Home Customization for Your Ski Boots
The more you use your ski boots the more you will understand exactly what might or might not be working. It is best to give your boots two full 5 hour ski days before you make any drastic fit decisions.
You are having trouble buckling your boots.
Try twisting the buckle to make it slightly smaller or slightly larger. This twist feature is known as micro-adjust. If you have exhausted the buckle length using the micro-adjust feature you can often move the teeth of the buckle on the boot cuff in or out. You may need an Allen wrench, often provided in your boot box, to move the buckles.
The ski boot is too tight or pinching around your calves.
Many ski boots have Velcro or screwed on spoilers on the inside of the boot shell where you calf sits. You can simply remove the spoiler to create more space in the upper cuff.
The ski boot does not have enough arch support.
The insoles manufacturers do not offer very much support. If you have a high arch or need better support underfoot, try replacing the foot bed. You can use a generic foot bed such as Superfeet insole.
Shop Customization for Your Ski Boots
While there are a lot things you can do at home to customize your ski boot fit sometimes it is best to seek out the professionals. A speciality ski shop with trained boot fitters can evaluate your fit and may be able to make huge improvements to your fit by supporting your feet, giving you more space in your boots and checking the alignment of your body in your boots. You will want to visit a boot fitter if any of the following is true:
– You need a more precise fit from your ski boots.
– You feel intense pressure or pain in any specific area of you feet, ankles or calves.
– You are having trouble trying to correct a bowlegged or knocked kneed stance.
There are a few major adjustments boot fitters can make to ensure a perfect fit.
Custom Foot Beds - Many boot fit issues can be eliminated or dramatically reduced with custom foot beds. Similar to custom orthotics you can put custom insoles in your ski boots. Custom insoles are specifically shaped to your feet for maximum support. Foot beds offer support and control over your skiing as well as preventing the foot from splaying longer and wider in the boot. A supported foot will have less natural inclination to bang again the front and side walls of the boot which makes for a more comfortable fit. Also, it is much easier to pin-point a problem spot if the foot is not slopping around the shell. The process typically takes about 25 to 60 minutes and custom foot beds may significantly improve your comfort level by aligning your foot and leg as well as supporting your feet.
Boot Punches - One of the most common ways to solve these pressure points after trying a custom foot bed is to create more space in the boot by reshaping the plastic. The ski boot shell is heated up and stretched using special boot fitting equipment. Remember that once you make the boot bigger you can not make it smaller again so it best exhaust all other options before stretching or punching a ski boot shell.
Canting - Canting refers to the actual stance alignment of the skier by correcting a knocked kneed or bowlegged stance through removing material, planning the ski boot sole, cantable soles or wedges under the binding. Cuff alignment is often confused with canting. Many boots offer the skier the ability to adjust the cuff to fit the shaft of the leg; this is an important feature as it allows you a more neutral stance in the boot. Adjusting the canting of your ski boots should be left to the boot pros.
How to Choose Ski Boots: Size and Fit Guide
Ski Boot Fitting Guide: How To Try On Your New Ski Boots
