Ski boot adjustments

I have just bought my first pair of ski boots - head dream thang 9 womens boots (off e bay) and would like some help with what the adjustments mean and what settings I should use. I am an intermediate skier confident on reds and willing to tackle blacks. Ht 167cm and wt 57kg. Can you explain the following adjustments and which would be most suitable for me;
double canting
flex adjustment - soft/hard
rear cuff and spoiler adjustment
supermacro adjustment

Thanks for any response
LES24

Hi

Double Canting will allow you to align yourself properly in the boots. Get someone to check how your ankle line up with your knees - ideally they will be in-line, but if not the canting adjustment will alter the angle of the boot which will pull the knees directly over the ankles. Basically means your skis will be flat on the snow and you will get proper distribution of edging etc when you ski.

The flex adjustment will make skiing on harder/softer snow easier. Just switch the setting. Typically hard in morning and soft in the afternoon as the piste warms up and softens in the sun. May also be asier to walk in the soft setting?

The rear cuff adjustment, if anything like mine, will mean you can effectively alter the amount of forward lean. I don't have Head boots, however, so am not 100% certain. You may also be able to alter it for comfort according to your calf length and size.

Supermacro adjustment sounds like "in-between" adjustments for the clips - typically by twisiting the clip in either direction (forward and backward) to achieve ultimate settings.

I hope this helps you! Also check the Head Ski website.

Skidaddle

With all the respect due to Skidaddle , may I suggest some corrections.

The "canting" is actually upper cuff adjustment so that as skidaddle note your leg and body is correctly aligned with boots.
Here how you do this. You need another person to underatke this.

Untithten both side ankle level screws.( so called canting screws).

While wearing shorts put on boots. Mark the mid point of you knees with felt marker.

Take a plumb line and place line on mark on knee.Flex forward, while someone is holding the line against mark you made. The end of plumb line has a weigthed marker. Note where this marker rests.
I am sure you will note that on ski boot front there is a thin line right in the center.The plumb line merker should be 3-5 mm MEDIAL to this line. ie inside.Thus you line up knees to center of boot,,,,not ankles.

If this is so, tighten both ankle screws or adjustment screws. DO not overtighten.

You do this once every ski season. Never again touch these screws unless you get a "re-tune" of your knees.


Now for the flex adjustment, which is the rear screw near upper boot cuff. Often you have just two options soft or hard. Several parameters go into selecting the correct option for you. I can not in this short post go through all these parameters ( see ski tune up class on boot adjustments in this site). However based on the boots you have and my "projected" estimate of your skiing level(if you were expert you would not ask these questions)may I suggest the soft flex.

Most if not all modern skis need gentle fore /aft pressure and you do not need "muscle" skis at your level. Once you have chosen this soft option,,,DO NOT SWITCH the setting during the day. This is an error. As you ski your brain will "register" how your muscular action controls your skis. By you changing the interface setting between ski/boot/feet will confuse the brain. You will have to re-learn this ski feel!

Very few boots have "lean adjustment" This is an altogether other option. Often this is also called "angle of attack" Let us not get into this since it involves, geometry, physics and other concepts.

The "supermacro" is marketing jargon for, as Skidaddle so well note fine buckle adjustment. Most ski boot buckles have an inner screw system so that by turning the male buckle part the shaft can be extended.


I hope this helps you.

Now one question for you!

Do you know the correct sequence for tighting ski boots?

Now to really make you think.

Which buckles are most important?

I bow to your greater knowledge Pavelski. )

I was always told the most important clip is the one over the instep. Is this right?

Thank you very much guys for all this info. - very helpful. I'm not insulted at all by your suggestion that I'm not an expert - hence the silly questions!

My idea of the sequence for doing up boots is ankle first, then calf, then the 2 feet buckles??

Thanks again
LES24

Ski boot buckle sequence.

They will not tell you this in the store. Most skiers do not realize that there is a correct way to "tighten" ski boot buckles.

Let us assume you have correct socks.
You have sprinkled a little baby powder or Dr. Scholl's foot powder in boot and now your foot is in boot toasty warm.

First mistake 90% of skiers do is tighten buckets to maximum in ski chalet.

In chalet set buckles at minimum setting.
Start with first buckle nearest toe.
This buckle is just for show and overlap tongue. Always set this buckle to minimum.

The second buckle which is over arch again set at minimum. This is the buckle which often causes problems since too many skier over torque it. Try it on your boots. You will note a very interesting fact. Focus on the rivets. As you over torque this specific buckle the rivet will push down often de-forming shell. You now have a serious pressure point.

This second buckle's function is to push foot arch down and to create a "wrap" around arch area. Never but never over tighten this buckle. You will not ski better.

The crucial two buckles are the next two buckles. The one going diagnonal towards ankle is key! It retains your foot ie heel in correct position.

The top and last buckle is also very important since it contributes to your lateral rigidity.


I never but never tighten my buckles much in the chalet. Most of the time I do one or two easy runs with no buckles done.Yes no buckles on!
This allows my boots to say hello to my feet. It allows my feet to "mate" with my boots and it allows my brain to let the skis go by themselves.
I call these my "warm-up runs" This allows also my feet muscles to set in their place and blood is pumped into them for the coming, "fun"! It is very much like warming up your car engine before you "go-for-it"

Now I am ready to "fly"! I set my buckles for the day and never touch them again until 5PM.

Try this sequence.

To reinforce Pavel's statement regarding skiing with no buckles tightened, A few years ago as I was rediscovering my youth by learning to ski, one of the execises our Instructor taught was to ski a slope with buckles completely undone, It really concentrates the mind. I would commend this particular exercise to anyone getting into the intermediate level. Occasionally I still do this exercise, but only when there's nobody around though.

Pavel, Thanks for the instruction. I am guilty of doing every buckle up as tightly as possible. Your notes are going into my ski tips folder.

Edit:

'The crucial two buckles are the next two buckles. The one going diagnonal towards ankle is key! It retains your foot ie heel in correct position.

The top and last buckle is also very important since it contributes to your lateral rigidity'

Pavel, how should people tighten the crucial two buckles and the top buckle?