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Gas Pedal height vs. terrain pitch?
- Thread starter edelweissmaedl
- Start date
edelweissmaedl
Angel Diva
The shop I got the skis from had the shim kit for my Look bindings on hand so I left my skis there yesterday to get shimmed. Still a little nervous!
contesstant
Ski Diva Extraordinaire
Doing it under bindings is great as it can be removed if it doesn’t feel better! Good call.
WaterGirl
Ski Diva Extraordinaire
How is it going with the shim? I'm curious what look binding you have and what shim kit?
Having a hard time finding a shop that will shim my alpine set up.
For anyone wanting AT shims, a company called B&D creates specific shims for Dynafit etc I got mine at Skimo.com (don't forget the correct screws).
And thank you for sharing the picture.... it's helpful to see what you are talking about and yes getting the correct fore/aft balance is amazing..... I'm still working on it
sorcamc
Ski Diva Extraordinaire
I just ordered care and cant wait to see what it says!
edelweissmaedl
Angel Diva
I have Look Pivot 12's. I don't know which shim kit it was. My usual shop where I bought the skis/bindings said they had a kit for them. There was a short lived misunderstanding when the owner was out (and they couldn't find the shims). I called another area shop and they had kits for the Look 14 & 15?, but not the 12. I was on a short timeline and they guy was willing to cut shims out of a 1mm ski plastic? to make me the 2mm shims I needed and find long enough screws. In the end the owner at the first shop was contacted on his day off and I assume my skis were shimmed with the Look shim kit in the end.
I only ended up skiing on the shimmed skis 6 days before buying new boots (shrug). Luckily, I am still happy with the shims with the new boots and can't imagine removing the shims as it sounds like I could still stand to be slightly more upright, but I definitely feel like my fore/aft balance is better now.
I only ended up skiing on the shimmed skis 6 days before buying new boots (shrug). Luckily, I am still happy with the shims with the new boots and can't imagine removing the shims as it sounds like I could still stand to be slightly more upright, but I definitely feel like my fore/aft balance is better now.
WaterGirl
Ski Diva Extraordinaire
Thats awesome! @edelweissmaedl I know I can do the plexiglass hack, just trying to find a shop that will do it.
WaterGirl
Ski Diva Extraordinaire
So I'm revisiting this issue as I am seeing that as @edelweissmaedl posted I think the heel of the current boot I am in is too deep and pitches me into a heinous forward position despite being touted as a 12 degree upright boot. I decided to get into some other boots at the local shop and have DH take pictures of my stance. Wow. Despite being set up by 'one of the top boot fitters in the west' and then corrected by another 'top boot fitter also in the west' I see that this boot just puts me in a horrible position - even with toe lifts. Great fit but horrible stance. So much time and $ waisted listening to a fitter that never even looked at my stance and only focused on fit. I should have gone with my gut and ordered boots I self fit in the fall which put me in a better position. My only goal has been to try to ski as effortlessly as possible which including not having to feel like I was having to constantly hold myself upright. I will note I am an anomaly (and have been told this repeatedly) with extreme excessive dorsiflexion.
So advice to Divas - if you are hyper mobile / excessive dorsiflexion really check out your forward lean in a photo and make sure you are not starting out with your knees over your toes b/c there is not much you can do to try to truly correct this you will be constantly fighting the boot. In the end I am going to try the boot I thought was best for me stance wise and then just deal with the fit if it works.
@edelweissmaedl your photos were key to my ah hah moment - I love the heel fit in my boot but I realize it is the root cause of allowing me to be pitched forward. Thank you for sharing.
So advice to Divas - if you are hyper mobile / excessive dorsiflexion really check out your forward lean in a photo and make sure you are not starting out with your knees over your toes b/c there is not much you can do to try to truly correct this you will be constantly fighting the boot. In the end I am going to try the boot I thought was best for me stance wise and then just deal with the fit if it works.
@edelweissmaedl your photos were key to my ah hah moment - I love the heel fit in my boot but I realize it is the root cause of allowing me to be pitched forward. Thank you for sharing.
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edelweissmaedl
Angel Diva
@WaterGirl sorry you are having quite the journey too, but glad I was of some help
Someone posted about a boot fitter that would also ski with you. I had my old boots for the first day of a Taos ski week. My instructor commented on my stance even with the gas pedals, I went to the shop on his suggestion and ended up with new boots. Hearing feedback regarding the boots over the next 5 days was really reassuring and something I hadn’t experienced. I don’t know if I could swing the logistics of the boot fitter/instructor, but I kind of convinced that’s the ticket.
Someone posted about a boot fitter that would also ski with you. I had my old boots for the first day of a Taos ski week. My instructor commented on my stance even with the gas pedals, I went to the shop on his suggestion and ended up with new boots. Hearing feedback regarding the boots over the next 5 days was really reassuring and something I hadn’t experienced. I don’t know if I could swing the logistics of the boot fitter/instructor, but I kind of convinced that’s the ticket.
WaterGirl
Ski Diva Extraordinaire
@edelweissmaedl yes I think thats my next move. I have two potential 3L's one who is boot fitter and another who has been dabbling in boot fitting over the years. Curious what boot you ended up in .....
edelweissmaedl
Angel Diva
@WaterGirl It still may not have been "the ultimate bootfitting journey". I was planning to wait until this fall....... A well know bootfitter from Vail, now in the east had recommended the Technica Mach 1 LV Pro or possibly the Nordica Doberman for me. When I was in Taos they had the Technica Mach 1 LV Pros in my size and no other better options. I could have finished the season in my Fischers but I pulled the trigger on the Technica's knowing I had 5 days of skiing that week to go back for adjustments which was appealing.
I gained a stiffer boot with more upright stance, ut gave up a better instep situation. I was also worried about heal hold, but it may be turning out to be a bit better than the Fischer's in that regard too. My instructor kept telling me I'm a strong skier and thought I might even be able to handle a 130 flex in the future. My take on that is either I could still possibly go a bit more upright or I'm a beast! j/k
My stance previously had been affecting knee pain and skill growth. Like @Covie explained it was restricting lower body movement and fore/aft balance. I skied hard in my Taos lessons and skied lots of bumps and my knees still felt great at the end of the week which was huge. (I thought since I had inched up over 40 it was just aging and hadn't questioned the boots as to the reason for my knee pain). I can tell my stance and the stiffness of the boot (120 vs 110) help me stay more balanced which is also less fatiguing.
I gained a stiffer boot with more upright stance, ut gave up a better instep situation. I was also worried about heal hold, but it may be turning out to be a bit better than the Fischer's in that regard too. My instructor kept telling me I'm a strong skier and thought I might even be able to handle a 130 flex in the future. My take on that is either I could still possibly go a bit more upright or I'm a beast! j/k
My stance previously had been affecting knee pain and skill growth. Like @Covie explained it was restricting lower body movement and fore/aft balance. I skied hard in my Taos lessons and skied lots of bumps and my knees still felt great at the end of the week which was huge. (I thought since I had inched up over 40 it was just aging and hadn't questioned the boots as to the reason for my knee pain). I can tell my stance and the stiffness of the boot (120 vs 110) help me stay more balanced which is also less fatiguing.
WaterGirl
Ski Diva Extraordinaire
Thank you @edelweissmaedl That is awesome and telling that your pain went away. I definitely think more upright for me and stiffer which is hard to find combo in a 22.5. Tried the Tecnica Mach1LV 105 but also playing around with a Nordica Promachine 115 which I guess next year will come in a 130 flex in a 22.5 according to the Nordica website. Only other thought was a Dalbello WRS which looks more upright than any other race boot. I have yet to try it on in (any) the correct size......
contesstant
Ski Diva Extraordinaire
So the heel pocket is the potential issue? Interesting! Since I also could never find a good stand in that boot, either!
WaterGirl
Ski Diva Extraordinaire
I believe what possibly happens in the Lange ZA+ and probably any other race boot is twofold:
1. The WC liner is so thin in the heel and padded more on the back of the calf that it acts as a spoiler pushing you more forward.
2. If you check the depth of the heel pocket with a regular consumer boot you will feel that the Lange heel pocket is extremely deep. Like 3x as deep. So if you have a narrow heel and perhaps some extra dorsiflexion your heel will get sucked back probably pushing you even more forward.
FWIW I had a brief phone conversation with a new female employee at my local shop, she laughed when I mentioned how much room the Lange had in the instep, agreed and said not the boot for LV low instep women's foot. We further discussed some boot options - it was refreshing to hear an OPINION from a female who has smaller feet and actually has tried on and skied boots in a 22.5. I think there are other boot fitting variables that are not discussed like the heel pocket depth that can throw off the fit of a boot despite the fact that it 'may look' like it will work.......
MissySki
Angel Diva
Do you, or did she, have an opinion on what the best option is currently for low insteps?
WaterGirl
Ski Diva Extraordinaire
When we talked *very briefly* she said get a Mach 1 LV Pro and throw a zip fit in it and call it a day. (she hasn't seen my feet) I did try a the current 105 recently but I wasn't having a good day only took a few runs in it. The Mach 1 Pro is a bit different I believe. For some reason the Nordica Promachine is more upright for me and seems to have a much lower instep than the Lange ZA+ ;0
But I think there is so much more to a basic fit. Heel pocket and the way the back cuff is angled as well as how the instep and buckles are laid out. Then add in the boot board, your custom foot beds (can add silent ramp if heel is high) and you haven't even gotten into the canting.....lol fwiw I'm leaning away from 'last fit' to how the boot is actually set up for forward lean/ heel/ and instep now.
I have learned are that if you are an anomaly you will never be happy until you start experimenting your self. I keep hearing there is no magic boot, there never will be. There will only be compromises if you are not the norm and what the fitter thinks is supposed to work for your issues may not be what actually is best.
edelweissmaedl
Angel Diva
I had previously tried the technica 105 and went for the now retired Fischers instead. I had pretty much thought technica’s weren’t for me. So it was a surprise to end up in the Mach 1 pro’s now. Have also probably adjusted them the least of all the boots I’ve owned. Just as a bit more feedback.
