Member of the Month

GayWolf420
June, 2025

Online

Welcome to the Newschoolers forums! You may read the forums as a guest, however you must be a registered member to post. Register to become a member today!

Why do some Park and pipe skiers use race boots?

profile picture
jps2.0
Posts: 480 - Karma: 2,479
Why do some Park and pipe skiers use race boots?
here is Aaron Blunck with some race boots, also skiers like jesper tjader use race boots also
10 years ago
22 2
profile picture
onenerdykid
Posts: 6750 - Karma: 11,815
Because there is no such thing as truly specific "park" boot.

A ski boot's main functions are to fit the foot & leg, provide energy transmission to the ski, and to some degree offer shock absorption. All of these things are achievable in a traditional 2-piece ski boot construction. Plus the amount of tuning, tinkering, and fitting that can be done to a 2-piece boot is greater than other boot constructions.

An athlete such as these guys, or Jossi Wells or Nicky Keefer, use "non-park" boots because they achieved a better fit and function with them versus other options.
10 years ago
7 0
profile picture
Lemuel
Posts: 14544 - Karma: 11,158
I wear the Scott G2 110 (more like a 120 or 130). Better fit, better power transition to the skis, much more control. "Park" boots are way too mushy, for me anyway. I feel much more comfortable sending it in a stiff boot.
10 years ago
0 0
profile picture
S.J.W
Posts: 7609 - Karma: 31,172
To add to one nerdy kids post, a traditional boot is much more predictiable and allows you really push over the shins and gets some super heavy power. The benefits of a 2 piece boot are in moguls, however if you're skiing pipe or a slope course you want a boot that is super predictable.
10 years ago
0 0
profile picture
KravtZ
Posts: 6637 - Karma: 2,629
Anyone who grew up skiing and is a very very strong all mountain skier (like all these pros) don't want to use some mushy park boot. They have no feel, absorb all shock, and the flex is way to soft to transition the type of power that a skier at that level wants. Park boots are nothing more than a marketing gimic to sell shitty boots for a high price
10 years ago
3 1
profile picture
Big_Mtn
Posts: 551 - Karma: 1,647
I ski a Lange RX 130 LV, a race shell with rubber soles and some intuitions and footbeds. Granted, I ski big mtn comps mostly, but I still ski park in them. The edge control is unparalleled. My skis feel like an extension of my body. I never have issues with shin bang because skiing race boots all the time forces you to be forward over your skis. I also have super narrow feet so YMMV.
10 years ago
2 0
profile picture
Skiingsnow
Posts: 1567 - Karma: 797
coz if they fit your foot, they are fucking awesome
10 years ago
1 0
profile picture
Skiingsnow
Posts: 1567 - Karma: 797
coz if they fit your foot, they are fucking awesome
10 years ago
0 1
profile picture
freeballer
Posts: 739 - Karma: 1,079
Boots are all about fit. Race boots provide the best custom fit and you can tweak them to get better than straight out of the box. Better plastic that doesn't break down as quick. Better liners. Better everything. Only gapers get park boots because they look cool and Tom Wallisch has them.
10 years ago
0 0
profile picture
PacificRimJob
Posts: 24730 - Karma: 30,008
I ski in like 4 or 5 different boots... (perks of being tight with the suppliers) if it's a pow day and I'm feeling frisky, i'm busting out my head raptors. If its bulletproof and I want to pull out the race sticks? I'm on on my head raptors. For all other purposes (touring, fucking around in the park, cruising, skiing with slow people) I'll be in my touring boots, full tilts, or my lupos.

If I'm feeling serious or need to keep up with the boys who send big, the only answer is my red raptor 140s.
9 years ago
0 0
profile picture
grilled_steeze
Posts: 422 - Karma: 1,448
Its all about the feel and performance. I personally like a stiff boot. It gives more power to my ski and gives me better control.
9 years ago
0 0
profile picture
Negromancer
Posts: 1014 - Karma: 1,505
WildBANimalI ski in like 4 or 5 different boots... (perks of being tight with the suppliers) if it's a pow day and I'm feeling frisky, i'm busting out my head raptors. If its bulletproof and I want to pull out the race sticks? I'm on on my head raptors. For all other purposes (touring, fucking around in the park, cruising, skiing with slow people) I'll be in my touring boots, full tilts, or my lupos.

If I'm feeling serious or need to keep up with the boys who send big, the only answer is my red raptor 140s.


Lucky so and so, I struggle to get one pair of boots to fit me properly let alone 4 or 5...
9 years ago
0 0
profile picture
PacificRimJob
Posts: 24730 - Karma: 30,008
NegromancerLucky so and so, I struggle to get one pair of boots to fit me properly let alone 4 or 5...


10 years of working in the ski industry in one way or another grants you awesome things if you play your cards right.
9 years ago
0 0
profile picture
GayWolf420
Posts: 38259 - Karma: 131,671
WildBANimal10 years of working in the ski industry in one way or another grants you awesome things if you play your cards right.


id give my god damn left nut for a closet full of Langes, preferably anything over 130
9 years ago
0 0
profile picture
turntable
Posts: 2742 - Karma: 872
the key, like nerdy kid said, is that there is no such thing as park boot... Most "park boots" are too wide and high volume to be accurate enough for good skiers. Seeing pro's using low volume boots is not a new thing.
9 years ago
0 0
All times are Eastern (-4); Currently it's 7:17AM