 Poster: A snowHead
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sorry, i know this thread has probably been done to death but i was recommended to upgrade to some superfeet black footbeds today. they definitely felt more comfortable than the standard ones. however, he suggested i go one further and have a custom set.
what are peoples thoughts. one is £30 the other is £70.
i have normal feet btw. nothing special about them
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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I've not tried the footbeds you list so no comparison with them.
But for a long time I've had custom molded type. Thought before I got them it could be a load of tosh, but couldn't have been more wrong.
I've fairly neutral feet in terms of stance etc but with high instep. They made the biggest difference to my boot fit after getting the shells heat molded to accommodate instep. Getting v old now but reluctant to change as they've been so good. In reality I've probably got to get news boots as well but well worth it for me.
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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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Ive had both sidas & superfeet customs
Neither work in my current boot but both have found their way into my daily footwear
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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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@dave_3, ***vested interest i sell this sort of thing for a living***
in a ski boot the aim of a footbed is to stabilize the foot, prevent unwanted elongation and help spread the load across the whole foot, skiing is a sport that relies on you pronating and supinating the foot to get the ski on and off of an edge, without proper support the foot has to try and find the ground inside the boot, this means it can take a lot longer to get onto the edge and in many cases it is difficult to apply any amount of pressure.
always difficult to comment on an individual case as to what will work best BUT, with superfeet they have a 60 day money back guarantee!!! so what have you got to loose, doesn't mater if it is the OTC or custom product you can try it and if you don't like it you can go back to what you had before, the key with all custom product is not the product itself be it superfeet, sidas, instaprint or any other, it is the technician making it.
custom black is not a product i would normally use in a ski boot unless there was very little space available OR the customer was on a tight budget, ask the store about the custom carbon winter product, marginally more money, but a lot more product, its our go to custom device for people without major problems in a recreational boot
hope that helps, if you have any more questions fell free to message me
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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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many thanks for the reply. very informative.
decision made
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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 use some form of off the shelf orthotic footbed in all footwear to assist with stabilising and aligning foot, legs, knees - for me it's essential. I gave custom made (Sidas I think) ones in some walking boots and ski and board boots. I believe it's money well spent for everyone.
However, and my point for posting, make sure that whoever does them exercises due care and makes them properly. My feet and associated bits might be more in need than yours, but I have had several well-known shops (not the usual chain suspects) make them, at considerable cost to me, and they're not right, don't give me the support and alignment I need, not properly trimmed or shaped to fit in my ski boots, etc, etc.
Mr G had some Superfeet ones made by another well known name and wishes that he hadn't bothered as they don't give him any real relief or support either; he doesn't have any known or unusual problems.
A lot of time they're production-line churned out in a routine process and not always really fully checked for end suitability OE made in the first place taking into account the user's foot and leg structure and physiological (or whatever you call it) needs. Just my experiences...
CEM, of course, would not be so lax.
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Does anyone have any experience of the lazer 3D foot scanning systems that store an image of your foot and can link to a 3d printer or cnc mill to produce footbeds ?
I wear footbeds in all my shoes and boots ... but I find the usual superfeet greens only last a year or so.
I have carbon fibre orthotics in my day to day footwear - over 10 years old and v expensive but superb.
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I spent about 5 years learning testing SF black blue green and a few others and pro customs this is my opinion .
First nothing makes up for a lack of flexibilty and overweight issues but footbeds can help control and/or those injured.
Use Superfeet until you can afford the real thing with someone like S4F otherwise often the £70 is done by some kid who has done a day course.This is the big varible the person doing it .
Even superfeet need someone with knowledge to advise on arch lenght ,arch height and heelcup width .
Volume comes into it as well with different shoes/boots and trimming cutting to lenght as..... uk size numbers CAN mean nothing.
My superfeet are greater by 3 uk sizes but cut down and are a great fit to my feet confirmed by those in the know.
Just these points will throw most people as what they often believe is completely wrong to begin with AND thats why the snake oil market is right into footbeds in the first place.
Some start posting on here without fail ..... one will probably hit this thread during the season!
So IMO it pays to get year round experience /practise with less costly superfeet first then get the more expensive customs from a pro fitter or just do both.
A number of superfeet pairs will always have a home shoe/boot to sit in with active people the only differculty buying is the devil in the detail purchase points that are unique to the user.
Saw a snow and rock custom pair where one was 8-10mm shorter than the other its very hit and miss not using a pro who has invested in doing this work.
The oversized boots would have come from them as well the outcome was a complete goat dating service.
If you have previously had foot/boot issues then a professional is a certainty but in the meantime superfeet are a great compromise .
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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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A good fitter should recommend the right option for you based on your feet?
I convinced myself I needed custom footbeds after doing some research on the net due to numerous rugby related injuries to the foot/ankles over the years.
I went to my local ski-shop in Sevenoaks (Captains Cabin, would recommend if anyone lives in that area) fully prepared to pay £70+ , explained the problem, spent a bit of time and they took some measurements, did some finger poking etc. They actually down-sold me to a non-custom pair of footbeds for £30 which they said would be a perfect fit for my feet. Low and behold, they were right and they have made my boots much more comfy!
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I'm not familiar with the ones you've mentioned, but I've got custom footbeds from Profeet in Fulham for a number of years. They aren't cheap @ £90(ish) each (discounts if you get more than one pair), but they are very customised and very good!
I presume other places do similar, but I would definitely opt for customised if you can!
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Thanks for the replies
I have had superfeet from CEM and they are great for a year max but then I find they lose their support. I play squash, tennis and golf and probably put them under a fair pressure.
The carbon ones were made by a company called Langer ... And they are superb.
I'm looking at a company called PODFO which looks really interesting.
But the full monty is £400 a set. Might be able to get a pair on NHS as have had one set in the past ... Which looked hand made but were really good until they wore out and literally disintegrated.
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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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I realised how good custom footbeds were when I just had mine replaced. The previous ones were completely shot (after a LOT of use) and now my feet don't hurt any more. 
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