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Ski boot size issue

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CCL
Posts: 30 - Karma: 155
Getting a pair of ski boots from my friend who's getting new one's this year. Problem is they are about 1 size larger than what I have. Can I make the ski boots "smaller" without having to wear 5 layers of socks? My local Surefoot store doesn't open until October 8th, so wanted to do some research. Are there specific pads that can help you make the boots more fit, maybe?

Appreciate the help!
Sep 22 2010 12:59PM
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onenerdykid
Posts: 6638 - Karma: 10,532
bad idea - never get a boot that is too big for you, it will only cause you problems and waste your money.
Sep 22 2010 2:11PM
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CCL
Posts: 30 - Karma: 155
All right. Thanks for the advice!
Sep 22 2010 9:03PM
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Blurst
Posts: 13577 - Karma: 10,168
Yep, boots are the most important piece of equipment that you can buy.
Sep 22 2010 9:05PM
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simon44
Posts: 1183 - Karma: 1,185
boots can only get bigger not smaller
Sep 22 2010 10:10PM
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AJizzle
Posts: 1882 - Karma: 522
There is pretty much nothing that a boot fitter can do to make a boot that is too big for u fit ur foot. Recipie for disaster, and if u decide to use them welcom to toe bang/lack of control city
Sep 23 2010 7:30AM
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CCL
Posts: 30 - Karma: 155
Hmm, yeah. Well, that thing is that I get the boots for free, so might be worth spending some money on trying to get them fixed than buying new one's. Talked to a guy at Surefoot and he said that it shouldn't be a problem... but yeah, I would definitely buy new boots if I could afford it, hehe. Maybe I could buy like a custom liner?
Sep 23 2010 10:56AM
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onenerdykid
Posts: 6638 - Karma: 10,532
for $100 bucks an hour I would say the same thing to you...

In reality, you will waste your money on pads, fillers, pay for labor costs, and still in the end have a boot that won't fit you. If you can't get brand new boots that fits, go to a ski swap this fall and find the right size boot. Otherwise, you do risk injuring yourself (toe nails, ankle damage, knee damage, shin bang, the list goes on...)

I would only tell you to make it work if you already had the boot, couldn't afford new ones, and already missed all the fall ski swaps.
Sep 23 2010 11:30AM
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CCL
Posts: 30 - Karma: 155
All right, might just take my current boots and see if I can make them a bit more flexy, because that was my original problem.  Wanted a proper moguls boot with more flex than my current one's, and my friend had that. But I do understand the risks and appreciate you telling me this! Will look into my current boots instead and see what can be done.
Sep 23 2010 1:33PM
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onenerdykid
Posts: 6638 - Karma: 10,532
soooo much easier to soften your current boot that fits, than try to shrink down a softer boot that is too big for you.

plus, when you soften a boot you can do it gradually so you find the most appropriate flex you're looking for.
Sep 23 2010 2:05PM
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mnfreeskier
Posts: 939 - Karma: 67
put in a insole to make it smaller. they will cause you only 20 dollars for cheap ones. superfeet are a little more expensive but a lot nicer than doctor schols
Sep 23 2010 5:45PM
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AJizzle
Posts: 1882 - Karma: 522
Terrible advice, while i'm a firm believer in insoles, they r not gonna make a boot that is too big magically fit, they r meant to make a good fitting boot more comfortable
Sep 23 2010 9:53PM
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CCL
Posts: 30 - Karma: 155
Great advice, will take it down to the local ski shop and see what they can do for me. Hopefully I'll be able to get the appropriate flex. + Karma for you , hehe. Thanks man.
Sep 23 2010 11:04PM
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mnfreeskier
Posts: 939 - Karma: 67
works for me. and they will make the boot fit smaller btw
Sep 23 2010 11:25PM
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SweatyBallShack
Posts: 2857 - Karma: 58
I have a terrible time finding boots that fit me. If theres one thing you don't want its a ton of extra room in the ankle and the bottom part of your foot. that just makes it harder to control your skis. It would be one thing if you had a heel that is too narrow for most narrow boots because you can usually get some foam added to the liner that'll lock your heel in a bit better. Oh and also extra room is an injury waiting to happen. It makes it easier for things to twist around during falls and crap like that.
Sep 23 2010 11:42PM
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AJizzle
Posts: 1882 - Karma: 522
Whatever u wanna think bro
Sep 23 2010 11:47PM
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SweatyBallShack
Posts: 2857 - Karma: 58
They might take up some space but as far as them being too wide and long it wont do much. plus depending on what they're made for it might screw with the boot's lean. Idk though
Sep 23 2010 11:52PM
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Pipe_Munky
Posts: 10887 - Karma: 2,165
yes at surefoot they will fix the issue with a $300-$400 custom, foam injected liner. if you're dumb enough to bite on that you're probably dumb enough to fork out the cash for their custom footbeds that are in no way good for skiing park,jumping, etc...
Sep 24 2010 9:31AM
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Mr_pretzel
Posts: 4616 - Karma: 1,289
What insoles are good then?
Sep 24 2010 10:14AM
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Pipe_Munky
Posts: 10887 - Karma: 2,165
from personal experiance, the conformable customs are the best. they are not 100% solid so they give some shock absorbtion and allow for subtle forefoot articulation which greatly helps with control and quick reactions
Sep 24 2010 10:27AM
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Mr_pretzel
Posts: 4616 - Karma: 1,289
Are surefoots really bad?
Sep 24 2010 10:46AM
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Pipe_Munky
Posts: 10887 - Karma: 2,165
I've made several new conformables to replace surefoots for customers that said their feet we cramping. Tell tale sign of not having enough mobility in the foot
Sep 24 2010 11:21AM
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Mr_pretzel
Posts: 4616 - Karma: 1,289
Cause i have had some for a few years and they have been fine.
Sep 24 2010 11:22AM
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onenerdykid
Posts: 6638 - Karma: 10,532
there's just nothing very special about them... if they actually fit your feet, they end up killing your ankle's natural range of motion. Go with a Conform'able or ALINE, it's what I use and give to all the pros I work with. But in the end, whatever specifically works for you is the best one.
Sep 24 2010 12:32PM
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CCL
Posts: 30 - Karma: 155
Unfortunately, Surefoot is the only place I've found so far, will look around and see if there are other options but I think not. But they can't be that bad?
Sep 24 2010 12:39PM
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Pipe_Munky
Posts: 10887 - Karma: 2,165
your best option is a properly fitted pair of boots /thread
Sep 24 2010 1:44PM
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AJizzle
Posts: 1882 - Karma: 522
Love my superfeet corks, we don't carry conformable, how do these two customs differ?
Sep 24 2010 4:11PM
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steez_nuts
Posts: 225 - Karma: 50
never go too big. bad idea
Sep 24 2010 11:10PM
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onenerdykid
Posts: 6638 - Karma: 10,532
If they work for you, awesome- that's what counts in the end. But the Superfeet Kork platform only works for a few foot types and is not very custom. Conform'able makes a ton of different products, some suck some are awesome. Their best product isn't even their own, if that makes sense. They sell special vacuum trays that can be used by a boot-fitter to create a totally custom insole from basically scratch. However, it is only as good as the person molding it to your foot.

The goal of a footbed is to properly position your foot for comfortable and efficient skiing. In the past, "Custom" footbeds best achieved this, but were subject to great inconsistencies from shop to shop, even by the same boot-fitter if he/she had a bad day or something. Great advancements have been made by products like ALINE that deliver just as good alignment characteristics and preserving your ankle's range of motion (which most footbeds do not do).

In the end, it shouldn't be a pissing contest between whose footbed is better than the other, but whose footbed is better for YOU and your specific feet. Custom could be better, or a pre-formed could be better.
Sep 25 2010 5:41AM
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SweatyBallShack
Posts: 2857 - Karma: 58
I had footbeds made for my hockey skates and I really liked them. It pretty much perfected any problems I had as far as putting pressure on the right parts of my edge goes but that was a very minimal problem and only happened when I would do a certain thing and only on my left foot. I don't use it anymore though. I like how much better the feel for the ice you get is when you take the footbeds out and stand on the rivets but you obviosly don't want to be doing that in a ski boot so that's a bit unrelated. I might try them in my boots though. When you heat mold intuitions do they put them in a little oven thing? If so how hard would it be to mold them wrong? My rink has a skate oven for"baking" (pretty much molding) skates there and if it's fool proof I might see if they'll let me toss them in.
Sep 25 2010 5:27PM
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CCL
Posts: 30 - Karma: 155
Word.
Sep 26 2010 11:35PM
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