Nordica Dobermanns and Boot Fitting

[SkiGAP]

Hi,

I am so bummed because I wrote a long, eloquent post and then deleted the window before submitting it

In summary, I went for my second boot fitting today, and the Nordica Dobermann Aggressor WC 100s are now sitting in the trunk of my car, outfitted with custom liners and custom footbeds. The liners and footbeds were made based upon my first vist. Today I withstood the pain of having the liners foam-injected while my feet were buckled into the boot with pads in particular places on my feet. They warned me but it was extreme pressure!

After that he tweaked them a bit when I complained about a pain point, then checked the canting on a suspended machine. He told me to ski for 5 days or so, then to come back for another tweaking (if necessary), and to have the heating elements installed (again, if necessary)

This was my first boot fitting/custom liner experience. I think I will miss the feather-bed feel of the Nordica Beast 10s, but my instructor and the fitter independently said that those boots were too long and too wide for my feet. Let's see if I can feel a difference and if I can still ski without pain in these snug boots!

(The attachment is a photo of me in the boot wiht the tubes sticking out where the foam was injected...)

 

[volklgirl]

Wow! Very nice. I tried on the agressor this weekend and think it will be my next boot, too. It runs so very, very narrow .

Several people who have them have said that they are COLD, but I think all of them are using the super thin stock liner. I'm very interested in how the custom liner changes this (if it does). Please let me know?

 

[SkiGAP]

Wow! Very nice. I tried on the agressor this weekend and think it will be my next boot, too. It runs so very, very narrow .

Several people who have them have said that they are COLD, but I think all of them are using the super thin stock liner. I'm very interested in how the custom liner changes this (if it does). Please let me know?

Well I do have super narrow feet...we'll see how it goes. As for the cold, I'll surely let you know. I plan to have heaters installed, but Mr. Fitter refuses to do that until I've skied on them a few times and am sure the fitting is done. Therefore I'll have a before and after scenario.

 

[SkiGAP]

OK, so I had my first day in the boots, a week ago on the Stubaier Gletscher in Austria. I went up on my Auras and the Dobermanns. In addition to new boots, I had new socks, since I could get my feet or my old, thick socks into the Dobermanns, but not both at the same time.

Bottom line, the Dobies are TIGHT, as I expected. However in addition, there is a problem with the right liner, not only was that boot TIGHT, it also HURT. When I felt the liner with my fingers, I realized there are ridges in two places where the left liner is smooth. I need to hightail it back to the fitter to fix that before I ski in the boots again. I can't really comment on the general TIGHTNESS until I've skied them a few more times. Somehow my left foot didn't really mind it, I don't think. We'll see.

That said, the boots made my skis feel much more responsive, and though it was -17C on the Glacier, my feet did not get cold. Of course, I was not in them that long, only about 5 (long) runs. When the pain in my right foot got too bad, I switched back into my Nordica Beast 10s. Though comfy (they felt like slippers), I realized that there is no way I can ski as well in the Beasts as the Dobies. I'll report back after some more fitting adjustments and another ski day.

By the way, the Auras are amazing.

 

[volklgirl]

Thanks for the update. Will be waiting for your report when the issues are fixed.

By the way, the Auras are amazing.

Ummmmm....YUP!!!

 

[SkiGAP]

Am back in Germany! I picked up the Dobermanns today (I'd dropped them off before I flew to SF). The weird crease I was feeling the outside of my right foot *seems* to be gone, but I will only know when I ski again. The bootfitter even tweaked a bit more while I was there, after I tried them on. I really want him to make the boots a bit softer/looser on the topfoot, but he refuses to do anything like that until I ski a bit more in them. He said he'll take care of any and all pain points, but what he calls general snugness that I think of as being in an UNRELENTING VICEGRIP is something he wants me to really be patient about. He said he can make the boots softer, but then there is no going back. *sigh*. I trust him. Plus, he is SUPER cute.

Plans are to head to the slopes tomorrow am. More to come.

 

[volklgirl]

Him is wise. Heed the master, oh grasshopper!

 

[SkiGAP]

:p

I am trying! I'll let you know how they feel today.

I am not even putting the Beast 10s in the trunk as a backup! Wait, that is a lie - I have to take at least one of them with me in case I leave the Lady Twins there to get the bindings mounted.

 

[SkiGAP]

Well, the good news is that the specific pain points I previously had are gone. The bad news is that the boots still hurt from tightness. They did, however, get better throughout the morning (I think). On the walk from the car to the Gondola, the pain (from the tightness) built up for the first time even though the boots weren't buckled. All was better by the time I got off of the Gondola at the top. Then after my first two runs I had to sit in the snow and let the pain subside. Same after run 4, then run 7, and so on. However, each time, the pain was a bit better than before. I never took the boots off, and I am not afraid to ski in them again (Jan 2nd, I think). I'll give it 4 more days, and if I don't feel happy about the boots then back to the fitter I go.

On the plus side, when they aren't hurting, everything really does feel more responsive than with the nice, comfy, Beast 10s.

 

[SkiGAP]

Two more days on the boots and I do believe I am going to like them! I can now testify that it is true one must be patient with painful (fitted) boots - at least a few days on them before making a verdict!

 

[volklgirl]

Sweet!! Thanks for the update.

 

[SkiGAP]

Pain points are gone. Though Sunday was better than Saturday, the pattern was basically this:
- put boots on in the hotel - unbuckled - wanting to cry by the time I walked to the Gondola
- feel good by the end of Gondola ride, buckle up
- 2-3 runs with boots on loosest (that's a laugh) setting and unbuckled on the lift rides, no tears but some cursing
- take a 10-15 min break
- 2-3 more runs with no problem, but still un-buckling for the lift rides
- another break
- skiing with a smile, and even tightening them a bit!

Only issue now is, both of my big toes are sore - right at the tip, as though they had been banging the front of the boot. I think that if I am not forward in the boots, my toes touch the front, so if I stand up straight or get in the backseat, I am doing damage. Unfortunately, my feet got REALLY cold for the first time this weekend and my toes were numb most of the time so I can't say exactly what happened when.

I'll have to a) report the toe issue to my fitter and b) get heaters!

Are sore big toes normal? In my Beasts this was never an issue....

 

[SkiGAP]

starting to like them...

 

[volklgirl]

That sounds promising????

 

[SkiGAP]

Yeah...saturday was okay except for a LONG icy run during which my feet started to ache. Yesterday was much better all around, but still some discomfort now and again. The good thing is that at times they really felt good - I could tell the custom liners are really formed to my feet. This coming Saturday will be my last day before going back to the fitter for the final (I hope) tweaks. I know now that I'll definitely keep them, but I might want him to widen/weaken the boot around the outside of the ball of my foot.


Thanks for letting me whine here. Perhaps this thread will encourage others who are having trouble with newly-fit boots that need to be broken in.

 

[volklgirl]

Whine away.

I'm actually joining you (in a different thead) :(

 

[SkiGAP]

Last Saturday was good! I am still unbuckling in between runs but never feel I have to take them off and never feel like crying anymore. Still wondering if they are just too stiff on the outside of the foot and if the liner isn't just like 1mm too short. And as I wrote in response to OJ on the Aura thread, I wonder if the liners have enough padding...but the other day I heard myself say "I love my boots"...it was a fleeting feeling, but it gets better every time!

I hope you and the liners are getting along.

 

[volklgirl]

...but the other day I heard myself say "I love my boots"...it was a fleeting feeling, but it gets better every time!

Sweet!!!!

I hope you and the liners are getting along.

We were starting to on Friday, until I got plowed over by a snowboarder. The left was feeling fine, but the right is going to take a lot more work.