va_deb
Ski Diva Extraordinaire
"Marry your boots; date your skis."
This is one of the first things I remember reading when I stumbled across the Ski Diva forums about four years ago or so while googling "skis to help a female beginner" or something along those lines.
I remember reading about custom footbeds too, but my inner cheapskate and my "I'm only a beginner" voice prevented me from giving them any serious consideration.
After my step up to intermediate boots a season and a half ago, I did at least replace the footbeds that came in the new boots with aftermarket ones that the bootfitter suggested. I'm don't think he suggested custom footbeds, but if he had I probably wouldn't have bothered.
I'm a low intermediate, fair-weather skier; I don't love scraped-off and windblown hardpack, avoid ice like crazy, not a fan of damp cold, and generally get in between 5 - 10 ski days in a year. So why do I need or deserve custom footbeds?
Fast forward a year and a half. It's a bluebird spring Saturday at the start of a week-long trip to Lake Tahoe in early April. I got more vertical in during a women's cancer charity fundraiser and clinic day than I had during my entire sad 2017 mid-Atlantic season. In spite of my feet hurting, I was in demo heaven. (Thanks to @SnowHot for planting the seed about Tahoe Pinkfest. More on that in my trip report to come.)
Back to boots...
Sunday morning I headed to Northstar, excited about its great groomer reputation and about doing some turns later that day with @SnowHot, demoing Tricia's Renouns, and meeting her husband Phil (aka Philpug on Pugski.com).
I went to do the top to bottom long green runs for a warm-up.
It was awful. My feet were still killing me, but even worse than the day before. I couldn't do it.
Fortunately, I knew where to go.
That afternoon I had custom footbeds made by the master, Phil Pugliese. (If any of you are within a day's drive of Tahoe go see Snowhot/Tricia and Phil at True North.) Phil also tweaked my boots. He re-heated the shells, made them more upright, and put in heel lifts.
What a difference! No more getting off the hill after an hour or so to take a break and give my feet a rest from boots that I thought weren't that bad. No more whining and struggling every time I put my boots on.
Bottom line: If you want your skiing to progress, or if you plan to ski more than twice a year, you owe it to yourself to explore custom footbeds. If you are the SO or spouse of a strong skier, you have twice as many reasons to check them out. Bootfitters may not suggest them to you, especially if you are in low intermediate boots, so it doesn't hurt to ask. As with many things, costs vary depending on what region you're in, where you go, and what kind you get. My guess is that it will be the best $125 - $225 or so you ever spent -- even more important than the boots themselves IMO.
In the Northstar locker area later that week I heard a guy talking to his friend who was visiting from out of town. The visitor was saying that he liked his new boots better than rentals, but his feet still hurt after a day on the slopes. I said: "Custom footbeds. Best thing ever."
He asked, "How different do they feel from the ones you buy off the shelf at the shop?"
I said, "Hmmm... It's kind of like the difference between driving a riding lawn mower and a car."
In short, no comparison. Wish I had considered custom footbeds years ago.
Ane of the best things about custom footbeds is that they can go from boot to boot with you. I've outgrown my boots in terms of progression, and I want something stiffer for next season. My new custom footbeds will be right there with me in the new boots.
Huge thanks again to Tricia (who saw me struggling firsthand the day before) and to Phil. What a game-changer!
This is one of the first things I remember reading when I stumbled across the Ski Diva forums about four years ago or so while googling "skis to help a female beginner" or something along those lines.
I remember reading about custom footbeds too, but my inner cheapskate and my "I'm only a beginner" voice prevented me from giving them any serious consideration.
After my step up to intermediate boots a season and a half ago, I did at least replace the footbeds that came in the new boots with aftermarket ones that the bootfitter suggested. I'm don't think he suggested custom footbeds, but if he had I probably wouldn't have bothered.
I'm a low intermediate, fair-weather skier; I don't love scraped-off and windblown hardpack, avoid ice like crazy, not a fan of damp cold, and generally get in between 5 - 10 ski days in a year. So why do I need or deserve custom footbeds?
Fast forward a year and a half. It's a bluebird spring Saturday at the start of a week-long trip to Lake Tahoe in early April. I got more vertical in during a women's cancer charity fundraiser and clinic day than I had during my entire sad 2017 mid-Atlantic season. In spite of my feet hurting, I was in demo heaven. (Thanks to @SnowHot for planting the seed about Tahoe Pinkfest. More on that in my trip report to come.)
Back to boots...
Sunday morning I headed to Northstar, excited about its great groomer reputation and about doing some turns later that day with @SnowHot, demoing Tricia's Renouns, and meeting her husband Phil (aka Philpug on Pugski.com).
I went to do the top to bottom long green runs for a warm-up.
It was awful. My feet were still killing me, but even worse than the day before. I couldn't do it.
Fortunately, I knew where to go.
That afternoon I had custom footbeds made by the master, Phil Pugliese. (If any of you are within a day's drive of Tahoe go see Snowhot/Tricia and Phil at True North.) Phil also tweaked my boots. He re-heated the shells, made them more upright, and put in heel lifts. What a difference! No more getting off the hill after an hour or so to take a break and give my feet a rest from boots that I thought weren't that bad. No more whining and struggling every time I put my boots on.
Bottom line: If you want your skiing to progress, or if you plan to ski more than twice a year, you owe it to yourself to explore custom footbeds. If you are the SO or spouse of a strong skier, you have twice as many reasons to check them out. Bootfitters may not suggest them to you, especially if you are in low intermediate boots, so it doesn't hurt to ask. As with many things, costs vary depending on what region you're in, where you go, and what kind you get. My guess is that it will be the best $125 - $225 or so you ever spent -- even more important than the boots themselves IMO.
In the Northstar locker area later that week I heard a guy talking to his friend who was visiting from out of town. The visitor was saying that he liked his new boots better than rentals, but his feet still hurt after a day on the slopes. I said: "Custom footbeds. Best thing ever."
He asked, "How different do they feel from the ones you buy off the shelf at the shop?"
I said, "Hmmm... It's kind of like the difference between driving a riding lawn mower and a car."
In short, no comparison. Wish I had considered custom footbeds years ago.
Ane of the best things about custom footbeds is that they can go from boot to boot with you. I've outgrown my boots in terms of progression, and I want something stiffer for next season. My new custom footbeds will be right there with me in the new boots.
Huge thanks again to Tricia (who saw me struggling firsthand the day before) and to Phil. What a game-changer!
