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June, 2025

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3 piece vs. plug

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boyd
Posts: 217 - Karma: 256
Hello ns, I started off this season with a new pair of boots. Dalbello KR 2's In the past 8-10 days of skiing I've been into the shop almost everyday with a variety of attemps at comfort. We've done everything from extensive punches in the ankle and forefoot to shims in the calve and padding in the toe. They're still incredibly tight around the ankle squeezing the achilles and they loosen up top so I can't get shin pressure. Not to mention they have a huge gap in the assymetrical intution liner.  The last pair of boots I had were lange rs 130s and they were the best boot i've ever had. 

Anyways, my question is whether there is some one out there like me who's only ever skied plug boots their whole life and then adventured to the three piece design to find it just hasn't worked for them.

I'm going in tomorrow morning with hopes that they'll give me a new boot as they have a guarantee.


12 years ago
6 0
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a_burger
Posts: 5257 - Karma: 21,143
did they fit you in the first place op? I would always go for the boot that requires the least modifications to fit
12 years ago
2 0
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boyd
Posts: 217 - Karma: 256
They always feel ok for the first few minutes then ache as soon i'm halfway down a run
12 years ago
0 0
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D_Elgar
Posts: 210 - Karma: 391
I've had more problems than I can count...stick with what works
12 years ago
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PacificRimJob
Posts: 24730 - Karma: 30,008
Chances are you wouldn't be satisfied anyways.

I'm in a pair of Nordica Doberman WC's now and they put my old Krypton Pros to fucking SHAME.
12 years ago
3 0
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Pipe_Munky
Posts: 10888 - Karma: 2,185
for some people the traditional overlap boot works better than the 3-piece. with the 3-piece, punching the ankle is a little more difficult but you get more natural flex and rebound. there's trade-offs for both.
12 years ago
0 0
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onenerdykid
Posts: 6750 - Karma: 11,815
Boots are all about one thing- a proper fit. One of the frustrating things about 3 piece boots or other designs that have a 45° buckle is if you have ankle issues they are very difficult to fix. If you have had good success in a traditional overlap boot, then I would suggest to go back to one. When you have the proper fit, you will enjoy your skiing way way more and if that happens to be in a race boot as mentioned above, then so be it.
12 years ago
0 0
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freeballer
Posts: 738 - Karma: 1,077
Luckily I fit Langes with a 97mm last right out of the box.  I'm lucky.  But plugs are completely custom to your foot.  unless you fit a certain boot well, like i do with langes, you are probably never going to have the performance from a non-plug boot that you are used to, whether it's a 2 or 3 piece.  i've tried multiple 3 piece boots from the Dalbello Kryptons to a few different Full Tilts and it's now obvious that i do better with 2 piece designs, especially Langes.  It's all about fit, as others have mentioned before. 
12 years ago
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PacificRimJob
Posts: 24730 - Karma: 30,008
97mm on a lange is pretty fucking generous. It's more of a 98  or 99.
12 years ago
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