Member of the Month

KilaTsunami
October, 2024

Online

Welcome to the Newschoolers forums! You may read the forums as a guest, however you must be a registered member to post. Register to become a member today!

Intuition Liner Molding.

profile picture
Aaaron.
Posts: 11817 - Karma: 903
I picked up a pair of FTs at the end of last season.  Got about 8 days on them before the snow melted, in early march and they performed perfectly.  stunningly.  flawlessly.  I didn't feel the need to have the liners molded then, but, if I understand correctly, an intuition liner will not reach it's intended fit until it has been molded.  So I would like to have it done before the season starts ( i'm in the mid atlantic, so we're are looking at clear skies and upper 50s until christmas)

My "local" shop has an intuition molder, and they are asking $20 for the job, but here is my question:  These boots are a little big on me; there is a little room at the toe.  I know that it would be better to have a perfectly fitting boot, but thanks to the wonderful, ingenius cable system I am experiencing only minimal lift in my heels and like i said, these boots perform better than i could have ever dreamed.  However there is a tiny little scotch of room in my toes.  Will this detrimentally affect the molding of my boots?  I have been gaining weight, and probably have a litlte growth left in me. (17 years old)   Will it be better to wait until I fill the boot alittle better before molding?
Dec 4 2009 11:07AM
0 0
profile picture
onenerdykid
Posts: 6657 - Karma: 10,897
Think of a footbed this way - you just bought a Porsche but it came with a Buick steering- it's not nearly as dialed as it could easily be.  Your boots fit better than ever before which is awesome, but you are not getting the full potential out of your boots.  A footbed will make your boot feel and ski even better because your are making a perfect interface with your foot and the boot. (I will say there might be some adjustment time for you to get used to the footbed, don't expect to ski it without wearing it a bit).

As for your liners, you never HAVE to mold your liners- it just helps if you have any tight spots or pressure points on your foot.  If it feels good, just wear it.  But I will say if you get footbeds, definitely have them cooked so everything molds together nicely but DON'T wear a toe cap.  A toe cap will only make more room in your toes..
Dec 4 2009 11:34AM
0 0
profile picture
MacMahoooon
Posts: 9009 - Karma: 3,305
As the liners are heated the foam will expand and the volume inside actually gets smaller as it molds around your foot. If you were only a half size too big the molding process should actually take up some of the excess space. And contrary to what the other poster said you DO need to use a toes cap to prevent the liner expanding directly against your toes and not leaving any room for them to move.

These liners can also be molded several times, so if you are still growing get them redone before next season.

$20 is a steal to get them done to!
Dec 4 2009 11:48AM
0 0
profile picture
onenerdykid
Posts: 6657 - Karma: 10,897
I'm not trying to get banned here by disagreeing with you :) but I've molded literally hundreds of FTs (and even more other types of Intuition liners) and in my experience not having a toe cap (while being in the correct shell size) will not crush your toes.  Also depends on what he has for a boot - The Booter doesn't have a thick liner at all (especially in the toe box) and it won't compress down and not leave any room for his toes to move (granted he has the correct shell size).    Whereas the Seth or Konflict has a much thicker liner with firmer densities of foam/linings.  Even then, if you are worried about having too much toe room and you are in the correct shell size, not having a toe cap won't ruin the fit. 
Dec 4 2009 12:16PM
0 0
profile picture
psychkub
Posts: 1788 - Karma: 16
BAN!


heh.

Just get the boots heat molded. They will feel so much better. Get the toe cap too, it makes a world of difference. When I bought my intuition liner, Intuition recommended not using a footbed, because the liner can then conform to your specific foot shape, but the shop said everyone they've molded intuitions for put a footbed in. I listened to them because I figured they knew what they were saying, but in retrospect, I think they were just trying to make a sale.
Dec 4 2009 12:33PM
0 0
profile picture
MacMahoooon
Posts: 9009 - Karma: 3,305
No Ban needed, you provided valid informed advice. Your first post made it sound like you suggest never using a toe cap, while they should be considered on a case by case basis. Having a correctly sized liner and shell it may not be needed, but with a poorly sized boot there is the chance of them over expanding and leaving very little room in the toes, creating discomfort

Either way I think we both agree going to get them professionally molded is a good idea for the member in question
Dec 4 2009 1:07PM
0 0
profile picture
Aaaron.
Posts: 11817 - Karma: 903
wow quality posts thanks alot! 

I definitely think i will have them molded.  

any other opinions?
Dec 4 2009 1:20PM
0 0
profile picture
Aaaron.
Posts: 11817 - Karma: 903
also, can some one explain to me what this "toe cap" is and does?  pros and cons kind of deal?
Dec 4 2009 1:21PM
0 0
profile picture
psychkub
Posts: 1788 - Karma: 16
It's just a neoprene cap they place over your toes then cover with another sock so that it creates a pocket in the liner giving you some extra room to wiggle your toes. There really isn't anything negative about it that I know of.
Dec 4 2009 1:52PM
0 0
profile picture
onenerdykid
Posts: 6657 - Karma: 10,897
Because Intuition liners are so moldable, they can take the shape of whatever you put inside them (usually this means your foot).  A boot-fitter can add pads to certain places on your foot like bunions or spurs to create more room around a specific area when the liner is molding to your foot.  A toe cap is similar to this.  It's a neoprene or leather or plastic cap that fits over your toes (imagine cutting off the toe portion of a sock and it looks like that) designed to take up space around your toes yet allow the rest of the liner to conform to your foot.  It can be a life saver in certain circumstances or possibly make too much room in others.   And like the other contributor said, a professional boot-fitter will determine the correct choice for your specific instance.
Dec 4 2009 1:53PM
0 0
profile picture
onenerdykid
Posts: 6657 - Karma: 10,897
The downside to not using a footbed when molding an intuition liner is that your foot's natural position is usually in a collapsed state and your ankle is allowed to move in ways that work great for walking around town but don't work well for skiing. You never want to mold your foot in a pronated position for non gaited sports (like skiing) where your foot is not making a walking motion.  So the potential downside to molding an intuition liner without a footbed is that your run the high risk of molding the liner to a foot that is not in the correct position for skiing.

Did the shop sell you an additional product where they made some more money?  Yes, but it sounds like their were doing the right thing for you and your boot.
Dec 4 2009 2:00PM
0 0
profile picture
psychkub
Posts: 1788 - Karma: 16
+K for explaining that.
Dec 4 2009 5:39PM
0 0
profile picture
Slinger1x1
Posts: 8853 - Karma: 66
spot on brother
first thing we do when we do boot work is make you get a foot bed. it doesnt have to be fully custom, just something that will give you support and correct your pronation and give you a stable platform
you may have problems with your foot with the stock footbed, and if you still have problems after a foot bed then we will do work, but until then, your really not going to do much to make the boot better.

the shop wasn't ripping you off. some people can get away without a footbed, but every can benefit form one. we sell them all the time. my shop used to say "blah blah blah about this boot, oh, and make sure you sell a foot bed with it". I used to think it was just to make a sale and what not, but its legitimately one of the best things you can do to a boot.
Dec 4 2009 8:18PM
0 0
profile picture
chazz.
Posts: 2721 - Karma: 23
Is there room in intuitions for a footbed? The shop i got my Konflicts molded at said no to a footbed, that intuition liners are made to not use one, and no to a toecap because it would make too much room. Does he know what he is talking about??? Sounds to me like a toecap would be a little more comfortable in my particular case of tight-toes in my boots, and that a footbed helps the foot stay in the right position/shape. Ive always had custom footbeds in all my boots before too. When i looked in there though it looked like no extra room, and for goodness sakes my boots are tight enough already won't a footbed just make them tighter and therefore more uncomfortable?? Sorry to threadjack but it sounded like you have most your questions answered...
Dec 4 2009 8:41PM
0 0
profile picture
Slinger1x1
Posts: 8853 - Karma: 66
im not so sure about the molding

but to the footbeds, you can definitely put them in. you take out the on in there so it doesnt take up extra room, and it also makes your foot take up less sapce
Dec 4 2009 9:35PM
0 0
profile picture
chazz.
Posts: 2721 - Karma: 23
theres one in there? I thought it was just all intuition material, like a full wrap thing. i didnt see any sort of removable footbed, is it hard to see or get out?
Dec 4 2009 9:37PM
0 0
profile picture
Slinger1x1
Posts: 8853 - Karma: 66
as far as i know, ever liner should have a stock foot bed in it or some sort. the liner itself is definitely not sufficient as a foot bed. my dalbellos had a purple foot bed in the that comes out?

take a picture if you still cant figure it out
Dec 4 2009 9:53PM
0 0
profile picture
chazz.
Posts: 2721 - Karma: 23
full tilt intuition liners have no footbed, mine dont, and the guy who molded them also said that they are designed to not have a footbed. its just your foot, the intuition material that makes up the bottom of the liner, and then the bootboard. So my question is, is there room to put one anyways, even if you "aren't supposed too" and will the liner smash down even more with a footbed in it so it wouldnt be ridiculously tight?
Dec 4 2009 9:57PM
0 0
profile picture
Aaaron.
Posts: 11817 - Karma: 903
i had to read all of that twice to understand it.
Dec 4 2009 10:02PM
0 0
profile picture
chazz.
Posts: 2721 - Karma: 23
Its hard to write what I am thinking/trying to explain
Dec 4 2009 10:06PM
0 0
profile picture
Slinger1x1
Posts: 8853 - Karma: 66
but that makes no sense....
is the bottom of the liner hard? does it mold to the arch and definition of your foot and provide support?

i highly doubt it does. i think the guy was BSing you... it makes no sense for a boot not to have a footbed at all...
Dec 4 2009 11:49PM
0 0
profile picture
bret
Posts: 2845 - Karma: 833
he's right, the full tilt intuition liner definitely does not have a footbed. it's just soft moldable foam on the bottom. but i would for sure put a footbed in there. they give you great support and the bottom of the liner will indeed crush down a bit to accommodate them. they still take up a little extra space, so your boots will feel somewhat tighter with the footbeds, but once you get used to it, the arch support and tight ankle lock make it worth it.
Dec 5 2009 12:05AM
0 0
profile picture
chazz.
Posts: 2721 - Karma: 23
sorry for the confusion! this reply is what i was looking for, and yes the bottom of full tilt intuition liners is just flat foam, the same material as the whole rest of the liner. So supposedly the way the bootboard is built and the type of foam intuition uses, you shouldnt need a footbed, and mine feel fine without them. I am contemplating though once they pack out a little more putting a low profile footbed in and seeing if it wouldnt be too tight and provide some more support.
Dec 5 2009 1:04AM
0 0
profile picture
Aaaron.
Posts: 11817 - Karma: 903
okay that makes more sense!  haha thanks for the replies.  So it sounds like a footbed would be good for me, because it will give me better support and take up a little space, to give it a better ankle lock.  Sounds good.


and one more time about the toe cap?

Dec 5 2009 10:24AM
0 0
profile picture
onenerdykid
Posts: 6657 - Karma: 10,897
A boot fitter needs to check out your specific fit to see if a toe cap would be a good thing or not.  TO ME, it sounds like you don't need one because you already have a roomy toe box but it's hard to assess a boot fit over the interweb. 

Without seeing your actual foot but hearing you say you already have a roomy toe box, I would get a footbed, get them molded, and no toe cap for what you have described.
Dec 5 2009 12:51PM
0 0
profile picture
Parker.
Posts: 1637 - Karma: 108
what's the typical cost of getting it done?
Dec 5 2009 6:40PM
0 0
profile picture
onenerdykid
Posts: 6657 - Karma: 10,897
around $40, but shops usually include it with the boot purchase.  I know at some shops, if you bring your boots to them they include it when you buy footbeds.
Dec 6 2009 6:28PM
0 0
profile picture
Aaaron.
Posts: 11817 - Karma: 903
just got mine done. 
hot dang.
Dec 16 2009 10:33PM
0 0
All times are Eastern (-5)