Видео

You are welcome!

It can be helpful to think of adjusting the cuffs as part of fitting the boots to the skier. As a skier stands on a flat surface, with their feet parallel and in their skiing stance width, their legs join their feet at some angle. Some skiers have very straight shins that rise almost straight up from their feet. Other skiers have more curvy shins that lean outwards as they rise up from their feet. If a skier has shins that go straight up, then the cuffs usually need to be tilted inward so that the cuff is aligned with the leg. For skiers whose shins curve outwards, the cuffs need to be tilted outwards in order to align with their legs. When the cuffs align with the legs, the boot is most comfortable on the leg with no pressure points on the inside or outside of the lower leg; the tongue lines up with the shin bone; and the boot supports the leg and foot in their normal orientation to each other. Once the cuffs have been fitted to (aligned with) the legs, underboot alignment can be used to adjust the position of the knees relative to the center of the boot soles. If a skier's knees are wider apart than ideal, the entire boot can be tipped inward to bring the knees inward. If the skier's knees are closer together than ideal, the entire boot can be tipped outward to bring the knees outward.

You are welcome! I hope that you find it effective when you get a chance to practice on snow,.

You are welcome. I am glad that you find it helpful!

That observation is correct. There are two versions of boots without cuff alignment... Cost-cutting with rivets or fixed hardware; boots with a walk mode. In the former it is sometimes possible to remove the fixed, nom-adjustable hardware and replace it with screw/tnut/camming insert from another boot. For boots with a walk mode, one cannot swap the cuff hardware as the cuff-to-lower alignment needs to stay fixed for the walk mode to engage and disengage properly.

@@danorog007 Thank you Diana :-)

@@richard_ford You're welcome!

In our technique, we manage fore/aft balance primarily by moving the feet forwards and rearwards beneath the hips: We pull the feet back (to create tip pressure) or slide them ahead (to shift pressure rearward, toward the tails). One can also press the forefoot down and lift it up, but that doesn't have as big of an influence as pulling the feet back or moving them forward.

And the best opportunity to pull the soon-to-be new downhill foot back is during the transition when you are rolling it from little toe edge to big toe edge.

I don’t agree, the fastest you move the weight to the future outside ski, the better. Also there is no problem if whilst you tip and bend your inside ski you put weight on it. In deep snow you actually have to put weight on it. The worst mistake that can be done in my opinion is to focus on the outside ski and try to steer my using the outside ski, all attention and steering comes from the inside ski, whether weighted or unweighted is of less importance

@@damiancitobarbanis7575 Wel, with your idea they racers all fall. If soonest inside ski pressure is good, then why not start the turn with inside ski? ;-)

You are correct; the inside ski tipping is a cue to move to the inside of the turn arc. The outside ski is doing 90% of the bending.

True, at 3:15 they cut away until after the adjustment process is done.

Yes!

No :-) you will not be able to bend the boot by force of the foot

​@@SNiboDuh Ankle angulation is not about bending the boot. It is about using the effect of kinetic chain by applying pressure on the side of the boot and start tipping by applying torque on the sidewall of the boot. When you focus on the feet and engage them first, as opposed to just moving the knees only, you use the effect of kinetic chain to coordinate the movements. Actually, this is a question of terminology. The name Ankle angulation is from Ron LeMaster Ultimate Skiing. You can like it or not;). If your prefer to use "foot eversion", I don't mind.;)

When encountering partial boilerplate on a steep slope, I have found it helpful to think: big toe! Big toe! In addition to effectively engaging additional edge angle, it also encourages me to get more weight forward at the same time.

​@@SNiboDuhWhat was shown in this video using the bare feet can be done inside the boot and anyone who is having trouble improving their skiing and doesn't think that this is possible, most likely will never improve.

You're welcome. I am glad it was helpful!

I believe their method is to discuss movements, nothing else. If you lift one foot off the snow, you don't need to use the word weight, it can only be on the opposite foot. All you need to tell the student is lift foot A, and things happen, the weight is on the other foot. you needn't mention shifting one's weight at all. I believe this is highly effective. I have skied for many decades, but I can tell you when I became aware of their description of the movement of the inside foot, flexing the new inside leg at the knee and ankle, and pulling the inside foot back at the end of the transition from one turn to the next, everything fell into place. It was a transformative concept. You do not need to use the terms of physics, like weight or center of gravity in teaching one how to ski. If the teacher talks about movements one needs to make, things will happen, automatically. I believe that concept is the foundation of their methodology.

Totally agree, Jim. When I was watching slomo slalom footage of Mikaela Schiffrin, it was evident that she was unweighting the current downhill foot very early in the process, thereby getting the soon-to-be downhill foot carving earlier than her competitors. Watching Diana's moves above encourages me to put more weight on that uphill little toe edge earlier than I have been doing it. Learning is a continual process...., esp for those of us who started later in life.

Teaching kids this winter, I would simply tell them to touch with the pole which is on the side they want to turn towards and simultaneously pick up that foot. (ideally the heel of that foot, to encourage them to keep their weight forward) It Works!

Hi Guy, I am sorry, but we do not supply the t-nuts alone. Their installation has to be done "just right", and our insurance only covers it if we do the installation. Do you need to tip your cuff inward or outwards? If the latter, you can get some benefit from using a pad on the medial side of the cuff between shell and liner. (If you have to tip the cuffs inwards, then there is no "quick fix").

@@danorog007 thanks for your reply - much appreciated. I need to tip them inwards unfortunately so will try and find a boot fitter over here that can help. Guy

@@guycrawford6640 send us an email at ask.us@harbskisystems.com, and I can send you some photos of what we do to make a bit more room in cuffs, either beyond what we get with our t-nuts, or for boots where they cannot be used.

You are welcome!

This is really challenging for so many skiers. I hope that you find this new video helpful as you work on it.

Thank you!

Hi BartL, My assistant did a really spot-on job, didn't he? ;-)

Head's current boot is different than the one in the video. It's now called the Raptor WCR 140 ("WCR" are the letters designating the new model.) All of Head's latest boots (WCR and Formula) are made of plastic that is more temperature sensitive. This means that they are more flexible at room temperature, but then stiffen to their flex rating at about 20 deg F/-7 deg C. They are definitely easier to put on than the previous Raptor models (non-WCR). They are comparable to put on, or easier, than other brands' 140-flex models. That said, you should try them on a your local Head dealer to be sure you can get them on. Some people have stiffer ankles and higher insteps, and that makes it harder to put on any overlap-style boot.

@@danorog007 Thank you!

@@ujaekang You're welcome!

@@danorog007 In your experience, does the boot gets stiffer or more flexible over time? Plastics tend to change over time. In the midst of winter, do you have any tactics to put on or off your boots? Do you use something like a hair dryer to loosen it up? does it work? I remember trying one of those Raptor boots, and it was so painful to put it on. Once in, it was comfortable. But it created a bruise on the top of my foot. Maybe my foot is one of the inflexible ones. Is there anything I can do to make my foot more flexible?

@@ujaekang All plastic boots get stiffer over time. The more the boots are exposed to sunlight and heat, the faster the process goes. They should feel similar for 4-5 years, but you would probably start to notice a difference after that. You can absolutely use a portable hair dryer to heat the front of the boot in the region of the ankle (where the cuff meets the top of the foot). This helps for getting the boots on and off. Some skiers with stiff feet find it helpful to spray the inside of the liner and the surface of the footbed/insole with a slippery spray, like teflon or silicone. A little goes a long ways. Make sure that your socks are smooth and snug. It's helpful to pull the tongue to one side with one hand, then use the other hand to open the opposite side of the cuff and liner - trying to flare the two sides away from each other to increase the circumference of the opening of the boot.

Hi Lawrence, we manufacture different hardware to replace the stock t-nuts on the inside of the boot. The new hardware gives more "throw" than the stock.

That is really kind feedback - thank you!

The "how" varies with the make and model of boots. Some have a cam insert which can be turned to lean the cuffs either direction. Some boots have a toothed ladder between the cuff and lower; you need to loosen a screw, pull the cuff into the new position, and tighten the screw. Some boots have different inserts that have to be swapped into place. Let me know the make and model of your boots and I will tell you how yours work.

Please help! I have the Head Formula 120 with the adjustments on inside and outside leg I dont see anyway to adjust the cuffs since the hole is circular and not elliptical shape for the adjustment. Currently ski tips are pointing towards each other because my tibias are resting against the inside cuff of both skis (lots of space on outside of leg)@@danorog007

@@danorog007I’m not the person you’re replying to, but I’d also like to know. I have the FISCHER RC4 PODIUM GT 110 VFF - thanks!

@@ryno7437 I am quite sure your Fischers have the older style of cuff inserts, that look like a cross or plus-sign (newer Fischer race boots have circular cuff inserts). There is one on each side of the boot cuff (medial and lateral). The stock inserts are black, and the through hole with the screw is centered in the cross. There are two other inserts, grey and red, with more offset (red has the most), meaning that the center screw hole is offset toward one of the 4 arms of the cross. We will call this the "short arm". Opposite this we will call the "long arm". (Note: the arms are not longer and shorter, but the distance from the screw to the end of the arm is longer and shorter.) You need to get these inserts from Fischer or a dealer. If your shins curve outward, you will want to tip the cuffs outward. In this case you would remove the stock inserts and install either grey or red with the long arm aimed upward on the medial (big-toe) side of the cuff and aimed downward on the lateral (little-toe) side of the cuff. If you have very straight shins, or shins that lean inward, then you will want to tip the cuffs inward. In this case, you would install either grey or red shims with the long arm aimed downward on the medial side and aimed upward on the lateral side. You can mix and match the colors (amounts of offset) to fine-tune the angle of the cuffs to match your legs.

@@danorog007 thank you very much for the info!

He does have a narrow stance, both in street shoes and in ski boots. He could just stand in a wider stance to make the indoor situation "look ok", but it does not ski well for him. Using an accurate stance when adjusting the cuffs is necessary, and results in the best on-snow performance.

Thank you. I am glad that you enjoyed it!

You're welcome!

Hello Chenchao, if you have bow legs, you most likely need to tip your cuffs toward the outside. Depending on what cuff adjustments you have on your boots, lower the lateral side of the cuff (the outside); raise the medial side of the cuff (the inside). Check your results and try to achieve the same gap on both the inside and the outside of each leg. If your lower legs are very curved, you probably will not be able to enter your legs, but any improvement is worthwhile.

@@danorog007 Thank you very much for your reply. I just did the cuff alignment by moving the cuff outside. I see that there are the same gaps between my legs and the shell on both left and right sides. However, after I put the liners back in the shells, when I stand straight up, the bottom of the boots is not 100% flat. I have to bend my knee so that the bottom of the boots are flat on the ground. Do you think whether this matters to the ski performance?

@@chenchaochenchao4592 it is not ideal when the boots do not sit flat. If you have centered the cuffs, then you would need underboot alignment to address the situation. That is a different process, and needs to be done at a qualified shop. Try skiing now that you have centered the cuffs, and see if you are satisfied with the results. If not, let me know and I will help you proceed.

You are welcome!

I am glad that the video helped you to set up your boots. "Out of the box" only works for the tiniest fraction of skiers. You now have good boots that are more customized to your anatomy... I hope that you enjoy them for a long time!

Hi Sean, Good question. The answer is yes, remove the spine bolts before doing cuff alignment, On some boots, the rear bolts don't really constrain the cuff adjustment, but on others they do. Best to loosen them completely before proceeding.

Hello Pink Panther, thank you for the kind feedback! If you use PMTS technique you are on the right track to get there. Always remember to enjoy the practice and to celebrate even the tiniest improvements. That's how progress is built.

Hello Honey & Jam, you have to pay attention as you try on boots. Most backcountry boots have no cuff adjustment. Many "sidecountry" boots (those with a walk mode) have no cuff adjustments, or have very little adjustment. Boots that are Alpine-specific, with no walk mode, are more likely to have a good range of adjustment. If you look for "dual cuff canting" as a feature, the boots are more likely to offer a good range.

Thank you! I am glad that you find it informative!

Hi! These Harb Carvers are a lot of fun. We do not make or sell them anymore, but we have complete plans on how to make them yourself on our website. You can work with a local machine shop to help you build them. We do include a supply list that is US-supplier-oriented, but you will be able to find all the necessary supplies online or locally. Here is the link... harbskisystems.com/pages/harb-carver-diy

I am glad that you found it helpful!

Martin, you are correct - if your cuffs are adjusted properly, you'll be able to roll on and off edge easily. Releasing from a turn with ease makes it much easier to stay on a good line when running gates. There is a dearth of information about adjusting cuffs, which is a shame. Many boots have that feature, and boots feel and ski better when it's done. At least you now know about it and can share the info with your clubmates. I am thrilled for you that your dry slope is going to re-open soon. Stay healthy, and I hope you enjoy the new boot setup while running gates!

These actually are a small unisex boot. In this particular boot, the women's model has a cuff that is 1 cm shorter than the unisex model, but there is no significant difference in the circumference. Becky skis well and she enjoys the support of the higher cuff and stiffer flex. However, it did not improve her cuff clearance. She had previously used the women's model, and the cuff setup needed to be the same in it. If a skier's calf tapers quickly, then a lower cuff is sometimes helpful in terms of cuff clearance or alignment as it can sit just below where the muscles flare outward. IF a skier's calf is a more even "diameter" just above and below the height of the cuff, then a slightly taller or shorter cuff won't have as great of an influence.

@@danorog007 very interesting and very informative. You are very knowledgeable and your video has taught me a great deal about boot fittings before which, I was unaware. Thanks for posting a great video Diane and for your reply!

@@iveywin You are welcome. I am really happy that my videos are helpful to you!

Alan, I am so glad that aligning your cuffs made such a difference in your comfort. It really does influence not only how the tongue sits on your leg, but how the leg, ankle, and foot all sit within the boot. Enjoy your full ski days :-)

It's really kind of you to say that! I am glad that you find my skiing inspiring 😊

@@danorog007 been watching the evideo on repeat the last few days and it really is great. any tips for training that relaxed stance leg maybe with the slantboard?

@@douglast3410 You could certainly practice it on a slantboard. One way to practice that is beneficial is to "compare and contrast"... Balance on a slantboard in your boots, lifting up the uphill foot a few inches. Do several where you deliberately stiffen the downhill (stance) leg. Then do several where you relax that leg. Do a few where you transfer the balance from both to the downhill; at the moment that you lift the uphill, do both versions - 1. stiffen the downhill leg; 2. relax the downhill leg. It's often at that moment of committing balance to the one leg that our brain tells us to stiffen it. You have to train yourself to do the opposite: that's the moment to exhale, relax the muscles, and settle into the front of the boot.

@@danorog007 thank you so much for this thoughtful answer! just putting it out there but it is pretty much name your price territory if you want to put together a new next generation slantboard training series ;)

@@douglast3410 I will keep that in mind as we plan our upcoming videos. I can even film that one indoors ;-)

You are welcome! We don't have any more coming prior to the 20-21 winter season, but we have a good list of new content that we want to film.

Those are relatively current boots. Think of it as "retro" styling :-)

We have nearly thirty years of aligning skiers, from junior to national-team athletes, from novices to all-mountain experts. In our experience, we have found that skiers will ski best ( their skis will behave in unison; ease of making the skis roll on edge; ease of releasing the edges) with a combination of several things... 1. Proper boot fit (not too loose; not so tight that they deform the feet); 2. Aligning the cuffs of the boots with the skier's legs (as shown in this video); 3. Underboot alignment. This last item can be performed with shims under the bindings or by changing the angle of the boot sole. We have found that trying to "move" the knees by pushing them with the cuffs will always have undesirable effects in how the skis roll on and/or off edge. Underboot alignment will move the knees relative to the feet (when viewed in a two-footed skiing stance). Some skiers need more, some less, but it is not "extreme" to perform this; rather, it makes it easier for the skier.

@@Alex-rc1ly we do not do any of this work ourselves, but if it is apparent/likely that the skier would benefit from bodywork (stretching, strengthening, etc.) we definitely recommend it. We leave it up to the skier how they want to pursue it, whether through PT, yoga, etc. If they are able to make significant changes in their body and mobility, we can fine-tune their setup at a later date.