# Nidecker (Flow) Lunar boots first impression / lesson learnt



## TooNice (Feb 7, 2014)

Background: I am a guy with small feet, and run a women's setup (boots, binding, board).

This is my fourth pair of boots. My first two pair of boots were Salomons, before I made the switch to the K2 Contour last season. 

Prior to getting the Contour, I also tried the Flow Lunar and found them the most comfortable boots I've ever tried off snow (I have very fussy feet, and not many boots feel perfect right off the bat), edging the also very comfortable Contour. However, in the end, I went with the Contour for two reasons: 1. The boa screw *fell off* while I was trying the boots in the shop, making me worry about the QA, 2. the Contour did feel a little stiffer, and being a guy I lean towards stiffer women's boot hoping that they will remain supportive longer.

Though it turned out however that the Contour didn't last that long. By the end of the season, they became so soft that there was hardly any support left. Despite being the most expensive boots of the ones I've owned, I really think they packed out faster than the Salomon I owned before. And ten days into this season, an whole piece of leather, holding the boa lace in place was ripped off. I brought it to the shop and they patched it up (at this point I didn't expect much, but hoped to get two weeks or so to shop for new boots).. but the repairs lasted just two days.

So I decided to give the Lunar (now branded by Nidecker) a go. Here in Japan, based on the best price I could find for my size, the price difference between the two is 150 USD, so I figured that it was worth a try.. it should at least tide me until I can find a better deal on the Contour (which I still like despite the durability) at the end of the season.

The first thing I noticed when it arrived is.. it's labelled 24.5cm, but also 8 Women US? That is a bit odd as most online chart as well as my K2 and Salomon had 24.5cm as a 7.5 Women US. Fortunately, it did not feel half a size bigger than my K2. It does feel a bit bigger, and I can get in and out of them with so much ease that I felt a bit concerned, but so far, no heel lift, no bruised toe, my feet doesn't feel like it is swimming in the boots after I tighten it up. Hopefully this won't change (too much) as the boot pack out. Out of the box, the toe box did feel a touch tighter than I am used on the Contour, but it isn't too bad, and on the second day, it already feel like it loosened up a bit there without an in store heat moulding process. 

However, and this is a big lesson for me, I found that those boots really struggle to fit my M size Burton Escapade binding. On paper, it should no problem. But for the first time, I've had to adjust the strap length on the bindings, something which I didn't need to do for the last three boots. That in itself isn't a big deal. The biggest problem is that I found it quite hard for the back of the boot to fit into the bindings. It is as if the back of the boot is a bit wide, or the back of the binding is a bit narrow. Either way, it feels like I have to force it, and if I had taken my bindings with me when I tried the boots, I might have had second thought. 

It is strange though, when I casually look at the Lunar and Contour side by side, the Lunar doesn't exactly look feel much bulkier.. if at all. But in the future, after I find a pair of boot that feels good, I will also check if it fits comfortably on the binding I plan to use it on.


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## timmytard (Mar 19, 2009)

Don't try and push your heel back into the heel cup.
It's difficult to do.

Instead put your toes in first, just behind where they would normally end up after your boot is in your bindings properly.

So, toes in first with your heel raised up.
Then push down with your heel.
That will keep your heel as tight as it can get in the heel cup.

Your toes will get pushed forward to where they're supposed to be.

I like that snug feeling, can't stand sloppy play between my boots and bindings.
It's the equivalent to having your foot slide around in your boot.

And I have a pair of flow boots that are a few years old & I've had at least half a dozen pairs of boots since I bought the flows
.
All the new boots I bought are shit, all turned soft line slippers and broke in some way or another.

I busted one of the board knobs on my flows a couple years ago & after buying all these new boots that turned to shit.
I sent flow customer service a message and got them to send me a couple new knobs.

Flow boots are kick ass boots.
The next pair I buy will probably be flows, if I can find some for cheap haha.


TT


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## TooNice (Feb 7, 2014)

@timmytard

First, thanks for your tips about heel insertion. It does seem like I am not having too much trouble on that aspect.

I was going to update with some good words, namely that so far so good, they are still comfortable, and my heel remains locked in and supportive.

But then, the knob on the new boots fell off. So perhaps my experience in store with the brand new boots wasn't a case of me or previous customers mis-handling the boots.. they just have very shaddy QA. 

Now I need to figure out who I should report the failure to (I guess Nidecker Japan, which mean I may have to write Japanese).. but even if they send me new knobs (perhaps not a given), I will probably still have to buy the part so that it can be used in the mean time. And I am not even sure if the knobs are manufacturer specific.. if it is, then I am stuffed as I do not think that nearby shops stock Nidecker/Flow boots, nevermind compatible knob.


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## TooNice (Feb 7, 2014)

Ah, what a pain. So it turns out the part that broke are the threads inside the part of the boa that is attached to the boots. Honestly no idea how repairable it is.

The retailer's first course of action is, of course to refer me to boa's site. I see there is a life warranty on their product, and a whole bunch of repair videos, but I think it usually assumes that it is the knob or lace that is broken, not the middle of the internal part.

Anyway, will see what they say. It is kind of fortunate that I can somewhat string sentences in Japanese together, because of course the retailers I brought from, the company that deals with warranty of Flow, Nidecker, Yes, Jones etc. in Japan, and the boa website I am being referred to are all Japan based since I bought the product here, and customer support are unlikely to respond at all in English.

In the mean time, I bought another pair of K2 Contour.

To be honest, out of the box, it is definitely not as comfortable as the Nidecker/Flow, and it doesn't lock the heel down as well. But it is a bit stiffer and I think they are using better parts (since I had to look up the boa system, I found out for instance that the Nidecker Lunar use different type of boa for the top dial and side dial, and the side dial, that broke, isn't designed for the same amount of tension as the top dial - and a boot fitter who had a look also mention isn't of the same quality either).

Well, I hope that I won't have to write nearly $300 boots off after not even 10 days boots.. but if it gets repaired, it will remain a backup boots that I will be extra gentle with.. and frankly speaking, I might just end up continuing buying Contour from now on and be weary of Nidecker stuff.


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