Best fit for my feet.... (Airwalk Freeride)

Member Name: lizbubb

Product:	Airwalk Freeride
Date:	03/01/03 (314 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: no heel lift, comfort, long lasting

Disadvantages: won't fit everyone, maybe too soft, hard to find :-(

It's hard to review boots because at the end of the day they are only as good as the fit, and that's always gonna depend on your own feet. That said, for me these are great boots.

I think I have very shallow heels - although I always use a small heel riser, I still suffered heel lift with all boots I tried (including the Salomons which most people found eliminated it) except these Airwalks. I would recommend anyone with the same problem try them.

I think mine are the 1999 model. I got them cos my sis bought them for herself but couldn't wear them (she takes 2 sizes bigger than me - what was she thinking!?!)

They look a little beat up now (2003) and can leak - I've only had this happen in Scottish sleet though, not normal snow. They certainly don't leak hiking through powder! They've done over 40 full days riding, plus a fair bit of dry slope time too, so they are durable enough to last most UK riders many years.

Internally, they have a thick elastic strap which fastens over the front of your ankle. At the back of your ankle they have two lumps which grip either side of the tendon there. There is also an external ankle strap but I don't think it adds much, the inside structure really works to lock your heel down. Beware though, many people find the back lumps unwearably uncomfortable. It took me a while to get used to them but after that they fit me like a glove! Again, I think it's gonna depend so much on your feet.

The boots do not have an inner liner and I know some people find them cold - this hasn't been a problem for me, but I haven't been in any seriously cold weather (say, below -10). It does mean if they get wet inside you can't pull the liner out to help them dry overnight, but they seem to dry fast enough anyway.

Mine are very soft and also low-rise (the model shown here looks taller so maybe they've changed that) so if you need a stiff boot this may not
be for you. I have Flow bindings which are quite stiff, and I keep the highback angled foward so this may compensate for it. I have problems doing true carved turns and I guess stiffer boots would help, but then again better technique would too!

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