Here it is, Friday April 13th, what the be-jezus am I doing on here blogging about ski boots? I should be talking about golf clubs, In-Line skates (NOT Rollerblades, didn't you read the last post?) Corona's vs. Coors Lite, something other than a snow related product. Well, every once an awhile, something monumental happens. The Toronto Maple Leafs make the playoffs, Gas dips below $1.25 a litre, you get hit by lightning, my Dad wears something other than a Hawaiian shirt, and I acquire new ski boots.
The last new pair of ski boots I had I received back in 2000. They were Salomon Crossmax 10.0 and they have served me well for the last 12 years. It's kind of like finding a little slice of heaven. They literally fit like a glove, no pressure points, never had cold toes or sore spots. Every boot fits a bit differently than the other so when you find one that fits as well as my old red babies you ride them like Seabiscuit until they are done. Well this spring they were done, it was (semi) painfully apparent in Sunday River, I just wasn't getting the snap and response I used to.
Then a minor miracle happened. I happened to run into Bruce Diehl, the New England Salomon rep at the Sunday River ski shop. He was showing the guys at the shop next years ski boot line and we started waxing nostalgic about sales meetings of yesteryear while Jackie went about buying a helmet and goggles. As we were chatting I started trying on boots, Quest Max 120, Quest 110, Ghost Max 120, Impact 110 CS, RS 120, everything fit fairly well, but I was all over the board in terms of flex. Then I came across the Quest Max 100. Queue the angels singing, bright lights, clouds, harp music, the whole nine yards. I was happier than Liberace at an Organ Convention....
Ok, what's the deal with these bad boy kicks anyway? Well first off you aren't going to get shot wearing them with the liberal amount of Orange they are swathed in (Orange is the new Black). I'm convinced that they weigh about 3 Ounces and they wield Salomon's 360 Custom Shell which allows for total lower shell customization, both in the width and in the depth. It can take the shell last from 98mm to a duck like 104mm around the metatarsal's without creating extra room which makes you sacrifice steering precision,or too narrow so you have zero snow feel. Just pop them in the oven (not YOUR oven, an Authorized Salomon Dealer's oven) for 10 minutes, on your feet for 5 and then cool them down for another 5-10 and your done. Salomon uses a materiel called "Caprilene" which I can only assume was mined from the craters of one of Saturn's moons to allow this process to happen.
So you may be thinking that the frame performs like a marshmallow? Think again. Near the bottom of the lower shell is the Twinframe (they have done a variation of this design since I was 2). It uses a materiel called RPU plastic which is 8 times stronger than the regular PU that they use in their shells of old. That gives the rider (aka ME) much better power and performance than ever before.
And what the hell is that huge, Orange circle on the ankle? Well....that's the Oversize Pivot my friend! Most alpine ski boot have pivot points with 8mm of translation of energy through the boot while The Oversized Pivot has 24mm to give you mind boggling precision and energy transmission (and I wasn't paid to say that....but I could be). The boot also has a contragrip outsole (same as on their hiking boots) for hiking to the back or sidecountry.
Finally the Magnesium Backbone makes the boot very easy to spend time in when it's not snapped between the binding toe and heel housings. In it's "Action" mode, the spine is locked giving me the required marketing department superlatives when skiing (back support, power transmission, flex management, etc, etc). Yet it also goes into "Release" mode which makes you able to do the Boot Scoot Boogie at your local Apres ski hangout, or, go hike the back country for powder stashes...whichever is more important to you.
Will you see these at your local retailer? Hopefully. If not, you can always catch a glimpse of mine on a ski hill near you. Keep in mind these might not be the right boots for you so come see us at Sportchek to be properly outfitted.
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