toes/outside of foot going numb in ski boots

A snowHead

I purchased a pair of head adapt edge 85 ski boots last winter and had them heat moulded. i deliberately choose them as i had read they were good for women with wide feet and calves! unfortunately they were absolutely agony to ski in, feeling very tight on my calves and with my toes/outside of foot going numb and I couldnt manage to ski more than 2.5 hours a day as once i stopped for lunch and took them off i couldnt bear to put them back on again. i skied with a pair of snow boots in my backpack all week so i didnt need to wear them for a second longer than i needed. after lots of internet research they did get very slightly better after a couple of days after i changed wearing a thinner sock, no long johns and started to buckle from top down and unbuckled on chair lifts/cable cars but I am really keen to do all I can to sort before my trip in a couple of weeks. I plan on taking them to a boot fitter but wonder if i would be better doing this in uk or in resort so i can test them out. after internet research i am confused about whether the issue is my tight calves, ankles or whether the boots are too big or too small ! i also couldnt work out if heel lifts made it better or worse. i seem to be able to wiggle my toes around alot but the boots do feel very tight around the front of my foot, ankle and calf. i also feel like my feet are rolling outwards when skiing. they were definately worse on the days when i walked alot in them or stood in long queues before skiing and the numbness does ease when actually skiing

A snowHead

A bootfitter is the answer, of course. However, it does sound as you need a good footbed to prevent your foot from collapsing. You can look for a good premoulded one like Surefoot, or have a custom one like Conformable made, even in the resort

Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?

Get yourself to a boot fitter - plenty in U.K. and plenty recommended on this forum - just depends where you are. May just need a couple of tweaks - would say get it done before you go.

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It sounds like a nightmare. If you can, I'd suggest getting it fixed before you go. Then you can relax and enjoy your holiday.

Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.

@Holidayqueen,
Seriously consider getting a custom footbed, like Conformable. I have seriously wide feet, so my boots have been widened twice and I have custom Thermic footbeds. The effect of the footbeds cannot be overstated. (for me, at least)

The feeling of your feet rolling outwards sounds similar to what I used to have before. Since the standard footbeds are typically much narrower than my feet, I used to feel that the outside of my foot had absolutely no support. As a result, my foot would clench in desparation, which caused pain and numbness in my feet. The custom footbeds gave my feet the support they need. My arches are also rather high, so standard footbeds usually give me little or no support.

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Why take your boots of at lunchtime? You'll *never* enjoy putting them back on again.

Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...

After all it is free

Sounds like they're too narrow. A fitter could stretch them for you.

With the exception of the calf problems - sounds identical to a problem I had. Get yourself to a professional boot fitter!

New boots, molded footbed - Lovely Laughing

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I've heard this expression a few times now 'foot collapsing' - what does it mean?

The people in snow and rock sold me a pair of footbeds to stop my feet from collapsing.... didn't really make any difference!

Thanks!

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thank you all. i live in sheffield. i really need to sort as tried the boots on yesterday in my living room and was in agony after 10 minutes!

snow reports

Personally I'd go to Rivington Alpine (Bolton) or Solutions for Feet (er, down south somewhere) but you'd need to book appointments first.

I don't know/trust any fitters around Sheffield I'm afraid.

@Holidayqueen, Can't speak for their expertise over and above basic fitting & heat moulding of new boots, but there is Dick's Board Store opposite the Infirmary/Tescos on the tram route in Sheffield. They do sell ski boots and other bits and may be able to help. Else Rivi Alpine is your nearest, or Snow n Rock at Chill Factore (Trafford) or their equivalent at Castleford, nr Leeds. RA should be the most specialist.

It sounds as if the boots are certainly tight in some area, pressing on a nerve or blood vessel somewere - but it could be calf, top of foot or anywhere. You might be able to see where they're tight by the red marks or white areas on your foot after you take them off - but really a good fitter is the only answer.

It could be that the actual shells and liners are too small, but this kind of problem can equally happen when boots are too big and you end up compensating by wearing thicker socks, over-tightening buckles (especially top of foot and around calf) etc.
If they really are tight then they might still bed in a bit more if you can ski them more (sounds like they've only had a week) or you might be able to get the liners heat moulded a bit more.

A good custom-moulded footbed and a proper canting (side lean) set up never harms.

Adjustment in resport is useful as you can keep on testing and going back each day/evening, but depends on how good the people there are. Better to take them back to where you got them fitted in the first place if possible. Or the UK beforehand wouldn't hinder if you have the time.

You have my sympathies, been there... At least if they don't hurt so much when skiing then, well, don't stop and stand around, just keep on skiing (chairlifts notwithstanding) wink

You know it makes sense.

If it was me I'd get an appointment at Rivington Alpine (very highly spoken of on this forum) asap - not a million miles from you. Hopefully a couple of stretches and some custom footbeds will sort you out. Be sure to let us know how you get on.

Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:

I wouldn't trust Slush & Rubble or a general ski shop to fit socks, let alone boots. Go to a recognised boot fitting expert, your feet will thank you

After Solutions for feet have fitted my last 2 pairs I would consider it very strange to ever want to undo a buckle at lunch or on the chair, yet my feet are incased in iron and feel clamped in

A snowHead

@Holidayqueen, Just up t'road from you is Julian Thorpe at The Foot Clinic in Howden DN14 7JQ. 01430 434 877. Skier, Ex Ellis Brigham and now Podiatrist so sees it from many angles.
I just drove over from Cheshire this week and very impressed. New footbed and even I can see the better alignment. Full proof will come next week on hol, but I feel confident.

A snowHead

So you've had them for a year & done nothing about the problem & you're now looking to get an appointment with a good bootfitter in the two weeks prior to half term rolling eyes

Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?

@spyderjon, ouch harsh - and this thread was going so well 😗

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@Holidayqueen,
In any case, regardless of what you do before the trip, you could actually look up a good bootfitter in the resort and make an appointment.

Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.

After reading your post, the first line jumps out at me.You Chose your boots !
Many on here will have done the same before getting another pair from a decent bootfitter, where you are not given a choice. The boot fitter will tell you what boot suits you.
Secondly, as you are now doing, you should be wearing thin ski socks and no full length long johns, a thin 3/4 base layer that comes just below the knee with the sock just overlapping, will stop you filling out the little space you have in your boot.

It may be that a custom liner may help but it will be more expense, whether it's a shell adjustment or a liner, a GOOD bootfitter will be able to help

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Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...

If I over do the power strap on mine I can get my smallest toes to go to sleep. I bought boot with a wide last so they have room round them so just dial back a bit on the strap, and they are fine. Lunch time I never take them off, just flick the buckles up.

Just an opinion as a user.

After all it is free

There may of course be a simple solution - the adapt edge has a socket on the sole which I understand is to enable you to wind out the shell width a couple of mm. Did the original bootfitters do this?

Of course depending on where you bought them you may have been fitted by a number who knew nothing about this.

calf pain and lateral side of foot pressure... sounds like the peroneal nerve or the sural nerve is being trapped somewhere around the outside of the ankle (only a guess based on the symptoms)

solutions can include but are not limited to
good footbed
stretch boot shell where there is contact (not always where the pain is)
flare the cuff (should be easy on that boot 5mm allen key opens it up by 5mm each side)
modifications to the liner around lateral ankle and forefoot
change the liner to a palau or similar wrap liner... this will give more space to areas which might be tight on the stock liner and definitley give more space for the calf as it will compress in that area

worth speaking to Graham at rivington, he may be able to get you in before you go, curently we are fully booked till the 15th feb

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Went to try and sort today and upshot is the boots are way too big, i have high arches and my feet are pronating alot, they are too tight on my calves so tongue needs stretching and apparently my calves are incredibly tight. Was told i need custom footbed but was going to cost £85 and they couldnt guarantee it would solve the problem given boots are so big. Think im just going to write them off as a bad purchase and get myself some properly fitted boots...

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toes/outside of foot going numb in ski boots

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