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Low-Volume Footboard Options

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BenWhit
Posts: 4654 - Karma: 3,257
Boot: Nordica Ace 3 Star
Footboard: SuperFeet Green
Modifications: 6th toe stretch & tongue grind to soften flex

I'm having a couple mild issues with my boots that have presented after a few weeks of riding fairly hard. Perhaps it is the result of wearing my boots too tight, but perhaps it is also an issue with my current foot board. I recognize that drop-in boards are not an ideal solution, but I was constrained at the time and they have worked surprisingly well. They have helped give me more arch support and support in the forefoot (meaning my foot won't splay out into the sides of the shell if I under/overshoot). In addition, they helped to correct some stance issue that were essentially sending both knees into valgus when clicked into skis.

I'm having some issues with circulation, particularly when the lift line gets too long. I find that if I'm standing in my boots for 20-25 minutes, just waiting in line, my feet start to go numb. I'm wondering if this is a direct result of the foot board shrinking the amount of space I have in the instep. In addition, I feel like my heel is not as secure as it could be seeing as the board kind of elevates the heel.

I realize the obvious solution is to spring for some custom boards. My issue is, however, I do not trust the shops in my area. For one, I have to spend $35 to park in the Gov't Center Garage by TD Garden just to get to one. Another local fitter is not particularly skilled. Ultimately, I'm looking for a DIY solution to reduce the volume of the foot board.

Any help is much appreciated.
Feb 22 2016 3:17PM
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onenerdykid
Posts: 6713 - Karma: 11,477
Footbeds*

The main problem you will have is that when you try to mess with footbeds and you are not trained to make modifications, you can really mess your feet/ankles/knees/hips up. I strongly discourage you from making direct changes to your footbeds.

Do you wear footbeds in your everyday shoes? Quite often, discomfort that comes from wearing footbeds while skiing is that people don't wear footbeds in their everyday shoes. If your feet aren't used to support every step of every day and then you try to wear them for a few hours while you go skiing, then your foot is not going to be comfortable. So, make sure you have something for your everyday shoes, it does wonders.

Thirdly, the Superfeet Green might not be the right thing for your foot. In my experience, Superfeet don't work well for many feet and actually can make things worse. So, definitely get a second opinion on if they are the right thing for your feet. As you said, customs are great but they are expensive and fully dependent on how skilled the person making them is.

If the issue truly comes from a lack of volume, a boot-fitter can grind the boot board (piece that lives under the liner, in the shell) down to make some space for your high instep.
Feb 22 2016 3:44PM
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BenWhit
Posts: 4654 - Karma: 3,257
onenerdykidThirdly, the Superfeet Green might not be the right thing for your foot. In my experience, Superfeet don't work well for many feet and actually can make things worse. So, definitely get a second opinion on if they are the right thing for your feet. As you said, customs are great but they are expensive and fully dependent on how skilled the person making them is.

If the issue truly comes from a lack of volume, a boot-fitter can grind the boot board (piece that lives under the liner, in the shell) down to make some space for your high instep.


I'm confident that the SuperFeet I am currently in are serviceable. I don't have any arch, forefoot, muscular, or structural pain. Believe me, I have felt that pain in previous boots and these are virtually pain free. The only "pain" I have comes from being constricted. Perhaps I can tinker further with the tightness of the power strap & buckles. Sometimes I find that I'm cranking my strap down for the first couple runs down some hairy terrain, where I am really relying in the boot for performance, and I end up going numb in an hour or so. I seem to prefer a performance fit, so I guess some of this discomfort is to be expected.

i wasn't suggesting that I modify the face of the footbed itself. rather, I was wondering if there is an solution to modify (grind down, essenitally) the underside of the footbed without compromising its structural integrity. In the same vain, I guess i would trust myself more so than some of the local bootfitters.

For instance, I went to the shop to have my 6th toe stretch done. The shop was packed, the techs are all frantically running around. I tell someone what I need done and he takes my boots, gives me a slip and tells me to come back in two days. I really didn't think anything of it and just kind of walked out perplexed. They ended up stretching my boot without having looked at my foot. Granted, a 6th toe stretch is fairly routine, but I wasn't really pleased with how little measurement/analysis actually went into it.

Also, not sure why I am using footboard and footbed interchangeably but whatever, haha.
Feb 22 2016 4:08PM
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charmander
Posts: 10636 - Karma: 373
ive ground superfeet down before but it's not always the best option.

in the ace boot i would seriously play with your buckling. should be able to relieve some pessure with the middle buckle
Feb 23 2016 12:56AM
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BenWhit
Posts: 4654 - Karma: 3,257
charmanderive ground superfeet down before but it's not always the best option.

in the ace boot i would seriously play with your buckling. should be able to relieve some pessure with the middle buckle


Indeed. I really love a 45 degree buckle because it really cranks my heel down in the boot. Maybe that's what's causing some issues for me.
Feb 23 2016 8:57AM
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