The Official: "What is wrong with my boots?" Thread

They are a Sidas brand I believe, I had them mad at a shop that went out of business a little while back. I will go have another set made at a different shop and try that route! Thanks for all the feedback
 
13793167:onenerdykid said:
The thing about truly custom-molded footbeds is that they are only as good as the person who is making them.

But how to know if the person making them is good? I mean I don't seem have any problem with my custom footbeds, but I also have no idea if they're well made or not.
 
13793280:powchaser said:
They are a Sidas brand I believe, I had them mad at a shop that went out of business a little while back. I will go have another set made at a different shop and try that route! Thanks for all the feedback

13793646:BrawnTrends said:
But how to know if the person making them is good? I mean I don't seem have any problem with my custom footbeds, but I also have no idea if they're well made or not.

Generally speaking, if you are feeling good, run with it. If your ski boots feel good and you are happy with them, that can be considered a success story in the boot world ;)

But as far as tracking down the "guru", ask around. Research what shops in your area (or skiing destination) are known for making good footbeds. Usually they like to promote this because it's what separates them from the normal shops that are simply boot sellers, rather than boot fitters.

Ask your friends, coaches, ski patrol, lifties, even a Google search of "best boot fitters" in your specific area can help turn up some results.
 
There's a renown boot fitter in my area but he is SO expensive. That's why I didn't go there. All in all I'm really happy with my footbeds so I think the guy who did them did a good job.
 
I'm looking a very low volume boot. Currently using 27.5 full tilt first chairs and they are slightly sloppy in the calves (am not a huge fan or the pro wrap liner so far). This is leading to ankle slippage. Any suggestions on new boots or ways to solve my problem?
 
13800118:DTetz said:
I'm looking a very low volume boot. Currently using 27.5 full tilt first chairs and they are slightly sloppy in the calves (am not a huge fan or the pro wrap liner so far). This is leading to ankle slippage. Any suggestions on new boots or ways to solve my problem?

1. Are you sure you are in the right size? How much space is behind your heel when you remove the liner, step into the shell, and slide your foot to front so your toes just touch? 1cm = high performance fit, 2cm = normal, 3cm = way too big.

2. Are you using supportive footbeds? If not, this is a must. They will help secure your foot and ankle in the proper place.

3. Are the liners heat molded to your foot?

Report back and we'll go from there.
 
so i think my liners are starting to go.

I have maybe around 130+ days on my nordica gpx 130s, and i am starting to get far more shin bang than i have been, could this be the liner getting shot? Boots were fitted by a fitter and have a footbed. So its not the fit.

What would be a good liner to get for these boots?
 
13805453:Profahoben_212 said:
so i think my liners are starting to go.

I have maybe around 130+ days on my nordica gpx 130s, and i am starting to get far more shin bang than i have been, could this be the liner getting shot? Boots were fitted by a fitter and have a footbed. So its not the fit.

What would be a good liner to get for these boots?

That's fairly regular life span for a stock liner (normal is anywhere from 150-200 days depending on how hard you are on them vs. how you baby them). Foams will simply pack out and then your body will be up against the plastic of the liner tongue or cuff/shell or at least not able to absorb bumps/vibrations that will instead pass directly to you.

You should look at either getting a new liner from Nordica (probably the cheapest option) or looking into foam liners (Nordica, Surefoot, Sidas, Boot Doc, etc) or Zip Fit liners. The latter two options will last the life of the shell and quite often the next one too.
 
13805473:onenerdykid said:
That's fairly regular life span for a stock liner (normal is anywhere from 150-200 days depending on how hard you are on them vs. how you baby them). Foams will simply pack out and then your body will be up against the plastic of the liner tongue or cuff/shell or at least not able to absorb bumps/vibrations that will instead pass directly to you.

You should look at either getting a new liner from Nordica (probably the cheapest option) or looking into foam liners (Nordica, Surefoot, Sidas, Boot Doc, etc) or Zip Fit liners. The latter two options will last the life of the shell and quite often the next one too.

cool cool. Its more Chatter bang than shin bang i should say...so that makes sense. So i should look into Zipfit? might make some calls to see if anybody around here stocks them. THanks as always nerdy
 
13805572:Profahoben_212 said:
cool cool. Its more Chatter bang than shin bang i should say...so that makes sense. So i should look into Zipfit? might make some calls to see if anybody around here stocks them. THanks as always nerdy

No worries! Zip Fit will be the priciest option, but I've heard from many people that they have over 400 days on one pair. I've never personally used them, but I know a few boot-fitters who swear by them.
 
13805782:onenerdykid said:
No worries! Zip Fit will be the priciest option, but I've heard from many people that they have over 400 days on one pair. I've never personally used them, but I know a few boot-fitters who swear by them.

Cool! What's the best bang for your buck? I'm willing to spend money but if something is better in the price category that would be cool.

I'm just not looking to buy a new liner every season and a half like these stock Nordica ones.
 
I have the atomic hawx magna 130 due to a wide forefoot and the fit around my foot is great, very little heel lift. The issue I have is at the top of the boot, my leg isn't large enough and I have a lot of room at the top of the boot. When skiing variable snow at speed I can feel the boot rocking on my leg from front to back causing a lot of pain in my shin/back of my leg. I have had the buckles drilled and moved over pretty and have had a foam pad installed but I am still having problems.
 
Full tilt first chair premiers, throbbing pain in my calf when I have sidas foot supports in. The shop where I bought the boots recommended the sidas footbed. My foot also feels tight when I have the foot beds in. When I Rowe them out the pain in my foot and the throbbing in my calf go away but then my calf starts to get this fatigued feeling like I've run a Marathon any suggestions
 
13806348:Saho3914 said:
I have the atomic hawx magna 130 due to a wide forefoot and the fit around my foot is great, very little heel lift. The issue I have is at the top of the boot, my leg isn't large enough and I have a lot of room at the top of the boot. When skiing variable snow at speed I can feel the boot rocking on my leg from front to back causing a lot of pain in my shin/back of my leg. I have had the buckles drilled and moved over pretty and have had a foam pad installed but I am still having problems.

Where is the foam pad placed, and is there only 1? You could look into more pads, or an Intuition Power Wrap liner to take up the space in the cuff.

In the future, it is always easier to make a narrow/lower volume boot bigger than to shrink a boot down to fit you. Therefore, find something that is a good fit in your calf area but manageable in the forefoot and then have it stretched to fit your width.

13806473:mattross4508 said:
Full tilt first chair premiers, throbbing pain in my calf when I have sidas foot supports in. The shop where I bought the boots recommended the sidas footbed. My foot also feels tight when I have the foot beds in. When I Rowe them out the pain in my foot and the throbbing in my calf go away but then my calf starts to get this fatigued feeling like I've run a Marathon any suggestions

Do you wear footbeds regularly? The discomfort you are describing is usually caused by not being used to footbeds and then spending 4 hours skiing on them. Footbeds reposition your foot, ankle, knee, leg, and hip so they take some time to get used to. And quite often if you are experiencing this amount of discomfort, you should be wearing a similar thing in your everyday shoes. Not only will this be beneficial for you, but it also means you won't have any awkward or uncomfortable adjustment to your ski footbeds when you go skiing.
 
Hey Newschoolers

So i have started to experience some trouble with my boots. Actually it is only my left boot. The boots are the Atomic Hawx Ultra Womens model. (Because real men ride womens boots). The boot fits really well and have been amazing all season. A week ago i started to feel weird in my left boot. It is like my foot is placed a bit wrong in the boot and i arcs my knee inwards. I can still ski pretty well but it is a bit annoying and it sets me a bot off.

I took a picture off my left leg where you can see it.
 
13809167:s.oksen said:
Hey Newschoolers

So i have started to experience some trouble with my boots. Actually it is only my left boot. The boots are the Atomic Hawx Ultra Womens model. (Because real men ride womens boots). The boot fits really well and have been amazing all season. A week ago i started to feel weird in my left boot. It is like my foot is placed a bit wrong in the boot and i arcs my knee inwards. I can still ski pretty well but it is a bit annoying and it sets me a bot off.

I took a picture off my left leg where you can see it.

If the boot fits, wear it!

Are you using supportive footbeds in the boot? Without these, your knee will travel inward like it is doing because of ankle pronation. Completely normal for walking, but in a ski boot it can lead to discomfort and lack of skiing performance. Make sure you are using supportive footbeds and the issue should go away.
 
13809203:onenerdykid said:
If the boot fits, wear it!

Are you using supportive footbeds in the boot? Without these, your knee will travel inward like it is doing because of ankle pronation. Completely normal for walking, but in a ski boot it can lead to discomfort and lack of skiing performance. Make sure you are using supportive footbeds and the issue should go away.

Hey Thanks for the answer.

So I already own a pair of surefoot footbeds and they have worked pretty well until now.

Is it possible to wear footbeds out? I have used them since december. Maybe it is time for some new footbeds? If not are there anything to do about it, some shell modification or something?
 
13809221:s.oksen said:
Hey Thanks for the answer.

So I already own a pair of surefoot footbeds and they have worked pretty well until now.

Is it possible to wear footbeds out? I have used them since december. Maybe it is time for some new footbeds? If not are there anything to do about it, some shell modification or something?

So i typed wrong. The footbeds are superfeet and not surefoot. My bad.
 
13809221:s.oksen said:
Hey Thanks for the answer.

So I already own a pair of surefoot footbeds and they have worked pretty well until now.

Is it possible to wear footbeds out? I have used them since december. Maybe it is time for some new footbeds? If not are there anything to do about it, some shell modification or something?

It just depends if the Superfeet model is right for your foot. More often than not, an off-the-shelf footbed does not offer the correct amount of support for you and your ankle/leg/knee will not be aligned properly in the boot.

Without seeing your foot and footbed it's kind of impossible to know for sure, but you need to start here before modding anything on the boot. Making changes to the boot won't address the actual problem and you'll end up potentially making it worse.
 
13809260:onenerdykid said:
It just depends if the Superfeet model is right for your foot. More often than not, an off-the-shelf footbed does not offer the correct amount of support for you and your ankle/leg/knee will not be aligned properly in the boot.

Without seeing your foot and footbed it's kind of impossible to know for sure, but you need to start here before modding anything on the boot. Making changes to the boot won't address the actual problem and you'll end up potentially making it worse.

Alright. I will take the boots down to the local bootfitter and see if he can help me. Thanks for the help.
 
Thinking it's time for new liners.

Boot is a Nordica Doberman 120 and I have 45 days on the stock liner.

Wrap or tongue style?
 
13809809:OregonDead said:
Thinking it's time for new liners.

Boot is a Nordica Doberman 120 and I have 45 days on the stock liner.

Wrap or tongue style?

If you are looking for cushy warmth, go Intuition (I would probably steer you toward a tongue style for that boot, but perhaps other people have some experience with wraps in a Dobie?).

If you are looking for foot hold, precision, and longest lifespan, go foam liner (Sidas, Boot Doc, Surefoot, etc) or Zip Fit.
 
13809954:onenerdykid said:
If you are looking for cushy warmth, go Intuition (I would probably steer you toward a tongue style for that boot, but perhaps other people have some experience with wraps in a Dobie?).

If you are looking for foot hold, precision, and longest lifespan, go foam liner (Sidas, Boot Doc, Surefoot, etc) or Zip Fit.

I've never used a wrap style myself but I'm curious how it'd feel. The stock liners have a pretty hard plastic reinforced tongue so my gut feeling is to go with another tongue. I think better foot hold is probably my top priority. I have some shin and ankle bang issues that I think were caused by too much rattling around in my left boot. Ended up tightening everything way down to almost the max and it's better. Wondering if a nicer higher volume liner might hold everything down better in the ankle area.

13809956:BrawnTrends said:
Is it just me or 45 days seem to be pretty early to change liners?

IDK really. Actually never been in a position where I could afford to replace liners before. Last boots went at least a couple hundred days on the stock liners but I don't think that's the recommended way to go.
 
I fit about damn perfect in a 25.5 Nordica GPX 130. Any ideas on how I would fun in a 25.5 technica cochise? Seem somewhat simular. I know I won't be able to get a definitive answer here
 
13825705:Profahoben_212 said:
I fit about damn perfect in a 25.5 Nordica GPX 130. Any ideas on how I would fun in a 25.5 technica cochise? Seem somewhat simular. I know I won't be able to get a definitive answer here

Yes, maybe? How willing are you to get work done on them or get a different liner (if needed)? How often will you be actually touring in them?
 
13826068:onenerdykid said:
Yes, maybe? How willing are you to get work done on them or get a different liner (if needed)? How often will you be actually touring in them?

I would definitely be willing to do that, but if there are boots that make more sense I would probably lean more towards one that I don't need a new liner and some work done on.

Also they would be used only for touring. I still have my gpx for inbounds use
 
13826082:Profahoben_212 said:
I would definitely be willing to do that, but if there are boots that make more sense I would probably lean more towards one that I don't need a new liner and some work done on.

Also they would be used only for touring. I still have my gpx for inbounds use

There is, of course, the chance that they work for you out of the box with very little needing done- that's totally a possibility. But if you are prepared to spend a few hours with a fitter and perhaps some re-visits, then I should think that you'll have a super high success rate given that you are already comfortable in a low volume, 98mm fit.

Do you need Alpine DIN compatible soles? If not, then look at boots that are more touring oriented: Hawx Ultra XTD series, MTN Lab, Maestrale RS (but you'll probably need a beefier liner there as it's wafer thin), Zero G GP. All of these boots will be far lighter and tour far better than the Cochise.
 
13826088:onenerdykid said:
There is, of course, the chance that they work for you out of the box with very little needing done- that's totally a possibility. But if you are prepared to spend a few hours with a fitter and perhaps some re-visits, then I should think that you'll have a super high success rate given that you are already comfortable in a low volume, 98mm fit.

Do you need Alpine DIN compatible soles? If not, then look at boots that are more touring oriented: Hawx Ultra XTD series, MTN Lab, Maestrale RS (but you'll probably need a beefier liner there as it's wafer thin), Zero G GP. All of these boots will be far lighter and tour far better than the Cochise.

Word....so there are better boots out there that would probably fit around as well.

Super interested in the hawx ultra xtd....those look super killer and you did a great job designing those.

Mtn labs look pretty good too....ive just kinda been scared away from past experiences with solly boots...these boots seem great though and my fear is pretty irrational.

Zero GP looks killer. But they are just so freaking hard to find.

I kinda dread going to a fitter and paying full price. But I'm most likely going to end up doing that. It's my boots and they probably should fit as well as my alpine boots anyways
 
13826093:Profahoben_212 said:
Word....so there are better boots out there that would probably fit around as well.

Super interested in the hawx ultra xtd....those look super killer and you did a great job designing those.

Mtn labs look pretty good too....ive just kinda been scared away from past experiences with solly boots...these boots seem great though and my fear is pretty irrational.

Zero GP looks killer. But they are just so freaking hard to find.

I kinda dread going to a fitter and paying full price. But I'm most likely going to end up doing that. It's my boots and they probably should fit as well as my alpine boots anyways

Thanks yo! I would say most any fitter will knock off 10% for you, especially if bring em their drink of choice. For the cost of a 6-pack, it will at least save you $50-80. But definitely take the time to get them fitted because while alpine boots are super important to dial in, I would say touring boots are even more important. The foot and ankle undergo a lot more movement and to keep things snug, comfy, and blister-free it will usually take a bit more TLC.
 
Quick question about my Hawx Ultra 110. Should I wash the liners? Not going to use them until next winter (no summer skiing for me). Put around 40 days in them (5hrs/day on average). The liners do have some sweat stains but don't smell or anything. Is it worth washing? If so, what's the best way to do it?
 
13826235:BrawnTrends said:
Quick question about my Hawx Ultra 110. Should I wash the liners? Not going to use them until next winter (no summer skiing for me). Put around 40 days in them (5hrs/day on average). The liners do have some sweat stains but don't smell or anything. Is it worth washing? If so, what's the best way to do it?

If you are talking about sweat stains on the fuzzy fabric that is around your calf and on the tongue, just take a damp cloth and some fabric cleaner to them. That will de-funkify them without causing any problems.
 
13826255:BrawnTrends said:
Actually I was talking about sweat stains on the grey fabric on the toebox area.

Ah ok, same then. The grey fabric is a special lycra, so a fabric cleaner should work there too.
 
I am just peppering this thread nowadays.

Anyways...bought a pair of lange XT 130's for an absolutely stupid cheap price. They are the year prior to having tech fittings, but they have a cast tech system installed....how sketchy is it to ski downhill on a cast toe?

If it's sketchy I'll probably just sell the boots...it was just too good of a deal to pass up.
 
13827524:Profahoben_212 said:
I am just peppering this thread nowadays.

Anyways...bought a pair of lange XT 130's for an absolutely stupid cheap price. They are the year prior to having tech fittings, but they have a cast tech system installed....how sketchy is it to ski downhill on a cast toe?

If it's sketchy I'll probably just sell the boots...it was just too good of a deal to pass up.

I may be wrong, but you aren't supposed to ski down with the CAST inserts- they're only for going up. They can handle the loads for climbing but not for skiing.
 
13827622:onenerdykid said:
I may be wrong, but you aren't supposed to ski down with the CAST inserts- they're only for going up. They can handle the loads for climbing but not for skiing.

Figured....might just use as a non tech touring boot then...or sell them. As always thanks nerdy

If anybody wants a very good condition pair in 25.5 with cast installed hmu
 
Just got brand new Salomon Quest pro 110s a size bigger than my last pair because somehow i grew out of them in less than a year, but have had problems with circulation in both boots, for some reason after wearing the boots for only a few minutes my feet are asleep and have no blood going to them. Really restricted my skiing the last few years, any suggestions on what to do?
 
Just got brand new Salomon Quest pro 110s a size bigger than my last pair because somehow i grew out of them in less than a year, but have had problems with circulation in both boots, for some reason after wearing the boots for only a few minutes my feet are asleep and have no blood going to them. Really restricted my skiing the last few years, any suggestions on what to do?
 
I'm no expert, but if this thread taught me anything is that good custom footbeds are always the first step in the right direction.
 
13835227:lineskirider said:
Just got brand new Salomon Quest pro 110s a size bigger than my last pair because somehow i grew out of them in less than a year, but have had problems with circulation in both boots, for some reason after wearing the boots for only a few minutes my feet are asleep and have no blood going to them. Really restricted my skiing the last few years, any suggestions on what to do?

Salomon's boots are incredibly low over the instep for how wide they are. Instep pressure will certainly reduce blood flow to your toes and can lead to numbness and cold feet. Without seeing your feet, this would be my guess as to why you are having some circulation issues.

With that said, are these brand new boots you are talking about? When boots are new, it's the tightest they will ever feel- they'll only get looser. Make sure you have a good footbed to hold your feet in the right position and promote proper blood flow, make sure you have the liners (possibly shells too) molded to your feet, and as a last resort see if you boot-fitter can grind away some of the boot board to give you more volume that will improve your circulation.
 
13835294:onenerdykid said:
Salomon's boots are incredibly low over the instep for how wide they are. Instep pressure will certainly reduce blood flow to your toes and can lead to numbness and cold feet. Without seeing your feet, this would be my guess as to why you are having some circulation issues.

With that said, are these brand new boots you are talking about? When boots are new, it's the tightest they will ever feel- they'll only get looser. Make sure you have a good footbed to hold your feet in the right position and promote proper blood flow, make sure you have the liners (possibly shells too) molded to your feet, and as a last resort see if you boot-fitter can grind away some of the boot board to give you more volume that will improve your circulation.

Thank you for the response, i hope they break in nicely, im probably going to go to a bootfitter and see what they say also, thank you much
 
I have some kind of a problem. After 4 years or so with some Full Tilt's I bought new boots last season, Salomon Ghost 90. I have the "World cup" booster strap, so it's not too soft, but maybe a bit. Anyways, mid-season I felt some serious pain in my legs which kept on hurting the rest of the season. I used pieces of a sleeping pad to make it a little better, but it wasn't perfect. I never had leg issues with the old FT boots. Does anybody have any tips for not getting these leg pains?

I'm norwegian, so my english isn't perfect!
 
13838984:Olavsbaa said:
I have some kind of a problem. After 4 years or so with some Full Tilt's I bought new boots last season, Salomon Ghost 90. I have the "World cup" booster strap, so it's not too soft, but maybe a bit. Anyways, mid-season I felt some serious pain in my legs which kept on hurting the rest of the season. I used pieces of a sleeping pad to make it a little better, but it wasn't perfect. I never had leg issues with the old FT boots. Does anybody have any tips for not getting these leg pains?

I'm norwegian, so my english isn't perfect!

Are the new Salomons a lot softer than your FTs? Shin bang is caused by many different factors: not having a footbed, boot is too soft or too stiff, if the plastic cuff or liner height is the wrong height for your leg, if there is too much excess volume in the cuff, etc. can all lead to the pain you are experiencing.

Do you still have your FTs? Are they the same size and last width (generally speaking) as your Salomons? If yes, as a quick and free experiment, you could try putting the FT liners into the Salomons and see how that goes. It will provide more cushioning than the Salomon liner and take up any excess space you might have. Start there if possible. Otherwise, you'll need to go to a boot-fitter and have him/her check out your footbeds needs and see if the boot is the right size, shape, geometry for your foot and leg.
 
13838985:onenerdykid said:
Are the new Salomons a lot softer than your FTs? Shin bang is caused by many different factors: not having a footbed, boot is too soft or too stiff, if the plastic cuff or liner height is the wrong height for your leg, if there is too much excess volume in the cuff, etc. can all lead to the pain you are experiencing.

Do you still have your FTs? Are they the same size and last width (generally speaking) as your Salomons? If yes, as a quick and free experiment, you could try putting the FT liners into the Salomons and see how that goes. It will provide more cushioning than the Salomon liner and take up any excess space you might have. Start there if possible. Otherwise, you'll need to go to a boot-fitter and have him/her check out your footbeds needs and see if the boot is the right size, shape, geometry for your foot and leg.

Thanks!

The FT boots are 1 or 2 sizes smaller than the Salomon ones. I'll compare them next time i'm home and see if I find out something:)
 
I've skied two full seasons (everyday for 20 weeks straight X2 plus various dryslope/snowdome skiing) and the liners have been recooked to death.

They no longer fit as well (some moment in the heel) and they're not as warm as they used to be.

I don't know a huge amount about boots so was wondering if it would be in my interest to find another boot that fits or buy a new liner like "Full Tilt Full Tilt Pro Liner 2018 white"? Money is a consideration but I'm heading back out for a another season so warmth/comfort takes priority.

Thanks for any help
 
13839376:OspreyTune said:
I've skied two full seasons (everyday for 20 weeks straight X2 plus various dryslope/snowdome skiing) and the liners have been recooked to death.

They no longer fit as well (some moment in the heel) and they're not as warm as they used to be.

I don't know a huge amount about boots so was wondering if it would be in my interest to find another boot that fits or buy a new liner like "Full Tilt Full Tilt Pro Liner 2018 white"? Money is a consideration but I'm heading back out for a another season so warmth/comfort takes priority.

Thanks for any help

While you can just buy new liners for your boot, with that many days on it, it's probably best to just invest into a new boot. If you are going to spend another full season in your boots every day, it will be worth it and you'll have a fresh warranty should anything go wrong. Get new boots.
 
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