I invested in a pair of ski boots (Salomon xmax90 with heated liner)at the end of 2018. When I went skiing 2019 season I found my right boot felt pretty good but I really struggled with pain in my left foot - mainly along the bottom of my 5th metatarsal/lateral side of my foot and just below my ankle bone on the same outer side.
Took my boot back to the boot fitter over the summer who tried to compress the liner adjacent the ankle to no joy.
Preparing for skiing again in a couple of weeks and wearing my boots to “bed” them back in again by leaning forwards in the house (no slopes nearby to visit). Again right boot is perfect but the left is sore. I’ve got ultralight socks so they can’t be the problem. I’ve got a custom footbed.
Any suggestions? Can I fully remove the plastic bit between the liner and the bottom of the boot to reduce the volume and see if that helps? Does the boot shell need stretching?
All help appreciated!
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
If you say where you're going, somebody may be able to recommend a Bootfitter, who will look at the problem in resort. You can then get further adjustments after skiing, if necessary.
I'm not sure your problem can be diagnosed remotely.
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?
I am assuming that when you are walking round in your boots you have them buckled up? and that the bottom buckles that go across the top of your foot are as loose as possible?
If that is the case start by having a little experiment by walking round without the bottom buckled done up and see if that makes a difference.
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Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
It could be a poorly made custom insole. As a simple test, try with just the standard one and see if it makes any difference.
After all it is free
After all it is free
@DrSJF16, who was the "boot fitter"?
If it helps, wandering round the house in boots is not any sort of substitute for skiing in 'em.
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DrSJF16 wrote:
Any suggestions?
"Compressing the liner" doesn't sound like it would work to me. Who was the bootfitter?
DrSJF16 wrote:
Can I fully remove the plastic bit between the liner and the bottom of the boot to reduce the volume and see if that helps?
Can't see that working.
DrSJF16 wrote:
Does the boot shell need stretching?
Seems the most likely option to me assuming the boot and footbed were correctly fitted.
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I haven’t wandered around the house - don’t worry! I stood still, leaning forward in a ski position for 30 mins to replicate.
It was a boot fitter who came with excellent recommendations in Bicester.
I’ll give them a go without the custom insoles and see if any difference
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
DrSJF16 wrote:
It was a boot fitter who came with excellent recommendations in Bicester.
That would be Solutions 4 Feet, owner posts on here as CEM.
You should PM him. If you can get to his shop before your trip I am sure he will sort you out.
That is where I get my boots from.
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.
I've experienced pain like this when I used a slightly thicker pair of socks (ordered on the Internet from the same sock manufacturer with a very similar sock model name but they turned out to be thicker.). The pain was crippling. Suggest that if the exact same model of sock is not worn when the linners were formed then it could create problems (thicker or thinner).
You could also try getting your foot back in the boot by doing the boots up differently. Watched a celebrity ski race last night where Hermann Maier was the forerunner and remember noticing how the various racers and celebrities closed their boots differently (different buckle sequence). Sometimes you need more than one trip back to the bootfitter to get the problem sorted.
Mind blown - I am going to put my boots on when I get home and see how this works. I guess it depends on the boot .
You know it makes sense.
You know it makes sense.
I put my feet in my boots for the first time in a year the other week. Unbearable after about 10 minutes yet I can ski all day without touching the clips when away. The foot simply isn't used to be squashed in there after a year of flapping around unsupported. Now, after 4 sessions in a fridge they are back to being noticeable on the feet.
Give CEM a chance to advise you, taking out the custom insoles sounds a pretty extreme thing to do and will lose the support that the foot needs.
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Quote:
taking out the custom insoles sounds a pretty extreme thing to do and will lose the support that the foot needs.
It makes you wonder how all these people who ski in hire boots ever survive .
It's just for a test while in the house, I'm not suggesting he skis in them like that. I've had custom insoles where one foot was in terrible pain after a while and the pain went away when used without the custom insoles. A return to the boot fitter soon got the insoles sorted.
Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
olderscot wrote:
Quote:
taking out the custom insoles sounds a pretty extreme thing to do and will lose the support that the foot needs.
It makes you wonder how all these people who ski in hire boots ever survive .
It's just for a test while in the house, I'm not suggesting he skis in them like that. I've had custom insoles where one foot was in terrible pain after a while and the pain went away when used without the custom insoles. A return to the boot fitter soon got the insoles sorted.
Some hire boots come with decent replacement insoles, eg Snowberry.
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Would love to get back to him but sadly live 3 hours away and have existing commitments both weekends so no chance of that before we go.
I’m wearing the same socks I wore when I had the boots fitted and I only wear the same identical make and model of sock. I have purchased a slighter thinner sock to see if that helps at all (clutching at straws and hoping for a more pain free trip!)
Also - olderscot - I’m a she not a he - not always easy to tell from an online profile
Will have a look at the videos though shortly - thanks
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?
@DrSJF16,
Quote:
Also - olderscot - I’m a she not a he - not always easy to tell from an online profile
@DrSJF16, so have you "just" skied 6 full days in the new boots? I think that's about the minimum time for the liners to start to compress a bit and it all to settle in.
Maybe a phone call to Bicester to see what they suggest if you can't make it back? When you say they tried to "compress the liner adjacent the ankle to no joy."
Did they say the compression didn't work?
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
6 full days skiing last season and a couple of snowdome sessions.
They took the liner out and told me they were going to compress it (took it off to a machine somewhere!) I thought it felt better but in fairness didn’t have my boots back on for long. No mention of the compression not working.
I’ve been doing lots of home physio and work on loosening calf/ankle/peroneal tendons over recent months too to try and make sure it’s as good as it can be
@DrSJF16,
No boot fitter is going to provide a perfect fit first time for every customer.
Colin Martin is well known, respected and connected in the industry. I'd still contact him again as he might have a contact nearer to you who could help in the near future.
Where abouts in the UK are you?
Last edited by You'll need to Register first of course. on Wed 15-01-20 16:25; edited 1 time in total
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Oh absolutely - I completely understand and appreciate that. I trust him fully! I’m in Lincolnshire, close to the Nottinghamshire border
After all it is free
After all it is free
@DrSJF16, without seeing the foot and the boot concerned it is difficult to say if the shell need to be stretched in that area, that area is often associated with some pain as it is where a lot of the blood flow comes into the foot, normally compressing the liner will help quiet a lot, the machine we use is a scott press with a liner crush tool on it, it compresses the foam of the liner and is like going skiing in it for a few days
wearing them around the house is not something we would suggest, your feet swell a bit in the warmth and most people get bored so sit down and this is will send your feet to sleep pretty quickly
maybe ping me an e mail so i can look at the fitting notes, i can't workout who you are from the username
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