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Altitude affecting boot fit?

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cyphers
Posts: 1494 - Karma: 15,500
This is gonna sound totally unhinged but does anyone else notice a big difference in how snug their boots are at different altitudes?

I bought my current boots a few years ago when I was still living at 7200' in CO. Fit perfectly, super comfortable. But now that I'm skiing at places that are much closer to sea level, it feels like my feet are swimming in my boots. I'm pretty sure I'm not making this up because even when I go back to elevation for breaks, they fit tight again.

Anyone know why this might be happening? Or what I could do to get them to fit at both altitudes?
Nov 22 2019 4:09PM
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smh
Posts: 410 - Karma: 2,143
Probably not altitude but temperature affecting your fit. Lower temps can stiffen the plastic vice/versa.

Edit: I am by no means an expert though

**This post was edited on Nov 22nd 2019 at 4:12:15pm
Nov 22 2019 4:11PM
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cyphers
Posts: 1494 - Karma: 15,500
tyler1719Probably not altitude but temperature affecting your fit. Lower temps can stiffen the plastic vice/versa.

Edit: I am by no means an expert though

**This post was edited on Nov 22nd 2019 at 4:12:15pm


I thought about that but even when I'm spring skiing at A Basin in like 40 degree weather, my boots still fit better than they do on freezing cold days in WA.

Might set up a spreadsheet to track altitude vs. temp vs. boot fit lol
Nov 22 2019 4:14PM
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TOAST.
Posts: 7265 - Karma: 33,275
They packed out?
Nov 22 2019 4:23PM
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cyphers
Posts: 1494 - Karma: 15,500
TOAST.They packed out?


That would make sense too but every time I go back to CO they magically fit again! I guess I'll see what happens when I go back this season but I feel like I've ruled out everything except altitude
Nov 22 2019 4:27PM
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TOAST.
Posts: 7265 - Karma: 33,275
Maybe your feet are just swelling then.
Nov 22 2019 4:33PM
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oldmanski
Posts: 3082 - Karma: 21,753
Wearing the same socks?
Nov 22 2019 6:42PM
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JmckR
Posts: 1215 - Karma: 5,341
If anything, it'd be the other way around. less air pressure the higher you go, so if you went to space with packed out ski boots, your feet would magically expand into the boots, cause there's no outward pressure acting on them.. so yeah of course your blood would be literally boiling, leading to an extremely painful death but at least your boots would fit
Nov 22 2019 7:10PM
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grifrowl
Posts: 200 - Karma: 471
Your boots packed out a lil, and now, 'cause you live at low altitude, your blood pressure increases when you go back to high altitude and your boots fit better?
Lower atmospheric pressure at higher altitude allows the liner foam to a larger material condition?
Some closed cell foams are ludicrously affected by pressure. I have no clue what your liner foam actually is though.
Nov 22 2019 7:37PM
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casual
Posts: 6712 - Karma: 6,746
Dude they’re getting packed out.
cyphersThis is gonna sound totally unhinged but does anyone else notice a big difference in how snug their boots are at different altitudes?

I bought my current boots a few years ago when I was still living at 7200' in CO. Fit perfectly, super comfortable. But now that I'm skiing at places that are much closer to sea level, it feels like my feet are swimming in my boots. I'm pretty sure I'm not making this up because even when I go back to elevation for breaks, they fit tight again.

Anyone know why this might be happening? Or what I could do to get them to fit at both altitudes?
Nov 22 2019 10:36PM
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SavageBiff
Posts: 3483 - Karma: 14,756
I think you have boots that are too big for you and the colder temps are making them feel like they fit when they stiffen up
Nov 23 2019 8:38PM
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xxACIDTRIPxx
Posts: 5980 - Karma: 8,174
Altitude affecting boot fit is a real thing. It's called Shackletons dilemma. Where the altitude results in thinner blood, the body's skin shrinks or depending on white blood cell count expands with a layer of subcoueteneous fat swelling.
Try eating more veggies, it should help with hormonal response thus regulating the caroided arteries hormonal response.
Nov 25 2019 3:41AM
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SavageBiff
Posts: 3483 - Karma: 14,756
HYP3R_REAL1TYAltitude affecting boot fit is a real thing. It's called Shackletons dilemma. Where the altitude results in thinner blood, the body's skin shrinks or depending on white blood cell count expands with a layer of subcoueteneous fat swelling.
Try eating more veggies, it should help with hormonal response thus regulating the caroided arteries hormonal response.

🤯
Nov 25 2019 10:53AM
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cyphers
Posts: 1494 - Karma: 15,500
oldmanskiWearing the same socks?

not sure if i did actually, i'll make sure i wear the same ones this year and see what happens.
grifrowlYour boots packed out a lil, and now, 'cause you live at low altitude, your blood pressure increases when you go back to high altitude and your boots fit better?
Lower atmospheric pressure at higher altitude allows the liner foam to a larger material condition?
Some closed cell foams are ludicrously affected by pressure. I have no clue what your liner foam actually is though.

blood pressure was one of my first thoughts, but i did a little research and even everest climbers don't seem to be having this problem.

i think you might be right about the liners though. i was thinking about upgrading to intuition liners anyway so i might give that a try.
Nov 25 2019 2:37PM
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olic
Posts: 291 - Karma: 914
Your feet will swell slightly at altitude (not a scientist/biologist so no idea what the reason for this is) which is why they feel more snug at altitude, also the colder temps at altitude stiffening the boots, as a combination it's what causes the change in feel & fit when you come back to sea level
Nov 26 2019 10:08AM
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PsychicMigration
Posts: 2089 - Karma: 10,852
How much weed do you smoke and are you currently doing psychedelics?
Nov 26 2019 2:56PM
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Sharko
Posts: 2274 - Karma: 4,101
HYP3R_REAL1TYAltitude affecting boot fit is a real thing. It's called Shackletons dilemma. Where the altitude results in thinner blood, the body's skin shrinks or depending on white blood cell count expands with a layer of subcoueteneous fat swelling.
Try eating more veggies, it should help with hormonal response thus regulating the caroided arteries hormonal response.


Lulz
Nov 26 2019 3:38PM
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Sharko
Posts: 2274 - Karma: 4,101
TheMailManIf anything, it'd be the other way around. less air pressure the higher you go, so if you went to space with packed out ski boots, your feet would magically expand into the boots, cause there's no outward pressure acting on them.. so yeah of course your blood would be literally boiling, leading to an extremely painful death but at least your boots would fit


Your blood does not boil in space
Nov 26 2019 3:39PM
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JmckR
Posts: 1215 - Karma: 5,341
SharkoYour blood does not boil in space

I told the kid to go to space so his boots will fit. It wasn't intended to really be a scientifically accurate comment

**This post was edited on Nov 26th 2019 at 3:55:26pm
Nov 26 2019 3:54PM
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Sharko
Posts: 2274 - Karma: 4,101
TheMailManI told the kid to go to space so his boots will fit. It wasn't intended to really be a scientifically accurate comment

**This post was edited on Nov 26th 2019 at 3:55:26pm


Lol, good point
Nov 26 2019 4:21PM
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SavageBiff
Posts: 3483 - Karma: 14,756
TheMailManI told the kid to go to space so his boots will fit. It wasn't intended to really be a scientifically accurate comment

**This post was edited on Nov 26th 2019 at 3:55:26pm


It made me laugh .... scientifically and comedically
Nov 26 2019 4:21PM
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Aric
Posts: 190 - Karma: 851
my boot fit is constantly changing and one thing I always notice effects it is temp. colder boots fit looser warmer boots expand and tighten on your feet and same goes with your feet colder less swelling warmer more swelling. Had to sit in a boiling room for 3 hours and was pretty much sweating the whole time, went back to work and as soon as I took a step in my boots I wanted to die. I would think temp effects the fit of the boot 20x more than altitude but I didnt go to uni so
Nov 26 2019 9:04PM
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