Does Double Boots restrict getting hips up (COM forward)?

[londonskier]

So I'm sitting here with my bicep injury and not skiing and looking at my Vapor mounted with Goode PS5's. It seems to me that with a loose rear boot (Wiley or similar) or an RTP, the average skier is more able to get his weight forward more over the front. I know the PS's have a heel lift / spring, but how many of you guys actually LIFT the rear heel. I've seen the maple rear foot video, (no lift but some sideways movement), but he's not human. It looks like Nate lifts his heel particularly on his offside turn, with a RTP, but I'm not sure. I wonder if the Strada boots allow some rear heel lift? What's the opinions out there?

[Horton]

@londonskier

Unless you are an elite skier or under the guidance of an elite skiers I would strongly discourage attempting to or thinking about lifting your back heel to get farther forward. If you have awesome skills this could be good idea but if your stance is imperfect this is not a good correction.

 

Funny you should post this today. I think the article by Luzz on the front page is something may need to read

[GOODESkier]

You can cut the cuff off the plastic top of the rear powershell to free up your "feel" a little, but I too would discourage other actions to get to the sweet spot. Work on the technique of being stacked.

[Razorskier1]

I think arthritis of the back is more responsible for this problem than binding type!

[jonnyski2]

I bought a new set of hail bindings and mounted them on my 06 Sixam . The bindings were very comfortable but my skiing went down hill . I tried moving the bindings and after several fin adjustments I found that no matter what I did nothing was working. I decided to try something different . I cut a piece of 1/2 inch thick material out of an old exercise mat. I placed it under my heel in my rear boot and could not believe the difference . I felt much more solid over my ski and started skiing better .Unfortunately I tore my ACL shortly after that wake boarding, and couldn't ski the rest of the season . I think that little bit of heel lift made a big difference. Thanks Ballers !

[ToddL]

Dang it! I keep forgetting about that front page thing...

 

FWIW, my skiing made a leap forward when I consciously stood on the balls of my feet. This wasn't really a heel lift, but it was a shift of weight from the heels.

[Horton]

@ToddL‌ happy it works for you. I am sure it works for fair % of skiers but I would never coach it because I think most skiers would misinterprete and do bad things.

[swerveit]

@londonskier‌ - mate its another 5 months until we are back on the water anyway. :smile:

as you're aware I'm a firm believer in doubles, but i have worn the cr*p out of my rear boot around the heal section. I suspect from shifting the foot around, or more likely heal lifting within the boot.. But i think i do it at the ball after the edge change.

 

I'll try dig out the video that Marcus Brown did (think it was called getting stacked or allignment), which suggests that more common issues of COM is the hip flexors are to tight "stippers butt". looking at the physics of your body and how it determines your COM or position.

heel lift is just overcoming the lack of flex in your ankles and hips - i think

 

found it -

not sure how relevant it is having seen it, but still very valuable watch!!

[A_B]

I wear my back boot a little looser on my double Stradas and I feel my back heel lift all the time in the boot. I know a few guys on hardshells that notch out the toe tongue on the back boot so it allows them to press forward more.

[SkiJay]

@londonskier‌ Stradas/Vapors do allow for some rear heal lift. These two pics provide photo proof. Two sets of worn out liners (guess which one is the rear foot), and note how the logo is worn off of the heal on my front orthotic, but not in the rear boot. I don't lace up the rear boot any looser than the front either.

 

 

[ToddL]

@swerveit - I think hip flexors mobility is a factor in this form: ;-)

 

Neilly Ross

 

 

[A_B]

Hip and ankle flexion! My back ankle hurts just looking at that.

[Chef23]

If anyone sees me in the same position as Neilly it will be shortly followed by traction.

[A_B]

7:45 in Marcus's video pretty much nails why I can't ski open to the boat.

[RazorRoss3]

Flexibility is key, I stretch my quads, hip flexors, and back every morning ski season and off season.

I used to ski where my back heel never touched the ground and it worked (could ski into 35 off at 36) however when I started bending my knees instead of skiinf with a locked front leg my heel now is in constant contact with the rtp and I ski more consistently into, and farther through 35 off. That is largely due to knee bend not heel placement I think. I think if you focus on having your back knee in in the pocket of your front knee you center of mass will be closer to correct and whether or not ankle flexibility allows you to keep your heel on the ground likely doesn't matter.

[jerrym]

@RazorRoss3 is right on target. As it relates to the rear foot, the rear binding must allow the ankle to flex and/or the heel to lift so that the knee can bend. If we have a rear hard shell tightened down so the ankle cannot flex and the heel cannot lift, we are destined to struggle with the back foot blues. to say it another way, it is hard enough to get the COM forward without the rear binding keeping the COM back.

[Chef23]

@A_B I think most of us struggle with that. I like that Marcus talks about getting as open as your body lets you.

[jonnyski2]

Great topic : I want to Thank all you ballers for helping me out . The pad under my heel working for me makes total sense now . I had an ankle injury in 2013 and it still bothers me today . The lack of flexibility in that rear ankle prevents me from getting my knees in the proper position .

[londonskier]

@skijay Your closet looks very tidy. Looks like you have PS5 intuition liners as well as Stradas. Do you feel the Stradas, offer you a little more freedom to move about?

[SkiJay]

@londonskier‌ The black liners are Intuition Aquas, but I think they're identical to the PS5 liners. I don't think the Strada liners moved any more than the Intuitions; just that the thin shiny material they used on the back didn't wear as well. The Intuition liners have twice the mileage on them too.

 

They both give me the same forward mobility and release exactly the same as far as I can tell.