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Best Flex for park boots

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finnlw
Posts: 5 - Karma: 58
Hey everyone,

I'm currently trying to buy my new boots for the coming season, at the moment I run 120 flex atomics which I've had for a few years and are getting a bit on and giving me way too much travel distance on the tongues now. In terms of all mountain, I ride hard and am looking at 130 flex with an uphill mode for this season. Looking at which boots I want to run in the park, i'm thinking 130 will not do me any favours on rails and getting buttery and I see everyone on here swearing by FT, but I can't imagine running a 90 flex boot anywhere on the mountain. I have a racing background and have only started competing in freestyle for the last 3-4 years so maybe I'm just used to being able to put everything into the front of my boots on an edge but can you guys actually swear by 90 flex in the park? My friends have suggested the 120 flex FT's (first chair collection) if I cant cut 90 but I have really wide feet and struggle for any comfort in anything smaller than 102mm last. Any help/advice on how you guys find 90 flex FT in the park would be really helpful.
Also any opinions on the 120 flex FT descendants?

**This thread was edited on Oct 25th 2020 at 8:46:12am
Oct 25 2020 8:43AM
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Celery
Posts: 2009 - Karma: 24,670
Wear whatever feels the most comfortable, and what fits your foot the best. Don't buy full tilts unless it's actually the right fit for you.
Oct 25 2020 10:14AM
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FaunaSkis
Posts: 608 - Karma: 6,579
If you're looking for a do it all boot with a uphill-mode and a flex you can make larger adjustments of (beyond the usual +/- 10 you get from the extra cuff bolts in most alpine boots, which you likely wont get in a boot with a walk mode anyway) will have to be one of the 3-piece boots from Dalbello or Full Tilt. These boots have replacable stiffer/softer tongues as aftermarket parts. This way you can freeride/charge on stiffer tongues and then if you're having a chiller/park day you can have a softer tongue. The full tilt tongues are easier to get your hands on compared to Dalbello, which you would need to order through a dealer if i remember correctly. These boots aren't for everyone's feet though, so it will depend on what your foot shape is like. Best bet is to go to a reputable boot fitter, explain what you're looking for from your boots and see if boots from either of those brands work for you.
Oct 25 2020 1:38PM
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Poikenz
Posts: 1480 - Karma: 3,769
With a racing background you should already know this, but get a boot that fits. People don't swear by full tilts, either they fit the person and it makes them love them, or they don't. Regardless "park boots" don't magically make you a better skier and 120-130 is fine in the park. It's personal preference along with what you can physically manage. Stiff boots make butters easier than soft boots so don't worry about that. Find a good fitter near you, go to them, don't go in with any biases, you may be surprised by the boot they put you in and that isn't a bad thing.

**This post was edited on Oct 25th 2020 at 8:13:44pm
Oct 25 2020 2:16PM
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tomPietrowski
Posts: 7147 - Karma: 17,499
Check out the full tilt ascendant S.C. that could be the one boot to do everything in. 120 flex as standard with tech inserts and walk mode. But being a 3 piece and the flex coming form the tongue the boots feel virtually the same as a non walk mode version so a great all rounder. You can also get a softer tongue if you find you want a softer boot in the park, which personally I would doubt you would.
Oct 25 2020 2:17PM
1 0
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animator
Posts: 4552 - Karma: 26,250
The ascendant is 102mm wide and has a 120 flex plus you can walk uphill on it. I personally can’t ski anything that’s not a 130 (130 obviously being subjective to brand but point is I like stiff boots). I ski a Roxa R3 TI 130 and it works everywhere plus I can tour in it. The Ascendants are dec boots for getting into touring but one thing I found when I had one (and I believe @cydwhit and @patagonialuke also did) is that the Ascendant/Descendant series have low cuffs, so it feels like there’s less support on your shins. It’s all up to what you think fits you best but I personally didn’t like how it felt on my shins. FWIW the Roxa has a heat moldable shell that can be pushed out to 101-102. The Lupo AX boots are 100mm wide and a good bootfitter would be able to give you a bit extra room.
Oct 25 2020 2:22PM
2 0
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drifts
Posts: 591 - Karma: 4,340
finnlwHey everyone,

I'm currently trying to buy my new boots for the coming season, at the moment I run 120 flex atomics which I've had for a few years and are getting a bit on and giving me way too much travel distance on the tongues now. In terms of all mountain, I ride hard and am looking at 130 flex with an uphill mode for this season. Looking at which boots I want to run in the park, i'm thinking 130 will not do me any favours on rails and getting buttery and I see everyone on here swearing by FT, but I can't imagine running a 90 flex boot anywhere on the mountain. I have a racing background and have only started competing in freestyle for the last 3-4 years so maybe I'm just used to being able to put everything into the front of my boots on an edge but can you guys actually swear by 90 flex in the park? My friends have suggested the 120 flex FT's (first chair collection) if I cant cut 90 but I have really wide feet and struggle for any comfort in anything smaller than 102mm last. Any help/advice on how you guys find 90 flex FT in the park would be really helpful.
Also any opinions on the 120 flex FT descendants?

**This thread was edited on Oct 25th 2020 at 8:46:12am



theres been lots of threads with vids and pictures of pros skiing park in top of the line race boots. you don't need full tilts or low flex to ski park, I have low flex full tilts and in my experience they aren't good for anything but park and jibbing around the mountain, they don't transfer your movement very well and they go from soft to mush on challenging terrain making for a lot of butt clenching moments. I'm also going for 120-130 flex boots I can go uphill on this season
Oct 25 2020 2:30PM
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Non_State_Actor
Posts: 4811 - Karma: 17,052
140 or nothing, don't make compromises on your boot flex.
Oct 25 2020 4:49PM
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tomPietrowski
Posts: 7147 - Karma: 17,499
animatorThe ascendant is 102mm wide and has a 120 flex plus you can walk uphill on it. I personally can’t ski anything that’s not a 130 (130 obviously being subjective to brand but point is I like stiff boots). I ski a Roxa R3 TI 130 and it works everywhere plus I can tour in it. The Ascendants are dec boots for getting into touring but one thing I found when I had one (and I believe @cydwhit and @patagonialuke also did) is that the Ascendant/Descendant series have low cuffs, so it feels like there’s less support on your shins. It’s all up to what you think fits you best but I personally didn’t like how it felt on my shins. FWIW the Roxa has a heat moldable shell that can be pushed out to 101-102. The Lupo AX boots are 100mm wide and a good bootfitter would be able to give you a bit extra room.

The S.C. has the wrap liner to help address this and power plates and adjusting the spoiler can really help too
Oct 25 2020 5:19PM
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animator
Posts: 4552 - Karma: 26,250
tomPietrowskiThe S.C. has the wrap liner to help address this and power plates and adjusting the spoiler can really help too


I had 2 ascendants last year. I got 1 and then sold it and gave it a second chance later in the season and just couldn’t do it but it’s a good boot and for other people it might work great. Just my personal experience
Oct 25 2020 6:11PM
2 0
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onenerdykid
Posts: 6657 - Karma: 10,898
driftstheres been lots of threads with vids and pictures of pros skiing park in top of the line race boots. you don't need full tilts or low flex to ski park, I have low flex full tilts and in my experience they aren't good for anything but park and jibbing around the mountain, they don't transfer your movement very well and they go from soft to mush on challenging terrain making for a lot of butt clenching moments. I'm also going for 120-130 flex boots I can go uphill on this season

This is basically spot on. You don't need a "soft flex" because you ski park. You need the right flex for you, which is the stiffest boot that you can still properly flex. Sometimes that means a 90, sometimes that means a 130. And you will only know which one is right for you when someone who knows what they are looking for can assess how you flex the boot (i.e. a boot-fitter). Too soft and the boot won't be supportive enough for you, which means you work harder to get your skis to move. Too stiff and you won't be able to get your knees forward enough to balance properly and you will be skiing in the back seat. You are aiming for the Goldilocks setting that supports you and can efficiently power the ski but allows you to flex enough where your weight can be over the balls of your feet so you can balance properly.
Oct 26 2020 7:28AM
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finnlw
Posts: 5 - Karma: 58
PoikenzWith a racing background you should already know this, but get a boot that fits. People don't swear by full tilts, either they fit the person and it makes them love them, or they don't. Regardless "park boots" don't magically make you a better skier and 120-130 is fine in the park. It's personal preference along with what you can physically manage. Stiff boots make butters easier than soft boots so don't worry about that. Find a good fitter near you, go to them, don't go in with any biases, you may be surprised by the boot they put you in and that isn't a bad thing.

**This post was edited on Oct 25th 2020 at 8:13:44pm


Yeah, if i'm honest during racing I tended to use a pair of 130 flex rossis that were massively undersized but with absolute zero slip anywhere, could only wear them for a bout 30 mins at a time on race days but if I could deal with the pain it's still the best edge performance I've ever got out of any boot. Saying that for my all mountain boots I've usually gone with what fits best in the past, looks like im just gonna go with the fitters judgement this time round.
Oct 26 2020 3:22PM
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