Everybody is doing it….and hopefully aware of the hidden pitfalls which can arise when buying a new pair of ski boots.
Always a challenge, as feet change with life and modern technology is proving new is better…maybe?
I ordered mine last year after agonising over conflicting thoughts and aspirations. Now a Super Senior my first decision was Race or High Performance, what brand, what features, and especially where is my future skiing heading? Done!
It was another pair of Lange RS race boots, wide toe box and the lighter 110 flex (me being 70 kg).
This is the evolving model of my previous boots, incorporating a generation of new design, materials and co-ordinated thinking with the latest Bindings and Ski design. I wanted precision, performance, a flexed-balanced stance, snugness, twinkle toes, and grippy heal pockets.
After reading many reviews, tech details and industry trends I went with what I know. Best of all they are lighter (think back pack ‘carry on’ weight limits), as they never go with your luggage!
Choosing the best ski boot fitter for YOUR individual needs is imperative.
This starts with the Reputation of the store, Convenience for you and your Trust in the fitter after carefully determining your needs and expectations. Make an appointment with the guru at a quiet time and bring your foot beds, tights and thin calf-high soxs (Smartwool are good).
My mate Richard at Aussieskier in Prahran Melbourne has the latest computerised SIDAS 3D measuring pad which interfaces your exact foot measurements against all his current ski boots in stock. This high tech camera and pressure pad photographs and electronically computes all your details, then recommends to the fitter specific boots for your initial ‘fit and feel’ of different brands, models and sizes.
Eventually you will intuitively feel a boot which could meet your expectations, warm the liners and drop in your foot beds, buckle up and quietly evaluate their snugness, comfort, flex and forward lean (do this while standing in a balanced stance and moving about).
Then carefully inspect the liners out of the shells for pressure points or stitch seams that might create abrasion rubs, as some liners do not stretch and are often are the cause of pressure points…..Not the shells!
Quality individually made foot beds are a must and ‘de Rigour’ for snug comfort, performance, and cuff alignment when required, and I had ankle pads glued to my liners around my ankle bones to eliminate any movement in the heal pockets. Softening the liners with a hair dryer and plenty ‘house wearing’ time is also highly recommended before hitting the slopes.
To eliminate sole wear on my race boots and ensuring a precise fit in the bindings I always use Cat Tracks (with added leather pulls) for comfortable and safe walking. And remember the most dangerous slopes on any mountain are icy car parks and slippery concrete paths!
This season my priorities were two fold. I had been asked to resolve the boot issues of a teen racer who had received blistered toes in a previous boot fitting disaster, and I needed to fine tune my new Lange RS race boots to my wide and abused Kiwi feet.
Early season snow ‘Down under’ and crisp blue skies at Mt. Buller were perfect for dialling in ski boots, and after a few runs we were back inside evaluating our feet for pressure points and rub spots. Both Anja’s liners were very tight across the fore foot and I had a niggly pressure point against a little toe. We skied hard for another hour, then took a lunch break to check the colour of our feet. Anja was still in pain and although her liners had moulded somewhat, it was quite clear the left liner was too tight against her previously damaged and still inflamed little toe. That evening I checked her liners and marked the various pressure points that were causing her pain and discomfort.
We started the next day with warmed shells and liners. My boots were tight but seemed pretty good overall but Anja was still in pain, eventually stopping so I could consider our options?
After carefully slitting both her leather outer liners (see photo’s) she enjoyed considerable relief and finished our last hour skiing with a smile. That evening I also slit the outer skin of my left liner to eliminated the subtle pressure against my little toe.
Slitting ski boot liners is tricky. It requires careful and precise marking, a very sharp curved scalpel blade and a steady hand. Most quality liners have TWO layers, only cut the outer liner which will then expand, NOT the softer inner liner… It does work BUT if you make a mistake you could end up with a cold foot! Have a good look at the photos, if you think it’s too tricky, speak to your boot guru with the reputation! Difficult feet may require a specialised and expensive custom made inner lining?
Our last day was ‘fun in the sun n snow’ with nearly snug fitting boots and I was confident that with a few fine tweaks to our liners and the shells in Melbourne, we would both have winning boots.
Next day I returned to Aussieskier in Prahran and asked their professional boot fitter Tom to blow out my right shell to ensure my niggly pressure point was completely eliminated.(see photo).
It worked!
The following weekend on cold packed powder I enjoyed snug fitting race boots with no pressure points nor discomfort and watched Anja win the first under 18 ski race and posting the fastest overall time of the day.
Footnote. (seriously).
It took me 4 visits to Aussieskier in Melbourne (initial consultation, ankle pads, and a conservative shell blow-out twice) to ensure my new ski boots were ‘dialled in’ and snugly-comfortable and after more consultation Tom stretched Anja’s W.Cup shells eliminating the subtle pressure across her forefeet.