Ski Club 2.0 Home
Snow Reports
FAQFAQ

Mail for help.Help!!

Log in to snowHeads to make it MUCH better! Registration's totally free, of course, and makes snowHeads easier to use and to understand, gives better searching, filtering etc. as well as access to 'members only' forums, discounts and deals that U don't even know exist as a 'guest' user. (btw. 50,000+ snowHeads already know all this, making snowHeads the biggest, most active community of snow-heads in the UK, so you'll be in good company)..... When you register, you get our free weekly(-ish) snow report by email. It's rather good and not made up by tourist offices (or people that love the tourist office and want to marry it either)... We don't share your email address with anyone and we never send out any of those cheesy 'message from our partners' emails either. Anyway, snowHeads really is MUCH better when you're logged in - not least because you get to post your own messages complaining about things that annoy you like perhaps this banner which, incidentally, disappears when you log in :-)
Username:-
 Password:
Remember me:
👁 durr, I forgot...
Or: Register
(to be a proper snow-head, all official-like!)

Can I save my ski boots?

 Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
Last winter I got myself some ski touring equipment, and set off to go alpine skiing for the first time in 6 years. I cross country ski competitively, so learning the basics was no problem, but I'm really unsure of the choice in boots I have made.

After reading and asking around a bit, I got a pair of used TLT 6 performance boots. I wanted them to be relatively light, but still work well downhill. Being used to skiing in boots closer to running shoes, I didn't really pay attention to people going on about stiffness. "I couldn't move my ankles at all in these, how could more stiffness be good for anything?" I took them to the slopes for some days, learning to ski. And what I noticed first was that they hurt, really bad. Even If they seemed to fit nicely in the beginning, I had to take them off and loosen them all the time to avoid painful cramps. Even completely loose doesn't feel comfortable, but the harder I strapped them, the better skiing felt. I got the chance to try a pair of Salomon MTN LABs, and while they were less painful for my feet, I really missed the tight fit and feel of being one with he skis I had with the dynafits.

This pain got better after a while, but didn't disappear completely. When I a couple of weeks later went on my first mountain trip(?) with them, the real, big problems started to show. We spent several hours walking uphill, and while I didn't feel it as much on the way up, when we were at the top, my feet were done. I strapped on the boots and started skiing downhill. It was pretty steep, and my feet hurt so bad that I couldn't really put any pressure on the skis. After the best part of the trip wa ruined by pain, falling and embarassingly bad skiing, I was relieved to finally get to take the boots off and get into normal shoes. Except it got worse, my feet hurt so bad I literally had problems staying upright when walking over uneven surfaces.

And that was just one part of it, because I had to walk with the buckles off, my feet slid around in the boots. Leading to deep, bloody blisters on the heel that took weeks to heal and a toenail that's still deformed and blue half a year later. I used them on a handful more trips during the winter and tried using specially formed soles, but while it got a little better, I don't feel there's any way to get them to work normally. Another thing that bothers me about the boots is the tongue system, walking with a tongue sucks, skiing without one sucks, so I'm taking them in and out of my backpack, and I read online that transition is supposed to be easy and fast with these boots...

So I'm asking here, am I doing something wrong, or should I get something else?
As an afterthought, I'm considering swithcing to telemark, because having the heel fixed on the skis kind of bothers me, and it looks more fun. I'm surprised that light telemark boots don't exist just like light alpine touring boots do, why? My whole family in the country telemarks with leather boots and straight skis, and the only other option I have seen looks closer to alpine racing equipment.
snow conditions
 Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
@svennis, Welcome to SnowHeads.

It sounds like you need to visit a quality boot fitter. The chances of taking any new boot and expecting it to fit perfectly (as you found with the MTN LABS) is very low, let alone a second hand pair of boots that may well have been molded for the previous user.

The TLT6 is a performance touring boot so will have minimal padding so they are light, but have to be made to fit you.
snow report
 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?
Thank you!

What can a boot fitter do to make them fit better? According to the guy I bough the boots from, the liners were new. They are really thin and I don't see much room for adjustment.
latest report
 You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
Welcome to this place Smile Ski touring boots really need the same level of fitting as an alpine boot from what I have experienced. A snug slightly geared towards performance fit. I've done short tours in fairly stiff Atomic Redster race boots and still been comfy. I have a pair of Dynafit Ones for touring and Salomon Quests for all round as well and all three are comfy to varying degrees. It could be that your cramps etc are due to the footbed not suiting your foot shape, this should be easy to rectify. Custom liners are another option, I need foam liners for the Redsters or I get heel lift.

If you can find a good boot fitter with touring experience then they may be able to diagnose what is causing the issues.
snow report
 Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Just seen the other answers. A boot fitter can stretch the shell at pressure points, create a custom footbed (mine is now 9 years old and in second boots and 3rd liners) and create a custom liner if you require a different level of padding than the standard liner provides.
snow conditions
 You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
They can also advise if the boot is the wrong size or wrong shape for your individual feet.
ski holidays
 Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
A bootfitter should be able to tell if your boots can be saved and what is causing your issues. I suspect part of it could be down to lack of experience, expectations and having XC boots as a reference point. But it also sounds like your boot might be too big, you tighten it for a better control when skiing and get cramps as a result. Blisters from walking up may happen even in a properly fitted boots though, that's why compeed is your friend if you are into ski touring:) And taking tongue out and putting it back in is part of the process with some boots. Suck it up and do it or suck it up and ski without tongues or find a boot with a different system. I am not sure at all why you went for TLT6. On paper many boots sound great, but only a few will be good for you in practice and most research will be useless.
So, make sure at least that your boots are properly fitted, good fit is very important when touring since you cannot bail when ski touring the way you can when you are skiing resort and something is off. But in my fairly limited touring experience there will still be things that you'll need to adapt to and get over.
latest report



Terms and conditions  Privacy Policy