[nstelemark]

Received a pair of 28.5 2010 Prophets today. The bellows are definitely stiffer, both parts of the progressive bellows have increased stiffness. Pushing on them on the bench there is a clearly noticeable increase in stiffness. With one foot in the old boot and one in the new boot in the bindings the difference is more subtle and you might be hard pressed to notice much without a side by side comparison. Since I needed another pair of 28.5s and a bit more bellows stiffness is welcome I think this is a good move, but the difference is subtle. I don't have the Comps anymore so I can't A->B with them but I bet they are still initially quite a bit stiffer (although in the second bellows I bet it is real close now).

The new model has a yellow internal heel block and the shell shows D1 in the arch.



The old model has a gray block and is labelled S1 (sorry for the crappy pic).



I can't discern any difference in toe or heel volume.

And no I have not skied them yet, this has been a carpet test so far. On snow will be early Dec. I really liked how last year's skied so a subtle increase in bellows stiffness works for me. Can't wait to get them on snow.
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Larry
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NTN is all about Dynamic Performance™
Came for the stoke, stayed for the popcorn.
Tele boot fitting - http://www.nstelemark.com/NSTelemark/Telemark_Boot_Fitting.html

[nstelemark]

I had a chance to look at the liners. The orange toe foam is quite a bit stiffer than last year's. Last year's felt like Neoprene although it wasn't. This should make it easier to get enough room in the toe. Also the pre-lasting seems a bit more aggressive than it has been in the past.
_________________
Larry
----------------------------------------------------
NTN is all about Dynamic Performance™
Came for the stoke, stayed for the popcorn.
Tele boot fitting - http://www.nstelemark.com/NSTelemark/Telemark_Boot_Fitting.html

[Nick (AT)]

So what do you mean by 'aggressive' pre-lasting? More compressed (=less room) or less compressed? Or more 'shaped' for lumps and bumps?
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Nick (AT)

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[Nurse Ben]

If you do a carpet test, can you see if you can make the bellows collapse against the toe bale? I remember trying on a beta version and it didn't collapse, then I got some of the first year production model which did collapse, so I'd be curious to know if they changed the mold, such as angling the toe back to decrease interference...
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Hi Mom!

[nstelemark]

[nstelemark]

[Nurse Ben]

Well, I can get most any NTN boot to do this is I get far enough forward, essentially the toe box collpases against the toe bale once the bellows are maxed. The only boot that really won't collapse is the Comp and the Evo gen 1. It's not as bad on some boots, seems to be more or a clearance issue.

I realize it is less of a problem for folks who ski tall, but sooner or later we all get low, so it helps me to know at what point a point is maxed and will collapse, sorta helps me gauge which boots work for low skiers best.

The collase is more or a toe box "fold", mid height on the Prophet gen 1, other boots do a mix of fold and toe box mushrooming out to the sides.

I don't have any pics handy, maybe someone else can chime in...

It seems to me that if the toe box was angled back as melds into into the sole, this would allow toe bale clearance and some additional sole flex independent of the toe box. Sometime I wonder if what we need is for the boot toe to be short enough that it could pivot on the axis around about where the dynafittings are located. This would not change activity, but it would allow for more ROM.

Can you post side by side bellows flexing?

I still have hopes for this boot as it has some great features and the accordion bellows are a better design than the currently used 75mm bellows in Scarpa and Crispi; they just need to be stiffer and without collpase.
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Hi Mom!

[nstelemark]

[eurotele]

[nstelemark]

[Danno]

just a technicality, but wouldn't this be the 2011 Prophet? I thought models for the 20XX-20YY ski season were referred to by the YY year, not the XX year. But maybe I'm wrong.

Not trying to nitpick, just trying to maintain clarity in the discussion.
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"anecdotes are fine assbaggery is not"
"But of course to Telemark is just one function of ski gear, but to have fun is the other. If I so much want to make Parallel turns all day long, I shall do this as well"

[nstelemark]

[nstelemark]

I did a simple test on the Prophet using a bathroom scale. I put the boot on it and put some weight on it until I got the first bellows to flex and then some more weight until the second bellows flexed -

First gen Prophet with about 50 days on them -

First bellows - 30 lbs
Second bellows - 70 lbs

Second gen Prophet fresh out of the box -

First bellows - 50 lbs
Second bellows - 130 lbs
_________________
Larry
----------------------------------------------------
NTN is all about Dynamic Performance™
Came for the stoke, stayed for the popcorn.
Tele boot fitting - http://www.nstelemark.com/NSTelemark/Telemark_Boot_Fitting.html

[nstelemark]

According to the Backcountry website the liner is thicker in the heel for better heel retention.

Also the walk mechanism bar is gold on this years boot and silver on the original. Personally I never noticed and unless you had them side by side you would be hard pressed to tell. Better to look inside at the lower shell.
_________________
Larry
----------------------------------------------------
NTN is all about Dynamic Performance™
Came for the stoke, stayed for the popcorn.
Tele boot fitting - http://www.nstelemark.com/NSTelemark/Telemark_Boot_Fitting.html

[tele.skier]

Great boots.

I am amazed at how soft the cuff feels when you don't tighten the buckles excessively. It toured really well for a boot that has 2 buckles on the cuff.

I also couldn't believe how stiff the cuff got when I tightened the buckles to descend. I also skied a single day of lift served too. They feel like a typical garmont boot to me. Stiff enough to be good performance, yet comfortable enough not to feel like your feet are in cement. I could wear these boots all day with no discomfort.

People have commented that the bellows is very soft and offers little feedback to the skier. The bellows definately feels soft compared to my orange evo's which are extremely stiff. The softer bellows have less binding leverage leverage no doubt, but that is not a problem to me since I like a little more neutral feel.

IMHO, Boots, like bindings should be somewhat invisible when they are working well, so the skier just skis. After a while on the first lift day, I just skied and forgot I was on new boots and a new binding system. It all just worked and I didn't think about it, nor did anything stand out as a flaw.

*dislikes:
the way the buckle teeth capture the buckle. I liked the old hook at the end of the buckle on my energys. This one is more fumbley.

Even though the tongue liner is working good for me. I have switched a lot of my boots to wrap liners which have been more comfortable and felt more powerful. I will try my other liners in the prophets as the season progresses and see if I like them better than the stock prophet liners. I am not sure if I need the laces, but they are annoying to tie.

The forward lean angle is NOT a comparable number to other boots I own. The prophet's actual lean angle is less than other boots I own yet the numerical value is greater. I found the lean angle good, but I would like even a taller locking position than the single stock position.

GRADE: A-
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