SquidWeaselYay
Ski Diva Extraordinaire
Hey divas,
Just got back from Jackson Hole, where I got to be on a first name basis with the boot fitter at the resort shop. I am currently in Salomon x max 110 with zipfit diva liners.
First problem: the superfeet custom insole I have been in is one of the older ones that doesn't have a flat base. I could feel my foot rocking back and forth when I was in tough terrain, even with the zipfits. So boot fitter Dave talked me into instaprint footbeds. That helped the "foot rocking when edging aggressively" issue.
Second problem: Went into the Saratoga bowl with my new insoles. Searing calf pain on the outside of my calves. Ended up taking a lot of breaks sitting on my butt on a mogul. Back to the shop. The canting work I had done on my boots in PA was" totally backwards" and they tried to adjust by posting the footbed for me, but since the canting involved planing the boots, ultimate need new shells. Well, ####.
Went to Headwall Sports (used gear store) and found a set of the same boots with no visible work done. Just scratched to hell. Bought them and ripped the posting off the footbed and stuck the whole dealio into these shells.
Third problem: The pain is back. Felt like my inner ankle was trying to over pronate and my calf was trying to compensate. Fitter taped a wedge to the outside of my liner. Viola, fixed the pain, and my alignment improved.
Fourth problem: Did the Hobacks, and found my feet cramping like a sonuva____ and I was curling my toes (not normally something I do). I cranked down my buckles cause ::something:: feels loose. After a few more turns, realized that my foot is sliding laterally in the mid and forefoot region, so I'm trying to grip with my toes. If I had to guess, felt like about 4mm of slide to the sides.
Back to boot fitter. They measured my last, 90mm on my right foot, 88 on my left. They then brought out a slew of different shells, including hawx ultra (felt big), the same shell I had to see if my used shell had been cooked (no difference), a Lange race boot (nope), and an old Fischer boot they dug out of storage (they stopped selling it years back because it was too narrow for most people). Still too wide. They ended up duct taping foam to the midfoot of the liners, but I didn't get a chance to try it cause it was the last day and the lifts closed.
The group of the boot fitters who teamed up and tried to help me (two of them masterfit) told me that my only option for the fit I want might be a race plug. They gave me the names of some people in Vermont (since I usually go there) to look into for that.
So is this the end of the road before a race plug? This is the third group of fitters that have scratched their heads and suggested that. The zipfits solved the heel lift and instep slop, and I feel like if I could just find a narrow enough shell in the last, I'd be set. I mentioned foam injected liners, and the one fitter said, and I quote, "I will do whatever I can to keep you out of surefoot. Please don't go there. Foam injected liners are crap."
I know I'm always posting about boot fit problems. I am starting to feel like I'm being a princess about it, but I really hate not being able to push myself and my skills further. I can still ski pretty well as it is, get down the double blacks, but it is sketch when I need precision and my feet are just doing the cha cha slide in my boots instead.
Also.... How long does it take for most people to get feeling back after nerve damage? I was overtighening my boots to try to fix problems in the wrong areas, and the inside side of my feet are numb from inside ankle to base of big toe.
*edited for spelling errors.
Just got back from Jackson Hole, where I got to be on a first name basis with the boot fitter at the resort shop. I am currently in Salomon x max 110 with zipfit diva liners.
First problem: the superfeet custom insole I have been in is one of the older ones that doesn't have a flat base. I could feel my foot rocking back and forth when I was in tough terrain, even with the zipfits. So boot fitter Dave talked me into instaprint footbeds. That helped the "foot rocking when edging aggressively" issue.
Second problem: Went into the Saratoga bowl with my new insoles. Searing calf pain on the outside of my calves. Ended up taking a lot of breaks sitting on my butt on a mogul. Back to the shop. The canting work I had done on my boots in PA was" totally backwards" and they tried to adjust by posting the footbed for me, but since the canting involved planing the boots, ultimate need new shells. Well, ####.
Went to Headwall Sports (used gear store) and found a set of the same boots with no visible work done. Just scratched to hell. Bought them and ripped the posting off the footbed and stuck the whole dealio into these shells.
Third problem: The pain is back. Felt like my inner ankle was trying to over pronate and my calf was trying to compensate. Fitter taped a wedge to the outside of my liner. Viola, fixed the pain, and my alignment improved.
Fourth problem: Did the Hobacks, and found my feet cramping like a sonuva____ and I was curling my toes (not normally something I do). I cranked down my buckles cause ::something:: feels loose. After a few more turns, realized that my foot is sliding laterally in the mid and forefoot region, so I'm trying to grip with my toes. If I had to guess, felt like about 4mm of slide to the sides.
Back to boot fitter. They measured my last, 90mm on my right foot, 88 on my left. They then brought out a slew of different shells, including hawx ultra (felt big), the same shell I had to see if my used shell had been cooked (no difference), a Lange race boot (nope), and an old Fischer boot they dug out of storage (they stopped selling it years back because it was too narrow for most people). Still too wide. They ended up duct taping foam to the midfoot of the liners, but I didn't get a chance to try it cause it was the last day and the lifts closed.
The group of the boot fitters who teamed up and tried to help me (two of them masterfit) told me that my only option for the fit I want might be a race plug. They gave me the names of some people in Vermont (since I usually go there) to look into for that.
So is this the end of the road before a race plug? This is the third group of fitters that have scratched their heads and suggested that. The zipfits solved the heel lift and instep slop, and I feel like if I could just find a narrow enough shell in the last, I'd be set. I mentioned foam injected liners, and the one fitter said, and I quote, "I will do whatever I can to keep you out of surefoot. Please don't go there. Foam injected liners are crap."
I know I'm always posting about boot fit problems. I am starting to feel like I'm being a princess about it, but I really hate not being able to push myself and my skills further. I can still ski pretty well as it is, get down the double blacks, but it is sketch when I need precision and my feet are just doing the cha cha slide in my boots instead.
Also.... How long does it take for most people to get feeling back after nerve damage? I was overtighening my boots to try to fix problems in the wrong areas, and the inside side of my feet are numb from inside ankle to base of big toe.
*edited for spelling errors.