 Poster: A snowHead
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Hey guys -
Went down to Lockwoods today with a mate, can't fault their service in the slightest, I see where their reputation has come from.
However, what felt good in the store turns out to be a bit of a nightmare in practise - went up to Castleford tonight to try them out, and after one lap of the queue/lift and very brief descent the outsides of my feet were numb, toes tingly and tops of feet feeling like they're being cut into above the frontmost buckle (all in the same spot ish, outside front corner of the boot, i'll draw a diagram or something if that'll help explain!) I tried adjusting buckles to looser/tighter, even with the bottom buckles undone I had numbness in one queue/lift/run cycle and had to pop off slope to take them off, get feeling back and go back on. Didn't help that literally every student ski society had turned up to Castleford, making the poma line literally a 15min stand. I think this may of exaggerated the numbness, but I've just stood in my room in ski stance flexing on them and walking around and within a few mins the numbness was starting.
Where should I proceed from here? I'm gonna ring Lockwoods tomorrow and explain what's up, but as they're shut and I'm a bit gutted that my new shiney boots aren't working as planned I figured I'd post.
FWIW, I had size 12 Salomon Evolution 9's and got put into size 11 Nordica Speedmachine 8's, with green Superfeet in. I'm told I have reasonably standard feet but (over?) pronate a bit. My fitter did mention this and I might find it's a problem, but I feel blaming this straight away is a bit hypochondriac-ish.
I'm sure this isn't nearly enough info to go off, but I'll happily go take photos of my feet/in boots/whatever helps really!
Cheers for any input, I'll update with what Lockwoods suggest too tomorrow. Really would prefer to avoid the trek down there again, but I guess it might just be one of those things.
PS - I feel like a stormtrooper too:
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Well it's obvious - wrong colour 
When was the last time you skiied before this evening?
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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How tightly did you fasten the upper, including the power strap? That can make a big difference and cause the kind of experience that you have had...
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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ssh, pretty tightly the first time, but I'm pretty sure I tried them looser and looser each "queue, ride poma, ski, leave slope take boots off" cycle to no avail. In my last boots I basically strapped them up to as far as they'd go - still reasonably in this mindset. My housemate mentioned that he "only does them up as tight as he can do them closing the buckle with one finger". Is this valid advice? The fitter at Lockwoods said "do them as tight as you can, since it'll keep your ankle in place better"
marc gledhill, did three hours at xscape castleford last week, and before that april this year. (Two weeks ago I posted complaining my (now old) boots were too loose - no pleasing some i guess  )
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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Were you wearing the same thickness of socks as you were in Lockwoods?
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Exact same - I didn't actually take them off between Leamington and Castleford
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Its hard to say that adjusting one individual thing like the powerstrap or the sock thickness is going to sort all your problems out. I had new boots recently and the first time i skied in them they were fantastic but i did spend six hours or so before skiing clomping around the house. The difference from the first twenty minutes to six hours later was massive. I really think you should be prepared to give your new boots some time. Definately speak to your fitter if you have questions but don't assume your boots are definatley wrong after a short times skiing. I think mist bootfitters i have spoken to may even tell you to expect this at first!
The only thing that i would be unsure of is doing your clips up as tight as possible. My buckles have fairly light pressure but my feet dont move in the boots at all. This tightness could logically restrict some bllod flow to your feet but i dont know if it would stop all the numbness. I reckon do some research on your fit maybe consult another local shop but i don't think your in a situation that is to much to worry about i think with more wearing in of the boots you would feel better.
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toiletduckuk, there are many things that could be causing the issues, my first thoughts other than clip tension is that the foobed may not be offering enough support for your foot or that your ankle does not bend as much as it should, this could cause the foot to externally rotate into the side of the boot [feels like the boot is about 3 widths too narrow] the feling if this is happening tends to be on the side and below the outside edge of the foot.
really difficult to say without seeing the foot and the boot together give the guys a call, they will sort it for you..... it is a bit of a trek but will be worth it
goood luck 
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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It could just take time to bed the boots in.
I got my pair from S&R and wore them around the house for a few days before venturing out to Castleford. Once there my feet were in agony and I only managed about 6 runs in 2 hours as I kept stopping to adjust or remove the boot. I assumed it was the cold temperatures at Castleford. However a couple of weeks later in Canada I had no trouble at all and temperatures there were down to -20C.
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I have the exact same boots from the same shop and my precvious boot was a salomon evolution. I stayed the same size and at first the boots were tight. I only used the very first notch on the two top buckles. I am still not fastening the bottom two, but am getting nearer doing that each time I wear them. I skied in them for 5 days at the PSB and by the end was, in the afternoon, using the 2nd notch on the top 2 buckles. The only problem I have had is the feeling of tightness and therfore numbness. At no time have i had any rubbing or soreness.
In short - They are bedding in really nicely.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Similar experience to Frosty here. My new Falcon Guns were a whole size down from my old Heads. The first hour of wearing them I had numbness in the soles and a lot of pressure on the left ankle at the 'bony point'. I wore them for a couple of hours a day over a week or two and they bedded in fine. I have since worn them all day long with no discomfort. (still skied like a gonk though, but that's another story  ).
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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Usual caveat - I may be talking rubbish! Both CEM and 'the cute one' have I think said at various times something to the effect that bootfitting is not necessarily a one off process in that you may need to firstly get the right advice to achieve the right width/length/ability fitting - which you've done, BUT while many biomechanical and other problems may be apparant at the time of purchase, some may not and it's only when you've bedded the boots in and used them for the purpose that they were designed for rather than prancing around in a warm shop with no skis attached that issues and niggles come to the fore, in which case you need to return to get those problems ironed out.
I started off in the same sort of place as you, numbness down the outside of one foot and the feeling that I was standing on the outside edge. The first couple of times on dry ski it was, if not agonising, cetainly uncomfortable. This gradually improved over the next couple of times however is still not quite right to the extent that I think it's more than a bedding in problem. Consequently I'll be off to see CEM in a couple of weeks to get the fine tuning done...but am confident that the basic boot fit is fine.
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Cheers for all the input guys -
Just talked to Lockwoods, their recommendation was find a foot doctor (i can't spell the technical name..) and get orthotic footbeds made - but, he estimated this would cost approx £300... Being an ex-student soon to be ski-bum, I really can't afford this kind of money especially if it's not definately going to fix the issue. The gent I spoke to also mentioned that they could stretch the area in the boot, which would help.
For the bootfitters on here, apparently I have forefoot varus - he also mentioned my foot rolling to one side and causing a buildup of pressure as CEM mentioned.
So - where do I go from here? Going to ring Lockwoods recommended foot doctor person and see what they say/price they estimate now..
I can see myself wearing my old boots at this rate 
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You know it makes sense.
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I skied for the fisrt time for 6 months yesturday, in boots i've had for 2 winters. Whilst skiing, awsome, however on those stupid 2 man t-bar things(my first time!) i was in agony until i'd done a couple of more runs, atfer which, bliss! Conclusion, feet need to be stretched out a little and put to work before they feel good in ski boots. I killed five children yesturday and doubt you can reach such speeds on the short indoor slopes, so it may take a few more runs than 4, for you feet to accept the positioning and work they have to do.
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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| SMALLZOOKEEPER wrote: |
| ..... it may take a few more runs than 4, for you feet to accept the positioning and work they have to do. |
That was the point I was leading up to.
See how they feel by day two on your next trip away. 
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Poster: A snowHead
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Cheers SZK, marc, that's reassuring. I do hope I'm jumping the gun here.. I think I'll try and wear them in around the house and see how I cope - spending a week in Canada then six in Morzine this year with two weeks back home between, so I can tinker then before I go back out..
Should I go back down to Lockwoods/look into footdoctory anyway or just get on with it and see how it goes?
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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toiletduckuk, Get over to morzine and ski hard for a couple of days, then pop over here to the shop and we'll fix the boots for free should anything need doing.
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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toiletduckuk, At the top of T bar drags during the PSB I would often step out of my bindings and have a walk about as the pain/numbness was really quite bad, but as I said above it got better each day as the boots and feet got used to each other. What they will do is improve your skiing.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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| SMALLZOOKEEPER wrote: |
| toiletduckuk, Get over to morzine and ski hard for a couple of days, then pop over here to the shop and we'll fix the boots for free should anything need doing. |
toiletduckuk - I should even be able to help out with transport if you don't have any.
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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I am a beginner but I also undertook a long trip to Lockwoods when the bootfitting clinic was on and bought a pair of Nordicas... The first time I skied in them on plastic I thought WTF have I done! They are two sizes smaller than my previous wellies which were coincidentally Salomons. Since then I have skied 4 or 5 times and they have improved each time. One thing for me is that my old boots were so roomy that I couldn't do them up too tight whereas with my new boots I definitely can. I hope they bed in soon.
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SMALLZOOKEEPER & CEM - one thing I've been wondering about is how long boots "last" - I've got boots that I'm happy with and believe fit well - but am conscious that I don't want to end up like a friend of mine who is skiing in 20 year old boots.
(Note to self - stop reading the equipment threads...)
What's the limiting factor - packing of the liner, deterioration of the boot plastic...?
The boots are 5-6 years old with probably 130-150 days skiing on them. Should the snow arrive in Morzine then they're about to get another 120+ days.
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toiletduckuk, out of curiosity, is your big toe bigger or smaller than the 2nd toe?
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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Bigger 
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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So - i've been wearing them in my room watching TV most nights since I got them, with the above-foot buckles undone, and ankle ones on first setting. Same area still going numb.. If I stand and flex forward, numbness sets in pretty quickly.
I know I'm being impatient, and I know I'm going skiing for a while this year so they should break in with or without assistance from bootfitters, but the thing that plays on my mind is - as I'm spending a week in Canada before my mini-season in Morzine, I really don't want to spend my "holiday" week with numb feet and not enjoying skiing.. so, the question is - where do I go from here?
Options are:
grin and bear it,
travel back to leamington and get these boots stretched and hope that it's not a medical problem causing the numbess (with the orthowotsits stuff),
or just concede defeat for the week and take my slightly baggy old boots and try and break in the new boots in france..
Suggestions?
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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toiletduckuk, have you been sitting down while watching TV? Better to wear them for an hour each day, but stay on your feet and keep walking about, flexing etc. If a week of that doesn't do the trick go get them stretched.
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Thanks CEM.
Trip to the zoo has already been booked in. 
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You know it makes sense.
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PhillipStanton, Are you still here 
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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My own experience of boot fitting.......
Purchased boots from EB MCR, moulded insoles, hours in store, seemed ok.
Tried a few times at Xscape Castleford, slight aching, but as you know only limited run length.
Returned to store, diagnosed boot stretching required.
Tried again on indoor, issue relieved somewhat.
Week one holiday, gradually over day one, aching left foot, becoming more unpleasant. But I lasted a week. I made careful note of problem areas.
On return went back, they suggested a saw specialist at EB xscape Castleford. BTW EB had a comfort guarantee at the time.
I thought the first boot fitting was comprehensive in MCR, but the second was like a Rolls Royce service.
His recomendations were:
1) boots were too narrow for my broad feet
2) the insoles were NOT made correctly. BTW: The two moulded insoles bore no resemblance!
3) You should NOT have to overtighten the boots, leave that for ski racers.
Corrective action was:- specific boot stretching, new insoles and under foot support added.
Problem solved!
Cost to me, only my time.
IMHO: It's not the place you go to have a fitting, it's who you get to do it!
I just wish I could remember the name of the guy who did the fitting at EB Castleford!
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FAQ
