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

[onenerdykid]

Not really a question about an issue wtih my boots, but more a question for a boot fitter. How does the new Atomic Backland XTD differ in fit from the Hawx Prime XTD? Ive been skiing in a 28.5 Hawx Prime XTD for the passed couple of seasons, would it be safe to say that the Backland XTD 120 would fit me just as well?

Super similar fit between the two, but not 100% identical. You just can't get an absolutely, 100% identical fit between the two constructions, from both a shell and liner perspective. But it's really close.

Basically, if you have a Hawx Prime XTD right now and you want a dedicated touring boot based around the same foot shape, cuff shape, cuff height, etc. then the Backland XTD is your ticket.

 

[mattpaul611]

Shin bang fixes. Boots fit great just shin problems.

 

[profa_212]

Shin bang fixes. Boots fit great just shin problems.

Your boot probably doesn't fit great

Or you are a backseat bandit

 

[Olimar]

Super similar fit between the two, but not 100% identical. You just can't get an absolutely, 100% identical fit between the two constructions, from both a shell and liner perspective. But it's really close.

Basically, if you have a Hawx Prime XTD right now and you want a dedicated touring boot based around the same foot shape, cuff shape, cuff height, etc. then the Backland XTD is your ticket.

So i went to a shop to try them on and the brand new, unmolded Backland XTD felt noticeably more roomy than my old, packed out, head molded hawx XTD. Both the same listed size. Any thoughts on this? I guess I just need a proper boot fitting session in person, but I have an industry deal and I dont want to waste the fitters time if Im not going to buy from them.

 

[onenerdykid]

So i went to a shop to try them on and the brand new, unmolded Backland XTD felt noticeably more roomy than my old, packed out, head molded hawx XTD. Both the same listed size. Any thoughts on this? I guess I just need a proper boot fitting session in person, but I have an industry deal and I dont want to waste the fitters time if Im not going to buy from them.

Backland XTD is a 100mm last, but it is not the same exact last that is used in a Prime XTD. Nor is it the same liner construction. Hawx Prime XTD has a last & a liner made for alpine skiing, Backland XTD has a last & a liner made for touring. The fits are close, but also different. If you need a tighter fit out of the Backland XTD, I would recommend checking out thicker/firmer aftermarket liners to find the shell/liner combo that suits your fit & performance expectations.

 

[Olimar]

Backland XTD is a 100mm last, but it is not the same exact last that is used in a Prime XTD. Nor is it the same liner construction. Hawx Prime XTD has a last & a liner made for alpine skiing, Backland XTD has a last & a liner made for touring. The fits are close, but also different. If you need a tighter fit out of the Backland XTD, I would recommend checking out thicker/firmer aftermarket liners to find the shell/liner combo that suits your fit & performance expectations.

Appreciate your thoughts!

 

[kylemclean]

Not really a problem but just a question and not gonna throw out a whole thread for it. I got my first touring setup this year and have been contemplating putting some laces in my liner, which are lace compatible. Boots aren’t a touring boot so I want to be able to open up the tops of the cuff to get a little more range of motion, but am worried about the extra movement of my foot causing friction problems and the laces popped into my head as a potential way to reduce that friction. Any thoughts?

Obviously also gonna talk to my fitter that did the liners about it too, but figured tossing the question out here wouldn’t hurt either

 

[deelonmusk]

Not really a problem but just a question and not gonna throw out a whole thread for it. I got my first touring setup this year and have been contemplating putting some laces in my liner, which are lace compatible. Boots aren’t a touring boot so I want to be able to open up the tops of the cuff to get a little more range of motion, but am worried about the extra movement of my foot causing friction problems and the laces popped into my head as a potential way to reduce that friction. Any thoughts?

Obviously also gonna talk to my fitter that did the liners about it too, but figured tossing the question out here wouldn’t hurt either

I’m not sure this would help a ton but given that it would be a really cheap and easy experiment, why not. Liners are stiffer than you’d think and the built-in flex zone at the back of every touring-oriented liner is there for a reason. I would try both keeping the whole boot + liner loose and then also trying the liner taught via laces and a loose cuff.

What boots are they and what touring binding/adapter are you using?

 

[kylemclean]

I’m not sure this would help a ton but given that it would be a really cheap and easy experiment, why not. Liners are stiffer than you’d think and the built-in flex zone at the back of every touring-oriented liner is there for a reason. I would try both keeping the whole boot + liner loose and then also trying the liner taught via laces and a loose cuff.

What boots are they and what touring binding/adapter are you using?

That’s sort of what I figured. Not a permanent change so if it didn’t work can just take the laces out.

Using a set of Nordica Speedmachine 130 with some pretty stiff injection liners paired up with a set of barons for the bindings

 

[GayWolf420]

I think I need to get my Cochise 130's punched-out in the toe boxes but its really weird or find a comparable replacement.

I have circulation issues on my left foot from a really gnarly big toe laceration and a foot fracture from 2019 that required surgical repair but I got fitted properly in the Firebird 130's w/ some Booster Straps and footbeds and it really helped that following season. Then I bought a pair of the Cochise's and I really dig the uphill capabilities and the downhill. They're both 25.5's so I was able to replace the footbeds with mine from the Firebirds last year and now they're cooked, but I replaced the straps this week and the soles are worn from Patrolling last season and now training this season im like "What do I do?" ya know.

**This post was edited on Dec 6th 2023 at 10:07:19pm

 

[deelonmusk]

That’s sort of what I figured. Not a permanent change so if it didn’t work can just take the laces out.

Using a set of Nordica Speedmachine 130 with some pretty stiff injection liners paired up with a set of barons for the bindings

Understood. Yeah that’s not an ideal touring setup but I think you already know that lol. Laces are worth a go!

 

[evan.n.low]

Thoughts on 120 Lange Shadow?

 

[db_]

Hello together

I have a Lange xt3 140 lv, we have warmed up the liner and shell as well as last year and widened it a bit in the forefoot area. now i notice a heel lift. can I solve this with a small heel wedge and how does this change my foot/leg position in the existing forward lean?

Are there small, fine pads (self-made?) to stick to the inner shoe, I find the C-pads all a bit too tight?

Thanks for your input.

 

[onenerdykid]

Hello together

I have a Lange xt3 140 lv, we have warmed up the liner and shell as well as last year and widened it a bit in the forefoot area. now i notice a heel lift. can I solve this with a small heel wedge and how does this change my foot/leg position in the existing forward lean?

Are there small, fine pads (self-made?) to stick to the inner shoe, I find the C-pads all a bit too tight?

Thanks for your input.

When you heated up your shells, did you heat the forefoot only or did you put the shells in an oven? If you did the oven, there is a chance you made the heel of the shell wider too.

If only the liner has packed out, then boot fitters have access to many different types of foam pads that can go around your ankle to make it tighter in that area. Few things are available directly for consumers to play with. Speak with your local fitter for the best solution.

English pro tip: As a greeting, translate zusammen as "everyone", not as "together".

 

[db_]

Yes, the entire boot. So it is possible that it was also enlarged there. The heel fit out of the box was very, very tight.

I wore the boot about 5 times without adjustments and then warmed it up.

I generally have a wider heel, so I was a bit surprised that the heel lift occurred.

ok, then I will ask there, I thought maybe there is a magical fabric input for this topic thanks

**This post was edited on Jan 2nd 2024 at 6:17:08am

 

[ThaLorax]

Why did you heat the shell of a boot that does not have a heat moldable shell and what was thr goal of doing so?

Yes, the entire boot. So it is possible that it was also enlarged there. The heel fit out of the box was very, very tight.

I wore the boot about 5 times without adjustments and then warmed it up.

I generally have a wider heel, so I was a bit surprised that the heel lift occurred.

ok, then I will ask there, I thought maybe there is a magical fabric input for this topic thanks

**This post was edited on Jan 2nd 2024 at 6:17:08am

 

[db_]

Why did you heat the shell of a boot that does not have a heat moldable shell and what was thr goal of doing so?

why do you think that doesn't work?

was the bootfitter's idea/suggestion.

 

[ThaLorax]

why do you think that doesn't work?

was the bootfitter's idea/suggestion.

Lange plastic is not thermomoldable. It is only meant to be spot heated for punches, not the entire boot.While most brands have gone to moldable plastics, brands like Lange, Rossignol, and Nordica have opted to use more traditional plastics that are not moldable. However, if you heat any boot up, it's probably going to expand. Some boots just aren't made for it

 

[db_]

Lange plastic is not thermomoldable. It is only meant to be spot heated for punches, not the entire boot.While most brands have gone to moldable plastics, brands like Lange, Rossignol, and Nordica have opted to use more traditional plastics that are not moldable. However, if you heat any boot up, it's probably going to expand. Some boots just aren't made for it

What is the overall difference on the plastic when fully heated and then only at the critical points?

I have not been able to detect any damage to the plastic, the flex has remained the same. The way the boot looks now, it probably won't last another 5 seasons .

As I said, the heel was fine until a few days ago, so I assume it's the liner and I just need a small solution. As suggested by onenerdykid.

 

[tomPietrowski]

Lange plastic is not thermomoldable. It is only meant to be spot heated for punches, not the entire boot.While most brands have gone to moldable plastics, brands like Lange, Rossignol, and Nordica have opted to use more traditional plastics that are not moldable. However, if you heat any boot up, it's probably going to expand. Some boots just aren't made for it

If a boot is made from PU it can be heat molded. it may take longer to cool to keep the shape but there is no reason you cannot mold any PU boot.

 

[ThaLorax]

What is the overall difference on the plastic when fully heated and then only at the critical points?

I have not been able to detect any damage to the plastic, the flex has remained the same. The way the boot looks now, it probably won't last another 5 seasons .

As I said, the heel was fine until a few days ago, so I assume it's the liner and I just need a small solution. As suggested by onenerdykid.

Spot punching is generally a higher temperature for a lesser amount of time. Boots that are designed for molding heat at a lower temperature and cool down faster and tend to be thinner plastics. Boots not designed for it need higher temperatures to mold (or at least to be heated for longer), and increases the risk a handful of issues such as ovalizing your buckle holes, warping the plastic, etc. You're right that it's probably just the liner, and you may just need some foam around the heel. But i reiterate, heating the entire shell up, especially without any pressure from an outside source (like Fischer's older vacuum fit system), will generally cause the entire shell to expand. This could be part of why your heel feels looser now. Does that make sense?

If a boot is made from PU it can be heat molded. it may take longer to cool to keep the shape but there is no reason you cannot mold any PU boot.

Agreed. As I said, some boot brands/models aren't "made" for it. I never said it isn't possible. If PU wasn't moldable, punching them wouldn't work so well

 

[ThaLorax]

I guess I can see how my original verbiage makes it sound like it is not possible. I was oversimplifying the concepts to make a point, concisely

 

[blazer258]

I finally got some new boots from a shop after 8 years of using boots I bought online. I went in looking to take their recommendation on model/size. They sized me, measured, etc... and put me in a 27.5 Nordica Speed Machine 110 with a footbed. (Given I get only a handful of days in per season, he said the 110 may be better than 120 to break in quicker)

I got three days back to back on them and the heel, toe, arch wasn't too bad. The issue was the pressure coming down on top of my foot. From what I've read in this thread/online appears to be the Navicular bone (that arch bone on the top of your foot). Even when the buckle was loose I felt this pressure and kept them unbuckled on the lift/gondola. Leaning back, popping, etc... put a ton on pressure on it. I don't believe the boots are too big, pretty sung, can wiggle toes slightly.

I'm going to head back into the shop this weekend to see what they can do, but prior to that anyone have any tips here or know what causes this? They said they can work with me to get them fitted correctly, I'm not sure what fitters typically do for this. I'll keep scanning this thread for any advice

 

[onenerdykid]

I finally got some new boots from a shop after 8 years of using boots I bought online. I went in looking to take their recommendation on model/size. They sized me, measured, etc... and put me in a 27.5 Nordica Speed Machine 110 with a footbed. (Given I get only a handful of days in per season, he said the 110 may be better than 120 to break in quicker)

I got three days back to back on them and the heel, toe, arch wasn't too bad. The issue was the pressure coming down on top of my foot. From what I've read in this thread/online appears to be the Navicular bone (that arch bone on the top of your foot). Even when the buckle was loose I felt this pressure and kept them unbuckled on the lift/gondola. Leaning back, popping, etc... put a ton on pressure on it. I don't believe the boots are too big, pretty sung, can wiggle toes slightly.

I'm going to head back into the shop this weekend to see what they can do, but prior to that anyone have any tips here or know what causes this? They said they can work with me to get them fitted correctly, I'm not sure what fitters typically do for this. I'll keep scanning this thread for any advice

This is your cuneform bone, not your navicular (that is on the medial side of your foot, below & in front of your ankle).

3 days of skiing is not a lot of time and I bet your liner just needs a few more days of breaking in. There is a lot of dense foam in modern liners and I bet it is a combination of firm tongue foam (directly over your instep) and firm ankle/heel foam (behind your foot, pushing your foot forward into the tongue foam) needing to break in more. As the foam settles in, more space is created and less pressure will be present. However, if after a few more days of skiing you are still uncomfortable, then for sure go see your fitter. Depending on the actual cause, there will be a cure. It could be a number of things, but only a person who can see your foot inside the boot can say what it is.

 

[ThaLorax]

I finally got some new boots from a shop after 8 years of using boots I bought online. I went in looking to take their recommendation on model/size. They sized me, measured, etc... and put me in a 27.5 Nordica Speed Machine 110 with a footbed. (Given I get only a handful of days in per season, he said the 110 may be better than 120 to break in quicker)

I got three days back to back on them and the heel, toe, arch wasn't too bad. The issue was the pressure coming down on top of my foot. From what I've read in this thread/online appears to be the Navicular bone (that arch bone on the top of your foot). Even when the buckle was loose I felt this pressure and kept them unbuckled on the lift/gondola. Leaning back, popping, etc... put a ton on pressure on it. I don't believe the boots are too big, pretty sung, can wiggle toes slightly.

I'm going to head back into the shop this weekend to see what they can do, but prior to that anyone have any tips here or know what causes this? They said they can work with me to get them fitted correctly, I'm not sure what fitters typically do for this. I'll keep scanning this thread for any advice

What type of foot bed/how thick is it?

 

[blazer258]

^ Thanks for the advice. I'm getting another day in coming up, maybe I'll give them another go with a slightly thinner sock before going back into the shop.

What type of foot bed/how thick is it?

The insole/footbed they put in there (recommended) was a Superfeet Winter thin support.

 

[ThaLorax]

^ Thanks for the advice. I'm getting another day in coming up, maybe I'll give them another go with a slightly thinner sock before going back into the shop.

The insole/footbed they put in there (recommended) was a Superfeet Winter thin support.

Those are decent, but the heel that may be pushing your insep up into the shell. You can have the boot fitter grind it down further as a potential way to improve it. Depending onnthr severity, you can also grind out the boot board, cut some elastic off the liner instep, and/or grind out some of the hard plastic over thr instep in the tongue

 

[TyrannicalPanda]

When skiing, I end up with a strong pain under the outer portion of the ball of my foot, centered around my 4th toes. Its in both feet but worse on my right.

I learned to ski as a kid and after a 15 year hiatus, started skiing again a few years ago. At this point, I'd call myself an (over?)-confident intermediate skier who can handle nearly all groomed trails. I started off in rental boots and remember one local mountain I would rent from caused a strong cramp until my foot fell asleep. Another didn't bother me as much. Last year, was my first time skiing more than 6 days a season and I decided my own set of boots was in order, especially considering the pain I was having in rentals.

On my initial fitting February, my boot fitter ended up going one size up in length due to how tall the mid-section of my foot is, sold me a Sidas low-arch footbed, and they did some heat molding on the outside of my foot around the base of my little toe. The new boots helped make the pain a little less intense but it was still a concern for me. I was very thankful that my shop offers unlimited custom fittings when you buy a boot from them (and will credit you for the boots if they ultimately put you in the wrong size boot). So, I went back to my local boot shop two more times and each time they simply expanded out the same area at the base of my little toe.

My 3rd visit to the shop, I worked with a veteran boot fitter (35 years) who finally recognized my strong pronation. He added a heel wedge and maxed out the cant angle adjustment on my boots. But by that point it was the end of the season and I couldn't test them out until this season.

This season, I am still having the same pain, but at least that section of my foot isn't falling asleep anymore. I do feel that with the heel wedges to correct the pronation, I am putting additional weight/pressure onto the outer ball of my foot. My bootfitter did play around with some met pads which felt fine in the shop. But after trying to ski, I couldn't rip them out fast enough. They also noticed that while I have a relatively low arch, it is very long. So we bumped up the size of the footbed from XL to XXL to extend the arch support.

I did also learn that at least part of the issue was my ski technique since I was relying on 15 year old muscle memory instead of lessons. I was muscling my turns and clenching my toes. I've taken a couple lessons now to start correcting that but still having similar pain in my foot. It's a slower onset, but I definitely notice it after a couple hours on the slopes.

My bootfitter is essentially out of ideas at this point, and I'm more or less at a point where I can tolerate the pain while I focused on continuing to improve my skiing. But I thought I would come here to see if there were any other thoughts that might help. Some days I contemplate switching to a board so I don't have to deal with my boots...

 

[onenerdykid]

When skiing, I end up with a strong pain under the outer portion of the ball of my foot, centered around my 4th toes. Its in both feet but worse on my right.

I learned to ski as a kid and after a 15 year hiatus, started skiing again a few years ago. At this point, I'd call myself an (over?)-confident intermediate skier who can handle nearly all groomed trails. I started off in rental boots and remember one local mountain I would rent from caused a strong cramp until my foot fell asleep. Another didn't bother me as much. Last year, was my first time skiing more than 6 days a season and I decided my own set of boots was in order, especially considering the pain I was having in rentals.

On my initial fitting February, my boot fitter ended up going one size up in length due to how tall the mid-section of my foot is, sold me a Sidas low-arch footbed, and they did some heat molding on the outside of my foot around the base of my little toe. The new boots helped make the pain a little less intense but it was still a concern for me. I was very thankful that my shop offers unlimited custom fittings when you buy a boot from them (and will credit you for the boots if they ultimately put you in the wrong size boot). So, I went back to my local boot shop two more times and each time they simply expanded out the same area at the base of my little toe.

My 3rd visit to the shop, I worked with a veteran boot fitter (35 years) who finally recognized my strong pronation. He added a heel wedge and maxed out the cant angle adjustment on my boots. But by that point it was the end of the season and I couldn't test them out until this season.

This season, I am still having the same pain, but at least that section of my foot isn't falling asleep anymore. I do feel that with the heel wedges to correct the pronation, I am putting additional weight/pressure onto the outer ball of my foot. My bootfitter did play around with some met pads which felt fine in the shop. But after trying to ski, I couldn't rip them out fast enough. They also noticed that while I have a relatively low arch, it is very long. So we bumped up the size of the footbed from XL to XXL to extend the arch support.

I did also learn that at least part of the issue was my ski technique since I was relying on 15 year old muscle memory instead of lessons. I was muscling my turns and clenching my toes. I've taken a couple lessons now to start correcting that but still having similar pain in my foot. It's a slower onset, but I definitely notice it after a couple hours on the slopes.

My bootfitter is essentially out of ideas at this point, and I'm more or less at a point where I can tolerate the pain while I focused on continuing to improve my skiing. But I thought I would come here to see if there were any other thoughts that might help. Some days I contemplate switching to a board so I don't have to deal with my boots...

Why not a custom footbed? Why are you hanging on to trim-to-fits?

Sounds like you also need to wear supportive footbeds in your everyday shoes. You can't wear nothing for 10 months of the year then hop onto a footbed, inside a plastic cast (a ski boot), with a met pad and expect everything to be great.

 

[TyrannicalPanda]

Why not a custom footbed? Why are you hanging on to trim-to-fits?

Sounds like you also need to wear supportive footbeds in your everyday shoes. You can't wear nothing for 10 months of the year then hop onto a footbed, inside a plastic cast (a ski boot), with a met pad and expect everything to be great.

Thanks for the advice. I was open to a custom footbed but the bootfitter was trying to save me money and recommended that it probably wasn't going to solve the issue.

I'll certainly look to get something for everyday shoes as well. I imagine that won't be an immediate difference but will make an impact next year?

 

[onenerdykid]

Thanks for the advice. I was open to a custom footbed but the bootfitter was trying to save me money and recommended that it probably wasn't going to solve the issue.

I'll certainly look to get something for everyday shoes as well. I imagine that won't be an immediate difference but will make an impact next year?

I say this with not being able to see your foot in person nor understand what your boot fitter might be seeing, but maybe you don't have the best boot fitter? When a boot fitter says a custom footbed won't be much better than a trim-to-fit, it usually means your boot fitter isn't making good custom footbeds...

You do the most help or hurt to your feet with & in your everyday footwear. Getting into a proper footbed for your every day shoes will help you immediately and make a huge difference within a week.

 

[BallClapper]

Heya, I have the 2023 Atomic Hawx Ultra XTD in the 120 flex. I got this boot middle of last season and it has been the best fitting boot I have ever owned, this season about 10 days in I started getting brutal heel pain. My heels would lift when doing butters and rub on the back of the boot. I think my liners might be getting packed out but am now coming to the unfortunate conclusion that perhaps my boots are too big. When I went to a boot fitter last season before buying these boots I measured at a 26.5 but those bothered my toes, went for a size bigger instead of punching out the 26's. Can this issue be fixed without buying new boots? I have looked at the zipfit freeride liner but even with the industry discount it's a big pill to swallow. Any diy hacks or other less pricy options out there? Thanks.

 

[onenerdykid]

Heya, I have the 2023 Atomic Hawx Ultra XTD in the 120 flex. I got this boot middle of last season and it has been the best fitting boot I have ever owned, this season about 10 days in I started getting brutal heel pain. My heels would lift when doing butters and rub on the back of the boot. I think my liners might be getting packed out but am now coming to the unfortunate conclusion that perhaps my boots are too big. When I went to a boot fitter last season before buying these boots I measured at a 26.5 but those bothered my toes, went for a size bigger instead of punching out the 26's. Can this issue be fixed without buying new boots? I have looked at the zipfit freeride liner but even with the industry discount it's a big pill to swallow. Any diy hacks or other less pricy options out there? Thanks.

If you went one shell size larger than your measured size, then you are 99.9% in the wrong boot. But let's check.

Remove the liner from the shell, step into the shell barefoot, slide your foot to the front so your toes just barely touch, examine the space behind your heel.

1-ish cm (one finger) = high performance fit

2-ish cm (two stacked fingers) = standard fit

3-ish cm (three fingers) = problematically too big and best to start over

What do you have?

 

[BallClapper]

If you went one shell size larger than your measured size, then you are 99.9% in the wrong boot. But let's check.

Remove the liner from the shell, step into the shell barefoot, slide your foot to the front so your toes just barely touch, examine the space behind your heel.

1-ish cm (one finger) = high performance fit

2-ish cm (two stacked fingers) = standard fit

3-ish cm (three fingers) = problematically too big and best to start over

What do you have?

My hand was too big so a friend with smaller hands got three. I originally bought the prime because I had swelling in both my feet and ankles due to an injury. Once I thought that died down I switched to these. I do feel my feet slop around a bit now... Is there anything I can do to not buy a new boot and still achieve a high performance fit?

 

[onenerdykid]

My hand was too big so a friend with smaller hands got three. I originally bought the prime because I had swelling in both my feet and ankles due to an injury. Once I thought that died down I switched to these. I do feel my feet slop around a bit now... Is there anything I can do to not buy a new boot and still achieve a high performance fit?

A high-performance, 3cm fit is not going to be a reality, unfortunately. Everything you'll do to fix it will be a band-aid solution and you'll just be throwing money away. You can try to get an aftermarket liner to take up excess space, but that will be a $300-450 fix that still won't fix your issue.

 

[BallClapper]

A high-performance, 3cm fit is not going to be a reality, unfortunately. Everything you'll do to fix it will be a band-aid solution and you'll just be throwing money away. You can try to get an aftermarket liner to take up excess space, but that will be a $300-450 fix that still won't fix your issue.

I looked at my foot and my heel is a weird shape. It has a spike, kinda shaped like this >

 

[Rock_Inhabitant]

I have a little too much cuff space on my boots and might get a boot spoiler to get a better fit. Is this a good idea? Are boot spoilers effective?

 

[onenerdykid]

Are boot spoilers effective?

Yes. Just depends if your liner will accept them (are they prepared with velcro?) or if you mount them on your cuff. Specific boots tend to have specific solutions.

 

[blueberrypaladin]

I have some Lange ZA's that have been ground and punched to my foot. I was getting the bootboard ground (with an experienced fitter) to alleviate some instep pain in my left. I told him my right boot was basically dialed with pressure but no pain, but if I wasn't moving I could get a bit of fuzz (when skiing hard it felt great). He said a very small board grind was low risk, so we went ahead with it. The grind was money on the left boot, but the right one felt a bit looser afterwards. Nothing insane and still basically no heel lift, just...more space than before I guess?

I think we're talking less than 0.5mm, and he was very cognizant of not dropping the board below being flush with the boot. I don't think he dropped it so low as to mess with that, it just shifted the fit slightly. Is this the kind of thing I'll just get used to with a different buckle tightness and liner breaking in a bit? Skied them the next day and by the end of the day I could basically get it to feeling really good, just with more tightness on the middle 2 buckles. Wanted to check if the consensus is to definitely buy a new bootboard, or if (as long as the bootboard wasn't shaved more than 1-2mm) it's fine either way. Probably going to replace the liners next year with an Atomic Pro STI or Corsa either way, just to keep dialing them in.

 

[Rock_Inhabitant]

Yes. Just depends if your liner will accept them (are they prepared with velcro?) or if you mount them on your cuff. Specific boots tend to have specific solutions.

I got an intuition liner on a scarpa gea boot, would that work

 

[Benchhitter]

I have a little too much cuff space on my boots and might get a boot spoiler to get a better fit. Is this a good idea? Are boot spoilers effective?

Yeah you can get tongue posting in the front as well but the spoilers tend to be better because people prefer being a little more forward leaning. No harm in trying it at all

 

[pirkster]

Big dogs, I am wearing K2 FL3X Method Pros and I'm getting really bad foot pain on the outside and the arch of my feet when I wear them. It's to the point that I'm no longer even strapping my bottom buckles. I do have wide feet, and I think that may be the problem. Is there any way I can make the boots fit better?

 

[Benchhitter]

Big dogs, I am wearing K2 FL3X Method Pros and I'm getting really bad foot pain on the outside and the arch of my feet when I wear them. It's to the point that I'm no longer even strapping my bottom buckles. I do have wide feet, and I think that may be the problem. Is there any way I can make the boots fit better?

Get custom insoles for that arch pain, boot doc or sidas or something similar they’re a lot but they outlast many pairs of boots and I can’t ride without them any more . After that if you’re still hurting get them punched

 

[Rparr]

Big dogs, I am wearing K2 FL3X Method Pros and I'm getting really bad foot pain on the outside and the arch of my feet when I wear them. It's to the point that I'm no longer even strapping my bottom buckles. I do have wide feet, and I think that may be the problem. Is there any way I can make the boots fit better?

Going to echo what the person above me said. I used to get that same arch pain until I got custom footbeds. Totally worth every penny

 

[macfive]

I have atomkc hawx ultra xtd that I have reshaped the toe box to a fairly extreme extent. I have heated the toe box 5 seperate times and I am curious if doing so has made the plastic more susceptible to becoming very cold?

 

[No-Skill-Phil]

I spent a week trying to get a TGR account to post this in the Atomic boot thread but I give up.

Just picked up some older Ultra Hawx XTD 130 (the green/grey ones) and they fit amazing (using a zipfit free ride liner) compared to my old Lupo ax that a 'pro fitter' put me in. No control and I was swimming in the last, super pissed about it as I bought them new and tried to make it work for a couple seasons. Guy was... abrasive to say the least.

Problem is my left foot is longer than the right and the left big toe as gone black form either smashing the end of the toe box or from the top, hard to tell. Some bruising on the right big toe but nothing like the left. I tried all the boot shops in my 'town' and nobody wants to lengthen or work on the toe of the Hawx, saying it's way too thin in the plastic to stretch. Some say straight up it's impossible. A guy helped me out by slightly grinding down the plastic sole thing and doing a shell heat and mold... but it's still not perfect. Can only ski a couple days before the pain is too much, and no way I could do a half decent tour on them with the current fit.

Is it possible to stretch the toe of an ultra hawx xtd (the older non-PU shell)?, and does anybody know a shop in Austria (accessible by train preferably) that can/will lengthen the toe box slightly? I just need a dash more room and they would be perfect!

Plz halp

 

[macfive]

I spent a week trying to get a TGR account to post this in the Atomic boot thread but I give up.

Just picked up some older Ultra Hawx XTD 130 (the green/grey ones) and they fit amazing (using a zipfit free ride liner) compared to my old Lupo ax that a 'pro fitter' put me in. No control and I was swimming in the last, super pissed about it as I bought them new and tried to make it work for a couple seasons. Guy was... abrasive to say the least.

Problem is my left foot is longer than the right and the left big toe as gone black form either smashing the end of the toe box or from the top, hard to tell. Some bruising on the right big toe but nothing like the left. I tried all the boot shops in my 'town' and nobody wants to lengthen or work on the toe of the Hawx, saying it's way too thin in the plastic to stretch. Some say straight up it's impossible. A guy helped me out by slightly grinding down the plastic sole thing and doing a shell heat and mold... but it's still not perfect. Can only ski a couple days before the pain is too much, and no way I could do a half decent tour on them with the current fit.

Is it possible to stretch the toe of an ultra hawx xtd (the older non-PU shell)?, and does anybody know a shop in Austria (accessible by train preferably) that can/will lengthen the toe box slightly? I just need a dash more room and they would be perfect!

Plz halp

https://www.tetongravity.com/forums...o-quot-WTF-is-wrong-with-my-boots-quot/page60

Scroll down to my username (MacFive) to see what I did to lengthen my Hawx.

Here is everything I have done to my boots, and what has and has not worked:

- Removed the front of my boot board completely, did not work and just made thing worse, if anyone knows where to get a new one that would be sick

- Punched out the toe areas by a boot fitter, kinda worked but not really

- What was referenced in the TGR thread I linked, worked wonders took some time and effort. But was a cool experiment. I guess the only issues I have is what I posted above.

These are your boots right? (https://blisterreview.com/gear-reviews/2019-2020-atomic-hawx-ultra-xtd-130) if so they are PU, and should have no problem to punch, Idk how far I punched mine but it is well beyond 10mm of stretching. Also as far as binding compatibility all I know is that they work with pivots no issue. GregL on the TGR forms has also lengthened and stretched his ultras a considerable amount, go scroll through the forms and try to find what he has done. You can also try heating the toe area and massaging out the plastic with something rounded like the handle of a screwdriver or round end of a wrench.

 

[onenerdykid]

I spent a week trying to get a TGR account to post this in the Atomic boot thread but I give up.

Just picked up some older Ultra Hawx XTD 130 (the green/grey ones) and they fit amazing (using a zipfit free ride liner) compared to my old Lupo ax that a 'pro fitter' put me in. No control and I was swimming in the last, super pissed about it as I bought them new and tried to make it work for a couple seasons. Guy was... abrasive to say the least.

Problem is my left foot is longer than the right and the left big toe as gone black form either smashing the end of the toe box or from the top, hard to tell. Some bruising on the right big toe but nothing like the left. I tried all the boot shops in my 'town' and nobody wants to lengthen or work on the toe of the Hawx, saying it's way too thin in the plastic to stretch. Some say straight up it's impossible. A guy helped me out by slightly grinding down the plastic sole thing and doing a shell heat and mold... but it's still not perfect. Can only ski a couple days before the pain is too much, and no way I could do a half decent tour on them with the current fit.

Is it possible to stretch the toe of an ultra hawx xtd (the older non-PU shell)?, and does anybody know a shop in Austria (accessible by train preferably) that can/will lengthen the toe box slightly? I just need a dash more room and they would be perfect!

Plz halp

Lol, pretty sure I made an Atomic boot thread here too. So many threads...

You can definitely stretch the toe box of a Grilamid boot very easily. You just need to find a shop with the proper tools and jig to hold the boot so it doesn't deform (a tool that is required for any toe box lengthening).

The plastic stretches easily and well. Not as good as a PU boot, but nothing does.

 

[No-Skill-Phil]

Lol, pretty sure I made an Atomic boot thread here too. So many threads...

You can definitely stretch the toe box of a Grilamid boot very easily. You just need to find a shop with the proper tools and jig to hold the boot so it doesn't deform (a tool that is required for any toe box lengthening).

The plastic stretches easily and well. Not as good as a PU boot, but nothing does.

Right on, so good to hear!

Well no shop that I tried in central Vienna would do it. Got any suggestions? I’ll be at Hochköning on the weekend, but I also pass by Innsbruck and sometimes Salzburg.

I also picked up some minty Redster CS130s as a little project boot. Does anybody sell lifters for them that brings the lug-sole dims to gripwalk spec?

 

[No-Skill-Phil]

https://www.tetongravity.com/forums/showthread.php/137151-the-answer-to-quot-WTF-is-wrong-with-my-boots-quot/page60

Scroll down to my username (MacFive) to see what I did to lengthen my Hawx.

Here is everything I have done to my boots, and what has and has not worked:

- Removed the front of my boot board completely, did not work and just made thing worse, if anyone knows where to get a new one that would be sick

- Punched out the toe areas by a boot fitter, kinda worked but not really

- What was referenced in the TGR thread I linked, worked wonders took some time and effort. But was a cool experiment. I guess the only issues I have is what I posted above.

These are your boots right? (https://blisterreview.com/gear-reviews/2019-2020-atomic-hawx-ultra-xtd-130) if so they are PU, and should have no problem to punch, Idk how far I punched mine but it is well beyond 10mm of stretching. Also as far as binding compatibility all I know is that they work with pivots no issue. GregL on the TGR forms has also lengthened and stretched his ultras a considerable amount, go scroll through the forms and try to find what he has done. You can also try heating the toe area and massaging out the plastic with something rounded like the handle of a screwdriver or round end of a wrench.

Cheers for the info and links!

If I can’t find a decent shop to do it I’ll go DIY.