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June, 2025

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Boots and Bunions

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HypeBeast
Posts: 10097 - Karma: 76,790
Tldr; my dad has bunions. Won't get surgery. Will cheap boots and boot work do any good?

My dad has awful bunions. I'm talking probably about 2cm out. Last time he went skiing, he used rental boots and they were rubbed raw and were nasty open wounds for a month. Because of that he's hesitant to ski and also stubborn and won't just get surgery to remove them. His ability level is beginner-intermediate if I had to judge so he goes pretty easy on the slopes. Because he's so conservative with skiing, I'm not too concerned that having too big or soft boot will have any negative meaningful difference in his skiing satisfaction. Comfort over performance in this scenario.

My question to you folks is would it be worthwhile to get a cheapo pair of beginner boots on sale and get the sides punched out as far as they'll go? I know they prob can't go that far, but anything is better than rentals. My local ski shop does free boot work on their boots and they have some really cheap beginner boots on sale. Like $120-140. I have an extra pair of skis (with adjustable bindings) so could literally pay for itself in 5 days of skiing (vs rentals). The cheapest boots are Dabello mx65.
7 years ago
1 0
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onenerdykid
Posts: 6748 - Karma: 11,779
With ski boots you get what you pay for. Cheaper boots use cheaper plastic that usually cannot be stretched to the level you described. When heated, the plastic simply melts and does not move/shape properly. So you guys will need to invest in a boot that at least has a PU (polyurethane) lower shell. This type of plastic can be stretched and shaped exactly as needed- easily out to 2cm. For new boots, you will be looking to spend at arou nd $299 USD. Depending on his footshape, the Hawx Prime 90 or Hawx Magna 80 would be options that can be easily stretched to fit his feet.

But you will also NEED to get supportive footbeds. The job of the footbed is to hold the foot in place. Without this, the foot will simply move into the stretched area and be far less effective. Footbeds run in the area of $70-150 USD.
7 years ago
0 0
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HypeBeast
Posts: 10097 - Karma: 76,790
onenerdykidWith ski boots you get what you pay for. Cheaper boots use cheaper plastic that usually cannot be stretched to the level you described. When heated, the plastic simply melts and does not move/shape properly. So you guys will need to invest in a boot that at least has a PU (polyurethane) lower shell. This type of plastic can be stretched and shaped exactly as needed- easily out to 2cm. For new boots, you will be looking to spend at arou nd $299 USD. Depending on his footshape, the Hawx Prime 90 or Hawx Magna 80 would be options that can be easily stretched to fit his feet.

But you will also NEED to get supportive footbeds. The job of the footbed is to hold the foot in place. Without this, the foot will simply move into the stretched area and be far less effective. Footbeds run in the area of $70-150 USD.


I guess it's not 2cm as I previously thought. It looks big af to me, but he's saying it only goes out laterally maybe 0.6-1cm. Still need a PU shell? Thanks for info so far
7 years ago
0 1
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onenerdykid
Posts: 6748 - Karma: 11,779
IsitWinterYet17I guess it's not 2cm as I previously thought. It looks big af to me, but he's saying it only goes out laterally maybe 0.6-1cm. Still need a PU shell? Thanks for info so far


PU = guaranteed fix

PP/PE = maybe, which means you could break/damage the boot in the stretching process
7 years ago
0 0
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