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January, 2025

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So basically, I can't find any boots, fuck!

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Love_Wins.
Posts: 5536 - Karma: -1
So I went to 2 different local skis shops here yesterday, and was very disapointed, and the first, I found only about half a dozen boots on the wall, almost all of which were mid-level, rental types that I wouldn't own, and the 2nd shop, I saw some Langes and other nice boots, but they have nothing in my size, and I mean like...notta. I tried on some Tecnicas last year and liked them fit of them, so I was considering ordering a pair online, but I'll probably wait and see what's up when the rest of their stock comes in, cause I don't want to order a boot through them and not have it fit, fuck that, but I dunno what else to do, this sucks ass. I just wanted to let you all know what a shitty time I'm having, what would you do?
Nov 3 2006 5:56AM
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fouldsys
Posts: 7404 - Karma: 39
i would buy my '05 size 28.5 1080 boots used for 2 seasons
Nov 3 2006 8:20AM
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coldsmoke20
Posts: 239 - Karma: 108
Or buy my Rossignol Freeride XX's in a 28 im letting them go for cheap.
Nov 3 2006 8:34AM
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icywhite
Posts: 1242 - Karma: 12
werent u sellin ur rampages? u shoulda just kept those
Nov 3 2006 10:47AM
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Love_Wins.
Posts: 5536 - Karma: -1
Why? They fit me horrible after packing out, they've got a little pocket for your ankle, and mine totally missed the pocket, so everytime I rode them the inside of my ankle was hitting the inside shell of the boot, hurt like hell.
Nov 3 2006 1:33PM
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lastxlight
Posts: 1611 - Karma: 10
At least you dont have large calves, thin heels, wide ankles, and wide feet. In a size 31.5
Nov 3 2006 4:00PM
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ride_switch
Posts: 586 - Karma: 22
I know exactly what you mean, all the boots I try on don't fit me. I have a narrow foot, narrow heel, high instep. nothing works, I think  I'll just get some nordicas because of the high instep that they have and get a  custom footbed.
Nov 3 2006 4:02PM
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hemlockjibber8
Posts: 5990 - Karma: 3,620
do you have a rediculous looking foot or do the stores not have any stock in?
Nov 3 2006 5:18PM
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Love_Wins.
Posts: 5536 - Karma: -1
Not in stock, should I wait, or just buy some of the Tecnicas that I know fit me pretty well, I tried on a 29.0, but I don't remember exactly if they were perfect, I'd either get that or a 28.5 and see which fit me better, but I was fitted for them last year, the shops here just have nothing I'd want to ski in.
Nov 3 2006 5:22PM
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hemlockjibber8
Posts: 5990 - Karma: 3,620
where do you live?
Nov 3 2006 5:28PM
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Love_Wins.
Posts: 5536 - Karma: -1
Anchorage, AK
Nov 3 2006 5:31PM
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lastxlight
Posts: 1611 - Karma: 10
If one of them fits close, talk to the boot tech about what might fit right. He could order it in, also, you can get parts popped out or in
Nov 3 2006 5:48PM
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lastxlight
Posts: 1611 - Karma: 10
And superfeet, made my crappy boots fit perfectly
Nov 3 2006 5:49PM
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Love_Wins.
Posts: 5536 - Karma: -1
Did you get the winter ones? Or custom fit?
Nov 3 2006 6:36PM
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skimasterflex
Posts: 2064 - Karma: 16
don't buy a 29 anything that is retarded. You probably measure 28 which means I would sell you a 27. My educated guess would be that 80% of skiers in this country have boots that are 1-2 sizes too big for them to ski well in.

If your ankle hits the inside of the shell that is called pronation. It isn't a shell problem it's a foot problem and you need support to fix it. The better boot you get the more you'll know if your foot is not properly supported. Look into custom alignment, arch support and posting if there is a legit boot fitter near you.

If you're ever in Tahoe come see me in Sacto.
Nov 3 2006 8:45PM
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Skipig25
Posts: 10729 - Karma: 256
just get your old ones fit to your foot
Nov 3 2006 8:56PM
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Love_Wins.
Posts: 5536 - Karma: -1
I wear a 13-14 show size man, I have pretty gnarly sized feet, and every measurement I've had taken by shop bootfitters has been about a 29.0, I even stepped on the Nordica measurement board while I was in one of the shops a couple days ago, and the front of my toe is right on the 29.0 line, but I guess if I got some arch supports that would bring my size down a bit, but I doubt there is a very legit fitter around here, or at least I haven't found one yet, the guy at the one shop brought me out like a 29.5 after I told him I was probably a 29.0, and of course it was too big, and he didn't even bother to shell fit me, which I was looking for him to do, he just said to try them on and went to look in the back room for more boots in my size range.
Nov 3 2006 10:05PM
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hemlockjibber8
Posts: 5990 - Karma: 3,620
as skimaster said, get custom orthotics, don't let them post them (building up the inside of the orthotic to put you in neutral) they should scan you in neutral and not hand guess it with posting. as he said as well most people wear boots that are too big. a 29.5 and a 29 are the same shell size, and 50% of the time, the same liner. sometimes the only difference is the stock footbed is thicker, either way, this packs out and is no different after a few weeks.

an orthotic won't make your foot a size smaller. it will make it narrower though. if the guy doesnt shell check you, he is most likely a moron. you want between 1.5 to just over 2 fingers to fit behind your heel when your toes are just touching the front of the boot. use that as a guide if he won't shell check you.

if your pretty limited in selection, don't worry about the width so much if that's the only thing bothering you. it's extremely easy to grind a boot and make it wider. it will give you a better fit everywhere else too.

i really don't recommend buying something you havent tried on, unless you're willing to do a lot of work on it.

good luck
Nov 3 2006 10:34PM
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Love_Wins.
Posts: 5536 - Karma: -1
The only kind of 'custom' footbed type thing I've ever had done was just a pre-heated insole, and then it was laid on a foot shaped support, with arch support, and then took my shape and cooled off, and then the guy reinforced the shape with some dense foam, and wow, I dunno if he did something wrong or what, but after about a day riding with them, I had to take them out and put the regular insoles back in cause they were so uncomfortable. I don't really know anything about posting, or getting properly aligned, or scanned in neutral, or what that stuff means, can someone explain this shit to me, or point me in the direction of some resourses/info so I don't end up with another boot that doesn't fit properly.
Nov 4 2006 2:15AM
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Spitzer
Posts: 534 - Karma: 10
Have you tried Nordica Supercharger Ignition boots? They have about a 100 mm last, so if your foot ain't too wide, it may work well for you. Nice boot, but my feet are too wide for it.

Also, check out Superfeet's website... lots of info about orthotics. You get the best bang for your buck with those insoles. Superfeet aren't really "arch supports" per se. They support the back of your arch and cup your heel, and in a way, prevent your foot from flattening out as much. Since it has a rigid plastic form to it, it should also help you get from edge to edge with greater efficiency.

A good bootfitter should do measurments on both your feet, seated and standing. A shell fit should measure about 5/8" from the back of your heel to the shell (a finger and a bit). Two fingers would be more suitable for kids. They should use a dowel, cause shoving a hand in there to check doesn't work too great. Side-to-side, you should have no more than half a finger on either side of your foot. If your feet touch both sides of the shell, then it may be too narrow for you.

If you do get custom insoles, don't get the ones where you stand on the insole to mould it. Ideally an insole should be moulded to your foot using a vaccuum, or when your foot is unweighted. There's one insole that makes you stand on it to form it, and that stuff is crap cause your foot is already flattening out.

Anyways, that's my 2 cents.
Nov 4 2006 4:24AM
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lyndon
Posts: 7266 - Karma: 128
i was in your situation..Langes didnt fit, rossis didnt fit, heads didnt fit, dalbello didnt fit, nordica didnt fit, then, then i tried on some 1080 Foils..wonderful!!!! Just go and get fitted, yay!!!
Nov 4 2006 8:51AM
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Love_Wins.
Posts: 5536 - Karma: -1
I haven't found a good fitter here, like I said, the guy didn't even shell fit me, which is the first thing you should do, I do know that much. Anyone in the Anchorage area know of a legit bootfitter?
Nov 4 2006 4:58PM
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lyndon
Posts: 7266 - Karma: 128
PM tanakaskier....i think he is from anchorage...ge got dalbello rampages pushed out like an inch...and a good fitter at that!!
Nov 4 2006 6:18PM
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Love_Wins.
Posts: 5536 - Karma: -1
Damn, other than then ankle bang issue, that was a good boot, cold as fuck though.
Nov 4 2006 6:24PM
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hemlockjibber8
Posts: 5990 - Karma: 3,620
dude where did you get that info from?

first off superfeet, the over the counter ones are crap. they are better than whats in the boot, but put that $30 towards a better one. the cork superfeet are decent if they are done right. however most people do them wrong, and they fall apart when the get wet.

then you tell someone to get a 1 finger plus a bit length fit, which is tight, and to have a centimeter of room from side to side. is this a race fit or an old lady fit. if you are going with that length go narrower. way more control and you can grind out for some width if you need it.

for custom orthotics, 99% of the time they should be made in a weighted position. you correct the foot from flattening out by rolling them into a neutral position. why would you make an orthotic for someone to stand on, by molding it to their foot without weight on it? that makes no sense.

posting refers to what the boot fitter might do to roll your foot outwards, so its not flat. this is crap. all they are doing is sticking a chunk of dense foam under the foot and then hand grinding to however much they think you should put out. they are just guessing and should never do shit by hand.

don't worry if the boot is a little narrow. a little grinding and a punch can do tonnes.

dont have this work done at a big sporting goods shop. go to a boot store, with actual boot fitters

Nov 5 2006 12:39AM
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Spitzer
Posts: 534 - Karma: 10
Tell me, why are the basic superfeet crap? Especially compared to an insole at the same pricepoint? And if there's something better, what would you suggest?

As for measuring length, how is a finger and a bit on a shell fit tight? Considering how liners pack out, that should be the approximate room you should have.

Side-to-side, there should be about 2-3 mm on either side. Half a finger is a generalization, didn't mean a full cm of room.

For the shop made insoles, moulding them to an unweighted foot is better than ones where you simply stand on them. Unless something else is added after the inital moulding, how is it any different from any other stock insole?

You're comparing expensive custom orthotics to a pricepoint insole that's done in a shop. I don't think that's really a fair comparison. Notice I said "Insole" when I talked about Superfeet, not "Orthotics." Big difference dude. I only said orthotics when referring to info on the Superfeet website.
Nov 5 2006 2:33AM
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cobra_commander
Posts: 16909 - Karma: 4,681
you could have gone in and probably gotten that fixed for like $20.
Nov 5 2006 2:49AM
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hemlockjibber8
Posts: 5990 - Karma: 3,620
first off, he was talking about custom insoles, which most logically would mean orthotics. for the price of over the counter insoles, yes, the superfeet are the best. except its the best of generic, non fitted, sloppy inserts. My point about that was its much better to put that $35 towards an orthotic. hell, theres some companies out there that will make you a new orthotic for free when you out grow the old one. could equal out after a few year of super feet.

i would put most skilled skiers in a finger and a wiggle shell fit, but if i did that i def wouldnt leave room around their foot. for a more recreational skier would you not go closer to two fingers? 1 and a bit will be tight on the toes.

for custom orthotics made at a shop you can scan a foot on a machine and then mill an orthotic from a blank chunk of dense rubber. check out amfit or surefoot. with a heat mold/insert plastic (like cork super feet and such it should be done weighted. the vacuum ones need to be unweighted but you need to manual align the foot when you do it.

i think this is good that there is actually an intelligent boot thread on ns
Nov 5 2006 3:45AM
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Love_Wins.
Posts: 5536 - Karma: -1
Yeah, the 'custom' insole I had wasn't really an orthotic, there was no computer scan or anything, I stood on the platform, he told me to pick a spot on the wall and not to look at my feet, and them aligned me and let it cool off , and I wasn't allowed to move, and then put some harder, denser foam under the arch so it wouldn't collapse...so I guess this was posting? Anyway, one of the instructors that I worked with (this guy knows his shit, been teaching for probably 20+ years, and is seriously probably the best skier I've even known) said that he won't ever let that shop do his footbeds again cause they've fucked them up multiple times before, so maybe it just wasn't a good shop, but it was the only 'real' ski pro shop in town. But I think I'd want to go the surefoot route if there was one close to here, cause they do the computer scan, and can get you totally aligned and whatnot.
Nov 5 2006 4:04AM
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Spitzer
Posts: 534 - Karma: 10
A misinterpretation then on my part. When someone says "custom insoles," I usually think about the kind that are made in a ski shop. Orthotics to me means going to a trained professional to get everything done properly.

As for fitting superfeet, I spend a bit of time making them fit just right in the boot. I trim them to size and bevel the edges. If the person has serious problems with the width, I may trim a hair off each side to give it a tiny bit more volume in the boot. Last resort, pull out the boot punch...

For shell fitting, I usually go with a finger and a bit. Thing is that I'll throw in a pair of superfeet and tighten the upper buckles a bit tigher than usual. The combination of superfeet and tighter buckles pulls the toes off the front of the boot. That and getting them to flex the boot to shove their heel into the back of the boot. I try to emphasize how they need to tighten the buckles more as the liner packs out in the day, otherwise they may find that their toes will start banging at the front of the boot.

For recreational skiers, I find that the combination of a softer boot and a pair of superfeet insoles serve them well. During a boot fit, I usually talk to them about how a more athletic stance will help them with their carving technique and how it's achieved by bending slightly at the knees. The bending causes their toes to come off the front, and they usually don't complain about the fit when they realize that it'll help them with their skiing.

As for how many fingers... well I think I may have fat fingers or somethin.... cause two of my fingers is like an inch and a quarter... which is a hella lot of room.
Nov 5 2006 4:14AM
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hemlockjibber8
Posts: 5990 - Karma: 3,620
that must be the problem. your fingers are way bigger than mine. haha

definitely all those things about the toes works though. as for orthotics, surefoot = orthtoics, cork superfeet, etc = custom footbeds
Nov 6 2006 10:05PM
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Ryno
Posts: 31125 - Karma: 336
You can buy boots online and take the risk of getting a good fit. But, this means you could be stuck with a shitty fitting pair and waste time and money (likely scenario).

Or you can drive the extra distance to other shops (even Sport Cheks, huge box stores, anything) and try on EVERYTHING. Get a bootfitter to help you.

Boot fit = comfort on the mountian.

It doesnt matter if your reppin all the new lime green oakley gear and new armadas or whatever, if your boots hurt/dont fit right, its going to ruin your skiing on you no matter what else you have.
Nov 6 2006 10:15PM
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Love_Wins.
Posts: 5536 - Karma: -1
Alright guys, news on the homefront: I went to 4 shops today and tried on multiple boots - Salomon, Head, Nordica, Tecnica...quite a few. Most of the places didn't really have a 'bootfitter' per se, 3 of the 4 shops had someone that I talked to who at least had some idea of how a boot should fit. But the biggest surprise to me was the guy I met at REI, after being told by a fellow member from Anchorage that REI people didn't know shit about anything, but to give him credit, this guy is pretty new here, and seems to really know his shit...he's from the Seattle REI store, at which they have a full service bootshop, with trained fitters and such, so after trying on a total of 3 pairs of boots at REI and talking with him for quite a while ( We talked about proper fit, packing out, my pronation problem, and all sorts of things related to boots) I've all but decided for sure on the Tecnica Diablo Flame in a 28.5, it feels a bit tight, but after packing out, and having some footbeds done, it should be a nice fit. Additionally, he suggested a place that will do a footbed for me using a semi-weighted vacuum set-up, as opposed to a fully weighted heat-form approach, which he said, in his experience is better for people who need support under the arch, but aren't ready to have a full-on orthotic alignment and correction done. What do you guys think?
Nov 6 2006 11:03PM
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hemlockjibber8
Posts: 5990 - Karma: 3,620
sounds pretty good man. glad you found something.

when you are getting the vacuum foot bed done, make sure they pu tyour foot into the sub talor neutral position.

Nov 6 2006 11:31PM
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Love_Wins.
Posts: 5536 - Karma: -1
explain?
Nov 6 2006 11:46PM
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NoTeefa
Posts: 9566 - Karma: 129
just buy SPKs, you don't to try them on, fit doesn't really matter anyways
Nov 6 2006 11:52PM
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BigRodRiley
Posts: 1265 - Karma: 36
thanks for the rampages dude, they fit great!
Nov 7 2006 9:12AM
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Love_Wins.
Posts: 5536 - Karma: -1
Glad to hear it.
Nov 7 2006 8:36PM
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