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Hi folks,

I started XCD skiing three years ago. I love it. I first bought a pair of Alaska 75 following the recommendations of a bunch of skiers I once met. They all skied with Alaskas and loved them. Well, for me, it wasn't all that fun. The duckbill cracked after a month and a half of usage... I then bought a pair of Alfa Greenland Advance since I couldn't trust Alpina anymore. I still was skeptical since it was the same sole maker, but bought them anyways. Loved the boots and used them for the remaining winter and all of last year. We're speaking of about four outings a week, more or less 10km each on rolling terrain. When I was greasing the leather after my season was over, I realized that my left boot was torn over the duckbill...


I went back to the store where I bought them and was reimbursed. I was able to keep the boots afterwards and I went to the cobbler. He told me he thought it couldn't be repaired. I figured I would buy T4s so I'd have something durable. Obviously, they aren't as comfortable and when I simply want to tour without doing much descent, well they're a bit of a pain. I also figured I would try to repair my boots anyways, since I have nothing to lose but hope

I tried to repair the Alfa boot with shoe goo and it didn't stick, without much surprise. My question to you all is this: does anyone know a way to repair my boot? I'm only gonna use it on light tours from now on, so I won't stress it as much. I've done my bit of research and couldn't find any satisfying answer. I'm thinking of using epoxy instead of shoe goo, but I'm not sure if it's gonna effectively stick.

If nobody knows a way to repair my boot, does anyone know a truly durable setup with leathers? Between NNN BC and Xplore, which is most durable?

EDIT:
A picture of my first cracked boot. Note that it's a different problem:

If you broke the right one on one pair and the left one on the other pair, you're still in business. Just wear the good ones. If not go with the T4s.

Didier Lafond wrote: ↑

Mon Jan 23, 2023 3:09 pm

Hi folks,

I started XCD skiing three years ago. I love it. I first bought a pair of Alaska 75 following the recommendations of a bunch of skiers I once met. They all skied with Alaskas and loved them. Well, for me, it wasn't all that fun. The duckbill cracked after a month and a half of usage... I then bought a pair of Alfa Greenland Advance since I couldn't trust Alpina anymore. I still was skeptical since it was the same sole maker, but bought them anyways. Loved the boots and used them for the remaining winter and all of last year. We're speaking of about four outings a week, more or less 10km each on rolling terrain. When I was greasing the leather after my season was over, I realized that my left boot was torn over the duckbill...


botte.PNG


I went back to the store where I bought them and was reimbursed. I was able to keep the boots afterwards and I went to the cobbler. He told me he thought it couldn't be repaired. I figured I would buy T4s so I'd have something durable. Obviously, they aren't as comfortable and when I simply want to tour without doing much descent, well they're a bit of a pain. I also figured I would try to repair my boots anyways, since I have nothing to lose but hope



I tried to repair the Alfa boot with shoe goo and it didn't stick, without much surprise. My question to you all is this: does anyone know a way to repair my boot? I'm only gonna use it on light tours from now on, so I won't stress it as much. I've done my bit of research and couldn't find any satisfying answer. I'm thinking of using epoxy instead of shoe goo, but I'm not sure if it's gonna effectively stick.

If nobody knows a way to repair my boot, does anyone know a truly durable setup with leathers? Between NNN BC and Xplore, which is most durable?

Get Xplore boots and bindings the other stuff is archaic now.

For a repair- Contact: Steve Komito in Estes Park CO, If he can't fix 'em they can't be fixed. He is also a monstrous part of American climbing history. Tell him Sherryl sent you.

Didier Lafond wrote: ↑

Mon Jan 23, 2023 3:09 pm

If nobody knows a way to repair my boot, does anyone know a truly durable setup with leathers? Between NNN BC and Xplore, which is most durable?

No data on durability of Xplore yet but last years batch had some problematic production runs with sticking pins in the boot.
For 75mm you best bet may be Crispi Bre, Sydpolen or Antarctic.

randoskier wrote: ↑

Mon Jan 23, 2023 3:32 pm

Get Xplore boots and bindings the other stuff is archaic now.

Hahah is this sarcasm?

One year on the mkt and stuff that worked for a hundred years is no good?

Roelant wrote: ↑

Mon Jan 23, 2023 3:38 pm

Didier Lafond wrote: ↑

Mon Jan 23, 2023 3:09 pm

If nobody knows a way to repair my boot, does anyone know a truly durable setup with leathers? Between NNN BC and Xplore, which is most durable?

No data on durability of Xplore yet but last years batch had some problematic production runs with sticking pins in the boot.
For 75mm you best bet may be Crispi Bre, Sydpolen or Antarctic.

The sticking pin (which effected my wife's Alfa boot) problem was identified and fixed rapidly and with no hassle by Rottefella/Alfa. The problem does not exist anymore. It occurred while we are about three days from a road in Nothern Norway, we got the pin to unstick ourselves and finished the last days of our tour. Sent the boot to Alfa in Norway got it back a week later and it works great. 75 mm are dinosaur boots, new ones anyway.

mca80 wrote: ↑

Mon Jan 23, 2023 4:43 pm

randoskier wrote: ↑

Mon Jan 23, 2023 3:32 pm

Get Xplore boots and bindings the other stuff is archaic now.

Hahah is this sarcasm?

One year on the mkt and stuff that worked for a hundred years is no good?

Exactly, it's called progress

Didier Lafond wrote: ↑

Mon Jan 23, 2023 3:09 pm

Hi folks,

The duckbill cracked after a month and a half of usage... I then bought a pair of Alfa Greenland Advance since I couldn't trust Alpina anymore. I still was skeptical since it was the same sole maker, but bought them anyways. Loved the boots and used them for the remaining winter and all of last year. We're speaking of about four outings a week, more or less 10km each on rolling terrain. When I was greasing the leather after my season was over, I realized that my left boot was torn over the duckbill...

^ Double 75mm binding failure ^ ...happens

randoskier wrote: ↑

Mon Jan 23, 2023 4:59 pm

mca80 wrote: ↑

Mon Jan 23, 2023 4:43 pm

randoskier wrote: ↑

Mon Jan 23, 2023 3:32 pm

Get Xplore boots and bindings the other stuff is archaic now.

Hahah is this sarcasm?

One year on the mkt and stuff that worked for a hundred years is no good?

Exactly, it's called progress

Lol ok. I see new innovations every year that maybe initially provide good results but don't hold up by any lasting metric.

mca80 wrote: ↑

Mon Jan 23, 2023 5:14 pm

randoskier wrote: ↑

Mon Jan 23, 2023 4:59 pm

mca80 wrote: ↑

Mon Jan 23, 2023 4:43 pm

Hahah is this sarcasm?

One year on the mkt and stuff that worked for a hundred years is no good?

Exactly, it's called progress

Lol ok. I see new innovations every year that maybe initially provide good results but don't hold up by any lasting metric.

Then you do not understand how Norwegian industry works. You see a new Rotty binding every year? Every ten years? Sorry to disappoint you, the Xplore works perfectly. If you are only skiing downhill with huge clunky skis there is also a better alternative to 75mm 3 pins for that too.