Strolz Snowboard/Ski Hybrid Boot

Post by **Ironmike** » Tuesday 7 August 2007, 14:13

As I'm looking for some new boots, I came across the following:

"Strolz" an Austrian manufacturer is producing customized boots with liquid foam adapting to the foot to guarantee perfect fitting. A second bonus of that boot is that you can change the plates and use it for skiing (yes sometimes I go skiing as well)

Here is the link for that boot
http://www.strolz.at/schuhe_raceplate.htm

As far as I can tell it from the picture, there is no way of adjusting leaning forward or backward (Probably the reason not to buy it)

the only reason why I was thinking of that boot, is just because that my feet have been hurting for the last 20 years or so and I've never had a boot which I was satisfied with yet.

So to stop pain and enjoy riding I thought a customized boot would be the right thing.

What do the experts for Extremecarving think of that boot?
Would you advise them or not? (regardless of that gigantic price of about 600 Euros)

Thx
Mike

Post by **Silver** » Tuesday 7 August 2007, 16:40

Good idea but:

- looks more like a ski shoe;

- there is no spring behind (like Deeluxe Indy or Head Stratos or Former Burton models).

To sum up, i am not sure they fit for EC and freecarving...

Silver

Post by **István** » Tuesday 7 August 2007, 17:34

Ironmike, this does not look too good.

Check what Deeluxe has ( http://www.deeluxe.com/2006/en/products/alpine/ ) and also try UPZ / Virus ( http://www.virus-snowboards.de/com/inde ... 2=5&sub3=1 or http://www.upzboots.com/ ).

Pros here will suggest Northwave that has been out of production for quite some time and you'll only find it in sports museums....

Some say that UPZ is not comfy, I have never tried, but I think it more depends on the shape of your foot.

Deeluxes are generally ok, you should be able to find something appropriate for your weight and skills. You might want to play around with changing the spring system. Check http://www.bomberonline.com/store/boots/BTS_kit.cfm. It will add a bit to the comfort and fun of riding, but it will not change the world especially if you are at the beginning of the learning curve.

I hope this helps.

Cheers

Post by **Hans** » Tuesday 7 August 2007, 17:50

I have got these boots with the yellow cuff on it. The boots fits perfectly but are very stiff, equally stiff or stiffer than the Deeluxe Indy's. And no sidemoving.

The innerboot is custommade to my feet. I recommend the innerboot in a more specific snowboardboot like Deeluxe or some other hardboot. Especially when you have difficult feet like my feet. I talked to the guys in Austria from Strolz. They told me they have very good experiences to make custommade innerboots for Deeluxe hardboots. I use these boots when I go out racing with my Coiler Racecarve 180 II. Maximum speed and max control!

See also viewtopic.php?t=890&highlight=strolz

Post by **Ironmike** » Wednesday 8 August 2007, 12:45

Yeah, that's just what I thought. But as I heard in this forum that so many people are not satisfied with the virus/Upz Boot, and for the fact that I have Raichle which I got pain in, I truly don't know what to buy.
Maybe I'll go for the Head stratos pro.
If those turn out to hurt my feet as well, I will try Hans's thought of using Head boot and custommade inner Liners from Strolz ?!?!?!

Thanks for your efforts

Post by **Hans** » Wednesday 8 August 2007, 12:51

Ironmike wrote:Yeah, that's just what I thought. But as I heard in this forum that so many people are not satisfied with the virus/Upz Boot, and for the fact that I have Raichle which I got pain in, I truly don't know what to buy.
Maybe I'll go for the Head stratos pro.
If those turn out to hurt my feet as well, I will try Hans's thought of using Head boot and custommade inner Liners from Strolz ?!?!?!

Thanks for your efforts

What are exactly your pains in your boots?

May be these things will help if you havn't done it already. I did and it helped me a lot:
- buy yourselves custommade footbeds in a good shoestore (not in a
sportshop) where those experts can analyze your feet.
- go to a good bootfitter to stretch your Deeluxe/Raichle boots. Mine were
strechted about eight times till I was satisfied (I have a high bow in my
forefeet and my forefeet are also wide and I have like most
northeuropeans flat feet, so the footbeds helped me to create a natural
healthy feetarch).

Just my 2 cents.

Post by **Ironmike** » Wednesday 8 August 2007, 13:16

Hi Hans!

Well, I have 3 different problems with my feet when riding.

1. minor problem: the outer edges of my feet hurt like hell when I have tightened the boots hard to get more control. As a result I loosened the boots a litle bit and now I very rarely have problems with the outer edges.

2. minor problem: my tibia of the rear leg gets blistered after 3 days, but I can handle the pain.

3. Big, big problem: in every frontside turn my heel lifts in the boot and goes down again on backside turns. Last season I had to stop riding because of unbearable pain in my rear heel. There was a huge blister at the inner side of the heel which made riding impossible. I couldn't tighten the boot so much that my foot didn't move any more. So I guess my instep (Spann) is too low/thin.

Post by **frunobulax** » Wednesday 8 August 2007, 14:52

You could try and tighten the boot at the instep using pieces of neoprene and e.g. double-sided tape or some other glue.
I did this with my boots because I'm rather flat-footed and - voilà - it fits perfectly now, and I dont have to fasten the straps so hard anymore.

Post by **pokkis** » Wednesday 8 August 2007, 15:16

Heel lift is mainly caused either by too large boots or not perfectly fitted inner sole. Main reason is first one, in your case i dont know which one.

Post by **István** » Wednesday 8 August 2007, 15:30

Ironmike, based on what yuo wrote here, most probably this is not a good boot for you.... actually there's nothing else that could be wrong on top of what you say...

Post by **Schneewurm** » Wednesday 8 August 2007, 20:11

Ironmike, which Raichle shoes You ride? How old is it and how many days was it used?

Post by **Ironmike** » Thursday 9 August 2007, 9:18

Thanks to all of you for your help.

I don't think that the boot is too large regarding length of sole. I tested it again just yesterday and it seems fine to me, BUT I agree on the point that the boot is too large over the instep. But what can I do?
I cut some neoprene pieces yesterday evening and tried it on again on the board. After that I couldn't lift the heel so much in the boot. We will have to see how it works on the piste.

My Raichles are the "125" (beige/turquoise), bought between 1997 and 1999 (don't know) and they've been in use for about 50 to 70 days (7 days per year), I guess.

Post by **Schneewurm** » Thursday 9 August 2007, 13:01

beige/turquoise ? You mean silver/turquoise! (The sun turnes silver to beige!)
Hey man, 125 silver/turquoise is a model from 1995/96, the same with black instep-strap is from 1996/97!
The liners are (modified) from the first generation (1994/95) of the SB-series.
Next generation liners (SB 325) are in enhanced comfort and rigidity.

Put away this liner and buy a new one! I think it's wearing out!
Tune to a new liner or a thermoflex-liner and all your pains will disappear!
(standart liners are more rigid then thermoflex, thermoflex more comfy)

Putting neoprene pieces on such an old liner ist just like a absurd patch-work!

Post by **Ironmike** » Thursday 9 August 2007, 13:20

Hi Schneewurm!

Yeah it's the one with the black instep strap.

But I'm pretty sure it never was in silver colour.
When doing the snowboardteacher training the instructor told me to buy some new boots as mine probably would have worn out over the years. The liners as well as the outer hard shell. What do you think. Is it worth to buy new thermoflex liners to that old boot??

thx

Post by **janM** » Thursday 9 August 2007, 14:52

had a pair of raichle 325 (?) with termoflex liner for about 8 years (approx. 25 days per season).

the outer shell didn't feel like wearing out as normal shoes do.
instead mechanical parts (bolts and hinges) broke ore looked like breaking soon.

the termoflex liner's inner tissue startet getting holes at heels and ankles from something like third season or so. After 6 years the foam started fallign appart.

in my opinion thermoflex became quite rigid and uncomfy - feet hurt a lot at the outer part when riding half-assed.

so, IMHO hardboots's plastic shell itself doesn't ware out (except it goes to pieces).

Buy new liners if shell fits your feet well and mechanical parts ar fixable and you don't care about fashion.

If boot is in very good condition but hurts because shell doesn't perfectly fit:
1) apply neoprene parts as frunobulax proposed
2) goto bootfitter.
Note: the shell must cool down under strain for at least 2 days or so - if you take your boot home earlier the shell will soon deform back to old shape.

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