ski boot buckle extenders - where can I get them?

A snowHead

I have my own ski boots, but have difficulty fastening them. Someone gave me something which looks like a fastener/buckle which helps close the boot. Unfortunately, I have just found out I have lost them.
I am off to La Plagne tomorrow. Is it likely they would have any in the resort?
I have looked at every ski shop in Newcastle.
Any suggestions?

A snowHead

Ski shops in Newcastle ?

According to DirectSki Geordies don't go skiing Twisted Evil

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

Are you sure you can't move the offending buckle over using an allen key?

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Gravystuffing, if I did this, would I need to redrill a hole to relocate the buckle?
I was just out in the car there and found an allen key and was wondering if I could use it as a lever?

Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.

Photos? Problem? Boot type?

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Most boots of any standard allow you to move the top two buckles to three different positions. Not the buckle itself but the side where the teeth are. Many folk are unaware of this because the teeth are usually positioned in the centre position when new and it covers the pre-drilled holes. Newer style boots often allow this adjustment by lifting, twisting and sliding the teeth into the new position. If you can't do either of these things then I suggest your boots are either very old or very cheap. Look at the back of where the teeth are fixed and see if you can adjust them from there.

On a more general not always fasten the lower buckle first. It will pull the upper buckle across to make it easier to make a start. Then adjust the lower and upper buckles to fit. Don't start with the top buckle.

Let me know how you get on.

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

Do you mean that you struggle to push the buckles over because you're not strong enough? If so was this gadget some kind of lever?

After all it is free

I once had a guest who wanted a flight home because she said a recurrence of pain in her Dalbello boot made it impossible for her to continue skiing. The doctor at home had suggested an operation.

The diagnosis.........the shop had sold her the boots with the extra buckle across the ankle adjusted differently on the two boots.

She was tightening the same on both boots!!!!! Allen key solved her boot problem and saved her a flight home for an operation.

I kid you not. This is another true story from the weird and wonderful world of working with guests in the Alps.

You can often screw the lever side of the catch for micro adjustment too; this is often enough if they are amost right but just difficult to fasten.

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Jake43, I agree but I was giving lynne123, some credit wink

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gravystuffing, Well if you know someone who could not spot 2 boots with different clip settings you just never know. I only added it for completeness. You just never know. Smile

It does sound like lynne123, is happy with the boot when clipped so I just wondered if it was only a small adjustment needed.

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lynne123, either you can't get your boots right because, as gravystuffing says, the buckles need to be repositioned or they're in the right place, but you can't push them home because it's too difficult, even on the correct setting? My OH has the latter issue. You could try this (as long as you don't have super-wide buckles): get an old bent Ali ski pole (littering every resort), cut it off a bit below the grip, flatten the end a bit till it sleeves over the end of your buckle and hey presto - you have a buckle lever! If your buckles are too wide, then a bit of copper water pipe or similar should do the trick Very Happy

Jake43, I certainly agree. You just never know. Just when you think you've seen it all another one comes along.

Best one so far this year? I have 50 guests waiting for a transfer bus. The local free bus cuts in front of us and catches the petrol tank on an exposed drain spilling a huge pool of diesel at our feet. Lovely Evil or Very Mad

At least it hasn't snowed on transfer day. YET!!!!!!

You know it makes sense.

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

ww166no, Your other half has NO problems with her boots. Her problems are deep and charitable. Toofy Grin

A snowHead

A snowHead

ww166no, got cash for you/her. Laughing

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

Thanks for these replies.
Yes, I am happy with them once they are buckled up, but they are difficult to buckle. They are already at their max I believe.
The thing I had just looked like a fastener you get on cheap ski boots. In fact it may once have been a fastener. It was an elongated D shape with teeth.
I only used it to fasten the boots. Once done up I just put it in my pocket. Hence I have now lost it.
I got it in USA. I am not sure whether it came off some old ski boots.

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Is it something like this? http://www.skitoolcompany.com/

Or this http://www.skibuckle-ez.com/

Could you use a bottle opener?

Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.

JamesIE, I had a look at the first link and it does seem to be exactly what is descibed by the OP doesn't it? Mind you I thought I'd read somewhere that it shouldn't be necessary to use un-ncessary force to do boot clips up and I bet that does give a huge amount of leverage.

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

Lynne, you need to post a pic of one of the boots or make model and a pic of one of the buckles

After all it is free

Have fun in La Plagne, i loved it there in Jan........i want to go back....NOW!!

Have fun in La Plagne, i loved it there in Jan........i want to go back....NOW!!

*Ski* the Net with snowHeads

It is so good to know that I'm not the only person who has trouble doing up their boots. I'm constantly being told that I must be trying to do them up too tight or that there's something wrong with the boots if I can't do them up. I'm going to try to get one of these gadgets (or a bottle opener) ... or alternatively dust off my old rear entry boots from 1993.

snowHeads are a friendly bunch.

Megamum, Yeah, I've found that when it takes that much force, then the boots are too tight. But then I've never had to use lady fingers to fasten the buckle.

This looks more fun for about the same price. http://www.aliceinhulaland.com/gifts/alice-hula-girl-bottle-opener

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Brighams in Cas Xscape has a large amount of nordica (work with any boot) clip extenders, useful for large calves, short clips, about £2-£3 a clip, drop in and see us if you have chance.

Also make sure clips are fully adjusted to the outermost setting like people say.

If it's that hard to do the cuff clips up it points to a problem with fit, I've only ever needed to use extenders on absolutely huge calves, of the kind where you start to think these people shouldn't ski cos they don't do any other exercise!!

I Agree with crazy_skier_jules, we only use them on boots where calf volume presents an issue, we have had a couple of rugby players in with certain boots where this is the ideal solution, so they are not always unfit skiers that need these. And using rugby balls to stretch the upper cuff and liner is a trick we have successfully used a few times with calf volume issues, although customers do wonder why we are passing rugby balls across the showroom, being a winter sports shop

If you are down south, we carry the same Nordica clip, looks like this: http://www.edgeandwax.co.uk/4832/products/Nordica_Ski_Boot_Buckle_Extension_Single_.aspx

Handy, and getting rarer these days!

ScottyDog

You know it makes sense.

I think there are two issues here. The first is overtightening of buckles and a rookie mistake (to which Megamum's comment relates). The second is an issue of what I'm guessing is stiff plastic where it is difficult to get the clips together initially, but after a minute of two, they will tighten quite happily. I've never had a problem with fastening boots before, but my new boots are an absolute b*gger to do up. I have to do the power strap up as tight as poss, just to get the buckles close enough to join. Once I've done that, wait a few minutes (walk to the lift etc), then I can do them up tighter to their normal setting just fine... though getting the buckle to sit back is always a struggle. I do know what over-tightened boots feel like and it ain't that.

My guess is lynne123 is experiencing the same problem, in which case, my sympathies it's a pain in the backside.

(and no, I don't leave them open at night) Little Angel

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

One of our group had the same problem, he's an ex-rugby player with enormous calves, and had the biggest pair of boots in the hire shop...

It was nearly impossible to get the top buckle to catch, unless he started at the bottom and did each buckle up one notch at a time starting with them on full reach. But they were fine once they were fastened.

edit - oooops - Not that I'm implying Lynne is a ex-rugby player, just that her boots are difficult to fasten

A snowHead

Sounds like the boots are a bit too big so you are having to do them up tight to compensate.
Put them on when they are nice and warm and perhaps keep them overnight with the buckles done up. Might help.

Mine are quite old now and consequently with packing of the inners I have a bit of the same problem. A progressive tightening, starting at the bottom (so each buckle gets done up a couple of times) is now my norm.

A snowHead

How did you get on with your boots in La Plagne lynne123?

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

Thanks for the replies. The extenders were exactly like those in the post by Scotty Dog.
However, when I got there, I was talking to the guy in the ski hire shop and he said to make sure the boots were always left closed. I did this, and had no problem the next day. This suggests, as others have said, that the plastic was too stiff.
Anyway, the first day that I skied, lo and behold I had two extra ones in the pockets of my ski trousers, which of course I had not worn since last year.
Thanks for all of the helpful replies though.
Had a brilliant time.

Help!!

ski boot buckle extenders - where can I get them?

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