Zipfits
Alix Stocking
I selected the GARA liner because it is the lowest-volume liner that ZipFit builds. My initial intention was to review the liner in my pair of Head Raptor RD 95mm plug boots, which are very low volume, to say the least.
Unfortunately, a bone spur has really started to act up, which will now require surgery over the off-season. I cannot punch any more space in the Raptor to relieve the pain, and thus have gone to the far more relaxed-fitting Lange RX LV boot.
To fit the liner, you need to get it warm (about 30 seconds in the microwave) and wear your boots (walk around your house for a while). Then just warm up the liner with the floorboard heater of your vehicle on the way to the mountain, and the liners break in and mold very effectively. I would say about 15 hours of ski time was all my pair took to fully break in.
The OMFit padding provides a nice blend of firmness for high-performance responsiveness, but offers enough cushioning to keep your feet from getting bruised. I have nothing but compliments to extend in this regard.
Once the liner is laced tight, it functions somewhat like an ankle brace in that the liner pulls even support across your ankle and lower leg, and serves to support the joint. This means you are more inclined to buckle the boot only tight enough to pull closure around the liner, rather than to the point of pulling compression and locking your ankle into place.
Having the liner laced up tight also adds a small level of stiffness to the boot. I would estimate that the ZipFit liner adds about 10 points of stiffness compared to a stock plastic reinforced liner (such as the stock Lange liner), and about 20 points of stiffness compared to an Intuition tongue-style liner that is only foam. By closing the liner with the laces, you are removing free-play in the system, and it shows on-slope: you will see more snap and response out of your skis.
Marshall,
I am interested to hear more about the differences between the Gara and World Cup and what you would recommend for a 98mm last Nordica (Patron Pro) for someone looking to take up volume in the heel?
i would suggest brent amsbury (park city ski boot) or taylor et al (superior boot @ snowbird) for your zip fitting needs.
that said, you can remove some cork junk from the WC liners if you want less liner volume in your existing liners.
Thanks for responding so quickly, Marshal. I will look into the cork fill situation here and through the zipfit website. Am I reading correctly that you think zipfits could be a solution to the issue I described, as long as I can get my hands on sufficient cork fill (makes sense, just checking)? Please let me know.
How does the Gara work where a boot/liner combination (Lange RS130) is a little tight over the instep? Is the Gara sole or instep material a little thinner than the stock liner, or just the areas with OMFit material?
Hey good comments and info on Zipfit liners. I have two pairs of World Cup liners. They are great! I would to be able spot fit some additional cork. Has anyone found a place to purchase the Omni fit kits online?
Thanks
Tom
The tongue can be fixed into a perfect position thanks to Velcro. For years, racers have actually cut their tongues out in order to position them inside their shells at an optimum position. I, for one, am a huge fan of this performance feature on the Palaus.
The liners are thermomoldable, much like other liners- heat them up, put them in your shells, and let them cool as they form to your feet and shells. From the first run, these liners were comfortable, and they took a boot that I already believe to be the best skiing AT boot on the market to another level completely. Responsiveness with these liners was excellent- in fact I would even consider these liners for my alpine boots, which is something I normally reserve only for the amazing zipfit aftermarket liner (zipfits are not a valid option for AT boots). Like many liners of this type, the Palaus are warm- warmer than the stock liners by quite a bit. Despite this, they breathe fairly well, and they have not developed a stench by any means.
I am wondering what makes you say that Zipfits are not an option for AT boots? I have the Cochise, and was looking for a new liner. The Zipfit website actually lists a Tour version, but it looks like the only real difference is the spoiler is not a solid piece. I have no experience with the Zipfits, so I am curious about your take on it.
I tried on the Cochise Pro at SIA, since it is a different last, but only fondled the Cochise Light since the shell is largely identical to the regular Cochise. BTW, one of the main reasons for the weight loss of the Light is the use of a Palau liner (I believe quite similar to the one I have reviewed).
Couple more questions for you.. I think you commented on this but I didnt fully understand it, how much volume did the Palau liners take up compared to the stock liner or Powerwraps? Regarding the Cochise in general, do you ever feel the rearward range of motion (ROM) in touring mode is limiting? It does not have nearly as much ROM as some of the dynafits and scarpas, but its hard to know if thats really an issue, unless you are doing super long flat approaches.
I have not found the touring ROM of the Cochise to be limiting at all. In fact, when I took those side by side photos of the Cochise and the Dynafit zzeus boots, I was actually quite surprised to see that the Cochise had less ROM. In practice, the Cochise is SO much smoother than the dynafit that it actually tours much better, IMO.
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