BallClapperBest thing to do is choose a boot ski combo that works together. If you have a super stiff ski and a soft boot it will be harder to drive the ski as the boot will give out before any significant power is transferred. Thats part of the reason that top level freeriders ride super stiff race boots with their beef metal skis. @tomPietrowski feel free to correct me on any of that.
Yeah basically this is spot on. So many people forget about matching the boot and ski, they need to work together to get the best from the whole system.
With regards to race boots, many freeride athletes use them as most brands don’t make a “freeride” boot so race boots are their best option. But race boots usually need quite a bit of work to make them suitable for freeride. Keep an eye out for new dedicated freeride boots coming out.