Approach or Animal Boots

[John E.]

I know I can always look to you guys for some good feedback. I've got a few days to decide, tried the Approach but they are too small. I am considering the Animal. I've got a wide 9 1/2 foot that puts me inbetween the Med and Large. Any feedback is apprecieated.

[jgouveia3]

i have never tried the Approach, but I can tell you that with your foot size, i would definetly go with the large if you get the animals. I have Fred Flinstone feet (they are about as wide as they are long). size 8 1/2, very wide, and the Med Animals are really tight.

[UWSkier]

Going to be trying Approaches soon probably. I've been in Animals for the past 5 years but am looking for something to help me cheat by forcing ankle bend. Also looking for a little more comfort. The only way to get Animals that were tight enough across the top was to get XL's, which are tight for my size 14 dawgs. My feet cramp after about 10 minutes. I'm hoping I can run XXL Approaches.

I'll post a review after I get to try them.

[SunriseH2OSkier]

The only way to get Animals that were tight enough across the top was to get XL's, which are tight for my size 14 dawgs.

DANG! Why even bother with boots/ski? With flippers like that, you shouldn't need em!

[SunriseH2OSkier]

Should have added - skied with Animals for 3 years, using Approaches this year. Won't go back. But GT's right on the money - if you want to come out of your boots on a yardsale, you don't want the Approaches.

[UWSkier]

I prefer to stay on my ski as long as both legs stay attached to said ski. That said, I don't think I've ever come out of my XL Animals. My old XXLs I would come out of.

And as for the 14s, they're goofy. Super high arch. Horrible for barefooting as my crappy shoulders will tell you.

Edited July 10, 2006 by UWSkier

[lbow]

I come out of my phantom bindings, which i believe are almost identical to the approach. I have large's with and my feet are 10.5. I guess they don't feel really tight, but they are snug enough that I don't feel that they limit my control.

I have no experience with animal's so..

[UWSkier]

I had one of those on my old CDX with XXL Animals. I was coming into the course in a blinding glare, got WAY late, hooked the right boat gate with my ski, went OTF so hard in full laid-out, cartwheeling fashion that my ski flew off, went helicoptering through the air and landed about 30 feet from me. Guy on shore said it looked like I hit a floating mine.

[Addictedto6]

You won't catch me in approaches/phantoms, you need to be very very careful about equal adjustment (or maybe more tension on the rear to ensure it stays in YMMV). I personally think there is a design issue - the tightening strap across the foot is higher on the front foot than the rear (at least it was with the precursor phantoms).

I crashed out the front, front foot stayed in due to the design of the boots (and the nature of typical OTF falls force the front foot forward in the boot). Rear came out (again - natural motion for OTF is for your rear foot to lift). Net result was ruptured achilles (easy part) and a nasty dislocated posterior tibial tendon.

I'm on the "more expensive" hardshells, but I believe over the course of years that the hardshells will probably equal out in costs - the water out here tends to destroy bindings/overlays pretty quickly.

[Chef23]

My feet are 9 1/2 by 9 1/2. I switched this year from Large SF Animals to the Large Approach boot. Ski Animals if you want to come out of your boots in a crash and the Approachs if you don't.

I have several (either 3 or 5) 2005 rear lace SF Animals in my cave if you need a pair or want to try a pair. They could all be mistaken for new. pm me if I can help.

GT, you are RFF aren't you??

[mlange]

I also have a 9 1/2 foot and just picked up a new front Animal. I was debating long and hard between a medium and large and was going to get the large until the guy at the shop told me he could work with the medium to get it to fit right.

So, I ended up going with the medium and it was definitely the right call. He just took some material out of the bottom side of the footbed and it created enough volume to keep the boot tight, but not to the point of cramping up by my fifth pass, which would happen with my old medium Animal.

For those of you in southeast Wisconsin, GRF Skis is definitely the place to go to now.

Mike

[1608malibu]

Ive been using the approach boot for a couple of years now,going from animal.When Im skiing well I like the approach when Im not skiing well I dont.I use a rear Boot Wiley which I love.

[skisix@38]

Though complicated to get out of, I contend that the Approach boot is by far the most comfortable and secure boot on the market. It's a nice balance between "rubber" boot and hardshell.

I agree! I would go one or two steps further and say that I would love to have the time and materials to remove the laces from the approaches and velcro wrap and replace with two snow ski boot type of straps- one over the top of my foot and one where the velcro is now to keep my heel from lifting.

Anyone want to give me a pair of approaches, size large RFF, so I can try this?

[jgouveia3]

....

I'm on the "more expensive" hardshells, but I believe over the course of years that the hardshells will probably equal out in costs - the water out here tends to destroy bindings/overlays pretty quickly.

so does anyone know if the Approaches hold up well to salt/brackish water use? I usually rinse my stuff after skiing, but that doesn't always help (my CDX definitely shows signs of the salt).

[Addictedto6]

Ive been using the approach boot for a couple of years now,going from animal.When Im skiing well I like the approach when Im not skiing well I dont.I use a rear Boot Wiley which I love.

this is something I definitely would not do (but then again, skiers like rear toe pieces) ! It's very easy to release out of the wiley's. you probably won't come out of the front approach.

[NorCaliBu]

Ive been using the approach boot for a couple of years now,going from animal.When Im skiing well I like the approach when Im not skiing well I dont. I use a rear Boot Wiley which I love.

this is something I definitely would not do (but then again, skiers like rear toe pieces) ! It's very easy to release out of the wiley's. you probably won't come out of the front approach.

Right you are, Ken...er, Kevin

The Approach boots actually come with instructions that outline the importance of using them front and back because the last thing you want is a single foot release.

[skistud1]

Good thing I didn't get the Approach! The only reason I didn't was because I didn't care for the forward cant. The Approach was probably the most plush binding I've tried, including an Animal front boot (too tight through the arch). I'm currently using a Venom with a RTP but will probably play around with double boots soon.

The salesman in the store made no mention of the degree of retention with the Approach.

Edited July 13, 2006 by skistud1

[skislut]

In the past 7 years I've had Animals>Animal Lace ups> Phantoms>Approaches.

Animals treated me well, Phantoms offered much better edge control and the ankle cant, but made your feet fall asleep after about 3 minutes.

The Approaches solved the comfort problem and I've been using them for two seasons.

[Chaabo]

I ski the Animal SF on my CDX and I love them! Easy to get in and very comfy.

I tried the Approaches my wife uses, and have to admit that they offer more edge control and seem to force the rider in a better position (knees more bend) than the Animals do.

I think you can't go wrong with the Animals and the Approaches.

Try them both and decide after a few sets.

slightly off topic:

Anyone of you guys had a problem with the rubber laces ripping on the Approach boots?

My wife got a brand new (2005) pair of Approach boots this June and after a few sets the rubber lace on both boots is ripping right where it is attached (screwed) on the boot.

Is there a new (reinforced) lace available through HO?

If someone could provide me with HO's customer support e-mail-address, that would be awesome!

David

[skislut]

Chaabo --

My approaches just did that over the weekend also. I looked them all over and all 4 of the wraps are doing that. The one that ripped I just unscrewed where they had ripped out, used the old piece as a template to punch holes in the remaining section, and put that part back in and tightened back the clamping area until I get a replacement part.

[Slurpee]

Mine did that.

Took 'em buy the local pro-shop where I bought them.

They gave me new straps. The need to be lined up with the front of that heal piece, not one hole back.

Also, they showed me how they were reworking all of their bindings that they sold with a single piece of heavy duty nylon from the liner of a destroyed tube. this prevents the sharp edge of that heal piece form starting a tear point in the strap after it's screwed down.

Although, i didn't do the nylon thing when I replaced my straps and I've used them dozens of times without any tears forming like last time.