Perceived Stiffness of the XT
The Lange XT adds a walk mode to the other boots in the Lange family. In order to accommodate the walk mode, however, the lower shell has some material removed from the spine of the boot, and the upper cuff is secured to the lower at the ankle pivots. But the walk mode switch does not anchor the upper to the lower, which means the walk mode does not mimic a riveted shell. This is the equivalent of running an alpine boot without rivets, and it feels it. This is neither good nor bad, but the flex pattern of the boot does feel a bit different than its straight alpine cousins (the Lange RS and RX).
When in “ski” mode, the lock serves to block the boot cuff’s rearward movement, but does not limit the cuff’s forward movement. It is worth pointing out that the tighter you run your upper buckles, the stiffer the boot will feel, and the more rebound it will have; though relative to a Tecnica Cochise Pro 130 or Lange RS, the XT does have a little less rebound snap.
I typically run the third buckle from the toes as tight as I possibly can to minimize movement in my heel and ankle. With my buckles super tight, I felt the XT had a slight bit less rebound snap compared to boots with a rigid spine. And when I softened this buckle one rung on the ladder, the stiffness and rebound fell off more rapidly than straight alpine boots with PU uppers would.
I personally prefer a boot with more rebound than less, as I ski pretty heavy on the front cuff of the boot. A relatively neutral skier would likely not notice much difference here.
I do feel that in full spring, warm-air-temp situations, the XT boot’s PE upper softens up more than boots with a PU upper cuff. If I pegged the Lange RS at a 130 flex, I would also peg the Tecnica Cochise Pro 130 at 130. From there, I would peg the Lange XT at 120 in cold temperatures, and more like a 110 in warm spring conditions (i.e. well above freezing). And I’ve found the lateral stiffness of the XT to be comparable to the Cochise Pro 130 and Lange RX.
Fit
I’ll compare the Lange XT last directly to the Tecnica Cochise Pro 130 (referred to hereafter simply as the Cochise), since they are direct competitors, and they are the boots I have spent the most time in recently. (Caveat: I downsized to a 26 from my normal 27 on the Cochise, and my comments reflect comparing the 27 XT and 26 Cochise, though I wind up with a pretty similar shell fit on these two boots.)
First off, the XT LV (stated 97mm last) and Cochise (stated 98mm last) shell shapes are very different. I would hazard to say that someone can likely fit one or the other, but unless one is willing to do some fairly aggressive shell modification, you will not fit both of them.
I started with a shell fit, and in the XT, my 278mm-long feet fit nicely into the 27.5. I have just about a 1.25cm shell fit here (I am just under 1cm on the 26 Cochise), and my foot anatomy matched up nicely to the contours of the shell. Met-heads matched met-head pockets, and my heel and ankle bones matched their sculpted contours nicely. Really nothing earth shaking to report here.
I was very pleasantly surprised to see the XT LV has a low-volume heel and ankle pocket. That’s always my battle: maximizing heel hold and minimizing ankle slop without cutting off circulation to my foot. The Lange has a nice, snug, form-fitting shape, and, relative to the Cochise, has less volume in the heel and ankle.
The precise, snug but comfy anatomy of the heel pocket extends through the mid-foot to the top of my instep, and the sides of the met-heads. The XT shape is nicely sculpted and supportive, and did not pinch or pressure my foot in any way.
What really sets the XT apart in terms of fit, however, is the spacious toe box, which allows the toes to fully splay out without restricting blood flow.
And while the XT is referred to as a 97mm last, this last measurement really speaks more to the fact that it has a low-volume ankle / heel pocket rather than a narrow toe box.
I have never tried on a boot that was so anatomically precise where it needs to be, but also so spacious and comfortable in the toe box, where there is no real gain in performance having your toes crunched together. The Cochise, in comparison, has a much narrower toe box that tapers in quite rapidly, which forced me to do punches for space for my little toe on both feet. I did not need to do any grinding or punching to the size 27 Cochise, but it was also a bit long for my foot.
Liner
The liner of the XT molded well when heated, compressing to give a nicely formed ankle pocket, and the toe box shaped well to the foot. The XT liner seems to be well made, with heavy denier fabric to prevent and damage from running while hiking. That said, I did find the foam of the liner to be a little less dense than the Lange RS and Cochise liners, which creates a liner catered a little more toward comfort than to top-end performance.
I should add that prior to molding the toe box, the XT liner was quite narrow. I would suggest trying and shell fitting the boot, and then trying on the liner when it is free from the boot to get a sense of what shape the toe box of the shell is versus the un-molded liner. While keeping the liner in the shell and trying boots on in only that way is a bad idea regardless, it is doubly bad form with the XT. The toe box does a nice job conforming to the foot when molded, but the fit prior to molding is not particularly indicative of the fit after the liner has been properly fit.
Can you comment on how the XT compares to the Dynafit Titan in fit and performance? Any guess as to why they didn’t include tech fittings?
hi joel.
The Lange skis significantly more tlike an alpine boot than the Titan. much more lateral rigidity. the fit in the forefoot is different. the Lange is abit wider and more relaxed. the fit around the ankle and lower leg is fairly similar however.
no tech bindings of course.
Hope that helps?
-marshal
Is it true that snow gets in to these boots?? Have have you ever experienced such a thing on them??… I’m also amazed that these boots were able to fit you nicely. I too have a wide feet, med-to-high instep, high arch, but low volume in the heel area.. I’m seriously thinking about getting these boots till i read that some ppl have experienced snow getting into their boots.. Please let me know
hi dan,
i have not had any issue with snow getting into the lower with the LV, but have at a super mild level with a pair of RX’s (same lower shell) that i have.
hopefully that helps?
Thanks for the reply Marshal. I’m really thinking about getting the RX 130 LV boots and given that we have a very similar foot (high arch, high instep, wide feel but low volume heel area) I was relieved that the last on these bad boys weren’t too tight for you. Im assuming I gotta punch the sixth toe area in the shell and get the liner thermo adjusted. I’m debating between the RX and the Demon 130 (which has a last of 100mm).. Any thoughts comparing the two? I also read on teton that the leak issue can be fixed by using some tape. I was wondering if that remedy worked for you or not. Your feedback is really appreciated. Thanks again
Dan-
when i say “snow gets in” i mean like 20 individual very small individual flakes. it certainly does not matter in terms of making my foot cold or wet. when the snow is heavier, larger flakes, wet, etc, no snow gets in. i don’t see doing anything to the shells being needed, at least for me.
that is not to say that other folks might not have a different issue, but my guess is they have low-voume feet and need to really buckle-down on the lower 2 buckles to get the boot to compress the foot, and when doing so that opens seams. with the boot lightly buckled on the first ladder, there appears to be good seal.
hope that helps?
-m
Yaa that’s exactly what I assumed too. I tought maybe they don’t buckle down the first two buckles tight enough with respect to their foot shape. Glad to find out that’s the case with the leak issue… Which one of the two between the RX and XT do you find more responsive or that you like more?? ( I think I read that you found a little less rebound with the XT).. Also have you tried the Technica Demon 130?… Btw Thanks for all the great feedback and all these great reviews. The ski community really owes you guys a lot. You guys are awesome! Your reviews really give a great insight into the particular gear and gives a comprehensive, in depth overview. And given that some of these boots or skis are not available at local ski shops (which is the case here with these boots with me) and that they have to be ordered online, your reviews are really indispensable before ordering anything. So, Thank you
dan-
I can’t say the above for sure is the cause, but just my guess as to it!
anyhow, the demon is in essence the same boot as the Cochise, at least in terms of shape. it will be roomier in the ankle and lower tib-fi, with a slightly tighter/pointier toe-box. I would compare the fit of the 27.5 Lange RS/RX/XT to a 26.5 Cochise/demon/etc IF you put a few punches width at the 6th toe met-head and big-toe of the Tecnica boots. the 27.5 tecnicas are defiantly higher volume all around.
cheers!
Right on Marshal! Done! I’m gonna get either the XT or the RX. Technica Demon is out. If I go with Technica I’m afraid I’ll have the same issues I have now with my Technica Dragon. My heel comes up (a lot sometimes) so I think Lange’s low volume heel pocket is better for me. I also have a wide toe box and my first three toes (from left to right on my right foot) are almost the same height, which means again Lange would be a major plus for me. I just gotta figure out RX or XT. But I’m leaning more towards RX
Marshall, have you tried the Salmon Quest Max 120 or any boot in that family? Debating between those and the XT-130 LV and the Cochise 120, although I think the cochise would be a little big since they are 100 mm last and the other two are 98/97mm lasts.
Ian, the last width is the measurement at the metatarsal heads within the boot. this measurement is basically useless in terms of a fit parameter, as it has nothing to do with toe box volume, instep height ankle pocket, heel pocket, upper cuff, etc.
if you read my cochise light review, the cochise family fits like a low volume race boot if you downsize (not sure if that is what you are after or not, but it does). I actually had to put LESS work into a downsized cochise 26.5 than a true sized 27.5 head raptor race boot, just FWIW.
if you do not downsize the cochise, the quest max is likely the highest volume boot all around. the cochise would be next, and the XT would be only very slightly lower volume, but all are on the high end of volume, and these 3 are probably the highest volume 97/98mm boots on the market IMO.
not sure if that helps or not, but simply put, the met head width basically means nothing.
cheers!
Marshal,
Nice write up on the Lange family of boots. I’m running the RX130’s with Intuition Powerwraps. As was the case with the stock liner, I am finding the boot too stiff, and have removed both rivets. Flex still seems too stiff.
You said that the upper cuff controls the stiffness…What would you do if you were me? Start cutting V-notches in the lower shell? Purchase the RX120 if I can’t get the boot soft enough?
hi george,
upper cuff dominates the LATERAL stiffness of the boot.
in terms of “softening” the boot, there are a lot of options, depending on what you are after…
the rivets on the spine control how much leverage the upper cuff has relative to the lower cuff (and by extension, your leg). a higher rivet, the more the leverage the lower cuff has, and the harder it is for your leg to bend the spine. this however also reduces the rebound the boot has, as you are reducing the spring effect of the spine in returning to shape.
you can trim down the front folds of the lower cuff, this gives you more leverage to bend into the boot initially. typically, this would be seen as making the boot more “progressive”. softer initially, but not softer deeper into the flex of the boot.
from there, you can create/deepen “v” or “pie” cuts on the sides of the lower. this will allow the lower boot to bend more easily, and in essence softens the boot’s overall flex (but does not change its initial flex). depending on how deep you go w/ the pie-cut, you can potentially effect other things with the boot as well.
not sure what you are after, but the rx130 is pretty linear. i would personally trim down the front folds of the cuff first to make it more progressive, and go from there.
hope that helps.
I just can’t flex the boot.
Came off of skiing the Titan for 2 seasons as my ONLY boot.
Now, I’m just using it for long bootpacks (Teton Pass) or skinning.
So, I think trimming the lower cuff first, which will help initial flex (maybe adding a rear spoiler to help me get forward).
Then I may need to start deepening the cuts on the side of the lower cuff.
I’ll talk with my bootfitter.
Thanks so much, Marshal.
I learned a lot from this article and your response to my questions.
Didn’t appreciate that the upper cuff dictates lateral stiffness (I do feel the increased lateral stiffness in the RX130 compared to the Titan).
Thanks!
George
Marshal
Thanks for the great write up on the Lange XT 130. Currently I have an older model Lange Banshee Pro which is in need of replacement. The boot currently fits nicely in the foot, but I have skinny legs and use eliminators to fill up space as well as my booster straps.
I am considering moving to another Lange, such as the XT 130 but am also considering a “downsized” Tecnica Cochise 130 Pro.
My question is regarding rear and front cuff height. I skied Dyanafit Titan Ultralights for 1 season and I felt the front plastic cuff was MUCH too low. I like the plastic height of my currently Langes. Can you comment on the front/rear upper cuff height of both the Cochise and XT130?
Thanks
hey brian,
i don’t have a cochise here to compare, but the RX/XT/RS cuffs are all normal cuff-height, and for sure notably taller than a titan. the cochise is a touch shorter than these, but i can’t say how it would measure vs. a titan.
not really helpful, but hopefully a little bit!
-m
Thanks – it does help a little bit. I just want to stay away from a really low cuff like the titan.
Just wanted to give an update. Thanks to Marshal I ended up getting the RX 130 (L.V). I got some Zipfit liners in them as well and man I all I gotta tell you is that I became a beast overnight.. Given the shape of my feet, these were the best boots for them and I’m so glad I listened to Marshal’s recommendations and that I read his review. Whoever is in the market for new boots (or skis.) should definitely do some research here on Blister and read the reviews. By far the most reliable and unbiased reviews you can come across… I must point out that given that I have a very low volume heel pocket, O’C at Inkline in SLC still had to some shell molding and put some orthotics in the liners.
Great review Marshall! I am getting XT 120 and have a question about the liner: does it need to be cooked(molded) the first day I get the boots? Bootfitter in the store said that liner will mold to your foot after a few days of skiiing. I wanted to hear your opinion and possible benefits and drawbacks of molding the liner (e.g.does it deteriate faster).
Thanks!
Andy
cooking the stock liner just makes the liner bearable the first couple days. the liner self-shapes, but requires a handful of days to get there.
if you cook a liner and the boot is too sloppy after, you got either the wrong boot or wrong size. so, if you are in the wrong size boot, don’t cook it. but expect it to become sloppy eventually.
honestly, if you can ski a boot comfortably without cooking the liner, its probably the wrong size boot in the first place, as the liner will “pack out” or “break in”, depending on your point of view, substantially.
hope that helps?
Has Lange changed anything on the XT 130 for this season?
nope, same boot!
Good info, thank you Marshal! How much time is usually needed for the initial break-in of the boot?
How would this boot compare to the SX series of boots.
You said the entire line is quite similar in many aspects. Obviously no walk mode in that boot and a wider last. It is similar to the RX series i its material make up PE/PU Shell/Upper.
I found the fore foot/instep fit well with a tight heel pocket that may need very slight work. Not sur eif I want the shop to cook the liner (Thermo fit 3) of see how they do after a couple of days. Any advice on that front?
Hi Marshal,
I have a 280 mm long low volume foot (bony club with hardly any meat, and narrow as hell). I picked up a pair of Lange XT 130 LVs on sale in 27.5 (length was fine) and went to a boot fitter to get an opinion. He told me the Dynafit Vulcan would be a better starting point stating it was a much lower volume shell (especially over the instep) than the Lange XT 130 LV. Are you familiar with the Dynafit Vulcan and can you provide a comparison of shell volume between boots? Thanks.
it fits very very very very differently. you would really have to try them on. they fit like they are from different planets. the vulcan is very narrow thru the medial forefoot, with a pointy toe-box. it is still, however, pretty high volume in the ankle and cuff.
the vulcan skis like a stiff AT boot — low cuff, strange buckle arrangement, weird flex pattern. the XT skis like a neutered alpine boot. softer flex, not a lot of rebound, but like an alpine boot regardless.
they also are not compatible with the same bindings, other than a duke/baron/tour… so not sure your plan there?
Hi Marshal, The purpose of this boot is to replace my Fischer Progressor 120 as my lift area boot but with the added feature of side country capability, as my lift area skis are now equipped with Marker Dukes. My backcountry set up is something entirely different (Volkl Nunataq, Maestrale RS, Plum Yaks). From your description of the Vulcan, I am thinking I might want to stay with the Lange or one of the other alpine boot hybrids (lower volume shell from another manufacturer perhaps?). I tried the Cochise Pro and was swimming in that thing. Perhaps I should just try to make the Lange work. It wasn’t that bad a fit. Any suggestions?
gotcha curt,
my suggestion would be to bring your old packed out progressor liners in there and try both boots on with those… since you know that liner already.
the progressor is pretty similar to stiffness and fit to the lange, in round numbers. the progressor is rivetless like the lange xt.
Hi Marshal, If the Lange XT LV is among the highest volume 97-98 mm lasted boots, which alpine boots with walk mode are among the lowest volume 97-98 mm lasted boots? As always, your reviews and comments are quite helpful.
Hi Marshal,
Im thinking about buying the Lange XT 130 or the Salomon Quest Max BC 120 but can´t really decide.
Have you skied both of them yet? What are the differences regarding the skiing performance?
Would be very helpful if you could compare these two boots.
Thanks…
Btw. thanks for all these awesome reviews! Helped me a lot finding a new pow ski in the last season. Ended up with a pair of Line Opus and love them!
hi florian, i am sorry to say i have not tried on or skied the quest boots. my apologies.
hey Marshal
does the women’s version of RX and XT also share the same mold in the lower shell providing the exact same fit?
Wife recently was fitted on a XT 90, but I’m trying to get her on a RX 110 or last years RX 100 since she doesn’t care for the walk mode and local fitters don’t have any of the RX in her size.
I Just picked up a pair of these on kijiji brand new for 175 bucks and love them! I am a 10.5 inch foot and that transfers to a 26.5 boot. After wearing them around the house and adjusting the buckles, they formed like a glove. Im excited to get these on the hill and grip and rip. paired with experience 88 skis.
I have been using my RX 130s for touring for a couple years. When hiking up, I usually buckle down the bottom two buckles to secure my foot, and completely unbuckle the two upper buckles and power strap to allow for my lower leg to walk more naturally. However, this produces a lot of rubbing and blisters around my ankle and upper heal. Should the walk-mode in the XTs reduce this kind of discomfort and blistering? I am assuming that I wouldn’t have to completely unbuckle the upper buckles while hiking in the XTs, thus securing my ankles a bit better and preventing rubbing.
Thanks for your input. Awesome review.
Hi Marshal,
Thanks for the good review. One question: is the ankle/heel part of the boot the same (narrowish) both in the low volume 97 mm and the 100 mm version of the boot?
I have a big problem with heel retention (narrow ankle), together with really wide feet. So I would think that if the heel area is the same in both boots the 100 mm version would work better for me.
Traditionally Langes have fit me really well in the heel area – in the widest part of the foot some have fit well also (green Banshee Pros were perfect out of the box), and some have been painfully narrow.
Judging from this video the 2016 model might actually have some improvements that I might want to wait for – what´s your impression, worth the wait?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U1noAA-BRnY&feature=em-subs_digest
I have 8 days on the RX130 LV, and they are awesome. A great combination of lateral stiffness while still being compliant in bumps and rough terrain. LOVE the grippy soles! I removed one screw to soften them slightly but thinking of replacing it. (BTW, Loctite those suckers. One backed out twice!)
One question: the one local shop I trust for boot fitting is telling me not to thermo-fit the liner. They say the open cell foam will pack out more quickly if heated as opposed to the closed cell in a Power Wrap liner. I don’t have any particular fit issue so I’m fine leaving them alone. Any input on this??
thanks andy, heat molding a liner is to address fit issues, so if you don’t have any, no reason to heat it up! don’t fix what isn’t broken…
I was wondering if anyone has had any trouble with the RX 130 boots cracking. I love the way they fit, but have noticed that the PE plastic is much softer in warmer weather and has had a tendency to over flex. I ski about 50 days per year, am very aggressive but only 160lbs in a size 9. I generally ski Northeast and hit plenty of frozen moguls. I now have had 2 sets of the RX130’s crack across the top of the ankle at the flex point (both boots both times) right around the 100 days of skiing mark (i.e. end of year 2 of the boots). The fracture line is big, ankle to ankle in both boots both times. I have sent them to Lange to look at, but was told that this was just wear and tear. I love the fit of the Lange, and other then being too soft in the spring I really like them, but was really expecting a boot to last more than 100 days for that price. Anyone having similar issues or thoughts on this? Would I be better off getting something with PU plastic throughout like the RS?