What kind of liner do you use for slalom? And why you like about it?

[Ryota]

Hi Ballers!

 

I’ve been using white cuff reflex slalom shell and thin reflex liner with Vapor boot insole.

It fits quote good. But I just saw my friends using Intuition Liner. It looked very comfortable and fits great.

There are some type of liners out there like Reflex thin liner, reflex pro form, Fluid motion, Intuition liner etc.

what do you use? Any recommend for my next liner?

Thanks!!

[rockdog]

I use the same boot with a Intuition Splash liner which I've found is amazing. Great quality and perfect thickness for me. Complete next level from Reflex liners.

[skialex]

Reflex shells goes for example from 8-10, if you are closer to size 9 you will probably be better in a thick liner that fills the excess space between your foot and shell. I for example use size 10 shell with thin liner and there is absolutely no room for my foot if I put an intuition liner in the shell.

[Ryota]

@skialex I’m using size 6 hard shell.

Do you think it’s gonna be too tight with intuition size 6?

Should I get bigger shell?

[9400]

Per Adam Caldwell’s suggestion, heat molded Radar liner in a powershell 2. Best fit ever.

[skialex]

@Ryota I have a friend that is using a size 6 shell and have changed to intuition liner and really like it. It’s mostly a personal thing. If you are in size 6 chances are that size 8 would be big for you regardless of liner’s thickness.

[BraceMaker]

@Ryota fluid motion is a good resource for somewhat customized liners but all of his products are still intuition liners.

 

When I used FM boots I really liked the Denali liners, these seemed to have a good amount of structure/shape to the liner. When forming you can actually compress the liner out in different ways so the smaller liners can be stretched and if you say want more toe room or have painful bones the technique is to get 2 thin socks and some padding, put on one sock, pad out the bone and then the other sock and then form your liner. Similarly if you tend to feel like the boots are too large you want to form the liner with the buckles very loose so that the liners can plump up.

 

The agua/splash liners have a fabric base which is thinner and is a better choice for small shells.

 

The other item to look at is "wrap" liners or "tongue" liners - basically some of the liners have a floating tongue, these are more similar to what is sold through reflex where as the wrap style fills in the shell more around the top of the foot and ankle. Which is nice if you have thinner ankles - but can also restrict motion in the shell.

 

 

[Steven_Haines]

Intuition

[BCM]

I have been using FM Intuition Liners for many years now in my slalom, I am a fan. I have used them in FM boots, PowerShells, and now a Supershell. I have a Reflex liner in my trick boot (Reflex black cuff) and I am not super happy with the tongue. I really like the wrap around tongue on the FM Intuition liner. I have not had good luck with longevity of floating tongue style liners. My last set of Intuition liners lasted me almost 10 years.

[Ryota]

I just checked Radar Vapor liner and Intuition Liner. Is there any difference between Vapor and Intuition liner?

there is 28$(2015) vapor liner on Miami Nautique site.

[DavidN]

The Vapor liner is wider in the forefoot and thicker in material. I had a hard time putting a size 9 in a size 8 Reflex white cuff shell.

The Intuition liner is a bit higher.

I have a size 8.5 foot, use a size S/M Intuition Aqua liner in a size 8 Reflex Classic shell. Perfect fit.

[LOTW]

You nailed it DavidN!

[eleeski]

Heat molded Intuition liners conform well to lots of foot/shell situations.

 

When I added orthotics to my liner, there was nowhere near enough room. It was almost as uncomfortable as Wiley jump bindings. Remolding the liners made the fit right, high performance and comfortable.

 

Personal preference is for the wrap around style liner. But I'm just used to it having used in my waterski boots for a long time and loving them in my snow ski boots.

 

Most liners have similar molding potential to the Intuitions. It's hard to expand the liner with molding. If you add volume with orthotics or padding, a remold of your old liner might really improve the feel.

 

Make sure to use a toe cap during molding to get a comfortable fit.

 

Eric

[Nando]

Interesting topic. I use the thin Fluid Motion liners, that look a lot like the Radar Vapor ones (but thinner), in a Reflex. They work well for me on fit, as I'm lucky that the contours of the shell match my foot and I have no room for a thicker liner. But, what do people think of thicker liners? Greater comfort, I'm guessing, but any loss of feel or control? Better to have a slightly looser shell, with a thicker liner? Do thicker ones add any stiffness? I've used the snow ski racer's principle of anything that separates you from the ski being bad, but see some preferences for thicker. Are orthotics a good way to go? I always had them in my jump bindings but never used them for slalom or tricks.

[eleeski]

@Nando I prefer the comfort of thicker liners. But I also prefer a fairly soft boot (I grind on the boots to make them more flexible). Unlike race snow, water is very pliable. Immediate and total transfer of leg inputs isn't really critical.

 

Some more shell volume is useful when using thicker liners. Molding moves a lot of thickness away from choke points. But it's not perfect.

 

Thick liners do have a fair amount of intrinsic stiffness. I'm using a high rear foot liner that I rubber band on my leg. To get the flexibility I want in a cuffless rear boot, I cut the front of the wrap at the ankle joint a bit. Now it feels tight but flexes easily.

 

Orthotics are pretty nice for slalom and tricks. I critically needed them after a knee injury. @BHarwood at Rehab United set me up with them and they seem to help. I did heat mold my liner for proper fit. I also immediately and significantly noticed and enjoyed orthotics in my snow ski boots (Full Tilt with Intuition liners).

 

Definitely get orthotics and heat mold your liners for a better more comfortable experience.

 

Eric

[Horton]

I went off the dock today with a liner that was too thin for the shell I was using. I turned 2 ball & threw the handle. If the liner doesn't fit in the shell correctly it could be dangerous so I just went back to the dock and got the other liner.

[Deanoski]

use the smallest shell you can and the thinnest liner you can better feel and contact.

 

example Im at 10 1/2 in a 8 reflex blk shell with a size 6 liner heat mold the liner it will stretch and be nice tight fit and its supper thin.