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Never ending boot saga continues

CindiSue

Ski Diva Extraordinaire
I wish they made a 95 last super low volume boot. ... Lange has too high of an instep for me even in the RX Lv I used to be in.
So the problem with low instep is a volume problem? I thought I had it worse with super low volume and high instep! LOL I thought the Lange 97mm low volume looked interesting, with the cut out for instep.
 

diymom

Ski Diva Extraordinaire
He actually tried to convince me that I had depression or anxiety that was making me think I had physical ailments
How about the flip side-- physical ailments that can cause depression-like symptoms? Thyroid issues are ones that come to mind. Definitely find a different doctor.
For that matter- your boot woes could be causing depression-like symptoms. (Kidding around on that one, but seriously, find a different doctor that tries to think a little deeper to find the root of the problem and not just give you the brush off. )
 

SquidWeaselYay

Ski Diva Extraordinaire
How about the flip side-- physical ailments that can cause depression-like symptoms? Thyroid issues are ones that come to mind. Definitely find a different doctor.
For that matter- your boot woes could be causing depression-like symptoms. (Kidding around on that one, but seriously, find a different doctor that tries to think a little deeper to find the root of the problem and not just give you the brush off. )
He got to the depression diagnosis because of the fatigue and not sleeping well. Also sometimes being irritable.... Buuuuuuttttt that is what happens when you don't get restful sleep. It was such a joke. I had a job a few years ago where I actually did some diagnosing, and there is very specific criteria that must be met. It is also heavily emphasized in any psych class that covers diagnosing that you rule out physical causes first.

LOL there is a new code for the DSM! "depressive episode, recurrent, ski boot induced"
 

SquidWeaselYay

Ski Diva Extraordinaire
So the problem with low instep is a volume problem? I thought I had it worse with super low volume and high instep! LOL I thought the Lange 97mm low volume looked interesting, with the cut out for instep.
It can be. For me, I have the trifecta: super low instep, low volume feet, and narrow last.

But my instep is low-low. Freaky low. I measure a 24 on a brannock, but my instep is around a 21.
 

tinymoose

Ski Diva Extraordinaire
It can be. For me, I have the trifecta: super low instep, low volume feet, and narrow last.

But my instep is low-low. Freaky low. I measure a 24 on a brannock, but my instep is around a 21.

My only saving grace is my fairly average instep, or so I've been told it's just a little low but not much. Not sure I've ever actually heard a number to correspond with it, though. Downside is a handful of low volume boots have crushed my instep over the years so sometimes the instep is hard to fit with the rest of my low volume feet, heel, ankles.
 

tinymoose

Ski Diva Extraordinaire
I will say, @SquidWeaselYay Dieter got me down a full size, I measure a solid 23-23.5, and I have very little space between my heel and the shell when shell fit. I would guess it's a matter of mere millimeters, and it's taken some grinding and punching but he was able to get to a place where it works. Bonus of going down a size, if you can, is you lose volume everywhere else in the boot too... not just in the length.

@CindiSue the Lange rx lv seemed to have a really high instep, even though the last was narrow. It might be a good pick for you.

These were the runner-up to my Chakras. In the end I went with the Chakras over these b/c the Lange didn't have a moldable liner, and I was worried about the stock liner in the Langes packing out too fast. But then I have a higher instep so, yeah, I guess this would make sense then that they worked for me.
 

SquidWeaselYay

Ski Diva Extraordinaire
@tinymoose I actually measure in at a solid 24...going down to a 22 is going down two whole sizes. Eeeep. But I am hopeful it will work out. Everything else has been too big, even in a 23.
 

Polly

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.


Oh girl! I had a boot saga, too, and I am currently re-learning how to ski because of it! I feel your pain. I didn't get down and dirty with what was truly going on, but mine seemed an easy fix. I was put in a wide Salomon originally that was way too big for me in length as well. Well, you know how that goes. Can't do squat! Then, they traded me and gave me Lange SX90s which I thought were better, come to find out I am NOT wide. I was having all the same pain issues as you so much that I'd cry because of it. Total circulation cut off. I was even tested for DVT markers in the hospital because I told them about my calf pain! Well, I got sick of it, couldn't ski and had to stop on trail 5x to rest and unhook myself. Now, I am in Atomic Hawx XTD 110 and omg the narrow last (98 I think) is exactly what I needed with new footbeds (not custom, yet). Lacing up the liner helps me, too. And while I will get them heat molded, they're infinitely better. My skiing went up some notches because of it. It was the best fitting boot of them all (similar to the Atomics you tried, mine are just for touring). Try some of Technica's narrow boots, too. That was my second choice. It was a cochise model.
 

tinymoose

Ski Diva Extraordinaire
@tinymoose I actually measure in at a solid 24...going down to a 22 is going down two whole sizes. Eeeep. But I am hopeful it will work out. Everything else has been too big, even in a 23.

It actually makes sense the Chakra didn't work for you. It barely works for me. But I've also gotten the impression the Chakras run a bit short vs. other boots (as far as BSL) so maybe the Mach 1 will be fine for you with some work even if you're a 24. The Chakras also have in the 22s, not in the larger sizes (I don't think?)... a plastic ledge built up in the front of the boot to take up room. Dieter had to grind that ledge entirely away for me and they're still snug (after punching and grinding the footboard within a mm of it's life). My issue unlike yours wasn't the front to back room.... my toes never curled up. But I get pressure from the top of the boot in the toe area b/c I'm so far forward in the boot that there isn't enough height for my big toes, if that makes sense? Because I'm literally up in the very front of the boot. So I get pressure from the top of the boot on the top of my big toes. It's not painful anymore, but it's still very snug there.
 

tinymoose

Ski Diva Extraordinaire
I'm thinking that it would probably be best for me to go ski the boot that day at Jack Frost? That way I can swing back to the shop if there is anything excruciating going on. Thoughts?

I would def do this especially since you're headed out of state. Stick to the blues and blacks. So like Exhibition and right (when facing downhill away from the lodge... lodge is at the top). Anything to the left of that will get pretty busy from the ski lessons.
 

SquidWeaselYay

Ski Diva Extraordinaire
Looks like the Bsl of the mach 1 in a 22 is 270. The x max is 275 in a 23. Not as much of a difference as I thought, considering how much room I have in the shell fit if the x max vs the mach 1.
 

tinymoose

Ski Diva Extraordinaire
Looks like the Bsl of the mach 1 in a 22 is 270. The x max is 275 in a 23. Not as much of a difference as I thought, considering how much room I have in the shell fit if the x max vs the mach 1.

Yeah, my Chakras... according to the bottom of the boot are a 267. My old Fischer jr. race boots in a 23/23.5 were a 375 if I remember correctly.
 

Mistletoes

Ski Diva Extraordinaire
Honestly I'm not sure. They're the first boot I've ever owned and bought them 3 years ago at a local shop. My feet aren't swimming in them but I do feel my heel come up slightly when I press on my metatarsals. Counting from the top buckle, the second is buckled all the way and the third is 1 notch looser than that.
 

WaterGirl

Ski Diva Extraordinaire
@tinymoose I actually measure in at a solid 24...going down to a 22 is going down two whole sizes. Eeeep. But I am hopeful it will work out. Everything else has been too big, even in a 23.
I measure 24 and 24.5ish. As confirmed at running store two weeks ago where I had the Fit Id 3D scan, (wish I would have snapped a pic of the measurements) but pretty sure 7.2 and 7.6 narrow heels etc.
I have no problem in the Mach1 LV in a 22.5 length. Did not need to punch for length, only width for one 6th toe. I'm also in a Scarpa 22.5/23 which is a 271 BLS (I did not heat mold the intuition - as I needed the keep the volume of the liner and have a different foot bed which helps to take up room).
However, I do have length issues with the Atomic and Dalbello in a 22.5.
The Technica is just a bit longer last as @contesstant has also pointed out, could be perfect for you.
 
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mustski

Angel Diva
@mustski maybe done regret those hotronics just yet... Lots of bot fitters including Dieter are saying that the hotronics heated socks are superior, better than boot heaters installed on the insoles. I'm not sure if you would have room for those in your boots or not, but it seems they have some advantages.
Tried the socks. Unfortunately, compression socks in general are too thick. I had my boot docs foamed with super thin Euro socks. I'm hoping that by next season, they may pack in enough for me to try the hotronic socks again.
 

SquidWeaselYay

Ski Diva Extraordinaire
Quick question - Has anybody ever had issues after downsizing your ski boots regarding your stance or fore-aft balance? Is it harder to stay on the sweet spot once you have less boot to find it with? Interested in the impressions of others who downsized so that I am prepared if I need to re-learn how to ski lol.
 

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