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Boot fitting secrets

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N.L.
Posts: 2420 - Karma: 2,744
A boot fitter can be extremely expensive and if you have to go back every week, very annoying. Here is a list of things you can do to help get a better fit out of your ever so comfy ski boots.

Heat mold liners- the ski shop will heat these up with a machine and fit em first try for ya! and then they will pack out before the end of the season....bags of rice in the microwave will produce enough heat to do a first fitting, then the heat produced from skiing will let you settle in perfectly.

Dr. Scholl -your $500 boots come with cardboard like soles.... a memory foam insert inside your boot liner will mold to the bottom of your foot, increasing control and performance. inbetween the hard shell and liner i use an "airpad" sole insert for extra shock absorption.

Forward lean- adjusting the forward lean has become a normality on any freestyle ski boot, often its just a small piece of plastic in the back of the boot that wedges inbetween the upper and lower parts of the boot. this will allow you to bend your knees and get a more aggressive stance.

Canting- this is difficult to explain, always overlooked and effects everything about your skiing. your legs and feet should be centered in your boot... check by removing you liners, stand in your boots at shoulder width and see if the amount of room between your legs and boot shell is even on both sides.... if they are not, use the provided plastic grommets to adjust the sides of the boot until you are standing straight with the boots flat on the ground.

Flexible tongue- some boots come with interchangeable tongues for different flex patterns, but the back of the boots rigidity controls the overall amount of flex from your boot. if these flexes dont match you will have a bad time...

Any fitting beyond this should be done by a professional, but remember, most shop employees dont have a higher education to work on your expensive equipment....please feel free to add any of your own tips
Nov 29 2012 11:10AM
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Session
Posts: 5373 - Karma: 22,056
Or you could buy from a reputable bootfitter that gurantee's their work and will work until the boot fits.

Your info on insoles is shit, and ignores the whole point of a custom insole, and that is to support your foot while putting it in a neutral position. The intent is not padding and being comfy. At the very least people should invest in Superfeet, Conformable, etc..inserts that are the best match for their foot.

Also most of the rest of what you have stated is real specific about true 3 piece designs and not relevant to the majority of boots out there.
Nov 29 2012 11:59AM
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Ducky.
Posts: 5811 - Karma: 1,420
And 98% of NS does..?
Nov 29 2012 12:02PM
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Balto
Posts: 25985 - Karma: 4,404
as someone currently working as a bootfitter, this thread is fucking stupid
Nov 29 2012 12:09PM
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Huck_Norris
Posts: 11487 - Karma: 18,627

Instaprints > Dr. Scholl's.  Best $100 you'll ever freakin' spend. 

Just pay for the boot work for Jah's sake.  If you go to a reputable shop (In VT I always go to the Boot Pro at Okemo) they will only charge you ONCE per spot fix no matter how many readjustments you'll need.  Last one didn't quite do it?  No problem, they'll get you there at no charge.  Also if you guy a boot from them, you get all custom work for free. 

Lots of shops are like that, you just have to work with a legit place that cares about customer service as much as turning a profit. 

Besides, you know the difference between a PU shell, A Pebax and a PE and are you familiar with the differences in how to heat and stretch them without cracking it too?  There are a ton of new plastics out now and each have a proper work recipe, so I trust the professionals to handle my high end gear- and it doesn't even cost much.  After all, that's what they're there for! 

. 

Nov 29 2012 12:15PM
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.RYAN66
Posts: 5381 - Karma: 235
. Agreed. People like you that come in and act like they know it all really piss me off.
Nov 29 2012 12:17PM
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N.L.
Posts: 2420 - Karma: 2,744
why would anyone want to help someone in this world?
a bootfitter is expensive, and for gapers to waste money on....why not shed some light for the kids who arent fortunate enough to have custom boot liners, on top of lift tickets, skis, jackets, gloves, waxes, goggles....
Nov 29 2012 12:18PM
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N.L.
Posts: 2420 - Karma: 2,744
and ryan, when did i claim to know it all, i offer knowledge from what has worked for me...
sometimes i watch edits and can tell a kids boots arent right...just tryn to help...
Nov 29 2012 12:22PM
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Huck_Norris
Posts: 11487 - Karma: 18,627

Get the hell out. 

Nov 29 2012 12:28PM
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Round-Four
Posts: 1073 - Karma: 174
this a trick my old race coach taught me a few years ago that i have done for my last 3 pairs of boots and had great results. basically what it does is help make the footbeds mold to your feet, which significantly increases the comfort and performance of your boots. i promise this is legit advise, not some bullshit that all these ^ kids like to say because they think its funny.

what you need
-2 small oranges (not clementines)
-2 large oranges
-2 bottles of water
-boiling water
-ski boots

directions:
1. boil water in a medium saucepan. once the water is at a nice roll, put the oranges in the water whole, with the skin ON.

2. after 5-6 minutes of boiling, remove the oranges with tongs and place them directly inside your ski boots, the small one at the toe of the ski boot and the large one in the heel. the steam from these oranges helps to relax the foam slightly, which then allows a citrus chemical to temporarily change the some of the chemicals which compose the footbed into a more aqueous solution until the water starts to dry out and it becomes rigid again.

3. place bottles of water in the ankles of the boots. they should fit fairly tightly, although it doesnt need to be sealed. this keeps the reaction from step 2 in the footbeds and prevents it from effecting different kinds of foam present only in the ankles of the boots. it also plugs the holes so the steam doesnt get out.

4. after 15 minutes, remove the bottles and oranges from the boots and put the boots on your feet. the longer you can keep them on the better, but keep them on for at least an hour to make this trick work most effectively.

5. to dry the boots, remove the liners and set them out in a warm dry place.

5. repeat this process once a day for seven days.
Nov 29 2012 12:32PM
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Session
Posts: 5373 - Karma: 22,056
Every time you post something on this site it's like you open the door a little more to a brain of a mad man. Or someone with low level retardation.
Nov 29 2012 12:35PM
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N.L.
Posts: 2420 - Karma: 2,744
or just the only person who cant afford to get boots custom made.
or even buy a new pair of skis.
Nov 29 2012 12:37PM
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Rosbif
Posts: 2543 - Karma: 930
I just got my boots done super thoroughly, new footbeds, internal alignment shims on the bootboards, heat moulded shell, and the soles ground and plated for alignment as well. Very stoked to ski with everything properly tuned up.

Really just go to a decent boot fitter and get them to put you in the best setup they can, or at least the best you can afford.

The process yesterday took about 4 hours, and we talked a lot about what I needed and wanted. If you don't understand what they are doing with your boots, get them to explain.


Plates
Click for larger image
Nov 29 2012 1:43PM
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Karma_Police
Posts: 2655 - Karma: 1,628
Well it's not fucking cheap.  SO you're wrong on at least half of the quoted text.  And I know plenty of gapers who waste money on bootfitters when they ski 2 times a year.
Nov 29 2012 1:46PM
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K-Thomas
Posts: 2700 - Karma: 604
Dear all of NS,

Don't listen to OP.

Sincerely,
An experienced bootfitter.
Nov 29 2012 1:52PM
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Rosbif
Posts: 2543 - Karma: 930
If it improves their experience, is it really a waste!? I wish I had got my alignment done properly years ago now.
Nov 29 2012 1:53PM
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Karma_Police
Posts: 2655 - Karma: 1,628
I don't disagree that I wish I'd had my boots fitted properly years ago.  If they've got the money, sure.  What about a middle class family wanting to get into skiing?  Skiing is probably one of the most expensive sports to do.  Boot fitting is a luxury for a skier that skis less than 5 days IMO if you DON'T have the money.

Honestly my point is falling on def ears because this is a site where people ski a fuck ton more than 5 days a year. 



Nov 29 2012 2:02PM
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tomPietrowski
Posts: 7145 - Karma: 17,450
Generally if you buy a boot from a shop you will get the fitting for free. If you go to a good shop you will often get a guarantee for free, if you go for recommended fitting products such as footbeds.

So bootfitting is only expensive if you try to be cheap and buy the boots online. If you go the correct route and buy from a good bootfitter most boot work will be free.
Nov 29 2012 2:09PM
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Barmski
Posts: 4342 - Karma: 811
Do what you want to make it work, there are so many ways to make your boot its insane. A bootfitter is not ALWAYS the answer. I know and work with experienced Surefoot boot fitters. Boot fitting is a game of trial and error, I don't give a give a shit what you know as a boot fitter it is literally sometimes impossible to interpret what the customer is trying to communicate with you when they have an issue. High insteps, flat feet, 6 th toe, heel bone spurs, etc there's so much that can happen. An experienced boot fitter is a loose term on this site. I worked in a ski shop for a year.....I am experienced boot fitter.......wait no I'm not. Some people learn on their own and some get help from others. That's boot fitting. Its a giant plastic shell over your foot.
Nov 29 2012 2:17PM
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CrotchKiller
Posts: 9037 - Karma: 6,943
OP is a fucking idiot
Nov 29 2012 2:19PM
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Karma_Police
Posts: 2655 - Karma: 1,628
Man, for how many insightful and lengthy posts you make I'm surprised you even have time to ski.
Nov 29 2012 2:30PM
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Huck_Norris
Posts: 11487 - Karma: 18,627

Oh fuck off.  For what you get out of it, boot fitting is some of the best goddam money you'll spend.  More than your matching limited-edition LINE poles, more than your fucking designer SUPREME neck tube, more than even that third tall teel for under your 3X Level 1 or even the five pairs of goggles most kids around here have floating around in their closets while their wrong-size Full Tilts are giving them unbearable shinbang.     

See where I'm going with this? 

People waste- yes WASTE- money on skiing all the time buying stupid shit because they think it's cool.  Boot fitting however, is an investment like few other things could ever be considered.  Hell, even the gapers you speak of that ski 2x a year are smarter than you- if I'm gonna ski twice, I'm gonna fuckin' do it in properly fitting boots.  Nahmeen?  Boots are the foundation of your skiing.  You know how many motherfuckers here buy boots absolute last???  A lot.  Yep.  Buy six tall T's, three pairs of goggles, SWAGGED the fuck out gear head to toe... Oh yeah I forgot boots.   

That's why I told OP to suck it.  If you're going to spend money ANYWHERE, do it on your boots.   

Nov 29 2012 2:40PM
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CrotchKiller
Posts: 9037 - Karma: 6,943
dont worry about me, i ski plenty.
Nov 29 2012 2:41PM
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onenerdykid
Posts: 6656 - Karma: 10,861
This is the boot-fitting secret. Support your local shop and get a boot-fit guarantee so the boot work will be free. Stretching, grinding, and heat molding should always be free when you buy your boots from a shop.
Nov 29 2012 3:32PM
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onenerdykid
Posts: 6656 - Karma: 10,861
Nice job with the Atomics!
Nov 29 2012 3:36PM
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N.L.
Posts: 2420 - Karma: 2,744
well my shop didnt, and drilled my skis wrong....not every shop is your shop, most start every job by smoking pot
my original post can be found in the directions that come with new boots, its just overlooked and complicated. most people dont know that boots dont "fit" right outta the box,
Nov 29 2012 3:38PM
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N.L.
Posts: 2420 - Karma: 2,744
by the way, dalbello sends me boots directly from the factory.
Nov 29 2012 3:42PM
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doGelyst
Posts: 2491 - Karma: 508
well once I have $400-$500 dollars, maybe I'll do that.
But until then, I improvise.
Nov 29 2012 3:46PM
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Rosbif
Posts: 2543 - Karma: 930
I love those RT CS 130s, these are my third pair, guess I will switch to Redsters next year though.
Nov 29 2012 3:51PM
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Rosbif
Posts: 2543 - Karma: 930
Not sure local is always the best. I researched where I could get what I wanted done, and they were much better than any local shop I've been too. If you're going to spend the money, why not find the best and travel a little for it.
Nov 29 2012 3:55PM
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Stickity
Posts: 7750 - Karma: 769
you must be so pro
Nov 29 2012 4:14PM
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llambert
Posts: 1005 - Karma: 81
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Nov 29 2012 4:21PM
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Petey.
Posts: 5736 - Karma: 4,885
I don't have these problems. I have Full Tilts.
Nov 29 2012 4:42PM
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mammspowskrHMD
Posts: 148 - Karma: 18
god just spend the money and do it right. not all boot techs are pot heads like you generalize them to be. not every person who goes to a bootfitter is a gaper. there are lots of places that can do it right. and i also agree with the sentiment (whoa, big word here NS!) that when you buy boots from a shop they should do all the fitting at no cost, no matter the number of times you come back. its good business and establishes future relationships with someone who knows how you ski and what you are looking for
Nov 29 2012 4:44PM
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Pipe_Munky
Posts: 10888 - Karma: 2,184
by the way, dalbello sends a lot of other people free shit too. but those people don't go boasting about it in an attempt to justify shit information...

just saying...
Nov 29 2012 5:03PM
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Tiger
Posts: 214 - Karma: 10
NL just can't stop being an idiot. If someone says different than he, he says you're wrong. Crazy.
Nov 29 2012 5:05PM
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speedin
Posts: 731 - Karma: 131
ugghhhh isn't proper boot fitting part of the service you get from a ski shop when you purchase boots?
That's the way its always been for me.

Nov 29 2012 5:14PM
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Barmski
Posts: 4342 - Karma: 811
Full Tilts are newschoolers.com, not everyone in the godam world has them. Plus a lot boot fitters hate Intuition wrap liners. There is no room for the toe box in the liner. The right boot is the right brand that fits you.
Nov 29 2012 5:15PM
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Karma_Police
Posts: 2655 - Karma: 1,628
I don't disagree with what you're saying but the OP has some, I repeat SOME decent points for people who can't afford ski gear.

You're still wrong about spending money on certain things.  Would you rather hike the hill and ski in properly fitted boots or do lift tickets/season pass come before that?

You do realize how much it costs to get into skiing right?  Maybe not, maybe you're like the kids you just mentioned above where mom and dad buy everything for you.  I don't know and I won't make those judgements like you wrongly did about me.  What I will say is that skiing is still a fuck load of money for the average person trying to go from 3 days a year to 10 and sacrifices have to be made.

If you would have read my other post you'd know that my comments are obviously falling on deaf ears as the audience here skis way more than the average skier. So no, YOU fuck off.


Nov 29 2012 7:38PM
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Thediamondlife
Posts: 25 - Karma: 11
Completely agree. I pride myself on being a fucking good bootfitter some of these posts are retarded.

I most cases, boot modifications are only charged when the customer hasn't listened to your advice and brought me bad fitting boots from elsewhere to make me try and fit them. In my place of business if you need alterations we do it FOC if you have bought boots from us. Modding boots is an everyday part of bootfitting and not a luxury.

That said, in 99.9% of cases a lack of footbeds or shitty footbeds are the main offenders in bootfit problems. Listen to the professionals, and if you dont agree, or think you know better so be it.

Sorry to sound arsey, I just spend a lot of time 'fitting' boots which are blatantly wrong for a customer because they didnt see a good fitter the first time round.
Nov 29 2012 7:46PM
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Stickity
Posts: 7750 - Karma: 769
ok ok so the post above me explains that bootfitting is (or at least should be) standard procedure without a ton of extra costs. and both of you agree that skiing is expensive. but if you buy boots and get them fitted there, it should cut down on the cost because you're not getting charged extra for getting stupid boots, right? so OP is basically a waste because bootfitting isn't (shouldn't be) expensive beyond the price of the boots so you should be able to just get your boots fitted in the first place and not have to home-rig anything?

i might just be confused...
Nov 29 2012 7:58PM
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Thediamondlife
Posts: 25 - Karma: 11
Exactly, where I work, this is how it goes.

You come in, have a chat about your boot history, foot history, ski ability and boot requirements. I full foot bio-mechanical analysis is done, you are measured, and then 1-2 hrs is spent shell checking boots, trying different fits and generally working WITH the customer. Once the customer is happy, we discuss support options i.e footbeds, (dependent on level of support required/wanted) and then its wrapped up.If mods are needed before the boots leave the shop they are done.

You pay RRP of selected boots, and the price of the footbeds chosen. Which you dont have to buy you are just reccommened to. No fitting charges, no labour costs. Just the boots retail value.

If you have listened to my advice and after multiple attempts of rectifying fit issues, even if the boots have skiied in we cannot get you comfy you are credit noted for up to 70 %.

In a nutshell, boots are expensive, bootfitting shouldn't be.
Nov 29 2012 8:14PM
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Big_Willy
Posts: 2865 - Karma: 6
Please take the size sticker off. Any self respecting bootfitter wouldn't let you leave like that.
Nov 30 2012 12:54AM
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FroesenSkeeze
Posts: 638 - Karma: 673
I can honestly say this is the most heated thread I've visited. Carry on.
Nov 30 2012 1:02AM
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Mdiamond
Posts: 50 - Karma: 26
I love you.
Nov 30 2012 3:39AM
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doyle.
Posts: 1624 - Karma: 596
word
Nov 30 2012 3:46AM
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Clebo1
Posts: 674 - Karma: 3
almost every fucking person commenting to this thread is retarded.

sure, going to a bootfitter may get you a much better result. but this clearly isnt an option for some people and to completely shut down any useful tricks or tips being posted is downright stupid in itself.

I went to a bootfitter, but if every other person here is gonna put down anything otherwise stated then this website isnt really working like it should
Nov 30 2012 4:06AM
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Rosbif
Posts: 2543 - Karma: 930
Oh really, shit, I'll give them a call and complain...
Nov 30 2012 4:54AM
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Cat_Steezens
Posts: 201 - Karma: 53
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Nov 30 2012 7:34AM
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Session
Posts: 5373 - Karma: 22,056
Pretty sure Huck_Norris "hikes the hill" more than any kids in dresses sliding rails. Pretty sure he is also a grown man who well knows the cost of skiing.

Bottom line is they enjoyment you get out of a properly fitted boot can outweigh a couple extra days on the hill.

If people don't try and cheap out initially, and see a competent fitter(not just some burnout shop rat) the little extra they spend buying from the shop, and getting good fitting will far outweigh any saving they will get by buying off the net.

Nov 30 2012 10:25AM
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zues
Posts: 6434 - Karma: -5,330
I bought my boots online and have always had problems with them fitting my feet properly. I should have gone to a boot fitter and just bought them there. I will try that advice of buying dr scholls though
Nov 30 2012 11:26AM
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