Short cuff or regular height?

[dcpnz]

I get that the proper answer is probably go see a good bootfitter but being armed with other view points is useful as well since this seems like it may be a special order either way…..

Teenage female racer looking for a warmer, roomier and slightly softer, free ski boot.
5’7” and in a 23.5 Lange ZA.

So do we look at any of the RS SC boots in desired flex or do we look at regular height RS?
SC generally pitched to juniors and women but at 5’7“ and accustomed to a ZA I wonder if she’d be better in the regular RS?
The only one that comes in a 23.5 is the RS130 so will want to soften for freeskiing purposes but thats not too hard to get done.

Thanks

 

[Tony S]

I get that the proper answer is probably go see a good bootfitter but being armed with other view points is useful as well since this seems like it may be a special order either way…..

Teenage female racer looking for a warmer, roomier and slightly softer, free ski boot.
5’7” and in a 23.5 Lange ZA.

So do we look at any of the RS SC boots in desired flex or do we look at regular height RS?
SC generally pitched to juniors and women but at 5’7“ and accustomed to a ZA I wonder if she’d be better in the regular RS?
The only one that comes in a 23.5 is the RS130 so will want to soften for freeskiing purposes but thats not too hard to get done.

Thanks

Not a boot pro. Do have similar stats - not age - to your skier.

So yes, see a boot fitter. Did she go through a proper fitting process with her ZAs? How was that model and size picked? What work was done to them? Shell work? Canting? Footbeds? Heaters? That will inform what likely would and wouldn't work for her in another boot.

Depending on the model, you may find that you end up with a short cuff even without the "SC" designation. I've had two boots in the last decade that were nominally NOT short cuff boots but proved to be SCs, in fact and in hindsight. "Oh, yeah, when you get down to the smaller sizes they just put a shorter cuff on." An older Lange RX LV 130 @ 23.5 was one of them. (No longer made in that size, unfortunately.)

That said, I don't see why a growing racer kid who is already 5' 7" would necessarily want a short cuff. Personally I find that it just concentrates the pressure. The regular cuff is more comfortable - at least for me.

Another thought: If she's in a ZA and can make that work, don't be too quick to soften an RS 130 without giving it a couple of shakedown days first. It might be fine as-is. Easier to soften than to stiffen.

Finally, the idea that a "roomier" boot will be more comfortable often doesn't work out in practice, unless the current boot is for realz too small. (This is quite rare.) If the issue is that her toes are cramped or she has pressure points in one of the usual spots, a bit of grinding or punching can often take care of that pretty easily. (Was that done on her plug boots?) On the other hand going to a boot that is bigger around the heel and instep in a misguided search for comfort can lead to a whole host of blossoming issues due to the foot tensing up and trying to find purchase inside the boot in order to control the ski. That is not more comfortable.

Again, just a kibitzer.

 

[dcpnz]

The ZA's are a fairly snug race fit but not a ridiculous jam foot in two sizes too small type of thing - footbeds, heaters, cuff alignment, lifters, but very little other work and no cant needed. Picked in consultation with coaches, rep and local fitters. Pretty consistent 8.5 Womens street shoe - don't recall what she measures on a brannock.

Probably close to tapped out height wise but she's only going to get stronger and is doing fine in the ZA so far - but I'm inclined to feel that flex works in race context but isn't ideal for her free skiing.
Been in the same size 3 yrs now. Last year she raced in the ZSoft and free skied in the the 90SC - too soft but it was the year prior boot so price was right! We could use the ZSoft in that role this year but they're just damn cold.
My thinking on going with regular cuff is that she's closer to average male height than average female height and got fairly long legs. And cuffs in a 23.5 are shorter than bigger sizes anyway.