Boots REALLY hard to put on / take off

A snowHead

Anyone else have this problem? New boots are Lange Freetour 110. Skied in them today for the first time. Seem great, maybe a touch too much pressure on my instep as toes were numb after a couple of hours. Did a short 1 hour tour before turning back as the clouds came in. Really happy. Apart from they are a nightmare to put on. I need to put the liners on first, then force my foot into the boot, pulling apart the plastic over the instep. Getting them off whilst they were cold was near on impossible. I was straining so hard I thought I’d do myself an injury. Again the liner comes out with my foot. I have to do a combination of pushing the back of the shell down (need to use the other foot for force) and pulling apart the plastic over the instep, which also digs in quite painfully.

I’m thinking I need a custom shoehorn or something...

A snowHead

@Themasterpiece, I find this helpful, though whether it will work with a boot that's REALLY tight, I'm not sure: http://www.slippinltd.com/

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

are the boots warm when putting on?

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@Themasterpiece, Touring boots are usually a much tighter fit, with less padding in the liner. Having said that, I usually only have issues taking boots off when they are very cold.

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

To add to my previous post - I suspect they made it bag shaped because just selling a piece of the material on its own would be a bit difficult.

It's available by the meter (on ebay amongst other places) if anyone fancies saving a couple quid and getting enough to cut into a fair few ugly but functional unbranded foot insertion assistance devices.

I may have a couple offcuts if anyone on the preBB or BB weeks wants some. I'd have to have a look though.

After all it is free

@jjams82,

@Themasterpiece, yes they’re a tight fit and if it’s cold I need to insert foot into liner before sticking into the shell...

Putting the boots into walk mode really helps.

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@Themasterpiece, 1. shouldn't need to take liners out first. 2. 110 "flex" shouldn't be that hard.

Either; there's a tech problem or you are just doing it wrong.

P.S. I thought touring boots were usually a little MORE generous than regular alpine, or should be, for the uphill.

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snow reports

@jjams82,

You know it makes sense.

@jjams82,

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

My first pair of boots were Lange, at the lower end of the price range and they were a nightmare to put on/take off. They were very uncomfortable too.

I left them in a car park in Austria. I am sure this doesn't help but they must have a really narrow ankle and I would never buy another pair again.

A snowHead

@roscoeh, I am not sure that’s a great argument against the brand rolling eyes

A snowHead

Don't think that slippery material is going to help a whole lot as it's worse taking them off.

@Sharkymark, I'll try them in walk mode, thanks for the tip.

@under a new name, I don't think it's the flex. More the shape of the plastic overlap I suspect. Never had a issue with my old boots. Though these are one size smaller.

It could be that the boots are low volume. They are on the last knotch on the buckle over the foot, and I moved the top buckets as far as I can place them over (there are 3 holes/settings) and only on the second to last knotch on them. I think my foot is particularly volumous and not got abnormal calves.

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+1 for the Slippin.

The reason it is bag shaped is actually so that the two surfaces can slip against each other. It’s not really about the sock slipping against the material, or the material against the boot. The Slippin isn’t expensive so you’d need to be as mean as mousepoo to go down the root of buying a metre, sewing it into a bag, then sewing a nylon strap to it etc.

Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.

@Themasterpiece, You’re right. It won’t help taking them off. Good but of kit though! In the meantime, try stuffing a a plastic bag inside when you put your boots on. Half as good as a Slippin and worth a try.

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

I still think either technique is wrong or there’s a technical problem. It shouldn’t be that difficult in a 110 boot.

After all it is free

There is a tip here http://w.zipfit.com/fittrick.html on taking off cold ski boots. Yes, it is about Zipfits, but I suspect that it will work with other boot-liner combos, perhaps with a little modification. I use this technique and can report it works as stated.

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This was posted in a thread last year (if you are impatient = skip to 40 seconds..)

http://youtube.com/v/GRE6qtCRtNU

snow reports

Update after skiing a few more days. Things are getting better. Getting foot in almost normal. Getting foot out is still a struggle, but with some change in technique and tips from above I've reduced the risk of doing myself an injury. The issue seems to be that my heel doesn't want to come out of the liner. So even if I pull the tongue sideways like the above video, my foot still won't slide out. I need to push the inside of the liner down to free my heel, then pull the tongue sideways to part the plastic. Having them in walk mode helps. I could do with three hands though.

It sounds like a temperature problem. I’ve had boots that were near impossible to get off/on again when below zero, but were fine at room temperature.

If you haven’t already tried it, try putting them on and taking them off indoors when they are warm, and see how much easier it is, and to learn a pain free technique.

You know it makes sense.

@PowderAdict, same here, my boots are always hard to put on, take off. That is why I hate to have to drive to lifts, my boots are always cold when I have to put them on, ( usually with ice about) so I look like a complete muppet trying to get them off. Last few places we went to had heated boot rails, and putting them on in the mornings is easy. Ditto with getting them off, if I wear my boots to apres for a while easy to remove.

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

@biddpyat, Put the boots in the passenger footwell of the car.

A snowHead

@rjs, We always do that too. A hot boot slips on no problem, plus you then have toasty feet to start the day.

A snowHead

warm the boots overnight in your accom, then transfer to one of those insulated shopping bags for the car. Yes, I know you can buy in car boot heaters, and heated bags, but this would cost nothing.

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@endoman,

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And you can bring cold beer back in it at day end.

Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.

@endoman,

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To combat the same problem I dry the boots with something like this and then leave the heaters in the boot while stuffing my gloves in the top (to keep the heat in) before putting them in the car, then put the boots in the car footwell.

https://www.glisshop.co.uk/boot_warmer/glisshop/boot_and_glove_dryer-126567.html

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

Some possible suggestions:

http://www.heinosskiandcycle.com/bootfitting/on-hill-problem-solving/taking-ski-boots-on-and-off

This is also good:

http://youtube.com/v/0Z0zJNb-jZo

After all it is free

@Themasterpiece, do you have zipfit liners by any chance?

Help!!

Boots REALLY hard to put on / take off

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