will work. Except by trying.
It is surprising though that the opposite was never tried years ago.

I never even considered trying canting the outside edge on that side because I've been canted on the inside edge on that foot by several fitters. But it never felt good. In fact, it felt like shit and also explains why I always stemmed my left turns much worse than my right. We'll see how things feel in some crud and powder which is on the menu all week.

 

[ScottB]

Now that you say that, why doesn't adjusting the cuff take care of it? Is it because you run out of cuff adjustment? or is that your foot is doing something weird inside the shell that is independent of the cuff fit on your leg, so you need a shell mod? I am not one who ever needed it, so I have no clue.

Maybe its just a comfort thing where you naturally feel best with some ankle roll and without it you don't feel right, so adjust the boot to where you feel best and the ski is flat on the snow?

 

[ScottB]

I've been canted on the inside edge on that foot by several fitters. But it never felt good. In fact, it felt like shit .... We'll see how things feel in some crud and powder which is on the menu all week.

Those bootfitters CANT be trusted, ay......

 

[AmyPJ]

Now that you say that, why doesn't adjusting the cuff take care of it? Is it because you run out of cuff adjustment? or is that your foot is doing something weird inside the shell that is independent of the cuff fit on your leg, so you need a shell mod? I am not one who ever needed it, so I have no clue.

Maybe its just a comfort thing where you naturally feel best with some ankle roll and without it you don't feel right, so adjust the boot to where you feel best and the ski is flat on the snow?

Canting and cuff adjustments address different things. I do have noodle ankles and feet (not just in volume)--my ankles can overpronate like crazy. I suspect that has something to do with canted inward feeling better. It better matches what my foot wants to do while actively turning.

 

[ScottB]

Could you explain the difference, I am interested to learn. I typically have the cuff adjusted to match my leg angle, but I am told that is all I need. It feels fine, so I am good. Can a footbed address what canting does? I have mild pronation and they put a shim on one side of my footbed for that. It keeps my ankle aligned as I flex my ankle.

 

[Tony S]

Could you explain the difference

New thread.

 

[AmyPJ]

Could you explain the difference, I am interested to learn. I typically have the cuff adjusted to match my leg angle, but I am told that is all I need. It feels fine, so I am good. Can a footbed address what canting does? I have mild pronation and they put a shim on one side of my footbed for that. It keeps my ankle aligned as I flex my ankle.

Yes, a new thread would be warranted. I also don't know that I am qualified to answer this question.
I do know that a footbed can change what adjustments are needed for sure. That's why cuff adjustments are done with the foot standing on the footbed inside the empty shell.

 

[AmyPJ]

Skied powder and crud all morning. Felt amazing. There's this crazy feeling of pressuring the ball of the foot and still having some contact with the tongue of the boot that I have never, ever felt. It has an incredible effect on balance and the tips of the skis. I had so many "holy shit" moments of pure joy when I was skiing in stuff that in the past would have left me flailing and bailing, but today I just kept on turning.

I'm so appreciative of those who have been supportive and understanding. Not so appreciative of those who have found it funny and teased me in one way or another about it. The level of frustration that has come with this has had me in tears over the years more times than I care to admit. If I had a dollar for the number of times I've said, "Something.isn't.right!" All I can say is to anyone out there who is struggling with their boots and has an innate "feeling" that it's holding them back--I hear you, and I'll help in any way I can.

 

[Tom K.]

So stoked these seem to be the magic slippers for you!

Skied powder and crud all morning. Felt amazing.

With our season so far, skiing powder and crud all morning in Sorel winter boots would feel amazing, let alone a pair of wondrous new ski boots.

Luckily we got 3 crushingly good powder days in Sun Snow Valley a few weeks ago!

 

[ScottB]

When you can make your skis do exactly what you want them to do, it's an amazing feeling. As you discovered, the connection through your boots is the key to it all. So happy for you, from one narrow foot person to another

 

[Tony S]

I'm so appreciative of those who have been supportive and understanding. Not so appreciative of those who have found it funny and teased me in one way or another about it.

I have absolutely done both. If I haven't teased you it's because I haven't noticed you yet.

 

[James]

So what’s the upshot with the toe and heel lugs after eliminating a 2deg cant the opposite way?

We have a budding new entry for the Cant er bury Tales!

Whan that Aprill, with his shoures soote…
(Sweet pow is coming in April…)

Bootfitters arguing at the first Summit of Cant
“Thick out!”
-Thick in!
No! A toe lift!
-Idiot! A heel wedge!

 

[ted]

If fore-aft alignment isn’t set up correctly, canting evaluations will not be accurate.

 

[AmyPJ]

Over the past 8 years, I have had a horrible time in anything but the lightest powder. If it had a somewhat breakable crust? forget about it. My skis would just want to go straight (so you can imagine the gymnastics my body would do to try to make them turn.) Yesterday, I got some fresh tracks in some very dense and quite wind-affected powder about 5" deep. My first reaction is always to get pretty freaked out. HOLY COW! I could ski it! My skis turned! My quads did not burn! Once things got chopped up and bumped up on busier areas, and vis was awful, I was still just chugging along. Not fast (I doubt I'll ski very fast in flat light.) But in the past, I would stop a ton and assess things and rest and shop for turns. I kept waiting for my skis to do something weird, as that is what I have grown accustomed to. But they didn't. No wiggly tips, just smooth and precise. I found myself picking up some speed. For reference, I was on 2023 Santa Ana 93s with Strive 14 bindings.

Another thing that I had mentioned earlier in this thread is that I was concerned the boots were too stiff. Well, finding that sweet spot of fore/aft balance via lifting the toes inside the boot and standing the cuff up to 16 degrees and removing the spoilers has made them feel perfect. The flex is smooth and supportive. They're not pushing me backwards. I can rebalance easily.

I want a do-over on this season, and on the gathering! I'll milk this last month as much as I can.

 

[Castle Dave]

Building on AmyPJ's experience, my wife bought the last pair of sti 110s from Corbetts. She is an expert skiier (ex pro patrol, etc) with AAA feet. Over the decades she had always made do but never had a boot that fit until now and it has been a revelation and reinvigorated her enjoyment of skiing. Her experience has been a mirror of Amy's. Great fit out of the box and even better when molded. At an aggressive 120 lbs., the flex is perfect. The 16 degree is slightly less than her old Tecnica race boot and has better balance with no spoiler. I could never keep up with her but now I REALLY can's keep up with her. Thanks Amy

 

[AmyPJ]

Building on AmyPJ's experience, my wife bought the last pair of sti 110s from Corbetts. She is an expert skiier (ex pro patrol, etc) with AAA feet. Over the decades she had always made do but never had a boot that fit until now and it has been a revelation and reinvigorated her enjoyment of skiing. Her experience has been a mirror of Amy's. Great fit out of the box and even better when molded. At an aggressive 120 lbs., the flex is perfect. The 16 degree is slightly less than her old Tecnica race boot and has better balance with no spoiler. I could never keep up with her but now I REALLY can's keep up with her. Thanks Amy

This is so awesome to hear! I’ll probably pick up another pair next season to have on hand for when this pair wears out. Maybe she should do the same

 

[markojp]

How many days/seasons has she skied this setup? I’ve had custom foamed liners (Boot Doc) and liked the first pair, did another pair and they were excruciating. They were in an effort to make a 98 last boot fit. What brand liner is it?

He mentioned Head. Really nice longevity, and they're not stupidly ridged after foaming.