 Poster: A snowHead
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One for the clever people here. I've managed to pick up a pair of TLT6 touring boots for about 35 pounds, and borrowed some hard boot splitboard bindings and tech toes off a mate.
The boots are the rightish size in terms of length but a bit narrow across the width of my foot behind my toes. I'm going to hit them with a Dremel and do some mods on them to make snowboarder friendly.
Is it possible to stretch the shell at home using a reasonable selection of DIY tools? And if so how do I do it?
Not looking for the ultimate in comfort or longevity, just a bit less foot crushing would be good.
Bearing in mind they cost 35 quid and I just want to see if fruit booting is my thing. If it is, I'll throw down the cash on some phantom boots, and fitting, but not keen on that kind of cost upfront to just figure it out.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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@hang11, You know the answer, just get on it.....warm 'em up and get dremmelling.
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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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@hang11, Stretch yes, dremel NO!!! step away from the grinding tools, there is very little plastic there and you will most likely end up with a hole in them
looks like you are in NZ, boot stretching tools are expensive but with some careful heat from a temperature controllable heat gun and some shaped blocks of wood you should be able to create a bit of space, BUT knowing how much damage can be done like this i am not going to be out of business as a boot fitter any time soon 
good luck on the quest, but seriously DO NOT GRIND THEM
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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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@CEM, haha thanks !! I’ll give it a shot. How hot do I need to get them to stretch them ?
I’m not grinding them with a dremel, I’m cutting holes in them and cutting bits off them. They are for snowboarding. Need a bit more flex than skiers want, and the tilt6 has some well documented mods that can be done.
I was pretty happy picking them up in a ski sale for that price. Always fancied trying hard boots out but think it’s about $1800 to get proper boots over to
Nz and fitted, which is way too much money to spend unless I’m sure it’s worth it.
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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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@hang11, the plastic on that boot is tough to stretch, slow and low to get heat through it, the plastic needs to be 120-140 degrees C in reality but much more it will fry, less and it won't move
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Think I’ve been successful….
Trimmed some old custom footbeds to fit in the liners
Drilled a few holes in the cuff of the boots and dremeled a slot down the side - now have lateral flex. Might also get wet feet
Filed out the ski mode lock on the inner cuff so now I have forward flex but it stops before I snap an ankle and face plant
Filled up an old sock with rice, 5 minutes in the microwave on high, stuffed it in the liner for 10 minutes and then took it out and put the boots on for 10 minutes. Seems to have successfully heat moulded the liners. They do smell like sushi and old feet though.
And then heated up the boot with a heat gun and using some bits of wood, a turnbuckle and ratchet spanner managed to stretch them out a few mm.
All feels comfortable. Taking them for a tour next week.
A bit worried about how much flex they have forwards, a lot more than my regular snowboard boots - almost like a soft freestyle boot so I may try to sort that with some booster straps.
Thanks @cem 
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| CEM wrote: |
@hang11, Stretch yes, dremel NO!!! step away from the grinding tools, there is very little plastic there and you will most likely end up with a hole in them
looks like you are in NZ, boot stretching tools are expensive but with some careful heat from a temperature controllable heat gun and some shaped blocks of wood you should be able to create a bit of space, BUT knowing how much damage can be done like this i am not going to be out of business as a boot fitter any time soon
good luck on the quest, but seriously DO NOT GRIND THEM |
Risk of repetition here, do not take a Dremel to these boots, it's a plastic bag at best, super easy to stretch,
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Success 
Got a few laps in this morning using the boots on spark dyno bindings mounted to my splitboard. Pretty comfy, icy AF, nearly face planted on the first turn but got it figured out. Rides different to soft boots, much more of an on/off thing with the response but it’s fine.
Hoping to get out into the back country towards the end of the week, with a storm coming through tonight.
Looking forward to seeing how they go uphill with the pin toe things.
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