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The Official: "What is wrong with my boots?" Thread
This thread should be seen as an accompaniment to the "How To Buy Ski Boots" thread, more specifically aimed at solving a problem with your existing ski boots. Rather than clog up Gear Talk with countless repeating threads, please dump your boot-fitting related questions here and we will do our best to help you out.
Remember, nothing is a substitute for going to a real boot-fitter; they can see your foot, we can't. So if you can't get to a boot-fitter, or are frustrated with your current one, we can help point you in the right direction. Try to be as descriptive of your problem as possible and post pics if you can. The more information we get from you, the more successful we will hopefully be in helping you out.
onenerdykidI would say first, you have a liner that was not lasted nor made for the Roxa shell last. It just doesn't match and this is going to be a major contributing factor for your heel lift. That and it has 150 days on it, which is means it is most likely pretty dead. How does the stock liner feel?
The Superfeet footbeds aren't doing a whole lot for creating the best interface between your foot and the boot. I would definitely recommend getting something more made-for-you.
Ill reply in a week, with more details on what they feel like with the stock liners, just out of town rn. But from what I remember is that my heels felt higher up, the toes were more snug. However my heel did not feel locked in place. I have some heel locks on order that should be in next week. Maybe those could help.
In regards to the foot bed, I plan on getting some custom foot beds made before the season starts. Just gotta find some time and money to have those made.
macfiveIll reply in a week, with more details on what they feel like with the stock liners, just out of town rn. But from what I remember is that my heels felt higher up, the toes were more snug. However my heel did not feel locked in place. I have some heel locks on order that should be in next week. Maybe those could help.
In regards to the foot bed, I plan on getting some custom foot beds made before the season starts. Just gotta find some time and money to have those made.
my intuitions blew out usually between 100-120 days. One went out in around 80....Add into that your liners do not work with the boots. You don't need heel locks etc. You should probably get new liners+footbeds prior to working on old not fitting liners. It will likely solve your issue. If not then move on to other things like heel locks.
Profahoben_212my intuitions blew out usually between 100-120 days. One went out in around 80....Add into that your liners do not work with the boots. You don't need heel locks etc. You should probably get new liners+footbeds prior to working on old not fitting liners. It will likely solve your issue. If not then move on to other things like heel locks.
I was hoping for another season out of the wrap pros, but that was under the assumption they would go another season. Also assumed intiition liners are compatible between different shells. On that, I have a new pair of intuition tongues that came with the roxas, so the new liner issue is solved. Asper the heel locks, ill keep em around incase I need them, wont know till the snow drops though.
so i have a pretty narrow foot making it hard to try on lots of different boots as no one carries them, i tried on a pair of boots that fit me very well every where but right on top of my foot under the middle buckle they push quite hard. bootfitter says he can fix that by grinding down the sole or heal risers. my question is should i go that route or should i try and find a boot that does not hurt anywhere?
onenerdykidI would say first, you have a liner that was not lasted nor made for the Roxa shell last. It just doesn't match and this is going to be a major contributing factor for your heel lift. That and it has 150 days on it, which is means it is most likely pretty dead. How does the stock liner feel?
The Superfeet footbeds aren't doing a whole lot for creating the best interface between your foot and the boot. I would definitely recommend getting something more made-for-you.
I am back and can now give a proper assessment of what is going on with my boot. To preface, I am wearing bridgedale race socks and the boots are buckled 2 clicks at instep and 1 click at toe, micro adjust is screwed all the way in on both boots.
Here are my foot dimensions:
Length: L 280, R 285
Toe Last: L 107, R 110
Instep: L&R 310
Heel Last: L&R 60
Metatarsal: Snug from left to right and tight from the top.
instep: do not feel a high level of contact with top of instep (dorsum),contact is felt left to right.
Heel: Can lift heel when pushing on balls of feet. contact is felt at the back of heel, side of heel has contact, but it is less direct than the back contact point.
macfiveI am back and can now give a proper assessment of what is going on with my boot. To preface, I am wearing bridgedale race socks and the boots are buckled 2 clicks at instep and 1 click at toe, micro adjust is screwed all the way in on both boots.
Here are my foot dimensions:
Length: L 280, R 285
Toe Last: L 107, R 110
Instep: L&R 310
Heel Last: L&R 60
Metatarsal: Snug from left to right and tight from the top.
instep: do not feel a high level of contact with top of instep (dorsum),contact is felt left to right.
Heel: Can lift heel when pushing on balls of feet. contact is felt at the back of heel, side of heel has contact, but it is less direct than the back contact point.
Ankle: Ankles have contact left to right.
When you do a shell fit for length, how much space is behind your heel? 1cm, 1.5cm, 2cm, 2cm+?
JerziiiDidnt find any relatable threads and didnt think that making one just for this guestin so im just going to ask here.
What effects does more forward angle have and which way should you adjust depending on ability level?
Also what does the spoiler adjustment do on the back of the boot?
Thanks!
More forward lean is good for skiing steeper terrain at faster speeds but you need to make sure you have enough dorsiflexion (ankle mobility) to achieve the setting. You never want to position the forward lean of the boot more than what you can achieve. Only way to know is to have it measured by someone who knows how to do it (i.e. boot fitter).
Spoilers take up excess volume behind your calf muscle but also increase forward lean.
onenerdykidWhen you do a shell fit for length, how much space is behind your heel? 1cm, 1.5cm, 2cm, 2cm+?
More forward lean is good for skiing steeper terrain at faster speeds but you need to make sure you have enough dorsiflexion (ankle mobility) to achieve the setting. You never want to position the forward lean of the boot more than what you can achieve. Only way to know is to have it measured by someone who knows how to do it (i.e. boot fitter).
Spoilers take up excess volume behind your calf muscle but also increase forward lean.
within 1 and 1.5cm. I was using a 1.5cm stick and I was really jamming it in there in some areas around my heel.
Long story short. Went from 29.5 FT desc 4 to 28.5 dalbello il moro 90 to 27.5 K2 flex revolver (FT dropkick). First boots really did not know how to buy, after many seasons realised they were too big because of heel lifting while learning butters. Bought dalbellos last year, were solid until buckels gave out and also some heel lifting happened. Now went to a "bootfitter" in a shop that measured the width and lenght of my feet and recomended the 26.5's from personal experience.
So to the problem. Boots fit nice and butters butter like butter but every time I go skiing bottom of my right foot starts to sting, specially the outerside. The pain numbs after 30 mins and only appears when taking the boot off and stepping with regular shoes. I also sometimes encounter some toebangs that i never earlier encountered, mainly because my boots were so large. I have bought aftermarket footbeds that were selected by arch of my foot but that did not help much.
I will sadly say that I may not know fully how to buckel these new k2s as they are equiped with caples and this whole issue might be from tightening the boot too much? But then I find that i have more toebanging when leaving the boots looser.
Sorry for the long text and thanks for any help!
JerziiiLong story short. Went from 29.5 FT desc 4 to 28.5 dalbello il moro 90 to 27.5 K2 flex revolver (FT dropkick). First boots really did not know how to buy, after many seasons realised they were too big because of heel lifting while learning butters. Bought dalbellos last year, were solid until buckels gave out and also some heel lifting happened. Now went to a "bootfitter" in a shop that measured the width and lenght of my feet and recomended the 26.5's from personal experience.
So to the problem. Boots fit nice and butters butter like butter but every time I go skiing bottom of my right foot starts to sting, specially the outerside. The pain numbs after 30 mins and only appears when taking the boot off and stepping with regular shoes. I also sometimes encounter some toebangs that i never earlier encountered, mainly because my boots were so large. I have bought aftermarket footbeds that were selected by arch of my foot but that did not help much.
I will sadly say that I may not know fully how to buckel these new k2s as they are equiped with caples and this whole issue might be from tightening the boot too much? But then I find that i have more toebanging when leaving the boots looser.
Sorry for the long text and thanks for any help!
Footbeds that come in "high/medium/low" don't work - you need proper footbeds that are molded to your foot by someone who knows how to do that. This is the only way to properly position your foot inside the boot. Not having this is definitely contributing to the pain you are experiencing on the outside of your foot.
Once you do that, then the shell shape can be adjusted to match the shape of your foot.
Once that is done, then have the liner heat molded to the new shell shape.
That is the order of your operations: custom footbeds, shell work, liner mold.
In a boot that follows those steps, you should buckle the toe buckles medium/loose, ankle buckle tight, cuff buckle(s) tight.
Just put an intuition power wrap in to try to take up space. My forefoot is really tight but the heels still have slop. Bootfitter’s been messing with some pads to try to fill the remaining volume, but it seems really tough to get right.
Wondering if there’s a better solution...
Would the LV version of the RX have a significant difference in heel hold/width?
Does another company make a boot that would fit that type of foot better? It’s hard to try stuff on because no one ever has 24’s.
gapp222IJust put an intuition power wrap in to try to take up space. My forefoot is really tight but the heels still have slop. Bootfitter’s been messing with some pads to try to fill the remaining volume, but it seems really tough to get right.
Wondering if there’s a better solution...
Would the LV version of the RX have a significant difference in heel hold/width?
Does another company make a boot that would fit that type of foot better? It’s hard to try stuff on because no one ever has 24’s.
An Intuition liner is sometimes helpful, sometimes not really. They are often so thick that your heel can't sit properly into the heel pocket of the shell, hence the slop. You want to lock your heel into the heel pocket and the best way to do that is with some sort of liner that is purposefully made to fill the gaps that exist around your heel & ankle, like some sort of foam liner. There are a few types, Atomic makes one (the Hawx version of the Mimic Professional liner would fit that boot really well). I would steer you towards a better liner like that before getting into a different boot with a narrower heel pocket (the ankle & heel between a Lange LV and MV is the same, it's just a forefoot width difference).
My toe bang is really bad even with insoles that the shop said should help with the toe bang. It’s not just My toenail that’s bruised now either literally the tip of both my big toes are completely black (not posting feet pics for free) and I was just wondering if it’s possible to punch the toe out or something???
also my boots aren’t waterproof anymore so not sure what to do about that
SchizoSkierMy toe bang is really bad even with insoles that the shop said should help with the toe bang. It’s not just My toenail that’s bruised now either literally the tip of both my big toes are completely black (not posting feet pics for free) and I was just wondering if it’s possible to punch the toe out or something???
also my boots aren’t waterproof anymore so not sure what to do about that
Yeah, I do it all the time. Insoles dont really help with toe bang in particular, but they do allow your foot to sit in a more natural position, where they wont elongate quite as much under weight and situations like pronation should be more controlled.
However even then, toeboxes dont always fit the shape of someones toes, and its worth punching the piss out of the boot to accommodate that. I learned just how far this could actually be taken when my old Lupos were consistently giving me trouble on the corner of my big toe and I decided 'fuck this, I'm going big or chucking these boots in the bin' and stuck it on the scott press - blowing the fuck out of the big toe. completely fixed the problem. My shop at the time didnt had a hyrdro press, or appropriate fittings, so it was the best option available.
Now, I have a pair of mindbenders that I actually downsized into and I punched the FUCK out of the big toe to the point where I'm doubtful it will fit in anything but a tech binding - but thats fine because thats all I need them for anyway. I've actually surprised some people with just how far I could punch their toe boxes and they've been fuckin stoked.
PacificRimJobYeah, I do it all the time. Insoles dont really help with toe bang in particular, but they do allow your foot to sit in a more natural position, where they wont elongate quite as much under weight and situations like pronation should be more controlled.
However even then, toeboxes dont always fit the shape of someones toes, and its worth punching the piss out of the boot to accommodate that. I learned just how far this could actually be taken when my old Lupos were consistently giving me trouble on the corner of my big toe and I decided 'fuck this, I'm going big or chucking these boots in the bin' and stuck it on the scott press - blowing the fuck out of the big toe. completely fixed the problem. My shop at the time didnt had a hyrdro press, or appropriate fittings, so it was the best option available.
Now, I have a pair of mindbenders that I actually downsized into and I punched the FUCK out of the big toe to the point where I'm doubtful it will fit in anything but a tech binding - but thats fine because thats all I need them for anyway. I've actually surprised some people with just how far I could punch their toe boxes and they've been fuckin stoked.
So yes. Toes can be punched =)
I swapped out my high arch insoles for just normal ones and my problem was literally fixed. Like zero toe bang all day. Still not sure what to do about my boots not being waterproof tho
I have this problem where my heel lifts when nose buttering about 2 centimeters, and the part that keeps me from going any higher I marked with the orange. I was wondering if there's any fix or if the boot just isn't for me, I'd rather not buy a new boot but if can fix the issue I'd be willing too. Thanks
ski2626262622681I have this problem where my heel lifts when nose buttering about 2 centimeters, and the part that keeps me from going any higher I marked with the orange. I was wondering if there's any fix or if the boot just isn't for me, I'd rather not buy a new boot but if can fix the issue I'd be willing too. Thanks
ski2626262622681I have this problem where my heel lifts when nose buttering about 2 centimeters, and the part that keeps me from going any higher I marked with the orange. I was wondering if there's any fix or if the boot just isn't for me, I'd rather not buy a new boot but if can fix the issue I'd be willing too. Thanks
If you can lift your heel 2cm, then your boot is too big/high volume for your foot. When you speak with your boot fitter about a new option, make sure he/she measures your heel-to-instep perimeter (the diagonal distance from back of heel to the point you circled). When you fit your boot to this dimension, you will be locked into the boot - but you will need to most likely lengthen and widen the toe box to be comfortable. But, this is how it's solved.
SchizoSkierI swapped out my high arch insoles for just normal ones and my problem was literally fixed. Like zero toe bang all day. Still not sure what to do about my boots not being waterproof tho
interesting... not sure what insoles you had whether they were drop in or custom or what... but perhaps they arent cut to fit your liner and were folding up in there, taking up space and jamming your toes?
As for waterproofing your boots... bust out the caulk gun and duct tape perhaps lol.
ski2626262622681I have this problem where my heel lifts when nose buttering about 2 centimeters,
Yeah, your heel should NOT be lifting that much. A well-fitting boot shouldn't allow you to lift your heel up without really trying to do it
I'd be surprised if your boots weren't oversized, or at least had way too much volume for your foot. You might want to look into a new pair that actually fits you properly.
PacificRimJobYeah, your heel should NOT be lifting that much. A well-fitting boot shouldn't allow you to lift your heel up without really trying to do it
I'd be surprised if your boots weren't oversized, or at least had way too much volume for your foot. You might want to look into a new pair that actually fits you properly.
Is there any short term fix I can do in the meantime, as I might not be able to get boots till enext season
ski2626262622681Is there any short term fix I can do in the meantime, as I might not be able to get boots till enext season
you need to try and lock the heels down and make the boots as tight as you can, I guess...
first, make the boots tighter.. I'd get something dense, flexible and flat.. like a sheet of rubber or cork like what you can find at a hobby store. at least 5mm thick, cut it to the shape of the underside of your footbed that is in the boot, and stick it in the liner under your footbed. if this isn't feasible, then you can pull out your bootboard, and cut it to the same shape, and set it on top of the boot board under your liner. This will hopefully tighten up the boot a bit.
Then, youre going to need to tighten up the heels as much as possible, which is going to be hard to explain the way I'd normally do it, but you can always cut out two donut shapes of the flexible/flat material above, and adhere them in place around your anklebones on the outside of the boot's liner. This might tighten up the heels of the boot and prevent them from coming up as much.
Ultimately, its not going to necessarily fix everything, but those are some quick and dirty methods of tightening up your ski boots in a pinch...
ski2626262622681Is there any short term fix I can do in the meantime, as I might not be able to get boots till enext season
Hard to tell with limited info, but it sounds to me like your instep (the part of the foot you indicated in your pic) hurts because your boot is too big. If your boot isn't snug enough, its going to not just allow the heel to lift, but can also hurt your instep. The taller part of your foot/instep slides forward into the lower part of the boot.
go to a boot fitter and them "yes, i know my boot is too big but I'm trying to make it through until I can get a better one next season. My instep hurts and my ankle lifts. It was suggested that I may need a bontex board, foam on my liner's tongue and around my ankles, in order to keep my foot back in the boot more and to lock my foot in better"
Also ask them to measure you and get suggestions on what to look for next season. But honestly, now is probably a better time to get boots than next fall. Lots of sales happening now
Alright gents, just wanted to sanity check myself here. Finally upgraded from my buddy's 13yr old oversized beaters. Visited a recommended bootfitter, and even though he only had a few options in 30.5, we found some Technica Mach1 110 LV's that worked.
Overall, they keep my feet very secure, and I don't get any heel lift or unwanted wiggle room, so overall really happy, just a few small quirks. Have about 3 days on hill in them, and I think they're starting to fit my feet slightly better with each day.
I can get the boots tight enough without even using the lower 2 buckles. Is this an issue? I started out using all the buckles tight, but my toes would fall asleep, so I'm just keeping the foot-arch buckle (2nd from bottom) clamped tight enough to stay in place, but not applying any pressure on top of my feet. The toe-buckles I keep tighter to prevent toe-bang and unwanted forefoot movement.
Will this affect the boots negatively in any way?
Will the boots break-in more to my foot shape over time; how long would this take?
Is there a bootfitting technique that would address this immediately?
The lower buckles are indeed unimportant. I ski with mine undone all the time. If you have to crank your lower buckles to get them tight enough, you're probably in the wrong shell
jimbobsAlright gents, just wanted to sanity check myself here. Finally upgraded from my buddy's 13yr old oversized beaters. Visited a recommended bootfitter, and even though he only had a few options in 30.5, we found some Technica Mach1 110 LV's that worked.
Overall, they keep my feet very secure, and I don't get any heel lift or unwanted wiggle room, so overall really happy, just a few small quirks. Have about 3 days on hill in them, and I think they're starting to fit my feet slightly better with each day.
I can get the boots tight enough without even using the lower 2 buckles. Is this an issue? I started out using all the buckles tight, but my toes would fall asleep, so I'm just keeping the foot-arch buckle (2nd from bottom) clamped tight enough to stay in place, but not applying any pressure on top of my feet. The toe-buckles I keep tighter to prevent toe-bang and unwanted forefoot movement.
Will this affect the boots negatively in any way?
Will the boots break-in more to my foot shape over time; how long would this take?
Is there a bootfitting technique that would address this immediately?
Anyone know of a way to fill up the volume over the top of my foot better? Unless there is a boot that exists that is even tighter over the instep than the Salomon Smax I literally don't know what the fuck to do
Do you have an aftermarket/custom footbed in your boot? Foam? Or bontex board under your foot? You could also shove an Intuition liner in there
BigPurpleSkiSuitAnyone know of a way to fill up the volume over the top of my foot better? Unless there is a boot that exists that is even tighter over the instep than the Salomon Smax I literally don't know what the fuck to do
I have a footbed and a riser under my foot. I think I actually have a set of intuitions in my closet but I remember that they were very stiff. Could give them another shot though
ThaLoraxDo you have an aftermarket/custom footbed in your boot? Foam? Or bontex board under your foot? You could also shove an Intuition liner in there
BigPurpleSkiSuitAnyone know of a way to fill up the volume over the top of my foot better? Unless there is a boot that exists that is even tighter over the instep than the Salomon Smax I literally don't know what the fuck to do
If you want to stay with the shell you are in, get a Mimic Professional liner (Hawx version) and the Low Volume tongue option.
If you are looking for a lower volume starting point (i.e. new boot) look into softer flexing (110-130) race boots.
BigPurpleSkiSuitYeah I might just roll up to a 130 flex race boot and see where it takes me but I have no clue where to buy them.
You're in Utah, right? Definitely give Brent Amsbury a call at Park City Ski Boot. Won't be the cheapest way to go about it, but definitely one of the best.
So my boots are 150 full days of riding old. Never been worked on really because I was too lazy and never got a booster strap but ive considered it. The insoles are completely packed out and the boot hurts on basically every run now. Thinking I should just get new boots. Google suggests getting new ones after the 150 day mark, but do you think that maybe I could survive getting a custom insole on the boot? Theyre technica mach 1's if durability is any of concern. Been a few moments where the boot also was moving ever so weirdly. If I got new boots, id probably deck them out early on to prolong their life, but curious if any of you all have cheated the system before.
SmokedGoudaSo my boots are 150 full days of riding old. Never been worked on really because I was too lazy and never got a booster strap but ive considered it. The insoles are completely packed out and the boot hurts on basically every run now. Thinking I should just get new boots. Google suggests getting new ones after the 150 day mark, but do you think that maybe I could survive getting a custom insole on the boot? Theyre technica mach 1's if durability is any of concern. Been a few moments where the boot also was moving ever so weirdly. If I got new boots, id probably deck them out early on to prolong their life, but curious if any of you all have cheated the system before.
150 days you probs just need new liners. Stock liners usually only last 80-100 days max. If the plastic on the boot is good save the cash and just get new liners imo. Most likely things to start going are buckles. Which are dirt cheap to replace. That or the soles. Mach 1s have replaceable soles though I believe. Also dirt cheap.
Got a pair of boots in the garage with 300+ days on them. Buckles make them look like Frankensteins monster...but they still ride perfectly fine.
If you are looking to get fitted and into a boot that may fit your foot better....now would be a good time as well. But if you're happy with the fit then I'd say get new liners
SmokedGoudaSo my boots are 150 full days of riding old. Never been worked on really because I was too lazy and never got a booster strap but ive considered it. The insoles are completely packed out and the boot hurts on basically every run now. Thinking I should just get new boots. Google suggests getting new ones after the 150 day mark, but do you think that maybe I could survive getting a custom insole on the boot? Theyre technica mach 1's if durability is any of concern. Been a few moments where the boot also was moving ever so weirdly. If I got new boots, id probably deck them out early on to prolong their life, but curious if any of you all have cheated the system before.
Bring your boots into a bootfitter and have them check them out. If the shells are salvageable and appropriate for your feet, then perhaps a new set of liners and some custom insoles could be all you need.
Hello ski enthusiasts. Looking at some K2 recons to replace my old pinnacles. Sales on gripwalk boots are making it seem like that will be less $ even if I have to pay full cost for DIN soles. Anyone on here swapped to DIN soles on K2 recons?
Anyone know if the replacement DIN boot soles on the recons have changed over the seasons?
tomPietrowski100% these will be replaced. Take a look at the new Recon BOA for sure you will not be disappointed.
I'm looking at some new old stock recon 130 lvs at a shop I think they are 21-22 model year IDK. A different year than @PacificRimJob maybe the year prior. Black cuff with and orange and black lower part. Any reason to avoid these older recons?
OregonDeadI'm looking at some new old stock recon 130 lvs at a shop I think they are 21-22 model year IDK. A different year than @PacificRimJob maybe the year prior. Black cuff with and orange and black lower part. Any reason to avoid these older recons?
Probably no good reason to avoid them... the above boots could have come from a bad batch or who knows what. Shit happens with boots from every manufacturer.
PacificRimJobProbably no good reason to avoid them... the above boots could have come from a bad batch or who knows what. Shit happens with boots from every manufacturer.
thanks. I put in my order. Clearance sales are going off right now and my old boots have made it 5 full seasons + so it is worth it just to get into new liners if nothing else. Heard of others going to these from the pinnacle too so I'm guessing they will work for me
