Boot fitting?

[jddietri]

I know there have been a lot of threads about this, but they all seem to expect some base level of knowledge about the subject, and am hoping someone is willing to point me in the right direction. I have been riding with a pair of raichle 223's since about 1998 and as the liners have been gettin packed out blisters have become more and more frequent. This year i decided to get a new pair that actually fit. After looking at this message board and talking to some ski shops i learned to measure my feet and found that my mondo size was 26.1 for my left and 26.6 for my right, but are pretty wide feet. So i bought a pair of old but not used Raichle 225's size 26 with the thermofit liners. I could barely get into the boots on before the liners were molded. I took the boots to a shop to get the liners molded (the store only sells telemark equipment so this may be a problem), and after that my left foot (the small one) feels great, like the boot was made just for my foot. My right foot is another story, i completely lost feeling by the time i got to the top of the run. In other threads i have heard poeple write about getting boots punched out and was wondering that this entails. is this actually changing the shape of the shell or is it still manipulating the liner. I can find a store that specalizes in ski racing, or even the Starting Gate in VT isn't too far, but i don't know what to ask for when i get there. Basicly if anyone is willing to give me a 101 on the language of boot fitting it would be much apprecieated.

jeff

[skipuppy]

I had a problem with my Stratos Pros that I got from Starting Gate. I brought them there and explained what was feeling wrong and they helped me out for about an hour. I highly recommend them. Sorry I can't offer more technical advice.

[adrian barr]

punching the boots actually involves heating the shell snd cresting a small - kind of bump in the shell to give you more room. i have the same problem with wide feet. had to get the boots punched 3 times. they are now perfect.

they can also punch out the toe area to give your big foot more room (been there too)

make sure you go to a good(ski) boot fitter though

[NateW]

Basicly if anyone is willing to give me a 101 on the language of boot fitting it would be much apprecieated.

The guy I deal with is happy for me to speak in terms of what the problem is; he then comes up with the solution. So probably all you need to say is "there's too much pressure here, especially when I do this..." and/or "there's too much foot movement here, in this direction, especially when I do this..." Seems like every time I go in, I learn of some other thing they can do, so I am happy to describe the problem and let him suggest a solution.

In addition to punching there is grinding, which I've had done to give a little extra width and to accomodate some lumps on the back of my ankles. Another trick for adding width is to apply an island of foam tape to your foot while the liners are molded - this pushes the liners back just a bit while they cool. Plus they can stretch the shell widthwise (and maybe lengthwise) while heating it (probably with your feet outside the shell).

[Kent]

Go to Starting Gate...they have a good reputation.

I'd imagine a custom insole would take care of your problems.....

There is no magic wand of boot fitting; it's an art. However, custom insoles WILL cure 90% of boot "fitting" problems. No need to break out the heat gun and dremel to bandaid the problem......

Good luck.

K

[adrian barr]

depends how wide your feet are - i of course of wide sasquatch feet.

my feet touched both sides of the shell with the liners out.

but i agree with the above. tell the boot fitter exactly how they feel when riding and they should be able to fix the prob

[johnstewart]

Another trick for adding width is to apply an island of foam tape to your foot while the liners are molded

Does anyone have a source for this? I'd like to find some very-sticky, somewhat thin, foam tape, so I can build up layers in certain spots on my liners. I'm doing it now with foam from an old camp pad and lots of duct tape. Works well, but ugly and getting torn up. =)

[Pat Donnelly]

Not sure what area(s) you are trying to build profile but you might want to look at www.tognar.com for boot fitting supplies.

One trick my fitter did for me was to insert a 1/8" thick Bontex shim plate in the base of the boot before we molded the liners. My feet swell at altitude so when we go West, I remove the shim and have more room in my boot; no more pain. The shims are also available in 1/16" thickness.

[tahoetrencher]

To increase the toe box on your thermos I just cut the first 3 inches off an old pair of neo-booties(kiteboarding/surfing)

which worked great. Any reputable boot shop will have different toe boxes to choose from. I have an 11.5 US foot and my Raichle M27's are perf!

[RJ-PS]

Agreed with going to Startinggate.

They have a good reputation and cater to racers. That means they have to know what they are talking about since most of the racers do.

Otherwise any good ski boot fitter will work. It's not about ski or snowboard, it's about foot and hardshell. A good fitter is a good fitter regardless.