Boot flex for 15 year old

[wilcox510]

I'm extremely picky in what I want in my ski boots, having a hard time figuring out my son's boots...

He'll be 15 this week, is 6'1 but skinny, 150 pounds, but pretty athletic. Mountain bike racer and recreational skimo racer. Advanced skier, can ski just about anything, but not a true ripper. We've tried on a ton of boots and some Hawx Ultras fit him pretty well, but will need to be stretched out for width (super skinny ankle, heel and calf but kind of wide forefoot). Have been trying to decide on flex. I was guessing 110 would be right. when he puts both boots flat on the ground and just tries to flex them he cant really get much movement out of them. Definitely stiffer than whatever Head adjustable 100-110 flex boots he was in last year. I know it's pretty hard to say with this info, but would people think 110 is about right? For whatever reason I just think 100 seems to soft, but I don't know much about what's best for a growing/learning teenager.

[rudy]

I would concur with your thinking that at 150 pounds, 110 flex feel about right. Not sure why he couldn't flex em though...

[auvgeek]

Flexing a boot is as much technique (and fit!) as it is strength, IMHO. Assuming the boots fit actually him everywhere except the forefoot, it sounds like the kid maybe just needs more time in boots.

Too stiff of a boot would be bad. 100 wouldn’t phase me personally but you may need to buy him a new pair if his skiing improves or he gets a lot stronger. His foot may or may not keep growing.

[mntlion]

can he flex his ankle without a boot on?

IE: is the boot too stiff or his calf/ankle not flexible?

buy the 110 and make sfoter if needed once he skis.

[SoVT Joey]

I’d go out on a limb on this one and say go try some dalbellos or some of those park rat full tilts. Benefit to both of those would be the swappable tongues and being able to build the boot stiffer or softer if needed. I’d say the 110 is around the right flex for that weight and size, but mtn biking and Skimo also are different types of muscle strength then hard alpine skiing. definitely check his ankle flex though, I have very little ankle flex and langes work very well for my foot, ankle, heel, and calf.

[whambat]

My kid is almost 14 and 110 lbs. At the end of last season, his foot shot up and I had to get him new boots to get through the last weeks of the season and moved him up from a 95 flex Cochise team to a Cochise 120. He skied it fine. I graduated high school at 6’1” and 160ibs and skied Lange “race” boots (not plugs) before there were flex ratings, but I was a cyclist and soccer player so I had some leg strength. As your kids a mountain biker and has the tall frame leverage, I wouldn’t hesitate to go 120, depending on the brand, if not 130 if he can truly weight his outside ski. There really no standard to flex rating. Too soft a boot can be taxing. Get him in boots and see how he can flex them in the store. They will get stiffer in the cold, but you can flex a boot better with g forces in a turn than just in the shop.

[wilcox510]

Thanks for the feedback folks. I pulled the trigger on the Hawx 110s after having him step into his skis in the living room and flex them. They’re currently at the shop getting stretched at the metatarsals. I think they’ll be great.

[steved]

auvgeek mentioned:
Flexing a boot is as much technique (and fit!) as it is strength, IMHO. Assuming the boots fit actually him everywhere except the forefoot, it sounds like the kid maybe just needs more time in boots.

Excellent input....(I could ramble on this but won't bore the crowd..)
_______________
steve

[EWG]

Thanks for the feedback folks. I pulled the trigger on the Hawx 110s after having him step into his skis in the living room and flex them. They’re currently at the shop getting stretched at the metatarsals. I think they’ll be great.

This was the right flex based on your description. Nice job. They'll take care of him for a bit.

[comish]

Just as a data point. My 15yr old is 5'10" +/- and about 165ish. He races and is in Dobie WC 110's.

I actually ended up with a pair of his from last year and used them for most of the season after the sizing down experiment didn't go too well. Coach tried to shove his size 10.5 feet into 25's which is what I wear for my size 9 feet. Gave up after a lot of grinding and a couple weeks so I inherited them. The plastic of the newish (not this coming year) Dobie's is quite different from the old ones I was using.