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Canting-think I have fixed a problem..can someone advise me if I'm right

Perty

Ski Diva Extraordinaire
I am naturally knock kneed, and for some reason, this year, it seems to have become more obvious. Maybe it's because I have fatter skis, but I have been aware that, in going straight ahead, my skis tend to be on their inside edges rather than flat. The canting thingy in the side of each (nordica)boot was pointing straight down which has been as purchased, so I guess a neutral position. Today I decided to have a tweak and turned the arrow around to forward . (Tried them backwards, but it didn't feel right).As I did this on the mountain I didn't even take my skis off, but they felt better instantaneously, and I was skiing what was heavy cruddy fresh snow without it being such a battle. I certainly felt my skis were flatter in the snow and when I bent my knees forward they didn't knock together so obviously.

When I finally stopped for the day, I realised that there was also an adjustable screw thingy on the inner side of each boot, which I had not changed. I will change them tomorrow.

Questions:
Have I turned them in the right direction?
I feel like I have been using different muscles around my knees today. Could be the heavy snow, or was skiing with only the outer thingy adjusted putting strain on my knees?
Am I going to have to trainee muscles now that I have changed the canting?

I'm thinking of getting alignment sorted properly and new boots before next season, so this is just a quick fix. Did I do right?
 

volklgirl

Ski Diva Extraordinaire
Canting incorrectly can do wicked thing to your knees and hips. I wouldn't mess with this if I didn't know what I was doing. If you're experiencing new soreness, I'd reset them to where they were and get thee to a boot fitter.

Actually, the adjustment on the shaft of your boots is not canting, it's shaft alignment. It should be adjusted so the shaft (cuff) of the boot follows the natural movement of your leg. The only way it could possibly change the angle of your skis is by either changing the way your leg and knee moves, or allowing your leg to move naturally depending on the setting.

True canting needs to be done inside the boot with wedges under the foot bed or with custom footbeds supporting your arch, on the base of the boot by planing the boot sole, or wedging under the binding on the ski.
 

Perty

Ski Diva Extraordinaire
I know I need professional alignment, but this was just to try and get some sort of improvement in the meantime. I think I'll adjust them back, or almost back. Shame-was skiing so much better! After 3 seasons of not fiddling with my boots, this year I've had to fix packed out liners, and I'm sure the whole thing has had a knock on effect. One heel has suffered from too much pressure from the foam added behind it and this morning I have admitted defeat with that and removed it. I am usually so comfy in my boots, it's all been very frustrating.
Maybe I'll go and see the boot man today after all......
 

vanhoskier

Angel Diva
The cuff (or shaft) alignment of a boot can certainly affect your stance as you learned when you fiddled with your boots. I think you were on the right track in terms of correcting your alignment; after doing so, you naturally will feel a change in the muscles you use.

I am a bit knock- kneed, too, and must have ski boots canted to help correct for it. My stance is due to several factors: a large q-angle, an outward bowing of my tibia/fibula, and a slightly collapsed left arch. Because I have several anatomical issues affecting my alignment, getting it corrected properly isn't always straightforward. After first having alignment adjusted,I certainly can feel a difference in the muscles engaged while skiing.

That said, Volklgirl is correct in asserting that you should be evaluated by a boot fitter and have him/her make the adjustments. However, your feedback is important to give the boot fitter the necessary information to help you achieve better alignment.

I've had a lot of frustrations with this process. What troubles me is that it seems many experienced boot fitters don't bother to fully evaluate the alignment of the skier after being fitted in new boots. The boot itself can change one's alignment, so to me, I'd think this should be a normal part of the boot fitting process.

Let us know how you fared!
 

Perty

Ski Diva Extraordinaire
Well. , I've bought new boots! Have gone from stiff piste orientated Nordica speed machines (3 seasons old), to Technica Cochise 100 w. I skied the same bit of the mountain before the change and then after.
They feel and are very "new school" I think. Only one buckle one the shaft of the boot, 2 over the feet, and a big power strap. Ridiculously easy to get on and off, and despite being an advanced boot, they feel very flexible. They are the same mondo size as the old ones, but feel roomier (which worries me a bit). Same last width though, but 5mm longer sole length. They have a great gizmo at the back which, in due course, will be good if I get into touring as you can adjust to an upright stance.
The good bit-in chopped up 18 inches of fresh snow off piste they are clearly soooo much better-I could turn more smoothly. On piste-the jury's out. I think my legs were so tired yesterday, skiing on piste involved a lot of moguls, and heavy crud, and, being on long 97mm twin tips, maybe I just wasn't up to it no matter what my boots or canting was.
The fitter has left them in a neutral position canting wise, and I am loathe to do anything about it-need to find a professional to do my whole set up I think.

So today, with new strength in my legs (I wish!), I'll give them a proper go. Am thinking of taking my Kenjas out, which I have used once this season. I have a feeling it could be a very strange experience! Bet I go back to the Soulriders after one run!
 

MissySki

Angel Diva
Well. , I've bought new boots! Have gone from stiff piste orientated Nordica speed machines (3 seasons old), to Technica Cochise 100 w. I skied the same bit of the mountain before the change and then after.
They feel and are very "new school" I think. Only one buckle one the shaft of the boot, 2 over the feet, and a big power strap. Ridiculously easy to get on and off, and despite being an advanced boot, they feel very flexible. They are the same mondo size as the old ones, but feel roomier (which worries me a bit). Same last width though, but 5mm longer sole length. They have a great gizmo at the back which, in due course, will be good if I get into touring as you can adjust to an upright stance.
The good bit-in chopped up 18 inches of fresh snow off piste they are clearly soooo much better-I could turn more smoothly. On piste-the jury's out. I think my legs were so tired yesterday, skiing on piste involved a lot of moguls, and heavy crud, and, being on long 97mm twin tips, maybe I just wasn't up to it no matter what my boots or canting was.
The fitter has left them in a neutral position canting wise, and I am loathe to do anything about it-need to find a professional to do my whole set up I think.

So today, with new strength in my legs (I wish!), I'll give them a proper go. Am thinking of taking my Kenjas out, which I have used once this season. I have a feeling it could be a very strange experience! Bet I go back to the Soulriders after one run!

@Perty are you still skiing the Technica Cochise? This came up as a good potential candidate for me yesterday so I thought I'd see if any other divas have them and what you think about them.
 

MissySki

Angel Diva
Whoops nevermind, with further searching I found that you switched out because your pair was too big? Which makes sense if it was the same size as other boots because I would be dropping a shell size to get in the boot if I go with it..
 

Perty

Ski Diva Extraordinaire
Yes, I abandoned them after 2 days. They were just too big. I should have gone with my gut feel. The sole length was 5mm more despite being the same mondo size, which did make me wonder whether mondo size is always the same. I appreciate the plastic mould may vary in design, but they defintiely came up big for my slim feet. I still have them though...not manage to sell them on, despite half hearted ebay efforts.
In the end I bought a pair of Nordica Hell and Back Hike XP (think that's what they are called). Against all the rules I paid £150 for a pair in my size over the Internet. Used them all last season, and have had a couple of weeks on them so far this season. Snug and comfy, no trouble with my old faithful 9 year old footbeds and heel lifts. I did adjust the canting at the beginning of last season, but paid the price with painful Achilles. Once Mr P turned the dial back to knock kneed stance I felt I could turn again. One day I'll get my alignment adjusted professionally.
 

lynseyf

Ski Diva Extraordinaire
@MissySki I'm skiing the Technica Cochise 110w (I think). I like them but only after quite a lot of work. I am a UK 7 which I think is about a 9.5 US. I seem to be between boot sizes in that mondo 25 gets roomy after a while and 24 is unbearably tight. The Cochise was described to me as a big 24. They actually felt ok to me in the shop without any work on them and I skied them for a day but they really hurt my toes. I got the toes blown out quite a bit and they were great for skiing but still killing my toes when I was walking about. I ended up getting the toes ground some more and the sides ground a little and now (fingers crossed) seem to have a great fit. They are pretty light compared to my last alpine boots and I'm looking forward to trying them touring. Blister have a fairly in depth review of them and IIRC they suggest sizing down as well, my 24 have bsl 290.
 

MissySki

Angel Diva
@MissySki I'm skiing the Technica Cochise 110w (I think). I like them but only after quite a lot of work. I am a UK 7 which I think is about a 9.5 US. I seem to be between boot sizes in that mondo 25 gets roomy after a while and 24 is unbearably tight. The Cochise was described to me as a big 24. They actually felt ok to me in the shop without any work on them and I skied them for a day but they really hurt my toes. I got the toes blown out quite a bit and they were great for skiing but still killing my toes when I was walking about. I ended up getting the toes ground some more and the sides ground a little and now (fingers crossed) seem to have a great fit. They are pretty light compared to my last alpine boots and I'm looking forward to trying them touring. Blister have a fairly in depth review of them and IIRC they suggest sizing down as well, my 24 have bsl 290.

I am a US size 8 and my current ski boot is a 24.5.. in the Cochise the 24.5 feels way too long for my toes and a little wide in the heel, the 23.5 shell feels good in the heel and we can tighten that area further with molding the shell with lots of pressure in the back, but the toes are super crunched. The toe length isn't terrible and I think that would be fine pretty easily with a tweak, but the two smaller toes on each foot were really crunched due to the shape up there where it tapers narrow so there would need to be a bit of blowing out there. Bootfitter said we can heat mold with pressure on the back to tighten and no pressure on the front so it just relaxes some, then tweak manually as needed. I also had some weird pressure under my left arch, but we think it was the stock footbed which wouldn't be used anyway.

I have not done any touring yet, but would love to try so I thought it would be one cool aspect of this boot to have that option without needing another dedicated boot right away.
 

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