I had my new boots fitted last year at Snow and Rock. Went back 4 TIMES to have a re-fit, as they were causing me really severe pain in the soles of my feet.
Though they have been worn for 6 weeks since; I still don't get through a week without having a huge tantrum or 5 at the bottom of a lift, but they tend to feel much better after a couple of days.
Of course the French boot guys in the resort snorted at my choice of fitter and promised to do a better job, but I stuck with them after trying a hire pair and having even worse problems.
I am now terrified to go for another new pair, as the pain was so bad, but maybe I need to?? Has anyone else had 'breaking in' troubles like mine?
PS Will not snowboard
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Quote:
as they were causing me really severe pain in the soles of my feet
Talk to CEM at solutions for feet in Bicester.
My ill-educated unprofessional guess here would be tight achilles tendons, in which case you are probably looking at heel lifts and stretching. But ignore that and talk to someone decent.
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?
Thanks Not too far from me in Bath. I'm also wondering if it's my low in-step. They've been stretched etc.
there are none so blind...
Come to the dark side my child; take a cookie and some comfortable footware that is madeth not of the tupperware - We shall not judge thee on the lowness of thy instep.
If you have custom footbeds take them out and put the standard ones back in...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
I did that. Didn't work. I also wear the thinnest socks known to foot and they help a bit. Falke socks have become my sworn enemies (literally).
After all it is free
After all it is free
Take a nice day trip to see CEM in Bicester, you can combine it with some retail therapy in the Bicester designer village or pm CEM on here and ask him to recommend a boot fitter nearer Somerset, ( if there are any ).
www.solutions4feet.co.uk
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Thanks. It's not bad drive from Bath to Bicester. I will give him a ring
Ski the Net with snowHeads
Ski the Net with snowHeads
Neraida, Be sure to ring soon as he only works by appointment and gets booked up very quickly as the season approaches.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
Will do. I'm going to send my beloved planks off for some TLC next week, so will get it sorted.
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.
Neraida, I had problems with my last pair of boots. After 3 years, much cursing and swearing, bruising and black/lost toenails I ditched them and got new ones last season. Not a moments pain or injuries since. Happy days. Sometimes you just have to accept that they don't fit and move on...
So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
queen bodecia, Yup. Going to have to decide whether to try and fix them or not. It's not funny when I'm in the mountains and I just feel like hurling them into the trees Might take them to the snow dome and see if my feet kick off again. I would have thought after over 30 days in them, that they'd have softened up if they were going to...
You know it makes sense.
You know it makes sense.
Neraida, mine were too small. I was assured the liners would pack down and they would become a better fit but that never happened. I learned an expensive lesson...
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
queen bodecia, GAH! Sounds familiar...
Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
Colin at Bicester is he only one in UK I would go to. Have very odd feet and he has sorted.
This should not be rocket science!
If you have funny feet then any good ski boot shop should be able to sort you out. The myth is that shops in resort are good. Thy have to deal with 100s every weekend. So if you have issues then you will not get the required attention. Go on recommendations and not from the Tour Operators.
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Mark1863, I don't use tour operators, but will deffo use the recommendation, even if it means new boots I don't understand why S&R couldn't get it right. They guarantee they will sort out issues. I don't even have 'funny' feet. They're just a bit flat.
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?
Purely a personal observation, but it sometimes seems that the more you spend on boots the more likely they are to hurt. I also wonder which will give you greater skiing pleasure, cheap sloppy hire boots than are as comfy as old slippers, or agonisingly painful expensive boots in which you ski like a dream. It doesn't have to be either or, but all too often it is.
Always a pain in the bum waiting at the top of every lift for the posh boot brigade to rebuckle their boots yet again. Unbuckling boots for a lift is not normal!
foxtrotzulu, I don't ski like a dream, but that's not down to my boots and I have no pain. They are from Solutions4Feet and fit extremely snugly but I don't undo them from the beginning of the day to the end. They aren't race fit, but there is no slippage whatsoever. Perfect. The ZipFit liners were expensive, but they will be transferred to my next pair of boots in due course.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
foxtrotzulu, I didn't choose fancy boots. I wanted a recreational boot and took what I was given by the fitting technician. Hire boots for me are a nightmare and they stink, which puts me off hugely. I never unbuckle. That's asking for trouble in my experience!
Neraida, CEM will give you an unbiased opinion, if the shell is good and needs a tweak or just a better foot bed Colin will tell you, if your boot is completely wrong he will tell you, he will not try and just sell you new boots to gain profit. I am based just outside of Bath and,now, never hesitate to travel to Bicester, even if its just for a minor adjustment. I was also guilty many years ago buying from "our" local S&R, never again, complete waste of money on that pair of boots, and on one ski hols I actually didn't ski on the last day due to the pain!! how cost effective is that?
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
maccaa, Sounds awfully familiar, though this was a south coast S&R Spoke to CEM this morning and am off to see him at the end of the week!
After all it is free
After all it is free
good man
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
maccaa, Will update, though I'm sensing a welcoming skill climb this season. Pain has stopped me progressing for a season and a half.
Ski the Net with snowHeads
Ski the Net with snowHeads
Neraida, great that you are all set to see CEM - we both went a few years ago and OH was told that his existing boots were fine and he just had new footbeds made as his were a bit worn out so hugely satisfied customer. CEM spent ages getting me sorted out, and yes, with an expensive solution, no pun intended there, as like Pedantica, I have ZipFit liners and they have done the job. I also stick them on in the morning and don't undo till we get home. Although the other year I did start to have issues on the top of my right foot towards the end of the season, I took a photo of the raised red patch that would be there at the end of the day - took the boots back to Colin and after a 'free tweak and cup of coffee' they have been fine ever since.
Look forward to hearing what he suggests for you.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
Neraida, Pedantica, My comments were more generalisation than specific comments on Neraida's situation. The last pair of boots I owned were the most expensive and most uncomfortable I've ever had. My point was that you would think that the more you spend on having a boot fitted, the more comfortable (without being sloppy) it would be. That's not always the case.
I expect much of it has to do with whether one has industry standard feet or not. I now find hire boots are extremely comfortable and fit pretty well. My biggest gripe is getting into boots in the first place, but a recent purchase of a 'Slippin' has revolutionised my life . Happy feet!
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.
Quote:
but a recent purchase of a 'Slippin' has revolutionised my life
Did you buy the company?
So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
foxtrotzulu, I really wish the hire boots had worked for me! Then all I'd need would be a peg for my nose and I'd be sorted..
You don't have to shell out huge amounts of cash for good boots. Recreational ones (in most cases) last longer than it would cost to hire them for the same amount of time as the boot life. Anyone who chooses their boot btw deserves to limp back to their apartment A good fitter wil pick the correct boot for their client, so maybe yours picked something pricey for you? Anyway, these are my second owned boots and both times they came in reasonable. Not right on the second pair though, granted, but I'm hoping this will be sorted soon.
Wot's 'Slippin'? Sounds rude. Edit: I see. Never had a problem putting my boots on, apart from one time when someone put them in the roof box and they took a day to warm up.
You know it makes sense.
You know it makes sense.
gorilla, You were right about the achilles, as far as CEM was concerned. Got the heel lifts and the stretching lark now. Hope it helps.
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Lucky guess. Glad you got it sorted.
Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
Neraida, Slippin does sound deliciously rude, doesn't it? In the past I have struggled to get my boots on as my foot gets crushed widthways as it goes in/round the bend. In the past it has been both very hard work and agonising. If the boots are damp, then it's even worse.
The Slippin is brilliant for this problem, but this year's boot warmers made sure that they were dry and the shells more pliable, so better anyway. I think it is a problem only I, and the Slippin inventer suffer from anyway!
Maybe I. need to get some decent, fitted boots!
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
foxtrotzulu, Boot warmers are fab! I usually fling mine upside down on a radiator for a while, but am going to treat myself to a heated bag this year.
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?
Neraida,
Quote:
Boot warmers are fab!
They are indeed. This year we were lucky enough to have a boot room in the chalet that was about the size of Bongo Bongo land, fully equipped with heated boot racks. Such a joy after last year in Montalbert where your skis and boots lived in something like a vertical filing camp that came with it's own foetid swamp at the bottom of it.
foxtrotzulu, Never left mine in a ski locker. The problems I'm having with my rubbish feet are only exacerbated if my boots are damp and cold.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Thought I'd give an update on the cursed boots. They're still not right, but are better than they were.
CEM's advice and the heel lifts made them bearable. Unfortunately for Bicester trips, I moved out of the UK at short notice last year, so I was stuck with what I had, or had to risk an unknown fitter. Tried them out at Landgraaf in the Netherlands and they seemed ok.
Nobody other than CEM seems to understand what my specific issue is, so I'll be paying him a visit on our next trip to the UK. I have spoken to French and Belgian fitters and the Belgian guy was the only one who seemed to know what I was talking about (though not sufficiently for me to trust him with my feet).
At least I could get down the long runs without having a tantrum at the side of the slope! The pro stretch assisted too, but I wasn't using it in the run up to skiing.
Great news For some reason all the french bootfitters I've used (a few over the years as I had a couple of poor fitting boots) seem to consider heel lifts as some form of cheating and are very disdainful of them, which is a problem for me as I love my heel lifts At least you can now ski tantrum free, that will probably do till it's new boots time!
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Plastic bag will do the same thing
After all it is free
After all it is free
Just read this thread and came across a post from several months ago with which I agreed entirely. Then I noticed that I was the one who wrote it!
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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FAQ
Poster: A snowHead
Not too far from me in Bath. I'm also wondering if it's my low in-step. They've been stretched etc.
Might take them to the snow dome and see if my feet kick off again. I would have thought after over 30 days in them, that they'd have softened up if they were going to...
I don't understand why 
A good fitter wil pick the correct boot for their client, so maybe yours picked something pricey for you? Anyway, these are my second owned boots and both times they came in reasonable. Not right on the second pair though, granted, but I'm hoping this will be sorted soon.
