A Great Ski Boot That Has Become A Classic
Written: Feb 05 '02 (Updated Aug 26 '06)
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Quick and responsive edge to edge, nice fit
at home on all terrains.
Cons: heavy, on the expensive side
The Bottom Line: Very stylish high performance boot. Lots of adjustments,
ideal complement for the advanced/expert skiers who is
mostly skiing on the attack no matter the difficulty of the
terrain.
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| icio's Full Review: Salomon X-Wave 10.0 Downhill Skiing Boots Mens |
NOTE. This boot was first introduced in the 2001-2 season. In 2002-3 it was alive but as Crossmax 10.0. For the season 2003-4 it came back as X-Wave 10.0, but with a different look. It was somewhat transparent in color and incorporated some technical advances while using somewhat better materials for the liners. In 2005-6 the model was back again, with different plastics, colors and some futuristic space-frame structure that has hexagonal holes on the sides. This construction was meant to make the boot lighter and to make it less stiff where stiffness is not needed. But, I have heard more than just a few of negative comments about this holes: the scariest being that they let water in!! However, the X-Wave 10 came in two version: one for free-riders, slightly less stiff and with a shock absorption device in the heel area, and a more traditional one for those skiers who like to stick to the traditional runs. As far as I know, in 2006/7 the boot will be back with two versions: Falcon 10/Scarlet and XWave 10/Rush 9. From what I understand, the Falcon 10 model (Red) is the racier of the two, and the XWave 10 (Gray) is supposed to be the "comfy" one so to speak. Gone are the hexagonal holes that attracted more than just a little criticism during the past season. That feature is now replaced by a softening of the shell on the outside lateral wall of the boot. The Falcon 10 comes with a new Energyzer frame that is supposed to provide instant energy transmission. The liner uses a three layers of tapered heat moldable foam that should provide an accurate wrap of your feet.
In any case, be warned that some of my comments below could be a little bit outdated.
I have used this boot during the 2001-2, 2002-3, and 2003-4 seasons. Then I switched to Head RS 100 Superheat, but not because I grew unstatisfied with this boot. Unfortunately, it was time to replace it. Boots are replaced every 150-200 days of skiing if well kept, by the way, and where I lived I could not find any shop carrying the newer X-Wave 10 and I was not willing to downgrade to an X-Wave 8. The X-Wave 8 is not a bad boot at all, but I wanted my spiffy X-Wave 10 model!
WHAT KIND OF SKI BOOT IS THIS ? It is a very technical, precise, and comfortable ski boot that offers a lot of support, quick edge changes, excellent performance in steeps and moguls alike. The version I use could prove a little bit tough to flex for light skiers. I am 215 lbs and I can flex it at will, but it takes some effort. If you cannot flex it you cannot drive it, so mind
this comment of mine. If you think that moguls is your bread, I would suggest you try the Salomon X-Wave 8 or 9. The flex would make it more comfortable for long days on the slopes too.
HOW DOES IT FIT ?
It is surprisingly easy to put on and take off and it also provides good insulation. I seldom had problems with cold feet. In March 2002 I was skiing at Sunshine Village (in Canada) and the temperature of the snow was an impressive -50F.. the skis were barely moving on that kind of snow cristals, but my feet did not get too cold and were in better shape than my ears that had to undergo the test of the wind to some extent! Also, the cuff raises high on the legs and this could be a problem with short skiers. A high cuff could cause stance problems. Removing the spoiler could help, but there is no guarantee in all individual cases.
CAN I PERFORM SOME CANTING ON THIS BOOT ?
Yes, you can. To understand canting, we need to understand what individuals this boot fits best. And I am not talking about the expertise level, but of something that has to do with the anatomy of each individual. In general, skiers come in three "kinds": bow-legged, knock-kneed , and those who are blessed with a neutral stance . The last group is lucky, but most skiers are likely to belong to either of the first two. Bow-legged and knock-kneed skiers need corrections if they are to ski properly and make improvements.
Corrections are available in form of custom-made insoles and suitable lifters in between skis and bindings and no boots alone can solve the problem. However, boots that allow canting can be made more comfortable to wear as it is possible for the boots to follow the contours of the skier's legs. The X-Wave 10 allows for both lateral and fore-aft canting and hence it is possible to achieve a very precise fit. The 3-D buckle (a fancy name for the gold-color buckle, second from the bottom) allows some fine tuning of the instep as, besides the usual adjustment, it is possible to slide it backward and forward depending on whether you have a relatively high or low instep, respectively.
WHAT SIZE ?
The crux of ski boots (in particular when buying over the internet) is to decide whether they are the most suitable for your foot-leg contours. The only way to find out for sure is to try them on but a rule of thumb is possible:
- measure the maximum length of your foot, call it L;
- measure the maximum width of your foot, call it W;
- measure the "circumference" around your heel and your
instep, call it R.
Now, you have an average width if W/L is about .4, and an average volume if R/L is approximately 1.2. So, for example, if you have a ratio R/L of 1.35, it means that you have above average to high volume feet. There is a Custom Fit 3D liner available. This liner is made with a thermoformable foam that envelops the skier's feet very comfortably.
According to several ski magazines from the USA, Canada and Europe, the X-Wave 10 are aimed at skiers with both narrow and large feet, but in my experience will accomodate only low to somewhat above average volume feet. In my case, with R/L = 1.27, they fit but I think I am at the upper end of the range. Any bigger than that and you may have to work on either the boots or the liners and hire the help of some good bootfitter. The X-Wave 10 would definitely provide a painful fit in case of high volume feet. On the other hand, large calves are not too big a problem as there is a good range of adjustment for the two upper buckles. Some skiers benefit from removing the spoiler pieces in the back of the boots and remedy some pressure against the calves. Besides, the spoiler could cause some skier to be leaning forward too much. So, be aware of this possibility when you try to fine tune the fit of the boots to your legs.
As far as the group of skiers the product is aimed at, there is little doubt that the target are advanced/expert skiers who tend to ski aggressively on most terrains. It is not very suitable for beginners and intermediate because it is very stiff (85% the stiffness of the racing model by Salomon) and requires to be driven with precision.
The fit and response of the boots can be improved by replacing the insoles provided by the manufacturer with custom-made ones. This will likely add another $100-150 to your bill, but it is worth the extra money.
The only negative comment I have about this boot concerns its weight: it is quite heavy (about 7 lbs each for my
size 29 boots) and can become uncomfortable during long rides on chairlifts, in particular, if you are a tall individual and cannot really take advantage of foot rests. The weight is also the reason why it can not be the most comfortable boot to wear during a full day of skiing. It could have been just my impression, but, I handled a few models from last year in stores and they felt somewhat lighter. It could be my custom- made insole, I do not know. In any case take my info about weight with a grain of salt.
The recommended price is/was (if you are reading after many years) $625 which makes it one of the most expensive ski boots on the market, but it is usually possible, by waiting until after the peak of the season, to purchase it at a substantial discount and the money saved in this way can be used to purchase custom made insoles to aim at the perfect fit. I think that one could easily buy this model around $450-$475 off-peak. The new Falcon 10 and XWave 10 have a MSRP of $775 and $725, respectively. Probably will available in store for around $550-600, but it is just my estimate. Few people would be willing to pay the full price, anyway.
Recommended:
Yes
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Epinions.com ID:
icio
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Location: Thousand Oaks, CA
Reviews written: 58
Trusted by: 6 members
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