My poor Alaskas...

[MikeK]

Why does it matter if the rubber is worn? Those have a metal reinforcement plate for the pins in there. Chicken Little?

You know when you mentioned that earlier I didn't know what was being used for reinforcement or what boots that may apply to. I can't see it that well in normal light, but the pictures I posted it does appear to show some glare on the edges of the holes of what may well be a thin metal plate about 3mm deep.

Dong - where did you get this info. I've never read such a thing or did you dissect a boot?

[Johnny]

Yeah Mike, I'm totally blaming you on this one...!

That's weird about the holes Ron, I never thought about it... Maybe due to the fact that I used them a lot with the new Voile bindings... Because the bindings don't clamp the duckbills like it should, maybe because of the leeway, everytime after a turn, the boot comes down misaligned...

Those have a metal reinforcement plate for the pins in there

Of course they do. In fact, it's exactly where the cracks are. So yes, it's reinforcement. But in that case, the end of the metal plate is actually the weakest spot... So without the metal plates, maybe the sole would have never cracked... They should extend the plate a bit...

I still have a couple of pairs of smiley plates... (Vintage ones, not the reissues... ; ) I'm so in love with them, I have them on my other boots... I was just too lazy to install a pair of the alaskas... (I hate playing with the Dremel...)

[Johnny]

I've never read such a thing or did you dissect a boot?

When you install smilies on a pair of boots, you notice the metal plate in there... ; )

[MikeK]

Well that would explain it. I've never installed a smilie plate.

I'm learning what my eventual fate may be, so please, carry on

[Raventele]

As long as ppl ski pins , they tear up the rubber..unless you go nutz tearing the rubber around the holes up, does not seem to matter much at all..the metal hold the pins still

[MikeK]

Wow we are all BLIND!

I totally did not see the HUGE side-to-side split about an inch back from the pin holes!!!

Johnny - exactly right! I'm betting that is where the plate ends and the rubber fatigued. That's not even a tele failure, that's just a kick and glide failure.

I wonder if this is what this guy was talking about:

http://www.telemarktalk.com/viewtopic.p ... aska#p2537

[teledance]

I've said it before no dremeling means the duckbill is fat enough for the binding.

[Dongshow]

Most 75mm boots have had a metal or polymer reinforcement for the pin holes for at least 20yrs. If that's failing where the reinforcement plate ends that's a design flaw of the boot. Can you notice it skiing?

[MikeK]

It's really weird because there are about a million people using the 1575 (it's cheaper and most places carry it over the Alaska) and it likely has the same sole design, and I've yet to read where one has split. Second we've read of the Alaska splitting but I'm not sure the other account was in the same area.

I bet Johnny is right though... I'm pretty sure it won't be long before the whole bill splits from the bottom up and comes right off (I'm not taking the blame for that, only the pin hole elongation )

To CIMAs point, I bet it's not an issue with the NNN sole. I tried to buy a pair of NNN Alaskas last year but they were out of stock - I think they'd be fine for the Glittertind... hopefully the Svartisen 75mm is more durable.

[Johnny]

Oh! Yeah I think it's exactly what he was talking about...! So it's not only me...

It would be hard not to notice the difference on snow... I don't use cables so they've been skiing exactly like NNN shoes for a few weeks now...!

Well, I think I realized that while I still beleive they are THE greatest XCD ski boots ever made, maybe they were not made to ski them like I do. They are light XCD-oriented boots. I use them everyday on technical terrain, I'm twisting them really hard all the time due to some of the tight trees we have here... And I don't think they appreciate when I use them on the groomers or in the spring bumps...

Please Alpina, keep this boot in production for decades!!! But just extend that metal plate a bit...!