Are Daleboots the best answer for problem feet?

A snowHead

I have "problem" feet and it's been suggested Dale boots may be the answer to my boot challenges. I've described below my situation and would welcome any views from anyone who has Dale boots and/or has foot problems that may be similar and how they've managed to get boots.

I have had 6 major surgeries on my left foot during my teens to thirties (now in my 50s). As a result I now have completely fused toes and no real movement in the toe area, my "big" toe is only about 3/4 inch long, and my toes don't sit flat to the ground when I stand. This left foot is about 2 whole sizes shorter than my right as I've had so much bone removed from my metatarsals and toes. My left leg is also about 1/2 inch shorter than my right. Both my feet are also completely flat.

I've been wearing the same boots for about 10 years, a very basic Technica model with custom orthotics. They've been pretty comfortable although my left foot has always moved around a lot as the boots never been a close fit. Now the boots are needing replacement as the shells have gone completely rigid and the inners are packed down. Also I now ski more aggressively and on steeper terrain and the boots are really doing nothing for me.

I'm a very strong intermediate skier (able to ski black runs and off piste) and now ski about 4 weeks a year.

Any views welcome on whether Dale boots are the right solution for me.

thanks in advance

A snowHead

carolh, welcome to snowHeads. For me the answer to painful ski boots was to find a good bootfitter. There is a lot of customisation that can be done with high end boots to accommodate problem feet, without having to limit yourself to Daleboots. www.solutions4feet.com might be a good starting point

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

carolh, Welcome to Snowheads. I don't know enough about boot fitting to answer your questions specifically, however;

I have spent several years in varying degrees of pain from customised off the shelf boots, the last pair of which were definitely high end in price.

In January I had new Daleboots fitted in Kitzbuhel by Rob Graham (who owns the company) and the difference is amazing! if you want to ski in what feels like carpet slippers then get them.

I just regret the money and time I spent suffering in boots that didn't fit me, having been sold them by people who did not know what they are talking about.

Asrob@rar, says there are good fitters who others swear by and I thought about travelling down to see them. In the end I was going to Austria anyway and just thought why have yet another try and see experience when for roughly double I can get made to measure, with no doubts Very Happy

You need to Login to know who's really who.

thanks for the advice so far. Has anyone any views on Dale Boots versus Strolz boots - someone I just met skiing is thinking of Strolz. But neither of us knew the pros / cons of Dale vs Strolz?

Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.

carolh, it really depends on what fits your foot best.

You'll need to Register first of course.

I considered Daleboots last year, but decided not to bother in the end. But my feet are a bit more conventional than yours and with the help of a good fitter I achieved a good fit with off-the-shelf boots plus custom footbeds. I think you'd be best off speaking to a professional boot fitter and taking it from there. If Daleboots are the answer, they should lead you that way.

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

I think rob@rar and uktrailmonster are right. They key is a good boot fitter.

I do, in fact, have some Dale Boots. They were fitted by James C. @ http://www.outdoortradersuk.com/ (Abingdon).

James is v keen on the Dale product but he won`t just push you towards Dale Boots - he has plenty of other `conventional` boots in stock.

James knows his stuff and works hand in glove (or foot in boot ?) with Rob Graham in Kitzbuhel. Rob speaks v highly of James.

For me, the boots work very well. I like there lightness, flex and the ability to `feel` the snow. They also fit my slightly oddly shaped legs rather well.

They are very customisable (more so than Strolz).

Whether they are for you - only you and a good bootfitter will know.

After all it is free

carolh, Round pegs in round holes square pegs in square holes. the first step in boot fitting is matching the boot to the foot. Different boots are better suited to different shaped feet. A GOOD bootfitter will help you select the best for you.

Just realised I just used way more words to say what Mosha Marc said.

I also reccomend the same bootfitter rob@rar did. He is also a foot specialist (I cant spell his qualification but it begins with ped) so would be particularly good for you. He posts on here as CEM you might see him highly reccomended here in other boot fitting threads.

Another snowhead ,who posts here is Anarchics saltire, he is also a a foot specialist (another big word starting with ped but not the same one as CEM) and might be worth contacting.

Best of luck and I hope you find the right boots.

Thanks for all the advice. I was recommended to James in Abingdon by my podiatrist/biomechanist (but she's not a skier so it's good to hear from a skier). My husband was actually fitted by CEM who I think is at solutions4feet.
I think I'll go to James in Abingdon and see what he advises. Having just spent another 5 days skiing in my old boots I have definitely got to get some new boots!

Help!!

Are Daleboots the best answer for problem feet?

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