cuff alignment (Cant) on Scarpa boots

Is it just me or are these things useless?  This is my second pair of Scarpa boots (Matrix and now Sprit 4) and the cant alignment never seems to stay more than a few minutes when in actual use.  I set the cant, lock it down and since the lock and adjustment bolt are the hinge point for the cuff,  the lock is forced open when the cuff moves forward when touring or walking.  Is it me?  What am I doing wrong?  The reviewers love this feature and say that it helps with alignment problems, but what good does it do when it can't (pun) hold the cant angle?   

Help!

can't cant in Seattle  >

cd

The reviewers love this feature and say that it helps with alignment problems, but what good does it do when it can't (pun) hold the cant angle?

The lateral cuff angle adjustment feature on my Matrix always stayed in place, but given the miniscule range of adustment, you aren't missing out on much (despite what the reviewers say).

I have the same alignment adjustment on my Scarpas and it is holding. However my knees are 5 degrees out, and most boots can't come close to that. While working full time as an instructor in Park City, I tried many ways to adjust my alignment under the tutelage of Examiners, and PSIA gurus using in the boot wedges, duct tape under the big toe (3 layers per degree I think) at the binding interface etc. I did a lot of fussing with custom orthotics and listened to lots of opinions from everyone.
My current feeling is that as long as the snow isn't rock hard, and I am not trying to ski a chute where edge change at the top of the turn is essential for speed control, I am not so much affected. I now pick descents that I know are comfortable for me. You can always do a falling leaf if the chute is too icy and narrow, if you know you can't get a new edge in time to control speed. (Assuming your knees are bowed)
The most I can recommend is to know what your skis and boots will do in a given condition. Then if you want to fix it, be prepared to pay boot fitters and others to help. This may not be much help, just a few ideas. I value my Scarpas, both tele and Randonee for all their other features, especially weight.
Jane

Wise words and thanks for the advise.  My knees are bowed slightly and my biggest complaint is catching an outside edge while zooming on the flats after the chute.  One second I'm quite pleased with myself and the next I'm fighting to stay upright on a ten degree slope while my ski shoots off on it's own little journey. I do love my boots though (cant angle aside) although I may have to trade them in for aqua-socks shortly :-[




   

If your knees are only slightly bowed you can try widening your stance, and flexing your ankles a little more to lessen the chance of catching an outside edge. Other notable feature is that the wider the ski, the more pronounced the alignment issue will be. Other issue is make sure your ski is tuned flat, and detune the tips. There are many tracking issues that are ski related, so see if it is true for all the skis you own. Catching outside edges on a 10 degree slope is pretty common at ski resorts when skiers just stand there with straight legs on the run out, or turn and look over their shoulders for their buddies. Even bigger than bowed legs is the fact that wide tipped shaped skis can do all sorts of squirrelly things when asked to run straight.

Here's a quick on-snow alignment test:
1. Find a slope of at least ~100 feet long, with a pitch just enough to glide along easily.
2. Do a straight run with your weight evenly distributed on both skis. Note the straight track you’ve just skied.
3. Now skate back up, and glide down on only one ski.
4. Repeat, but use the other ski.
5. If your one-ski tracks are not straight ahead, then you have lateral stance alignment issues with your boots.
Overall, this assessment method kind of cuts to the chase better than messing around with plomb bombs and locating the center of the knee w/ calipers, etc.