Fischer MX Pro 95 Ski boots

Fischer’s entry-level model with the innovative Somatic construction.

Somatic or V-stance boots offer an offset shell with your toes-pointing outwards. This allows the skier to flex in a more natural way, reducing strain on joints plus improving edge grip and ski response.

A relatively soft 75 flex is good for lighter sporty intermediate skiers or novices looking for their first ski boot purchase.

A comfortable medium fitting last is mated to Fischer’s’ own Custom-moulded FFS liner that offers adequate performance and comfort at a good price point of £175 – but it is the Somatic construction that you are gunning for here.

Higher performance skiers may wish to try the ’95 model and there is the attractive Vision range for women.

The manufacturer says this about the Fischer MX Pro 95 Ski boots:

Medium volume last.

A comfortable and sporty fit for the recreational-intermediate skier.

V-stance.

Tolerant flex.

Flex 75

Flex 95

Atomic Hawx 110 Ski boots

Skiing is seeing some stunning innovations and the Hawx is probably the most talked about boot development this season.

All Hawx models feature iFlex technology. This allows the zone around your forefoot to flex as your foot would naturally when flexing through the “range” of the boot. There have been some very positive reports of enhanced control and the boot does attempt to take a “biomechanical” to harness your body and the mechanics of skiing. Atomic claim that iFlex achieves the aim of allowing you to remain better balanced and targeted over the “sweet spot” off your skis – this is around the ball of your feet.

Available in four flexes with boots for both sexes. Certainly worth a try for something a touch different.

The manufacturer says this about the Atomic Hawx 110 Ski boots:

Medium fitting lasts.

iFlex - Revolutionary forefoot flexing of the shell itself.

Magnesium buckles.

Custom moulded liner.

Flexes from 80 to 110 available.

Rossignol Electra 12 Ski boots

Rossignol have certainly made lots of improvements to their boot range over this last couple of years. For many regular skiers the key models are the Bandits and Electra’s.

In response to the popularity of the skis Rossignol have created a range of all-terrain boots with the Bandits. The 12 are the most popular model offering good support for the advanced all-mountain skier.

Rossignol’s Active Cockpit technology uses stiffer materials where required to heighten feel and power whilst the forgiving flex and hearty rebound are most tolerant when skiing off the beaten track.

The Electra 12 is a great all-mountain boot for the experienced female skier. A specific women’s liner adds to your comfort and improved control.

Rossgnol’s Zenith range also provides good on-piste ski boots for medium volume feet.

The manufacturer says this about the Rossignol Electra 12 Ski boots:

Medium-narrow lasts – around 98mm

Active Cockpit – stiffer materials closer to the foot for more accurate transmission.

Rubber boot boards – improved absorption and warmth.

Heat mouldable liners.

Rossignol Bandit Squad Carbon Ski boots

A real back-county specialists boot and worn by some of the world’s best Freeriders such as 4 times world champion Manu Gaidet.

A narrow last gives great hold over your foot for excellent transmission and control over your skis in all conditions. For fast back-country skiing in Europe you aren’t always going to be blessed with powder so a boot with lots of support will keep you in balance and give you the confidence to hit the crud at speed.

For confirmed experts.

The manufacturer says this about the Rossignol Bandit Squad Carbon Ski boots:

98mm last.

Soft PU bootboard for shock absorption.

Easy-closure buckles

Canting

Adjustable flex.

Flex - 120

Rossignol Bandit B14 Ski boots

Rossignol have certainly made lots of improvements to their boot range over this last couple of years. For many regular skiers the key models are the Bandits and Electra’s.

In response to the popularity of the skis Rossignol have created a range of all-terrain boots with the Bandits. The 12 are the most popular model offering good support for the advanced all-mountain skier.

Rossignol’s Active Cockpit technology uses stiffer materials where required to heighten feel and power whilst the forgiving flex and hearty rebound are most tolerant when skiing off the beaten track.

The Electra 12 is a great all-mountain boot for the experienced female skier. A specific women’s liner adds to your comfort and improved control.

Rossgnol’s Zenith range also provides good on-piste ski boots for medium volume feet.

The manufacturer says this about the Rossignol Bandit B14 Ski boots:

Medium-narrow lasts – around 98mm

Active Cockpit – stiffer materials closer to the foot for more accurate transmission.

Rubber boot boards – improved absorption and warmth.

Heat mouldable liners.

Nordica Speedmachine 10 Ski boots

Nordica’s popular Speedmachine and Olympia ranges feature medium width shells and an overt sportiness for skiers looking to ski everywhere with good dollops of performance and comfort.

Straightforward four-clips boot made livelier with extremely accommodating heat mouldable liners, plenty of room around the toe-box and the innovative use of varied Power straps. Constructed to match differing levels and weights of skier Power straps alter the characteristics of their shells to better match the target skiers’ performance.

Both Speedmachine and Olympia models feature modern convenience features, especially the HP Slide-in that allows skiers to glide their feet into the boot with ease.

The manufacturer says this about the Nordica Speedmachine 10 Ski boots:

Medium last.

Comfort fit liner – heat mouldable.

HP Slide-in – easy entry/exit to the boot.

Power strap.

Speedmachine 8

Flex 100

Speedmachine 10

Flex 110 - 100

Tecnica Diablo Pro Race 110, Ski boots

I love the Attiva Pro. It is a boot for expert women, and there are many women in the Ski Club who are capable of skiing a boot such as the Pro. Based on race boot design with a toned down flex the Attiva Pro is simple in construction, has a narrow-ish last that just cossets the foot and enables you to feel exactly what is going on with the snow.

Many professional level skiers use boots such as the Pro as the support they offer enables you to power, feather and direct your skis with the authority of senior management rather than a college-grad trainee.

The men’s model which is a lovely fit but generally aimed at racers is the Race Pro 110 – a great boot for those who are already strong off or on-piste performers.

The manufacturer says this about the Tecnica Diablo Pro Race 110, Ski boots:

100mm last is medium – narrow.

Hinged in-step catch.

Flex adjustment.

F.I.T. tongue – floating integrated tongue for superior comfort.

Attiva Pro fleece lining.

Lycra lining insert – snug, smooth fit.

Tecnica Attiva V2 8 Ultrafit ski boots

Tecnica are famed for the comfort they offer to skiers with a deep instep. The higher performing Diablo and Attiva both offer this benefit and a medium volume last.

The Diablo’s are available in various flexes and with more precise and customisable liners depending on how much you wish to spend.

Crammed with features and adjustable both ranges are great for advanced to upper-expert skiers. Attiva’s have the Vento range as siblings but good male skiers should opt for the Diablo range if they are aiming to ski regularly.

The manufacturer says this about the Tecnica Attiva V2 8 Ultrafit ski boots:

Diablo – mid volume and triple density shell for tuned performance and comfort.

Ultrafit liner –custom moulded and precise.

Attiva – medium – high volume last.

AVS – under-heel shock absorption.

Rapid access – hinged cuff for ease of access.

Flex adjustment.

Tecnica Attiva Pro Ski boots

I love the Attiva Pro. It is a boot for expert women, and there are many women in the Ski Club who are capable of skiing a boot such as the Pro. Based on race boot design with a toned down flex the Attiva Pro is simple in construction, has a narrow-ish last that just cossets the foot and enables you to feel exactly what is going on with the snow.

Many professional level skiers use boots such as the Pro as the support they offer enables you to power, feather and direct your skis with the authority of senior management rather than a college-grad trainee.

The men’s model which is a lovely fit but generally aimed at racers is the Race Pro 110 – a great boot for those who are already strong off or on-piste performers.

The manufacturer says this about the Tecnica Attiva Pro Ski boots:

100mm last is medium – narrow.

Hinged in-step catch.

Flex adjustment.

F.I.T. tongue – floating integrated tongue for superior comfort.

Attiva Pro fleece lining.

Lycra lining insert – snug, smooth fit.

Nordica Olympia SM 10 ski boots

Nordica’s popular Speedmachine and Olympia ranges feature medium width shells and an overt sportiness for skiers looking to ski everywhere with good dollops of performance and comfort.

Straightforward four-clips boot made livelier with extremely accommodating heat mouldable liners, plenty of room around the toe-box and the innovative use of varied Power straps. Constructed to match differing levels and weights of skier Power straps alter the characteristics of their shells to better match the target skiers’ performance.

Both Speedmachine and Olympia models feature modern convenience features, especially the HP Slide-in that allows skiers to glide their feet into the boot with ease.

The manufacturer says this about the Nordica Olympia SM 10 ski boots:

Medium last.

Comfort fit liner – heat mouldable.

HP Slide-in – easy entry/exit to the boot.

Power strap.

Atomic M100 Ski boots

M-tech boots are aimed at the front and backcountry skier. Capable on-piste, tolerant off. The flexes range from 80 – 110. The M100 is perhaps the choice model for advanced skiers, owning broad feet, starting to “get into” some powder and hiking.

Standard features include Recco reflectors for avalanche rescue, a rubberized “Multi-condition” chassis that’s great fro rambling over rocks or just pottering to the piste.

The M100 has the looks, features and performance to satisfy most backcountry skiers.

Experts and racers will love the ultra-high performing RT CS range – beauty and performance in simplicity.

The manufacturer says this about the Atomic M100 Ski boots:

Medium – high volume 102mm last.

Multi-condition chassis.

Canting.

Power control flex adjustment – race developed flex/ power control.

Custom sport mouldable liners.

Flex - 100

Lange Freeride 110 Ski boots

A jazzed-up, softened down race boot from Lange’s excellent World Cup based new Freeride model. The 110 flex is perfect for all-mountain advanced to expert skiing.

The last is narrow and the liner firm yet comfortable for excellent touch on the snow. The Lange Freeride 110 is a precise boot both on and off the piste.

Hermann Maier has recently returned to Lange boots, his chosen footwear in his vintage years and this boot, the Freeride 110 is an almost identical shape –just a touch softer!

The manufacturer says this about the Lange Freeride 110 Ski boots:

Narrow last derived from the excellent World Cup race boot in the distinctive blue Lange livery.

Very snug around the whole foot but the toe-box is improved over previous years and feels much roomier.

Flex - 110

Atomic Hawx 90 W Ski boots

Skiing is seeing some stunning innovations and the Hawx is probably the most talked about boot development this season.

All Hawx models feature iFlex technology. This allows the zone around your forefoot to flex as your foot would naturally when flexing through the “range” of the boot. There have been some very positive reports of enhanced control and the boot does attempt to take a “biomechanical” to harness your body and the mechanics of skiing. Atomic claim that iFlex achieves the aim of allowing you to remain better balanced and targeted over the “sweet spot” off your skis – this is around the ball of your feet.

Available in four flexes with boots for both sexes. Certainly worth a try for something a touch different.

The manufacturer says this about the Atomic Hawx 90 W Ski boots:

Medium fitting lasts.

iFlex - Revolutionary forefoot flexing of the shell itself.

Magnesium buckles.

Custom moulded liner.

Flexes from 80 to 110 available.

Full Tilt Bumble Bee Ski boots

Full Tilt’s Bumble Bee replaces Raichle’s legendary Flexon Comp ski boot. Renowned for their progressive flex the BB’s give you a great range of ankle movement and will really help many skiers conquer bumps and off-piste skiing. A women’s model, the FT Lady, is also available. Both replicate the original 3-piece Swiss design and tolerance of a wide-variety of foot shapes.

New features include FT’s own full heat-mouldable liner with a wrap-around design and shock absorbing rubber boot-boards (the layer supporting your feet underneath your liner) for improved comfort on landings and warmth.

Definitely worth a try!

The manufacturer says this about the Full Tilt Bumble Bee Ski boots:

A medium-narrow fit.

Intuition liner - heat-moulds for a fully customised fit.

Rubber boot-boards.

Cable buckles – adjustability and progressive flex.

Full Tilt tongue – perhaps the most progressive flex in skiing.

Lange Fluid 80 Ski boots

Adventurous all-mountain intermediate and advanced skiers will enjoy the Fluid range. With a medium volume fit and progressive flex the Fluid’s are good all-terrain performers and more tolerant than Lange’s race boot-derived “Freeride” range.

Originally designed by Pininfarina the Fluids 80 FR looks great and is a perfect proposition for non-aggressive advanced skiers or good intermediates looking for some adventurous skiing.

The manufacturer says this about the Lange Fluid 80 Ski boots:

Fluid 90 - Flex 90

Fluid 80 - Flex 80

Atomic B90 ski boots

Like a sporty GTI car the B-tech range from Atomic is sporty, a little aggressive and gets you in the mood for driving. So good intermediate skiers who manage a couple of weeks a year on-snow will be fans – especially if you have a larger volume foot.
B-techs are roomy, they have 104mm across your forefoot along with innovative features such as an offset shell, flex adjustment and Thermic pre-wiring on most models – batteries not supplied!
Recreational or fist time buyers head for the B70 or 80, move advanced skiers looking for lots of volume try the 90 or 110.

The manufacturer says this about the Atomic B90 ski boots:

B80 – Flex 80
B80W – Flex 70

B90 – Flex 90
B90W – Flex 80


104mm shell.

Offset shell

Grip pads – rubber soles for comfortable and secure walking.

Thermic wiring on most models.

Recco avalanche sensor.

Atomic B90 ski boots

The manufacturer says this about the Atomic B90 ski boots:

Like a sporty GTI car the B-tech range from Atomic is sporty, a little aggressive and gets you in the mood for driving. So good intermediate skiers who manage a couple of weeks a year on-snow will be fans – especially if you have a larger volume foot.
B-techs are roomy, they have 104mm across your forefoot along with innovative features such as an offset shell, flex adjustment and Thermic pre-wiring on most models – batteries not supplied!
Recreational or fist time buyers head for the B70 or 80, move advanced skiers looking for lots of volume try the 90 or 110.

Booster Straps

The manufacturer says this about the Booster Straps:

The strap worn by Bode Miller is now used by a great many athletes of all skill levels ... for instant ski response. Many will have noticed the strap appearing out of the suit of many athletes, including Bode Miller. The article in question is Booster, an essential accessory for optimising ski boot performance. When used correctly, it guarantees maximum ski boot performance and therefore extraordinary ski control, improving comfort and completely eliminating the empty space between the boot tongue and shin, thus serving a shock-absorber function and aiding the prevention of shin bang and other boot maladies. The Booster Strap is made of high strenght elastomeric webbing with an anti-slip micro-adjustable cam buckle. The elastomer allows flexibility, vibration and shock damping. The cam buckle assures a better fit and more comfort. The Booster Strap elastically fastens together the leg and the ski boot and provides direct ski control so the skis will start turning sooner and and will end the turn faster. The graded elasticity of the product allows skiers to choose the reaction speeds that best suit their technical and physical characteristics and skiing ability.

L'Espace Killy November 2007!

Check out France for snow!

Unbelievable amounts of snow are falling across the Alps. With a forecasted 1m of snow to come this Monday 2007 could be a vintage winter in the making. Tignes, France opened today, Verbier, Switzerland this weekend and many Austrian resorts are starting to turn their lifts.

Skiing today in L'Espace Killy (Tignes/ Val d'Isere) was stunning in every respect - cold, minus 17 with wind chill raising the bar to a frost-nippy -25 degrees, fresh powder around knee deep (at least 40 cm has fallen in the last 36 hrs) and stunning blue skies.

It really did feel like the middle of January and yet the slopes were quiet, the main run all the way back to town (Tignes Val Claret) was open and winter definitely felt like it is here!

With cold weather, low wind and lots of snow forecast there seems few autumns in recent memory that would stand up against a start like this weeks snow falls. Hope to see you on the slopes soon. Chris

Salomon X3 Race Boot

Chris Haworth talks of his time testing the new X3 race boot -

The new Salomon X3 race boot is perhaps the most technologically advanced race boot on the market. After several seasons of testing Salomon have created a boot suited to the most modern racing technique.

The clog (lower part of the boot) measures a skimpy 93 mm across the forefoot - this is an average of 2mm narrower than many of the competitor race boots - the big difference here though is the X3's sublime last. The form of the boot and how it is shaped to the skiers morphology is excellent and demands much less grinding or stretching in comparison to previous models - comfort without the hassle.

The cuff is also several centimetres snugger around the calf for extreme lateral accuracy and the boot feels infinitely stiffer and tauter than the outgoing X2. With four bolts running through cuff and clog plus dual canting there is plenty of room to tailor the flex and angles of the X3 - something that we haven't had from Salomon's top-line boot for a while.

The liner is one you may have seen around to some extent - it is the leatherette-lined cork and oil liner that Salomon has used this last couple of years - but with some tweaks such as the added use of Neoprene over the majority of the foot for a snugger fit. The tongue is also exceptional and provides great feel plus a comfortable support for your shins.

All-in-all the X3 is perhaps the finest race boot on the market for the racer. For the expert skier they are almost too much for general skiing as they are so "direct". Think about edging on an X3 and it is done for you, they are incredibly precise, rather intolerant but a fantastic ride in the correct conditions - i.e when you've blue ice, some red and blue gates to hammer through and your feeling on top of your game.

5/ 5