K2 FL3X Brand Discussion and Revolver Pro Ski Boot Review with SkiEssentials.com
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- Опубликовано: 27 июл 2024
- Jeff and Bob chat about the change in branding from Full Tilt to K2 FL3X, the public's response, and Jeff shares his experience in the new K2 FL3X Revolver Pro.
Written Review: www.skiessentials.com/Chairli...
0:00 - Intro
1:20 - Full Tilt to K2 FL3X
5:40 - Talking Business Decisions
7:55 - K2 FL3X Revolver Pro Review
About Bode Miller: He did want to use these boots for World Cup speed events. PJ Dewey from Race Stock Sports in Waterbury VT modified some boots for him. He was still under a legally binding contract with Head and they told him if he raced on them, they would consider it a breach of contract and it would end up in court. He did training runs on them, but never raced on them.
Thanks for all the time and effort you put into your reviews! They are the best and we really appreciate it! Just got my QST 98s from you guys. Excited to try them out tomorrow!
Raichle Flexon Comp 1994
My first boots ever were Raichle Flexon Comps. I'm 65 now and those and Full Tilt Classics are all I've ever used. I think I'm on my fourth pair now though I've replaced liners a few times too. I agree with everything you guys said, very accurate review. Things you didn't mention that also keep me in these boots are the warmth and comfort of the Intuition Full Wrap liners. They're like wearing slippers. I never complain of cold feet and never feel the need to loosen buckles for blood flow, even in the lodge at lunch or apres ski. Lastly, the light weight is addictive, not only on the slopes but on the lift especially as my knees age. For all these reasons I'm sure these boots will be with me as I cruise into my later years. Very happy to hear that K2 is not only keeping them alive but looking to educate skiers of their application beyond mogul fields and terrain parks!
Bill Johnson won a gold medal in Downhill with a Raichle boot, same design, same molds
Thanks for the review guys !
Seems like a great boot for a lot of so-called intermediate skiers.
I remember some of the other instructors at Crotched Mtn (NH) in the early 80's, teaching in the Raichle flex on comps. They looked so easy to get on and off . . .
Thanks for sharing . . .
I do think there's a lot to like about these boots for intermediate skiers. User-friendly, easy to get on, forgiving flex pattern, but still supportive. Let's you really play around with manipulating your skis without having to fight a really stiff boot.
I've been on Full Tilts for quite a few seasons. Love 'em! Great boot for soft snow skiers with low-volume feet and chicken legs (like me)! One important factor you guys didn't go into detail on is the custom Intuition liner - it gives the boot a firm, precise fit and is comfortable and warm. After heat-molding the liners, I swapped the cuff closure straps for a set of Booster straps to improve the responsiveness of the boot and eliminate shin bang.
In hindsight, we certainly could've talked more about the importance of molding your Intuition liners, I agree 100%.
Been on my eye for awhile since I never got to get a pair of FT’s after getting into skiing. Definitely going to be ordering them this coming week.
They really are amazing boots. Very easy to get on and off and very comfortable. Great Review Guys
Yes they are!
The design allowed for very good flex/rebound to put directly into the board, which is purpose designed to carve trenches. The edge to edge flex of this boot was where it shined, allowing direct energy input.
It worked really well! I dust them off each season for one or two days.
I used the Riachle back in the day and transferd my custom fit footbed and liner to my new Seth Morrison FT boot. Love if from my bump days of old to rough mostly off piste and powder where is is one of the best I have used. I have been skiing it recently paired with a Rossi Hero Elite for on poste performance skiing in short and long radius carve. Works very well! Good reciew
more k2 boot reviews would be amazing!
Got my mother in K2 methods. She's older, has tight ankles and arthritic hands. Getting in and out of boots is a major hurdle. She skis in control and on easy runs.
Boot fitter had the same opinions as me and sees a huge market for the Method boots being a great option for relaxed skiers/comfort boots that will help with boot entry.
Enthusiasts that watch your channel aren't just good/aggressive skiers. Would love to see the channel have a wall of skis that are good for "graduating from rentals". And maybe a spotlight on boots that may fit the same model. There really isn't much info for this category anywhere either and these products are hard to find in a wall/site full of performance gear.
Keep it up guys, the channel has grown so much!
Hi Troy!
We started doing some package ski videos this year that we think fit that bill--not a comparison, but rather individual videos to sit on the product pages. Some of those appear in either our low or mid 80's comparisons, like the Salomon Stance 80. Hope that helps, and tight ankles are a tough thing to deal with in ski boots!
SE
Khaki mountain IPA bros with the solid boot review. Many thanks.
Great discussion! I currently ski a FT konflck with the 8 flex tongue, about 12 years old. I’m an all mountain skier in the northeast, a retired ski instructor of 35 years, an aggressive skier so I’d say. I love skiing technically solid with a lot of carve combined with creative rowdinesses. I have used race 4 buckle boots with stiff build up till my shift to the FT’s.
I think every year that it is time to ditch these dinosaurs and join the modern boot age, then I ski in these, with warm feet and little struggling in the lodge with on and off. All that would be meaningless if the performance sucked…but for me the sensitivity I get with the FT is above the rest. I have always keep my boots pretty loose and tuned my carve with pressure and finesse, the intuition liner and that middle buckle locks me in place allowing my ankle and leg muscles to create the arc I want.
After listening to your discussion and the park home for these boots, that’s not my bag, I ski everywhere but park and love the feel of my FT’s. May buy new K2’s flex when I wear out my ugly green FT’s.
We did find that the blend of comfort and performance was top-flight.
I am nearly identical, except in the west, so get a fair amount of powder. Love my FTs - I think my Descendants are the only wide foot model they made.
Great review, thank you. I'm surprised to hear you haven't sold that many. I just purchased a pair of TWs and am awaiting delivery. I searched pretty much every shop in CA and AZ; and a bunch of shops in CO, and every shop was sold out of Pro model in my size (29.5). Finally found the TWs in Maine. I was never able to try on a pair in my size in any iteration of the Revolver series. And I was prepared to drive 500 miles to do so. Sold out of everything. Maybe the shops just didn't buy much inventory at the beginning of the season, fearing low sales from the branding change?
I had Flexons back in the 80s and loved them until they fell apart after 14 years. Going back to these because my beat-up old body no longer enjoys the agony of bending, pushing, and pulling to get in and out of my 4 buckles. I won't miss that part of the ski day!
I think there's a break-in period for both new and existing customers for these skis. Good luck finding a pair!
Bought my first pair of Raichle Flexon 5s in 1980 (I think). Loved them back then. Replaced the liner after a few years. But, in all, I must have happily skied in them for about 6 years. Your (excellent) review has me thinking of getting the latest K2 version!
It's like going back to the future!
I have this boot, it’s amazing! They’re sold out here in Denver
Love cabrio style boots because I can no longer withstand the pain of getting 4-buckle overlap boots on & off!
I skied full tilt from 2014 to 2020 and I loved the boots and the brand. For what I was doing, the boots were perfect.
But there’s a time when you move out from the park and you see the boots limitations, especially for an expert agressive skier.
And I’d like to talk about durability. As much as I like the intuition, it’s not a durable liner for a day to day use. But it is still a great boot!
Great review!
That's interesting that you point out the liner. I feel like i know more people who frequently have to replace parts on their FT, FL3X boots than replace liners. Good to keep in mind, however. I've had a number of Intuition liners over the years (mostly in Dalbello). I never had one completely fail or wear out beyond use, but I do know where you're coming from.
I would like to see more Boot review videos, like comparisons and why a salmon model has a different use case that a K2 boot model. Also, poles, bindings, snowboards, and apparel.
We're trying to do more and more each season! Thanks for the feedback.
Great that you all are doing boots now. I feel boots are so important to what your doing. 2 seasons ago I got into a cabrio design. The Roxa R3. I pair them with the Elan Ripstick 106 and 96’s. Completely changed my skiing. I mostly am an off piste skier and the cabrio design I feel out performs any 4 buckle I’ve been in. You can really drive the front of those skis and have far more control. I can transition into the bumps with no problem. For me, I’m sold on the cabrio design.
People seem to really like the boot talk. One of my theories is that cabrio and 4-buckle will merge more effectively over the coming years, blending the tongue style of the cabrio with the buckle and stance of the overlap. We'll see! And report!
Roxa R3 with Zipfits and Booster Strap for me at the resort. Tour Wrap liner to... tour. Kinda wide toe box, high instep, high arch, chicken. ankles. Had a quick look at new R3's, looked like they added plastic to cuff?
I’ve worn my FT Booter for 6 years now: I bought them in a used ski shop and they had been worn maybe two seasons minimally. Easy in and out, great flex, interested in buying the new K2 version/stamp just to keep around for later/parts. The upper two buckles mech seem as you have to adjust to/ odd but I’m typically adjusting my Booters as per how feet feel and conditions of the day are. Truly a great mold for the books and very operable for one who doesn’t mind stepping into a boot that needs an additional 3 seconds per boot!
Thanks for the great feedback!
Been on my full tilts with intuition liners for about 10 years...love them, mostly ski off piste and Powder in the NW, so watching this I totally agree made sense why i like them! best boots i have ever owned. Skiing them on the bent 120s now with switch bindings. my next boots will be the K2 FL3X Diverge LT Alpine Touring Ski Boots 2023 (i think) so i can tour in them. love the reviews!
Nice! Great combo for sure!
Hey Bob!! Remember when Plake was reppin DALBELLOS when they were carrying the torch and the mold between RAICHLE and FULL TILT ?? They were so friggin heavy!! mine were anyways omg
Great review. As a Flexion skier form the early '80's I loved my comps., skied them in everything(before there was park skiing). One thing you didn't mention is that the boot is on the low-medium side of volume which will effect fitting for some people, even with the Intuition liner.
totally. If you're going to a boot fitter to get the liner molded, the hope is that any grinding or stretching of the shell is done before the molding process so that the liner can fill all voids.
Park’n my FT Booter w Public Enemy original setup!
Flexon Forever Peace the best!
carry more FLEX boots !! been rocking Raichles and FULL TILTs since back in the day!! :)
Appreciate the feedback! You'll definitely see more on our site in the future.
I got the K2 Revolver Pro 4 ( White & Gray )months ago. Glad I did, heard there was a supply issue.
We haven't seen any significant supply chain issues with K2 this season, but there's still the possibility kind of lingering out there for a lot of brands.
As a snowboarder who took up skiing a few years back, I've been keen to try FT boots out. I couldn't handle the super heavy resort boots and have been rocking the Salomon S/Lab 120 AT Boots for over 5 years and have been stoked on them, I'd love to try these out, but like you mentioned, it's tougher to try boots out without buying them outright, no demo boot days haha.
I expect you'd like them. Definitely more similarities to a snowboard boot than most alpine boots (still more different than similar, but you know what I mean). Most important thing if you do pick up a pair is making sure you get a good mold on your Intuition liner. Best to have a shop help, if you can.
@@SkiEssentials sweet, yeah, the trend is good in boot development, my snowboard boots have gotten much stiffer and lighter while ski boots have been getting much lighter and more playful while keeping the stiffness. Keep up the rad content, cheers.
I've been skiing the Full Tilt Konflict boot for about 10 years. I love the fit, flex, and easy entry. I weight 150 lbs and have a low-volume, D-width foot. I mostly ski bumps, trees, off piste. i pair those boots with softer flexing skis because of my weight. I tried several different boots prior, including 2 different Nordicas, which felt like concrete Frankenstein boots.
My only nits are:
(1) that the buckles are junk as they've all been replaced at least once within the first few seasons, and the cables occasionally break.
(2) The boot could slightly be more upright (IMO) for today's skiing stances. I've removed the heal wedge and padded the top of the tongue to compensate.
I'm looking for a replacement pair of boots with similar characteristics.
Keep up the great ski reviews, and be sure to continually mention which skis are softer flexing for us lightweights!
Thanks for the great feedback!
Was going to get some fischer ranger boots but I love these so much now FT have been taken into K2 I might have to change plans.
Nice!
These are literally the same boot as the Raichle Flexon race boot. If you take one apart, inside the cuff is molded "Flexon Competition" for the name. Take this boot, ditch the soft foam wrap liner, soft tongue and rubber footboard. Add a ZipFit WorldCup liner, stiffest replacement tongue, and hard plastic footboard and you will end up with the old Flexon race boot. In that configuration, these things will drive any modern race ski pretty darn well. Of course, not as good as a modern plug race boot, as plugs are made out of very thick plastic, but they will drive a modern FIS race ski. I know guys who have made these changes and are running low single digit handicaps in adult race leagues with these boots. They tell me the best thing about them is not having to let them warm up for 20 minutes in the lodge like a plug boot to get them off your feet after a race!
These boots are coooold! I use my nordicas for winter. But when spring rolls around I switch to my ft's. I reccomend using battery heated socks if your going to ski fts in cold climates. I highly recommend getting a "BOOSTER" ski boot strap for the fts too! The booster strap helps u fine tune the flex.
as a general rule plan for cold weather when skiing : wool socks and polypropelene underwear-layer
Interesting. I’ve heard the opposite. Less pressure across the top of your foot to help with blood flow.
Thermo form liner offered great feel
This boot design has been around for quite a while with Raichle. They made a snowboard model for alpine/race (hard boot) style of riding. I used the Raichle 224 for years and considered them to be the best for their application. Of course, not much else offered at the time in the US for a carving board. I think it's a timeless design. Awesome!!
I had those. In the early nineties.
Excellent review,as usual! I’m still skiing my 35 year old, red and black Raichle Flexon Comps( with newer Intuition liners). I’m worried that they’re so old the plastic is going to nlow apart on me!
I have always wondered if the stiffness of the Full Tilts compared to my old Raichle’s? I love carving groomers and boiler plate on my Blizzard GS skis. I looking to get a stiff race boot. What would you recommend as a better replacement boot?
If you did get a Full Tilt or K2 FL3X, I think you would want the stiffest tongue they make. That said, it sounds like you might be better off in a 4 buckle overlap boot. Something like a Lange RS, Nordica Pro Machine, or Salomon S/Pro Alpha. Other options too, and those are all on the narrower side, but I generally prefer boots like that for GS skis. If you can, I would go try on some boots at a local shop and see what feels best for your feet and ankles.
@@SkiEssentials thankyou for the follow up… that is impressive and greatly appreciated!
You have some what read my mind! I have always wanted the try some Lange race style boots. I’m interested in the RS 130 in a low volume. Also interested in the Dalbello DRS and Technica Firebird! I live in central western Canada and will be driving to Calgary next week to try on, and hopefully buy, some boots. Thanks again for your input! I feel as though my ski IQ has expanded exponentially since I found your channel! Cheers 🍻👊
90% of World Cup Mogul skiers are on Full Tilt/K2 boots. It's not just park skiers. It's even stronger with competitive mogul skiers.
I asked several years ago to make some boot reviews, there is small amount of information what is different and what is what and how to buy and is it park boots or freeride or race, please do that kind of video
5:31. Exactly. The boot has been, and will be around no matter the owner of the brand - Raichle, Full Tilt, K2. All is good.
Everything is fine!
BTW, there's a podcast of Bode Miller talking about Full Tilts. Very informative. He's a total Drop Kick guy because Full Tilt thinned the thickness of the sole which HE can flex when skiing. He says stick to the non-replaceable sole boot (Drop Kick).
It's amazing to hear these top-level skiers talk about the ability to flex the sole of the boot. I don't think most of us can relate, but it's always sweet to get that elite perspective.
Could you please review the Solomon shift 130 freeride boots?
We're going to try to do as many boot reviews this season as possible! No promises, however. Bob's been testing the S/Pro Alpha, so we'll likely do that one sooner than later, but I'd love to do the Shift too.
I have a skinny leg and wide foot so sadly i cant wear these but I wish I could!
I'd love you to stock the beige team edition of these bad boys.
Will look into it!
I just got the Revolver Team and sitting in front of my pc with the boots on :)
How ofter should i ride them before getting the liner thermo formed and putting custom soles in them?
I would get the liner molded before you ski, actually. With Intuition liners, because they're so dense out of the box, it's a pretty important step to do before skiing. You can ski in them without molding, but there's a good chance they won't feel great. I would do your custom soles at the same time.
@@SkiEssentials awesome thanks. Got the fitting appointment the day after tomorrow :)
I like the lines but which boots would u recommend for extreme skiing
I'd still keep it in a more traditional four-buckle boot for high-level skiing just because of the simplicity. Sure, there are amazing skiers doing big mountain things on flex boots like this, but for the most part, the traditional overlap boot still dominates the performance spectrum.
Still have my old pink and yellow Raichles from way back. Ive been contemplating getting a full tilt liner and tongue piece and sending them, but concerned about the durability of the old plastic. K2 should make some throwback colored boots!
While the white of the Revolver isn't particularly colorful, most of the rest of the K2 boot line is very graphically charged. Plastic does have a shelf life, so if you're going that route, I'd at least ease back into it. Have fun!
SE
Love or hate the move to K2, the issue I see is replacement parts. All the hype about switching flex tongues, and not a one available through K2, or anywhere I'm seeing online. Looks to be the same with buckles, etc.
I think I saw you skiing the new Solomon strive binding? How do you like it?
Really nice binding. Low stand height, light weight, and reliable heel for sure. Everything you would want in an alpine binding that's not a Pivot!
Which of the models would you recommend I start with if I have a flatter foot? Generally 100 mm last.
It's tough, because the Revolve Pro at 99 mm underfoot is pretty narrow and cramped, especially in the toe box. It then goes up to the Method at 102 and with more of a modern cabrio style. Both are great with flatter feet as you're able to adjust the heel lock with the middle buckle/cable quite effectively. I just think that out of the box, if you're normally an MV fit at 100 mm, the Revolve will be a tough fit and there's not a whole lot of room for expansion due to the buckle setup.
Few things from a long time full tilt user:
First, I'm not so sure the K2 boot stays the same. I've taken a look at official measurements and some of 'em (like sole length) aren't exactly the same as Full Tilt. Not by much, but if figures are good, it's just not the same mold and so, the same boot
Second, you fail to state two important things:
One: You don't ski a FT boot like a normal overlap one. Your technique has to adapt, you don't push like a donkey on the tongue like on a Doberman, you ski much more straight up, much more with the heels. If you fail adapting, to the boot, then for sure, you won't get the best out of it
Two: If you feel your FT is too soft, you can upgrade to a 120 or even 130+ tongue which is gonna be like concrete -hard for 99% of skiers
Third, there's a thing that has to be said: Parts durability on FT is CRAP! I had to change buckles and cables and even sometimes screws on every single FT I bought after like only 2 seasons. It's crap, but you CAN repair (if you break a normal boot, you just trash it).
One last super important thing: GET THE CLASSIC DESIGN!! THe rubber soled ones are crap, less plastic to integrate the "upgrades" so the boot is wayyyy less stiff (confirmed by Bode Miller in a podcast)
Overall, seeing it's not the same boot AND its crappy parts, I've bought 3 brand new pairs of FT this fall with a bunch of parts. I guess I'm good skiing like 20years whitout buying new boots...
Get Full Tilts on NEwschoolers was a great time though... "get K2 fl3x" will never make the trick
Thx for the great vids, keep the good work!
Hi Ti Bo!
I've spoken with boot engineers who have confirmed that they are definitely the same mold. It's crazy expensive to make a new boot mold, so it would be wild for them to absorb FT into K2 and make new molds too. Just wouldn't make sense from a business perspective as you'd be adding a huge amount of unnecessary expense.
We did out best to talk about skiing them differently! Surprised you think we missed that, but yet, certainly. I rely on the lateral support of a 3 piece boot rather than fore-aft flex. We mentioned the tongues too.
I know a lot of skiers who don't like having to replace parts often, but a lot of other skiers who don't seem to mind and basically have a collection of FT/FL3X parts like someone would have a collection of Look Pivot parts.
Anyways, appreciate the feedback as always!!
years ago I had to size up for full tilts, is this the same for the new k2s?
Within the same model, the molds are the same, so you can feel pretty safe about that.
Maybe I missed it? Did you say that you can switch the front of the boot to different flex ratings? It’s a nice benefit of the design to be able to adjust the boot rather than owning multiple pairs.
Hey Steve! We did touch on that at one point in the video. Definitely super cool how modular the tongue design is and how easy it is to swap them out.
Would love to know how these compare against the dalbello il Moro. Thank you 🙏
Dalbellos feel like they have a little more lateral support than these boots, but the flex isn't as supple and progressive, at least that's what I've found. I skied in the Dalbellos for years. Dalbello is also heavier. The weight is definitely one of the big benefits of these boots.
How would you compare these to the Ace of Spades you mentioned?
Much lighter, to start, and the flex pattern feels more natural and progressive. Those Ace of Spades didn't flex as consistently.
Did I understand you rigth that they arent so good for agressive high speed carving? If that is the case would a stiffer tounge, maybe 110 or 120 help with that since I both ski park and steep slopes?
Sure, for more aggressive carving, the stiffer tongue would certainly help. Likely wouldn't hurt a whole lot in the park, either, as the progressive flex is one of the highlights for sure.
Hey Guys great thoughts. Any insight on the Evolver 70 vs Revolver 90 flex for a 120lb 12 year old? Thanks!
For park skiing, and aggressive skiing at that, I'd say the 90 is going to be fine. Maybe a bit on the stiff side, but I'd worry about the 70 if any competitive skiing will take place.
It looks like a very classic Full Tilt, just w/ the K2 logo, which I guess is just a marketing strategy to gain trust: "it's the same FT you love, we didn't change anything" (yet)
Correct!
Who cares what label is on this awesome boot. Love you can change out parts. I love the tongue liner over the wrap I had been using for 15 years. Just make some great colors, K2, and they will sell like crazy!
Most of K2's other boots are some of the nicest looking around--I hope that translates to FL3X as well!
What is the difference between this and the Revolver TW ?
It's basically the same boot, except the TW is the "Revolver Plus" shell. It essentially has an expanded toe box for a little more room just in that area. TW boot also has replaceable soles. Those are the main differences. Performance is going to be very, very similar, if not identical.
You guys need to watch more WC moguls. They are all on Full Tilts. Not just a park boot.
Hey Kyle! Maybe we didn't communicate that clearly, but we agree 100%. That's kind of the idea behind the name change, to open it up as a real consideration for non-park skiers. Bob brought up competing on them as a mogul skier back in the day, but perhaps you missed that part. Love watching world cup moguls!
please review Daleboots!!
It's a custom boot, so it's tough to get our feet in them. From what I've dealt with from a boot fitting perspective, they're great. We only really saw them to install heaters or make footbeds, because there weren't any fit issues due to the custom construction.
Just got mine, They are soooo tight around my legs. like i can barely close them without my dads help. And when their closed their so tight i can barely fell my legs. even do i have them on their biggest seting😢
Sounds like you haven't molded your liner, which is extremely important with these boots. Intuition liners start out very dense and at their thickest. The heat mold process turns it into a much softer material, which then conforms to your foot and ankle shape, then hardens again as it cools. Best to do at a local boot shop, although there are some tutorials on how to do it at home. If you do it at home, just be VERY careful.
They’re light , fast and comfortable. Classic flexons! Couldn’t imagine anything else! You guys been missing out. Just buy em! Seth Morrison approved! You can boot boot pack with em. They do it all. If you don’t know, you don’t know shit.
Fantastic Feedback!
Hey guys, how about reviewing Daleboots?
I believe that they are limited to reviewing the brands that they sell. They are not a Dale Custom Boot dealer.
While we can stray from our retail perspective, you are mainly correct that since Dale is a custom boot, it certainly makes it more difficult to attain, ski, and review.
Review Apex boots please.
I found them to be perfectly acceptable ski boots. The harder you pushed them into shorter turns, the more they washed out--not nearly the edge grip on firm snow. If you simply rolled edges and kept them under a certain speed limit, they were comfortable and easy to use. A bit heavy.
There is more than a brand change going on here. From 2023 K2 (fka Full Tilt) no longer make a cabrio boot stiffer than 100 flex or a touring model, limiting the line to park and lightweight (lbs) powder skiers. This is a head scratcher, given the dispositional use of cabrio boots on the WFT. I have skied Dalbello Krypton Pro 130’s for 10 years, after 30 years in Langes. They do everything Langes do and more, anywhere in any conditions. While a heavyweight (lbs) skier in a Revolver 100 may not be able to rail a Manta, the Krypton 130 gets it done with ease. Dalbello and Roxa must be licking their lips.
They have two touring models with 120 flex and all these boots have a system where you can switch out the tongues if you would like to go stiffer
Or less stiff if you prefer
Hey Luke, they do have 120 flex tongues. Still no 130 option, which leaves Dalbello as a great choice for someone looking for a stiffer cabrio boot, but K2 is carry-over all the same flex patterns that FT had. They also have touring models too. They downsized the collection as a whole for simplicity, but they did keep every different shell option.
How about a BOA version
One BOA for all the cables!
To me it seems like the dalbello boots sit between a full tilt and 4 piece overlap (in terms of lateral stiffness for carving and flex). Correct me if I’m wrong. Definitely considering the cabrio design pretty seriously given my focus on off piste terrain for most of the day.
Hey Brendan! I think you brought this up in our live chat video, and sorry for just getting back to you here, but yes, I agree 100%. I think that's a really good way of thinking about it.
Love skis, hate boots because of my bunion.
samesies
Jeff, when are we going to convince you that the best way to color match is to go all in and get a ski suit onsie?
He knows. We're fans of the tech team suits that the European precision ski teams wear.
Designed by NASA !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! #LFG :)
So my cheater GS old man ski is stealing my race daughter's pretty straight insane 188 FIS GS ski - and I ski on hard east coast icy conditions - are these boots a good recipe for future knee surgery - or can I make it down the hill alive to do flybys of my daughter's race team with some white bling? Just asking because I think some white retro bling would go perfectly with my long black ski coach wannabe jacket
I personally would not want to ski a GS race ski in these boots. If you did, I would at least get the stiffest tongue you can. I do like the idea of the look, however! If you're just shushing around, it could work, just don't try to drive the forebody or expect as much lateral support as you'd generally want on a ski like that.
Hate to get political but K2 wears the “Made in China” label in the ski world and maybe that’s a issue for some.
In my opinion, you at least have to respect that they don't try to hide it. I've also always found it comforting that they own their factory in China, rather than outsourcing to an existing factory. From talking to their engineers, they have excellent quality control. Of course, that doesn't necessarily negate any human rights concerns of doing business in China in general, but it's something, and they can also control how they take care of their factory employees, rather than relying on another organization to do the right thing.
Not all their products.
I cannot believe that you have completely skipped over this boot’s true World Cup DH racing legacy. Have you ever heard of Bill Johnson, the US Olympic DH gold medalist? Apparently, you
think it’s legacy has something to do with park skiing which is barely skiing at all compared to this boot’s true legacy, something far removed from the league of this review.
I feel like we touched on some of the racing heritage in the video, sincerest apologies if we did not mention Mr. Johnson specifically. For most skiers these days, it's a far easier and closer connection to modern freeride and freestyle skiers, including mogul, big mountain, park, and halfpipe athletes.
I mean the new brand name is just terrible. I understand trying to widen the appeal. I am not a park skier and I ski FT descendant and love them. But “fl3x” this got to be the shittiest ski brand attempt since.. wait I can’t think of anything worse
If anything get Dalbello is about that :) whatever marketing committee came up with this idiocy should all be fired.
Really? You want people to lose their jobs and ability to feed their families because you don’t like the name on a boot?
Interesting take.