Poster: A snowHead
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I'd really appreciate some advice.
I'm now on my second pair of boots in 4 years and I'm despairing that I'll ever find a pair that fit properly. I'm happy to go custom made but want to be sure, if I'm going to spend shedloads of money, that it's actually going to work.
I'm female and have a foot size anywhere between a 7 and an 8 (in shoes) depending where I buy them. To add to this, my left foot is between a half and full size smaller than my right foot!
The first pair I had didn't hold my heel properly and the pair I have now are sending my left foot completely numb (oddly, not my right foot, which is the tighter fit). I'm having to ski with the bottom clasp (they're Salomon with the single clasp across the foot) undone which isn't helpful for my skiing. Generally both feet are in so much pain - burning on both and then numbness on the left foot - that I'm having to undo them constantly.
My partner has a pair of boots he says are like wearing slippers - will I ever have the same?
Any help very welcome,
FF
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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ForbiddenFruit, I would love to help and am currently bored, could you pop over to Cham' this afternoon? I hate this kinda post, leaves me feeling helpless and irrelevant.
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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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ForbiddenFruit, Or, if a trip to Cham is not an option, Lockwoods in Leamington Spa may be a little closer!
Basically, get yourself down a reputable bootfitter, have a chat, and see what can be done!
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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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SMALLZOOKEEPER, are you having another "October clinic" this year ?
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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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Smokin Joe, If everyone involved is OK with the Formula, i will say definatley Yes. I think we'll try and run it over a week, depending on availability of Bootfitting Mercenary types. I think the demand maybe high and would prefer to spend a little more time with each client, to explain better why and what. The last time, we were taken a little by surprise at the response and just had to fly at it without too many explinations as to what and why.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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ForbiddenFruit, welcome to snowHeads. There are at least a couple of professional bootfitters on the forum (SMALLZOOKEEPER who is based in Chamonix, and CEM who is based in Bicester) as well as frequent recommendations for specialist shops such as Profeet in London and Lockwoods in Leamington Spa. I've also had problems with painful boots for a number of years and it was only when going to a good bootfitter that things began to improve. This season I bought a pair of custom-fitted liners (Zipfits, but there are alternatives) and so far it's been a huge step forward, if you excuse the pun, in both comfort and performance.
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Frosty the Snowman, Ellis Brighams must be glowing with that endorsement.
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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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For what it's worth (I used to be a boot-fitter for walking/climbing boots but never ski boots)
A good boot-fitter should be able to find a pair of boots to fit almost every foot (provided they work somewhere with enough stock and the necessary equipment). Unfortunately, this process can be very time consuming if the customer has difficult feet and you want to do a proper job. If they ask you what size you are, what boots you want or what colour you prefer….RUN!!
For guidance, a fitting (details from the recesses of my memory) should go something like this…
1) Remove shoes and socks. The fitter will look at you feet to make an assessment of their general shape. He should also be able to identify any potential problems such as pressure points, obvious rubs etc (bunions are VERY common!!)
2) The fitter will measure your foot length in the neutral position. This MUST be done unweighted with you sitting down (still without socks). The fitter organise your forefoot, ankle and knee so that they are aligned so that any force on the ball is transferred straight up to through the knee. He will then measure the length (and possibly forefoot width) of your foot.
3) The fitter will then measure your weighted foot length by getting you to stand on the measuring device. He will then be able compare the two measurements for each foot. If either foot has a length difference of more than about 0.5 UK sizes, I would suggest that footbeds are advisable. If this is the case, you will not be trying on any boots until the footbeds have been sorted out.
4) They will then recommend a sock type based (mainly) on the volume of your foot. If a person has bulky feet, thicker socks are likely to cause them pressure and cold problems. Conversely, a person with low volume feet may need a slightly thicker sock.
5) The fitter will then fetch some boots (one or two pairs at most) for you to try. This will NOT be based on colour or the ones in the sale!! He will ask for your feedback and depending on your comments will either try you in another boot or add/modify/remove volume adjusters (different to footbeds).
6) If the boots are very, very nearly right, they may need to be modified. Perhaps to alleviate a particular pressure point. Most (all?) shops will insist that you buy the boot before doing this but should offer some form of guarantee (This shows whether they have confidence in their fitters!!)
Footbeds - The choice of footbed is partly a matter of personal choice although there are some important factors to consider. While a harder footbed is better at supporting your foot it’s more important to get them right and they take longer to get used to. If you have a large size difference (over-pronation) say greater than 1 UK size, a good quality moulded footbed (Comformable, Superfeet etc) will probably be required to reduce the likelihood of knee, ankle and back problems. These are quite hard and can take a bit of getting used to. (Mine hurt for 3 days pretty badly when I first got them). If you have real problems <2 UK sizes or a history of knee, ankle or back problems, the bootfitter may well tell you to go and see a podiatrist and return when you’ve got a got pair of custom footbeds (usually rock hard!!) and you’ve got used to them. There’s no point in fitting boots to someone before their ‘foundations’ have been sorted out!! I would recommend that everyone has at least decent cut-to-fit footbeds (like ‘green Superfeet’) for skiing as the forces are very high.
If the fitter and the customer are prepared to spend the time getting it right, the vast majority of people can be sorted out. In my experience, very few shops (if any) will charge for this if you buy the boots from them (Particularly as this means that you are more likely to have the right boots in the first place). Everything becomes much more difficult if someone comes in with a pair of boots that are the wrong size or shape and asks you to help them. For some reason, people don’t like being told to put their brand new boots on eBay and buy a pair that fit!!
Or course, I’m far from an expert (having never fitted ski boots) but I hope that the above is useful. If there’s anyone who knows more do, of course, feel free to correct or disagree (although I probably don’t have to mention that on this site!!).
Happy skiing….
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I understand as well, that if you have a set of footbeds made for ski boots, you shouldn't use them in walking or running shoes and vice versa - all to do with the walking gait and skiing gait being completely different.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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petemillis wrote: |
I understand as well, that if you have a set of footbeds made for ski boots, you shouldn't use them in walking or running shoes and vice versa - all to do with the walking gait and skiing gait being completely different. |
I can understand that footbeds for made for ski boots should only be used for skiing, but I had custom footbeds made by a podiatrist (carbon fibre, and rock hard as mentioned above - *very* comfy though!)and my ski boot fitter (Franck Peyrat at Nevada Sports in Tignes Le Lac) didn;'t seem at all unhappy wit the idea of me skiing with them in, even putting them in on top of the footbeds that he molded for me to keep my heel in place
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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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I too had a good experience at EB Castleford - my left ankle was badly damaged in a fall (not skiing!) and I have one foot nearly half a size larger than the other. They took detailed measurements of my feet both seated and standing, recommended two boots to try, one of which fitted really well, the other not quite so well; they then made custom footbeds that allow me to stand straight and the total cost was £200 and a well spent afternoon.
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You know it makes sense.
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ForbiddenFruit wrote: |
from Damon's very comprehensive response (thank you!) I'm guessing that going somehwere else and trying to get them to sort out my current boots is a no-no. |
I'm not sure Damon actually mean that, only that "For some reason, people don’t like being told to put their brand new boots on eBay and buy a pair that fit!!". So, be prepared to part with them on eBay if so told. But do ask the boot fitter if it's worth having it fixed and for how much.
I went to my favorate boot shop a few weeks back with an old pair of boots that's gotten quite loose. I was hoping to pull another season out of it by adding some padding in. He pointed out a small crack under the buckle that surely will become large once the extra padding were added and adviced me not to waste my money fixing the old boot. And he promise he'll work with me on any new boot I buy from his shop that they'll fit AND perform better than my old one (which was quite comfortable). That's the kind of boot fitter you need to find.
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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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Although I'm sure they're not in the same league as our friends in Bicester and Chamonix I had my first boots fitted by SkeeTex in Battlesbridge in Essex this year - I'm a beginner, but wore them for a week in February and had absolutely no problems whatsoever, but then I might have easy feet
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Poster: A snowHead
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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ForbiddenFruit wrote: |
Where do I find a podiatrist that specialises in ski stuff and is it hugely expensive? FF |
SIDAS
Grenoble
no not much more than boots and footbeds would be
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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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ForbiddenFruit wrote: |
Where do I find a podiatrist that specialises in ski stuff and is it hugely expensive? How can I wear in the footbeds before I have a pair of boots to put them in?
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Go to Footfix in Sutton Coldfield. Gerry is pretty good - but Patrick is just brill: just don't offer him a pint of Old Peculiar - these American's just can't take it! But seriously, both understand skiers. Sorry, can't comment on the expense, but everyone who I know who has been has been very happy.
http://www.footfix.co.uk
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