 Poster: A snowHead
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Made a trip up to the Snow and Rock at the Chill Factore about 2 weeks ago to buy my first pair of ski boots. I did a lot of reading on here and other sites as to what to expect etc. when purchasing a pair.
I went in with an open mind (And a pair of my Smartwool ski socks) and the man who helped me (Over the course of about 2 hours) seemed very knowledgeable and was very helpful. The boots I came away with were a pair of Salomon XMax 100's. In there I also tried a pair of Lange ones which after wearing and walking round in for about 15 minutes just didn't seem to fit right at all (Spaces in some parts, digging in others etc). Next I tried a pair of Salomon XPro 100's which were immensely comfy but I felt that there might have been a tad too much room and that after wearing them on the slopes the very generous amount of padding would pack down and my feet would be swimming (Out of the box they were basically on the verge of being too roomy). Finally I tried the XMax boots and they were very snug indeed, no digging into my feet anywhere and a tight fit all round. I asked the chap if the tight fit would be an issue and he, like a lot of people seem to say online, advised me that after a bit of use the liner would pack down and a slightly tight fit now would end up being perfect. Satisfied with this and in no great discomfort I also purchased a custom foot bed made on one of those strange machines with the blue goo stuff.
I've been wearing the boots around the house for half an hour to an hour at a time with a bit of walking back and forth but mainly just when I am sat at my PC desk or watching the TV with my two feet obviously planted on the ground. I have started to notice that after a certain length of time (Say 25 minutes) I do feel as if I am starting to get a sensation in my foot akin to a very light pins and needles, I might add that this isn't excruciatingly painful. When taking the boots off I am noticing a mild ache not in my feet but in my calves. I wore them as I pottered around at work today (I was in for an hour on my own just doing chores around the office  ) and whilst walking about and flexing the boots they weren't as uncomfortable as when I simply sit in them. When taking them off again though the mild ache on my calves and just above my ankles returned and as I type it I can still sort of feel it now (4 hours later). Weirdly, even in a pair of thin normal socks I seemed to have the same issue even though I could feel that there was far more room around my foot. I haven't had the chance to ski in these boots yet but I'm going to try and get an hour or two in at the Chill Factore next week to see how they feel when actually in proper use.
I would like to re-iterate that I haven't felt pain as such but merely what is sometimes a tingling in the feet and a mild ache in the calves. This occurs with the boots clipped up on the widest clips, I begin with the ankle clip and then the top one, flex them a few times and then do the bottom two. I don't actually go away until the end of January but obviously I don't want to get away and find my boots are unsuitable when I had plenty of time to get any issue rectified beforehand. Are these symptoms typical of a new pair of boots or is something drastically wrong here? I've seen a lot of people say they will be tight when I first use them but not many people seem to mention tingling feet or aching calves.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Ski boots aren't designed for sitting - they will be uncomfortable in this position, at least until they bed in a bit. Your experience does not sound out of the ordinary. You're doing the right thing though - see what they're like on the snow before you start tweaking them.
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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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I have Xmax 120s. It's taken a couple of weeks on snow but I've reached a happy place with them. I've had similar sensations to you; tingling feet, aching calves. The first week on snow was pretty tough. First time I've wanted to stop skiing because my boots hurt. Sitting on chairlifts was horrible.
I learnt that they are at their most comfortable when skiing! I found that taking out the liners to dry/warm after each day on slope helped. It took me probably too long to make this change but I now wear the thinnest of ski socks. Some places sell them as racing socks others as a liner sock. My boots liner, which might be totally different to yours, has a much thinner liner than I was used to and it doesn't really pack down all that much. The thin socks have been the best purchase ever. Boots are now super snug/comfy and best of all responsive.
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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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The boots will need some time to wear in and your feet will take some time to get used to wearing boots...wear them for short periods to begin with and whatever you do, don't tighten them too much when you use them! They'll be fine 
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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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Also, if after skiing several times with them and the issue persists, then have the footbeds re-checked.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Be careful not to bed your boots in to a non-skiing position!
I'm not a believer of the ski boots around the house thing at all. But then I have a lot more options available for bedding boots in the old fashioned way... by skiing in them!
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@Jord92, A nice snug fit with a bit of tingling as here and there sounds just how new boots should feel.
They'll be perfect once you start skiing in them. I've got those boots and I love them (not that that's really relevant)
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@Jord92, I have perfectly fitted foam injected boots, but I can still get pins and needles. For me the key is to click into a pair of skis, and flex into them, as the loading/position can never be replicated by standing/sitting around or walking about. Anyone fitting/selling boots should let you click into a set of skis, get a proper feel of them.
I have also found that a slightly crease in a sock can have the same effect. The only time I would be concerned was that if you quickly got pins and needles every time you put the boots on.
Btw: sitting in ski boots is the worst thing you can do. Wear them walking around, as you have described and they should be fine.
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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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I bought a new pair of Lange boots last year from Rivington Alpine and you describe the same symptoms as I had... The only way of breaking them in properly is to Ski in them so keep up with the visits to Chillfactor as I did last year. I had a few 2 hour visits there before going on my ski holiday and whilst It's not perfect by any means as the run is small but it's better than walking around the office/house in them.
By day 2 of my Ski Holiday, they fitted like a glove 
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I got the XMax 100's fitted by Solutions4Feet last month and had the first outing on the dry slope last week, after 2 hours I had similar symptoms as you with pins and needles in my small and big toes. I mailed @cem, afterwards and he said should be nothing to worry about give it a few more sessions for them to bed in.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Thanks for the advice guys I'll give myself 2 hours this weekend to see how it goes, got some other kit to give a bit of a trial run too. I'll post a few after action reports as I bed them in if I remember!
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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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Got a chance to spend two hours at the Chill Factore on Saturday evening. The first hour was agony, not the pins and needles as I've previously described but a pain across the bottom of my foot akin to cramping but not as bad. 20 minutes in I had to take my feet out for a minute to ease the pain. Hour 2 and things were much better, still a mild pain but the only real discomfort was on the drag lift. Standing still or skiing felt great.
My feet hurt quite a bit once I took the boots off which I found odd.
Is this pain on the bottom of my foot typical of new boots?
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Could be a lot of things, clenching toes, foot bed support or lack of it, height of your arches, feet unused to skiing etc. There have been a few threads on foot cramping over the years. With new boots or liners it can often help to do an easy run, then undo the clips, let your feet relax, then repeat before getting down to more demanding skiing.
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You know it makes sense.
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| Jord92 wrote: |
My feet hurt quite a bit once I took the boots off which I found odd.
Is this pain on the bottom of my foot typical of new boots? |
I've had that in new boots when they are too narrow, particularly after taking the boots off. Had the boots punched out and all sorted.
I know the general consensus on this thread is that they'll bed in, but I think you need to see a bootfitter who knows what they are doing. Sounds like you've got issues to me and you need to get them sorted before your hols! The boys at Rivington Alpine are highly recommended (but there will be a cost as you bought them elsewhere). Snow and Rock have a comfort guarantee though - so prob worth trying them first.
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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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Its an obvious thing, but also make sure that you're not doing them up too tightly. On a 4 buckle boot, its primarily buckle 2 (from top to bottom) that does all the work. You should be able to snap 3 & 4 shut with your little finger. Over cranking the lower 2 buckles can cause some of the discomfort that you describe.
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Poster: A snowHead
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| Jord92 wrote: |
Got a chance to spend two hours at the Chill Factore on Saturday evening. The first hour was agony, not the pins and needles as I've previously described but a pain across the bottom of my foot akin to cramping but not as bad. 20 minutes in I had to take my feet out for a minute to ease the pain. Hour 2 and things were much better, still a mild pain but the only real discomfort was on the drag lift. Standing still or skiing felt great.
My feet hurt quite a bit once I took the boots off which I found odd.
Is this pain on the bottom of my foot typical of new boots? |
IME not terribly odd. Also as Rich mentions be careful not to overtighten.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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@Jord92, the XMax is a custom shell boot. Did you get them heat moulded? The symptoms you're complaining of are symptomatic of the forefoot being too tight. Probably too narrow or maybe too shallow. Either way, the XMax expands in both directions. Take them back and get the shells (re) moulded.
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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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| Raceplate wrote: |
| @Jord92, the XMax is a custom shell boot. Did you get them heat moulded? The symptoms you're complaining of are symptomatic of the forefoot being too tight. Probably too narrow or maybe too shallow. Either way, the XMax expands in both directions. Take them back and get the shells (re) moulded. |
They were heat moulded at S&R, not sure as to the effectiveness of this process though. It was a different chap who did the heat moulding (Not the guy who fitted my boot), he did seem in a bit of a rush but I assumed this was because it all needed to be done before the boots cooled. I'll be heading back up on Monday morning for an hour or so again on the slope so that I can go back into S&R afterwards if I have the same pain in my foot.
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