Cold toes, new boots, and frostbite

P

Park.

Active member
So I have bad circulation, and I have since I can remember. Ive always had colder feet, but This season, its gotten to the point of my feet getting so cold at about the 2.5 hour mark that they go numb, and Ive gotten minor frostbite 3 times this season on my big toes.

I had Nordica Ace 3 star boots for 3 seasons and while my feet got cold, It was never bad enough that I would have to stop skiing.

I Just bought new boots (Hawx ultra 120s), and my feet have never been colder in my life. after 3 runs they are freezing and cold as fuck. I have to unbuckle everything after every run and it still doesnt help much.

These boots were fitted by a professional, and there are no pressure points. I like a tight ass fit in my boots, but I dont buckle them so tight that my circulation gets cut off.

There is zero chance that buying a boot heater will work because I will just break it. Im going to start investing in boot warmers, but thats a short term solution. The most noticeable change thats happened this season is that I put my booster strap under the shells, so its only tightening the liner to my leg. I was told to do this by a bootfitter and I love how it feels. Ive never heard of a booster strap cutting off circulation though, and I dont tighten them too much.

I need advice.
 
I would guess that the boot is too tight.

As you have a medical condition that affects your circulation, you are likely going to have to choose, tight ass boots and frozen feet, or looser boots and warmer feet.

Alternatively you could try a boot heater.

But you don't want try either so ... I am out of ideas.

But, If you keep getting frost bite, your foot problems are just going to get worse.
 
Wish i could be of more help but I've had this problem for years and all I can do is put in some toe warmers. I've thought about those compression socks that are supposed to increase circulation haven't tried them yet.
 
It just sounds as if your boots fit you worse as of now. Theoretically boots should keep your feet warm, or at least not give you frostbite, even if you have colder feet. I know you do not have pressure points anywhere, but it has to be tight in some areas that are cutting off blood circulation to make this boot fit worse than the last. And yes, you could also get an electronic heat pad inserted into your boot liner. They will essentially cut a little sliver into the back of your boot liner and put a heat pad on your footbed with a protection layer over it to not let it get wet. Then run the wire through the slit in the liner up the back of your boot and basically it will have a charger to charge it after the day is over. I would suggest that as a last alternative though, and you may not break it, not that hard not to. Just be careful with it and it could solve your problems? Have you gotten your boot liners heat molded to the shape of your foot? Because that will also increase the fit of the boot to your foot and lessen the pressure in certain spots. I can tell you that the Atomic Hawx will not be the problem in terms of being a crap boot as they are pretty incredible quality.
 
When was the last time you had them bootfitted? My one big toe was getting crushed in my boot this year so I brought my boots in and the guy said "The liners sometimes shrink over the winter (if they were heat moulded) so each season bring them in and we can toe cap them for you". So I would see if they can do that. Worst case, sometimes feet change slightly and you need to get your boots worked on a bit, shit happens and if you got them from a good shop you won't have to pay a dime.
 
My liners being molded was enough to make my boots fit correctly, but my friend had the big toe areas of his shells expanded and that helped him a lot.
 
Definitely the tightness of the boot could be causing your feet to be colder. You may want to consider swapping out your stock liner for an Intuition Liner as they are warmer. With Intuition's you can also get a customized fit as there are many options to choose from depending on your preference of flex, volume and width of your foot and of course they're heat moldable.
 
I know you said no to boot heaters, but there are now heated socks available that have a much lower profile with the battery packs, so you'd have a more difficult time breaking them. The battery packs are flexible too. I got them for my mom last year and she really likes them. Best of luck!
 
13773795:rubyshila said:
I know you said no to boot heaters, but there are now heated socks available that have a much lower profile with the battery packs, so you'd have a more difficult time breaking them. The battery packs are flexible too. I got them for my mom last year and she really likes them. Best of luck!
Click to expand...

They are also super fucking expensive
 
My boots were heat molded and punched in the toebox along with a couple other places. I got them in mid december, and I have tried unbuckling them completely on the lift ride and skiing with them unbuckled to get blood flowing. It feels like the boot just isnt well inslulated in the toebox honestly since the rest of my foot is fine. I honestly dont believe they are too tight either, well not to the point of cutting off circulation.

Im probably going to invest in Intuitions if this keeps happening. No fucking money for it though.

I also make sure they dry out every night.
 
13773812:parkplayground said:
I also make sure they dry out every night.
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Are they getting wet while you ski on them? Have you tried taping the top of the toe like racers do? Probably wouldn't completely solve your problem even if it prevented all moisture from getting in but it could help. When I started doing that on my old 2-piece nordicas that were clear I noticed a increase in warmth and I could see less moisture through the shell. Also are your feet sweaty at all when you put them on and do you do outside quickly after or hang out for a minute so that your feet may start to sweat?

Also, when you take them off mid day and let your feet thaw then go back out, do you notice any improvement (if you ever do that)? If so, your feet probably swell like mine do. I'd thaw my feet every day during lunch and most of the time they'd be warm for 2 or 3 hours afterwords.

If you do end up buying intuitions, be very careful to make sure they'll fit your boot. I made the mistake of not checking for my nordicas and now have expensive liners just laying around collecting dust.

But at the end of the day, you went from a 3 piece med-high volume boot to a 2 piece med-low volume boot. The latter is gunna be colder pretty much 9 times out of 10.
 
13773818:CheddarJack said:
Are they getting wet while you ski on them? Have you tried taping the top of the toe like racers do? Probably wouldn't completely solve your problem even if it prevented all moisture from getting in but it could help. When I started doing that on my old 2-piece nordicas that were clear I noticed a increase in warmth and I could see less moisture through the shell. Also are your feet sweaty at all when you put them on and do you do outside quickly after or hang out for a minute so that your feet may start to sweat?

Also, when you take them off mid day and let your feet thaw then go back out, do you notice any improvement (if you ever do that)? If so, your feet probably swell like mine do. I'd thaw my feet every day during lunch and most of the time they'd be warm for 2 or 3 hours afterwords.

If you do end up buying intuitions, be very careful to make sure they'll fit your boot. I made the mistake of not checking for my nordicas and now have expensive liners just laying around collecting dust.

But at the end of the day, you went from a 3 piece med-high volume boot to a 2 piece med-low volume boot. The latter is gunna be colder pretty much 9 times out of 10.
Click to expand...

best thing to do when buying intuition....call intuition.
 
The only things that cause cold feet are moisture and reduced circulation (it's never lack of insulation - think how much insulation is in even the shittiest boots compared to std sorels). Frostbite on the tip and inside edge of your big toe is classic for compression on the top of your foot reducing circulation. As mentioned, intuitions are the way to go, mainly because the foam is firmer so you can maintain performance without cranking your shells down. Other things though:

circulation:

-wear the thinnest smartwool (or equiv.) socks you can get.

-warm your core (e.g. with an extra layer, particularly over thighs and trunk)

-never wear anything other than your socks under the shin of your boot (e.g. full length long johns or tights)

-stay hydrated

moisture:

-put your ski socks on right before you put your boots on, and don't wear boots/insulated shoes on the drive up - you don't want sweaty feet / wet socks going into your boots or youre screwed from the start

-not familiar with that particular boot, but some boots can let snow in under the front buckle where the two sides of the foreboot meet - if yours has a gap, tape it so you aren't getting moisture in from the outside
 
13773811:ljackstar said:
They are also super fucking expensive
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a lift ticket is 80 dollars, if you are going to spend half your day in the lodge because of cold feet you may as well not even go. heated socks are 300 cad.

op, if you get sidas boot heaters, which are a little more sleek you should have issues breaking them. i get cold feet walking to the store in my sorels, ive had tons of different boots, different socks, liners etc, nothing has worked except boot heaters.

they will change your life.
 
13773917:reBlocke said:
boots/insulated shoes on the drive up - you don't want sweaty feet / wet socks going into your boots or youre screwed from the start
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What can I do to stop sweat? I wear boots (ll bean or mucks) with wool socks in the car and my feet are always sweaty when I put my boots on.
 
13773962:Scotty_B said:
What can I do to stop sweat? I wear boots (ll bean or mucks) with wool socks in the car and my feet are always sweaty when I put my boots on.
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Spray on antiperspirant and baby powder helped me quite a bit.
 
Sent you a PM with a suggestion.

If that doesn't work, I second these already mentioned ideas: Intuition liners and heated socks (when you get the coin).
 
13774112:onenerdykid said:
Sent you a PM with a suggestion.

If that doesn't work, I second these already mentioned ideas: Intuition liners and heated socks (when you get the coin).
Click to expand...

Dude, don't bogart all the good ideas.
 
13774112:onenerdykid said:
Sent you a PM with a suggestion.

If that doesn't work, I second these already mentioned ideas: Intuition liners and heated socks (when you get the coin).
Click to expand...

Dude, don't bogart all the good ideas.
 
topic:parkplayground said:
So I have bad circulation, and I have since I can remember. Ive always had colder feet, but This season, its gotten to the point of my feet getting so cold at about the 2.5 hour mark that they go numb, and Ive gotten minor frostbite 3 times this season on my big toes.

I had Nordica Ace 3 star boots for 3 seasons and while my feet got cold, It was never bad enough that I would have to stop skiing.

I Just bought new boots (Hawx ultra 120s), and my feet have never been colder in my life. after 3 runs they are freezing and cold as fuck. I have to unbuckle everything after every run and it still doesnt help much.

These boots were fitted by a professional, and there are no pressure points. I like a tight ass fit in my boots, but I dont buckle them so tight that my circulation gets cut off.

There is zero chance that buying a boot heater will work because I will just break it. Im going to start investing in boot warmers, but thats a short term solution. The most noticeable change thats happened this season is that I put my booster strap under the shells, so its only tightening the liner to my leg. I was told to do this by a bootfitter and I love how it feels. Ive never heard of a booster strap cutting off circulation though, and I dont tighten them too much.

I need advice.
Click to expand...

Dude get the boot heaters. If you get them on there really well and cover it with your pants they're more durable than you think.

I had boot heaters for a couple of seasons and they were fucking all-time. I'd go skiing at like -35 here in Quebec and have toasty toes.
 
Same thing happens to me, but it's more like the front half of my foot goes numb before I decide to head in and warm up. My boots were too big and still had this happen. Mostly on 20 and below days. Had this problem for years, but I do have shitty circulation. Shitty as in the tips of my feet and heels start to go numb in my house in the winter if it drops below 65-68 inside. I did figure out last year that if I stop skiing after a few hours and head inside and warm up my feet, they usually stay warm for the rest of the day. Not sure why though.
 
What are you wearing on the rest of your body? I used to have problems with my feet getting cold until I started layering a bit warmer on my core and/or wearing a hat under my helmet. It worked! You body is going to stop sending blood to your feet and hands first, it's worth a shot to layer up just a bit. I started skiing in pipe gloves after I started layering up on my core. Was never a problem again.

If you are already doing all that, new boots are always a bit snug. A few days should loosen them a bit, but your feet shouldn't be going numb.
 
+1 for properly fitted Intuition liners. I used to get miserably cold feet even when it was barely below freezing. They made all the difference. Granted, my previous liners were total garbage and completely packed out.
 
I layer like a beast. Cold gear leggings and turtle neck, polyester or fleece sweat pants, fleece pullover, then snowpants, coat. I am never cold in my core or large extremities (just hands and feet). For feet I've tried everything in terms of socks in varying thickness. Right now I do a nylon sock followed by wool/synthetic blend ski socks. My problem is I think I have Raynauds. My hands used to always go numb too. Then I got goose down mittens- solved that problem. I could probably benefit from a boot warmer, but I think I'll pass for now. Feet probably get cold faster because your range of motion in a boot is limited, so combine a not moving foot with boots that are tight, and it's a recipe for disaster.

I never thought about this before, but what if you lined your boots with a space blanket? That might reflect a bunch of heat back in.
 
13773917:reBlocke said:
The only things that cause cold feet are moisture and reduced circulation (it's never lack of insulation - think how much insulation is in even the shittiest boots compared to std sorels). Frostbite on the tip and inside edge of your big toe is classic for compression on the top of your foot reducing circulation. As mentioned, intuitions are the way to go, mainly because the foam is firmer so you can maintain performance without cranking your shells down. Other things though:

circulation:

-wear the thinnest smartwool (or equiv.) socks you can get.

-warm your core (e.g. with an extra layer, particularly over thighs and trunk)

-never wear anything other than your socks under the shin of your boot (e.g. full length long johns or tights)

-stay hydrated

moisture:

-put your ski socks on right before you put your boots on, and don't wear boots/insulated shoes on the drive up - you don't want sweaty feet / wet socks going into your boots or youre screwed from the start

-not familiar with that particular boot, but some boots can let snow in under the front buckle where the two sides of the foreboot meet - if yours has a gap, tape it so you aren't getting moisture in from the outside
Click to expand...

Forgot to reply to this. Got a warranty on the the 120s so I have a fresh pair that I have to work with so I'm expecting the same problems. I've do everything you listed with decent results, but the I still ended up in the lodge to let my feet warm up.

13852283:IsitWinterYet17 said:
I layer like a beast. Cold gear leggings and turtle neck, polyester or fleece sweat pants, fleece pullover, then snowpants, coat. I am never cold in my core or large extremities (just hands and feet). For feet I've tried everything in terms of socks in varying thickness. Right now I do a nylon sock followed by wool/synthetic blend ski socks. My problem is I think I have Raynauds. My hands used to always go numb too. Then I got goose down mittens- solved that problem. I could probably benefit from a boot warmer, but I think I'll pass for now. Feet probably get cold faster because your range of motion in a boot is limited, so combine a not moving foot with boots that are tight, and it's a recipe for disaster.

I never thought about this before, but what if you lined your boots with a space blanket? That might reflect a bunch of heat back in.
Click to expand...

My toes get cold all the time in the fall even when its 40-60 degrees. I can't go with conventional bootwarmers because I've managed to break every piece of hardgood equipment I own, so I just see the investment to be a waste of money. Parents have the same circulation problems as me and bootwarmers worked for them so maybe when there are more durable options out there..
 
13852306:Park. said:
Forgot to reply to this. Got a warranty on the the 120s so I have a fresh pair that I have to work with so I'm expecting the same problems. I've do everything you listed with decent results, but the I still ended up in the lodge to let my feet warm up.

My toes get cold all the time in the fall even when its 40-60 degrees. I can't go with conventional bootwarmers because I've managed to break every piece of hardgood equipment I own, so I just see the investment to be a waste of money. Parents have the same circulation problems as me and bootwarmers worked for them so maybe when there are more durable options out there..
Click to expand...

Couple of things to check, How tight is the cuff? A good rule is you should be able to get two fingers behind your calf with the boot fully done up. If you have it so tight that you can barly get anything between the calf and the liner you are restricting blood flow.

Second is the tight of footbed you are using. Because you say its only the toe getting cold and numb I would guess that the forefoot is not being surported properly and this is adding to the issues. A good custom footbed with appropriate medial arch support is eesential in a good bootfit.

Add to this a pair of heated socks and you should have some good starting points. The new socks are amazing btw and have a good warrenty so just bite the bullet and get some.
 
13852240:IsitWinterYet17 said:
Same thing happens to me, but it's more like the front half of my foot goes numb before I decide to head in and warm up. My boots were too big and still had this happen. Mostly on 20 and below days. Had this problem for years, but I do have shitty circulation. Shitty as in the tips of my feet and heels start to go numb in my house in the winter if it drops below 65-68 inside. I did figure out last year that if I stop skiing after a few hours and head inside and warm up my feet, they usually stay warm for the rest of the day. Not sure why though.
Click to expand...

If your feet are cold, check back county, they have some heated insoles for a 100 bucks, I don't know how good they work though.
 
My uncle bought some heated skisocks. they hurt your wallet a little more than normal ski socks, but he said it helped him. he went trough surgery after some shit at work. he have had bad circulation since and couldn't ski longer than 10 mins or so because he got cold. now he skis for an hr before his foot start hurting.
 
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