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Comfort or Flex?

VTKilarney

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I am a recreational skier. I like to ski fast, but I am not a racer and I'm just looking to have fun. I'm don't hang out in the terrain park. Frankly, the way I ski would bore most people here.

Which is more important for someone like me when purchasing a ski boot? A higher flex or more comfort? I'm starting to think that way too much emphasis is put on Flex.

Let me use bicycling as an example. There is a growing belief that bike racing is bad for the recreational bicyclist market. Recreational bikers are constantly wanted to emulate the pros, which means that the gear that is out there is actually not the best gear for someone who is NOT a professional.

I'm wondering if the same thing creeps into the ski gear industry. Is someone like me really going to notice the difference between an 80 flex and a 100 flex? Is the difference enough to put up with the decrease in comfort?
 

deadheadskier

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I don't think there is much correlation between flex and comfort. You could find a 130 that feels more comfortable than an 80.
 

xwhaler

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I would also say that while an 80 flex boot may feel more comfortable now it will get packed out/lose its stiffness sooner than a higher flex boot. You will then possibly have a comfortable boot that has a lot of slop.
 

VTKilarney

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I don't think that flex is directly related to comfort (at least to more than a slight degree). But there is a correlation. Boots with lower flex ratings tend to be made more comfortable in other ways. It's a design choice more than anything else.
 

deadheadskier

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I'd say that concept has shifted some lately. The tecnica mach 1 is a 130 flex, but the liner is plush as a Sunday slipper. Lange RX130 liner was pretty comfortable too. I'm with xwhaler and think an 80 flex boot will get sloppy real quick unless the user is extremely light.
 

KevinF

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A good boot fitter can make a ridiculously tight stiff boot feel like a bedroom slipper.

I wear size 10.5 street shoes and I wear a size 8 ski boot in a 130 flex. My ski boots are an absolute bear to get on, nearly impossible to get off (especially if it's a brutally cold day) -- and they're wear-'em-all-day comfy.

If you're in a boot that's too soft or too stiff for your strength, height, weight, etc., it's not going to enable you to control your skis very well. Get the flex right, let the boot fitter worry about making them comfortable.
 

drjeff

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If the boot fits, and you're able to make the skis perform in a way that puts a smile on your face, who really cares what flex your boots are! Unless of course you have ego issues like Highwaystar does ;)

I do think (and know from my own bodies feedback) that in most modern boots "comfort" and "stiffness" aren't the exclusionary items that they used to be! My Lange race boots, the same basic model(s)that I've been wearing since the early 80's are a heck of a lot more comfortable today than they were back then, and it's darn close to the same shell design, and I get all the performance I've had, and have been used too for 30 years now.

Advances in materials and the understanding of the anatomy of the foot and how it pertains to a ski boot have made things standard today that were only a pipedream back then
 

Savemeasammy

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Decide which flex is right for you, and then buy the most comfortable boot with that flex... If they fit properly, then they should be comfortable.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 

dlague

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My biggest concern relative to a ski boot is toe bang! I do not enjoy it and do not need that experience. As a result I do not cram my foot into a boot. I do like a comfortable boot but in the same respect think that softer boots are part of the problem with many skiers developing bad skiing posture. In the same respect, I find that a boot that is too stiff can be hard to drive for several reason, not skiing aggressively enough to push the boot, too light, or even the style of skiing not being the type that is appropriate for such a boot.

I ski in a middle flex (100) boot that is very comfortable and I can walk around in all day with out complaint.

This document summarizes this topic very well!

http://www.evo.com/how-to-choose-ski-boots-size-and-fit-guide.aspx
 

BenedictGomez

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Isn't "flex" as a metric, essentially in large part a marketing gimmick? In other words, while I know flex is a very real thing and a very important thing, I don't believe there's any standardization for it. Because of that, if you buy a 110 flex boot from Nordica, Salomon, or Technica, the "flex" could vary fairly dramatically.

The reason I point this out, is because people are saying an "80 flex" boot will feel like this, and a "100 flex" boot will feel like this, but I don't think there's any standardization, and in my experience the flex can be very different as you jump manufacturers, even if they both claim to be 100, 130, etc....

Also, wouldnt this be a perfect thread for the Gear forum?
 

dlague

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Isn't "flex" as a metric, essentially in large part a marketing gimmick? In other words, while I know flex is a very real thing and a very important thing, I don't believe there's any standardization for it. Because of that, if you buy a 110 flex boot from Nordica, Salomon, or Technica, the "flex" could vary fairly dramatically.

The reason I point this out, is because people are saying an "80 flex" boot will feel like this, and a "100 flex" boot will feel like this, but I don't think there's any standardization, and in my experience the flex can be very different as you jump manufacturers, even if they both claim to be 100, 130, etc....

Also, wouldn't this be a perfect thread for the Gear forum?

You are correct! Flex across companies differs, that being said the flex number of a boot line is kind of like the trail ratings for a ski area. Flex is relative to the company as trail ratings are to a ski area. I think when people mention flex they have a tendency to indicate the stiffness they prefer in general terms.

And yes this should have been in the gear forum as should a few other gear related threads.
 

jimk

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I have Lange Blaster boots that are 90 flex. I ski at moderate speeds, weigh ~165lbs, and I'm old - 61 in a few days. I skidded around in ignorant bliss for 45 years in poorly fitting overly large boots. When I got the Lange's two years ago I went for a much tighter/correct fit, but kept the flex pretty soft just because I didn't want to chance a harsh fit after being in sloppy bedroom slippers all my life. Loose boots used to give me toe bang/black when I was younger and more aggressive. I would be interested to demo a higher flex boot in 100-130 range just to see what the difference is. Also, I am a little concerned about 90 flex when I get on my new 107mm wide skis in deep powder this winter - but I figure I'll deal with it:)
 

bigbog

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I've most often found that boots assigned a much lower flex # most always seem to have horrible liners..for closely fitting the odd-shaped foot(as I have)...along with obviously possessing slower fore/aft control of the ski...as said. Think comfort comes not only from fit(duh), but cuff fit and a matching forward lean of the cuff. $.01.
 

Scruffy

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Don't be fooled into buying more flex than you need for the type of skiing you want to do. Having said that, don't buy a beginner soft flexing boot just because it's cheap.

Flex is a personal choice based on a lot of factors, like: skiing style, body weight, body style, length of femur, how much weight you carry in your hips versus your torso, etc... Mogul skiers would be better served by a softer boot, than a slalom racer, etc.. Ski boot manufacturers love to position stiff flex ~130 as expert level boots. Not necessarily so. you can get expert level ( even race ) boots at 100 and up. Stiffness within the same make/model and flex rating will most likely vary with boot size. One cuff is usually used for several sizes, and the smaller boots using that cuff will usually be stiffer than the larger sized boot of the same model and flex rating.

Racing boot flex: Little known fact, and counter intuitive to most - Slalom racers prefer very stiff boots, Giant Slalom, moderately stiff boots, and downhill skiers prefer softer flexing boots. Yes that's right, a downhill race, over 2 miles long, average gradient over 30 degrees, speeds in excess of 70mph, taking rollers that launch you the length of a football field are done in a softer boot than slowly whacking slalom poles on a ~20 degree slope of 600 feet.
 

SkiFanE

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Fit is more important than flex. Not sure if men have the same problem as I do - but from day to day my feet can swell/shrink and I do not have one setting for all days. So if my foot is swimming in my boot one day, I cannot control skis well at all, and have to crank them down and then I'm fine. So whatever you buy...just make sure it is snug...no movement at all. I go for a stiff boot for women...but I haven't found I've given up comfort, just what i'm used to and I have a notion a softer boot would just suck lol. I improve every year, so can't imagine going softer and still improving - control is so important.
 

gostan

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Find a good boot fitter. There is no reason why you cannot have comfort and good flex. And remember most boots have flex adjustment screws to make minor mods to the flex.
 

BenedictGomez

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downhill skiers prefer softer flexing boots. Yes that's right, a downhill race, over 2 miles long, average gradient over 30 degrees, speeds in excess of 70mph, taking rollers that launch you the length of a football field are done in a softer boot than slowly whacking slalom poles on a ~20 degree slope of 600 feet.

Is that due to the physics involved with the massive forces being directed on the feet/boots (i.e. you probably want a bit of "give")?
 
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