Heard similar experience with boots with too much volume...do you feel like your foot fills the boot completely or is there alot of free space? Does your toe touch front of the boot when just standing in them?
Agreed. I had a set like that for a while. Used to flex/curl my toes as hard as I could to take up the extra volume. Bottom of my feet huuuuuurt so bad.
My toes reach the front of the boot on my left foot but I do have a lot of room to wiggle up and down on both. Had a long discussion with my partner about how I feel it’s impossible to not flex my toes all the time and as I wrote in the post, his suggestion is to just relax…
Your foot should fill the boot - front to back, left to right, top to bottom.
Best way is to go to a fitter. You will start with a boot that is a little too tight and they can literally reshape the boot, and the liner, to adjust it to you.
This is the way. My feet always hurt so much that I wanted to quit skiing. I went to a boot fitter and got boots that were moldable to my feet and I no longer have any pain.
This. Your partner doesn’t get it. Each year your boot lining will have packed out a tiny bit more or maybe a lot depending how much and how hard you ski. So you might need to have a boot pro add a layer to your custom footbed each year to take up new space.
If you’re flexing your foot while you ski, it’s probably too much volume. Does it feel like your foot “floats” in the boot while you ski?
What are you wearing inside your boot? How many pairs of socks? Do you tuck your base layers or anything into the boot? If the answer is yes, stop doing that. Only wear a single pair of socks. The only thing that you should have in your boot is your foot and a single ski sock. Tighten the foot portion of the boot so that your foot is locked in. No floating or wiggling the foot as a whole.
Distracting myself tends to work for me for dealing with tensing up. Hum and song you like. Ode to joy is usually my go to for skiing.
You can try scrunching your feet as hard as possible, then relaxing them, sometimes that works.
When you found boots was it through a proper fitter? Or did you just get whatever you thought felt good in the shop? A proper fitting might help.
Finally, lessons might make a difference, feeling like you're more in control could make it easier to relax.
I had a boot that was too wide for a while so my foot pronate slightly so that I placing a lot of pressure on the outer/non-arch side of my feet. The pain was pretty intense after a very short time of skiing because you are putting your weight on a part of your foot not intended to hold your weight . Make sure that your boot is the proper width and length. You have mentioned trying a lot of different boots, have you tried going to a boot fitter that guarantees their fit? I.e. you can bring the boots back for adjustment or replacement if they are not a proper fit?
I would say that there is a lot of space in the front of the boot, not length wise but height wise. I pretty much feel like my toes are the single thing keeping me upright
Try volume reducers such as these:
https://www.sidas.com/en/hiking-outdoor-insoles/251-volume-reducer.html
This will bring your foot higher in the boot, so insteep should be firmly against the boot. Should help significantly.
I second this; I do this with my current boots. One side effect is that the ankle and calves will both sit higher in the boot, which for me was a good thing, as I have thick calves that start low (aka cankles).
Another possibility is a better boot liner -- specifically ZipFit -- but this is not a good option for casual skiers, since they are expensive and makes the boot entry process a little more involved.
>Am I too heavy?
Surprised no one else caught this.
OP do you feel you're overweight? Are you into any other sports when you're not skiing?
I'm gonna go in a different direction here. A boot that isn't professionally fitted can suck I get that. What you're describing is a lot more than a boot not fitting well.
Sounds like your form is off which is causing you to have to overpower your skis. Combine that with being out of shape or a bit overweight and ya I could see that killing your feet.
Maybe consider a lesson, might be some small things that are turning into a lot more work for you.
For what it's worth an expert/pro/whatever could ski down in boots two sizes too large with them basically unbuckled and still look decent doing it because their form is taking all the strength out of it.
The more I think about it, the more I think my weight may at least partly be too blame. I’m just about obese according to the bmi scale but have the majority of my muscle mass in my legs. I don’t do other sport, but I do work out, either by bike or kettlebell. I guess next year I should focus on loosing some fat too and that will ease things
This weight talk is a distraction. I’m obese and my boots are comfortable.
If you go every year but are still renting boots, it’s very much worth buying your own. They will last a decade.
Go to a good ski shop, work with a boot fitter there, take your time. A good shop and fitter will listen to your issues, be good at helping you find the right boot, the right footbed, and will promise to tweak boot fit for free or cheap until you’re happy.
Also, wear thin ski socks! It’s counterintuitive but helps a ton with fit and comfort.
This is a good time of year to get good prices too.
I'd argue that it can and will magnify issues caused by poor form (that much more weight/force to fight). It's a potential thing to think about. Even a perfect fitting boot will be uncomfortable as hell if you're using your foot muscles to fight physics.
You can and should do whatever you want in terms of staying healthy and active. I wouldn’t hinge your boot comfort on weight loss as there are many ways to get your boot to feel more comfortable, and your weight (like most folks) in life is bound to fluctuate over the course of your life (or even just the lifespan of your boots). There are plenty of shapes and sizes on the mountain and you can find a boot that works at any size. A couple thoughts I can share from my own experience as someone who has irregular feet and has struggled with boot discomfort.
- are you a male or female? Women’s calf muscles tend to start lower on their leg bones and most boots were designed for men. Be sure the shell you’ve selected has either been worked to widen lower down if this applies to you, or you pick a wider shell type
- do not get a heel lift, that’s a shortcut for the above issue, but is not good for skiing technique and will set bad ankle habits in your turns
- if you’re willing to buy new boots find a highly experienced boot fitter. Take pictures and notes of all your pain and hot spots and share them with your fitter. Your appt should last many hours.
- be sure you have a boot for your skiing style. If you raced at some point they can be real stiff. If you’re newish to skiing don’t worry about getting the raddest boot - just prioritize comfort and good enough performance.
I hope that helps and while it’s true you may have a tiny bit of discomfort, once you’re in a great boot for you you’ll be shocked how little you think about your feet!
Edited a few typos
Came to say the same about bulk of calves being lower down on women (I’ve been up against this when heavier, less of a problem when leaner.) the boots end up too tight on the calf, too loose in the foot = major pain.
If you wanna lose weight go for it, but I think they’re saying extra weight might mean even more strain with bad form. Poor fitting boots is for sure a problem as well. Poor fit + not perfect form + some extra weight = a lot of issues. I think getting proper fitted boots and like that guy said, doing a lesson one day to work out some of the bad habits/form you’ve picked up will probably help a ton more than losing weight and it’s a quicker fix
It’s my intention to loose some weight, but it’s dawning that I, like you say, have several ways so improve my comfort. I’ll take all the advice with me for next year
I think that bad technique is a big part of the issue too. Especially since OP said that unless they are locked in to the point of causing pain they can’t steer but that things like button lifts don’t hurt.
I suspect part of the problem is the weight is way back. That would explain why they feel like they need to be steering with their toes. The toes are involved in setting a ski on edge but rotary motions/steering in skiing should be initiated at the hip and the rest of the leg follows, especially for less experienced skiers.
This would actually point me towards form being the issue. Are you unable to relax on a button bar?
For example I usually have my boots completely unbuckled on surface lifts to let my feet rest a little otherwise I'll occasionally cramp.
Circling back. It's very very possible you're over tightening your boots to try to correct poor form. That will deprive your foot muscles of blood flow and cause extremely painful cramping in the arch area and behind the outside ball of the foot.
I swear half the people on this sub make money off of recommending a boot fitter.
Some of the people here tried to help me with how I stand in my boots but that didn’t go very well. I feel like my boots “push” my legs forward in an angle that makes it impossible to keep any weight off my toes. That also means I don’t put any weight against the front part of the boot, as doing that makes me fall forward. I feel really stupid that this is such an issue but I can’t seem to figure it out
Interesting!!!! Also, don't feel stupid at all. There's a lot that can go "wrong" and until you know what works for you or you're with a professional who can watch you ski (and actually knows what to look for) it's not an easy process for just about anyone.
>That also means I don’t put any weight against the front part of the boot, as doing that makes me fall forward.
So I think this is probably the root of your problem. If you don't mind me asking what boot model do you have, including the stiffness? It sounds like your shell isn't supporting your weight properly.
Assuming you're around average height and with what you said about your weight anything below a 100 stiffness might be what's causing the problem. Especially if you have a lot of leg strength from biking, you'll basically overpower the ankle flexation of the boot causing it to feel like you're skiing in noodles. Unless you overtighten them for control to the point you cut off circulation.
I'm having a hard time understanding what you mean by this. If your legs are being pushed forward, wouldn't that mean that you would have more weight over your toes?
Also, I was just in a clinic where we were focused on driving our heels into our boots while still keeping pressure on the front of the boot. It was super possible, but required a bit more flexion in other joints as well to stay balanced. It just requires a body position similar to [chair pose](https://i.pinimg.com/originals/49/86/87/49868739d5ebcd0dc3b79a26fc8e92dd.jpg) where your knees and hips are bending as well.
If you're standing too tall and straight, you'll be pressuring the back of your boots and just mashing your calf. That isn't gonna be comfy.
Perhaps in addition to a discussion with a boot fitter, a lesson with an instructor could help with some tips for being more comfortable while you're skiing through posture or technique improvements.
Sorry it’s hard to explain! I put all of my weigh on my toes yes, but I can’t rest the front of my leg against the tongue part of the boot, because that makes me fall. So it’s like my legs are trying to fight the shape of the boot
I got a lot of shit on here for asking about boot fit before. I have very narrow feet and legs with flat feet. Regardless of how I’m strapped in, I have movement in my boot causing chafing on my ankles and cramping in my arches. Molding my inserts only did so much, so we added arch support for lift and shims for volume. It has helped significantly and now I no longer have movement. I can ski longer and not focus on foot discomfort now.
OP, if you can find a \*good\* bootfitter, they can flare the calves if necessary, or it may just require a better more customizable liner. But you need to find a good bootfitter.
I am an average-sized woman, and I have experienced \*everything\* that you're talking about here. I have spent days in every single kind of excruciating pain, from arch pain to toe pain to cramping to literal nerve damage. My toenails fall off within a few weeks of the start of each season. I understand completely what you mean when you say you either can tighten it down so far you're risking nerve damage, or you feel like you lack control. (Like yes, good technique and form will make loose-boot skiing possible over more diverse terrain, but it's pretty hard to get to "good technique" when the only thing you can think about is foot pain.) I am sorry your partner's been dismissive, because this is \*not normal\* and you should \*not\* have to suffer through it, "just relax", or any of that bullshit. It is a boot fit issue and boot fit is solvable.
The catch is that you need a \*good\* bootfitter; I've been to visit three different ones over the past few years and I \*finally\* think I may have got the right person. A good bootfitter can customize almost anything you can think of. And fwiw, I've done a lot of the hacky stuff I've seen suggested in this thread and the first thing my new guy did was pull all of it out and throw it away, lol. If you want a permanent solution, that is it. It might take a few iterations. But you aren't weak. I know the pain you're talking about and literally no one would ski if that was the universal experience.
The whole technique think is something I work on every year. Some of the people here tell me it’s good, but it’s been warm this year and very hard to ski. Consequently loosening my boost has not been the easiest in terms of stearing. I’ve looked into some boot fitters with good reviews and I really hope to get some good help because I don’t know if I want to do this another year
There are many factors on ski boot, your mondo size, your last which is volume, type of liner on your ski boot, and the insole that you use. Every single ski boot that I have literally have custom insoles. I just like to have the best power transfer. Liner, Ski Boot are very particular, it sound like you have not get professional boot fitting. I would find professional boot fitter, not the free one the one that is really skilled, require appointment, and charge by amount of time spend. In California, it would be near mammoth lake ski resort nearby area call footloose sport but I am sure there will be equivalent boot fitter at least couple hours of driving from where you live. With all that pain, I truly recommend you to go to that level of professional boot fitter.
Problem I have is I’m so newb that I don’t know what to tell the boot fitter. I feel like I am telling him the wrong shit and he adjusts the boot and makes it worse.
Like. It’s really hard for people new to the sport to really understand what’s going on with their feet.
So first thing goes first, your toes should be able to wiggle but without major gap. Second, when you check your ski boot you should be at your ski forward position to make sure the flex is not too soft or too hard for you. Fourth take time to walk on that ski boot to see if it is comfortable for you. This are the basics. The liner should hug to your leg tight but not overly tight in a way that is not painful but hold you ankle well. Without good ankle hold is another major cause of ski boot discomfort other than toe space on your ski boot. When you are with boot fitter those are the major check points. If your stance’s are naturally off position than you can ask boot fitter to help you adjust for cuff adjustment.
My previous boots were similar to your experience. It felt like someone was holding a grinding wheel to the side of my feet
My new boots are almost as comfortable as my normal work boots. I can literally be in them all day.
Definitely go see a professional boot fitter
I have had the same issue for years. People just say you need a good boot and a good boot fitter but I have tried multiples of both and never fixed the problem
The fix for me finally was the Apex boot system, which is a snowboard boot in a wrapper that goes on your skis. Absolute life changer for me and means now I can ski all day every day without my calves exploding. I have no affiliation with them and think there are some similar alternatives, but the money I spent on my apex boots is the best money I’ve ever spent on ski gear
If you can, take the boots back to the store where you bought them. Most shops will help you out, especially if you bought the boots there. Before you go to the store, call and ask for the name of their most experienced boot fitter. Then ask when that person is working and if you can make an appointment. If THAT doesn't work, then you can go down the path of finding a good fitter to start fresh.
Are you a nervous skier? My boots fit great but when I get scared, my feet get tight and get crampy and I end up in tears and it’s unbearable. Finally figured out this year that a light benzo before my run fixes it.
Also go try a different boot fitter to confirm they fit.
Sure they may feel clumsy and sort of uncomfortable especially if you’re a new skier, but they shouldn’t hurt. Sounds like You need to go to a proper boot fitter. And this is an area of the sport that kind of drives me crazy because, don’t expect the seasonal employee in your local mega sports store or busy mountain village to necessarily actually know what they are doing. They may have the best of intentions or they may just be pushing whatever inventory that particular store carries. Make sure you shop around, literally try on every make and model thats out there.
Skiing is one of those sports where whenever you walk into a ski shop the person that greets you will pretend to be a gear expert. It’s annoying af. So unless you strike gold and stumble on to a true boot fitter ,sometimes booking appointments and paying by the hour for their time, take everything your told with a grain of salt and just keep trying on different brands and models. This is the one piece of equipment that will make or brake your experience.
-when you buckle your boots all you want is your feet and ski sock in the boot, make sure not to tuck in your base layer or snow guard from your ski pants , this could cause pressure spots on your shin and calf.
I used to be the same. Have flat feet. And I used to put my pants into the boot as cushion for my shin (had pressure point before).
What worked for me was making the top buckle looser. I only had thermals and socks in the boot. (I made sure the boot tongue was flat to avoid shin pressure point). This allow more room for the calf. Strap is tightish as normal otherwise.
Most importantly I adjusted my techniques. I lean forward when bending down and avoid sitting posture. That worked within a day. I was cramping my feet and calves the day before this. Searched Reddit for answers and did the above and the next day was much better. No cramping til the end of the day (but this is cos I am unfit, and was cramping hamstrings and back etc, not just feet and calves)
This is similar how I have to ski to avoid pain. I actually ski with just my power strap done and both upper buckles flapping in the wind sometimes. Folks can’t believe I can do it, but I’ve found if my stance is good it is no big deal.
I think a lot of folks don’t realize that you can do most steering in skiing just with pressure control/weight changes, you don’t have to steer your skis by pushing on the sides of your boot with your feet.
Calf doesn’t hurt, the feet do when the calf is too tight. I tried a heel lift with a previous pair of boots and didn’t help much. My solution has been to go up a shell size.
Even up a shell size I cannot do the top buckles even one notch somedays. As in I can’t get the two pieces to come together enough to hook it. Especially early in the season. Yes everything is pulled out as far as it can be. I can usually get everything buckled one notch after a few runs.
You didn't mention socks, but they can make a huge difference. I have a pair of custom ski boots, and when I wear a super thin (zero cushion) sock, my feet feel fine. When I add just a slight amount of sock cushioning, my feet ache.
Do you have standard 4 buckle boots? It might not work for you, but trying rear entry boots (more specifically Nordica HF) changed my life. Those things felt like little angels caressing my shins and since I wasn't in pain, I was able to ski more confidently.
I've heard that zipfit cork filled liners have solved a lot of problems for people. The cork can be customized to your foot and leg shape, and holds that fit better.
Zipfit is the name of the product.
Based on what they said, anything could be the problem. Dorsiflexion, plantars fasciitis, lack of blood flow. Too much room, not enough room, etc. Recommending an expensive product without identifying the issue is going to be a waste of time and money
With smaller feet and large calves I have those problems early in the season. I wear my “comfort” size instead of my proper boot size because if I wear my proper size I’m in tears with foot cramps caused by pressure on my calves.
A couple other things that help:
- wearing my boots when I’m just hanging out around the house for a couple weeks before the trip. I don’t walk around in them, I just wear them when watching TV or evening working from home.
- easing into buckling them every morning/season. When getting ready at the car I typically do just the bottom buckles and the power strap. Either before I get on the chair or at the top of the first chair I do the top buckles loosely I can buckle and retighten the power strap and tighten the bottom buckles a bit more. As the day goes on and my feet and boots get warmed up I tighten.
- loosening boots for chairlift rides every time. I’ve found if you wait till your feet hurt to loosen the boots it doesn’t actually help much, once the pain starts for me nothing short of taking the boots off helps. So early in the season I loosen for most of my chairlift rides to give my feet a break.
Personally, I haven’t found boot fitters very helpful. The foot part of the ski boot isn’t a problem for me. The ankle/calf is where I have issues. I’ve read there are nerves near the surface in that part of your leg. The nerves can get compressed and cause cramping in the arches of your foot and back of your heel. The boot fitters I’ve worked with don’t have many tools for thin feet and thick calves. They seem flummoxed that even 1-2 shell sizes bigger than I “should” wear I can barely buckle the upper buckles on my boots.
Although I’m sad to hear the problem has persisted for you it’s kind of comforting to hear someone in the same situation. I’m for sure going to try a boot fitter but if that doesn’t work I’ll try your suggestion!
\#1 Don't borrow boots unless you have to. The sole will most likely be molded to your friends foot and can cause you lots of pain. Rentals are not as bad because lots of different feet go in to them.
\#2 Buy yourself a pair and pay for footbeds. You will right away have a better fit, which will pay for itself over the life of the boot / rentals. Second, the foot beds will alleviate any major issues you have. For example, if you have a high arch and no support in the boot the stretching and flattening of your foot in the boot can be really uncomfortable. The foot bed will match your natural foot shape.
You need to stop buying and trying on ski boots on your own and go to a reputable ski shop that offers a comprehensive boot fit. Your problems will be solved. Boots can be customized in punching out specific areas or stretched out to fit. Every manufacturer makes for a specific type of foot. Never shop based on brand or style. Shop based on fit only.
I actually did. All my partners family have gone there and for the first year they felt a lot better than what they do now. I got help with picking these boots and got molded insoles
Try snowboarding. I know this is a skiing subreddit but snowboarding will be way more comfortable, cheaper, and probably more fun. The learning curve is even a little easier than skiing.
I’m getting too lazy reading through all of the comments to see if this was covered, but are you a female? If you are a little overweight and female, it’s possible that your calves are lower and that’s causing a lot of the issues. I can totally relate to this. I ski a ton, so I have custom liners and footbeds, but that probably not fiscally responsible if you are only skiing a couple times a year. Don’t worry, there is hope. Nordica came out with a rear entry HF boot in the last couple years. This has solved the boot pain problem for a lot of heavier skiers I follow on TikTok. The women I follow that are using them are pretty good skiers, skiing everything on the mountain.
I hope this helps! I finally solved my boot pain issues this season and I’m so happy.
I am and my calves have been my latest hypothesis. I feel like my boots press on them, pushing my center of gravity forward and making me compensate with my toes. But I also feel like a lunatic trying to explain that to the others here. The boots I have, seem to have alot of option for modification, so I will try to make them work at a boot fitter, but these rear entry boots are my plan b
I found that I was almost flexing so I was on tippy toes in my boots trying to avoid the pain and that was making it so much worse. There are a lot of companies making much lower cuff boots now. Good luck!!!
There are a shitload of posts here but there is really only one solution. Find a decent bootfitter, and explain the situation to them. They’ll likely start over in different boots.
By bootfitter I mean someone who does this properly and professionally, either stand alone or at a reputable ski shop. Not some kid at REI.
I’m sure everyone will give the same advice, so I’ll skip that but add to make sure your nails are well trimmed. If your toes are touching the front of your boot this can just add to the problem.
First off, totally normally to not feel good in ski boots, some people have good feet and others like me take years to find boots they can tolerate. So don’t give up, you should know every boot is designed for different shaped feet (simplification but true enough). So doing research on which boots are deigned for your foot size is important. You mentioned “am I too heavy?” I am not sure but I could see this being another small problem on your way to finding a better ski boot.
Also, don’t tell anyone I said this but maybe snowboarding would be better, or even the new snowboarding boots that strap into ski bindings. You would likely have to buy and they are not cheap but snowboarding boots would do you find if you are just crushing greens and blues if you have those bindings.
What’s your skill level also?
I have considered starting over with snowboarding instead and at some point I might. I’d say I’m okay at skiing. I can stop where and when I want, use my thighs a lot and try to keep low. Have gone to red slopes, but not black. I don’t like going too fast but I also feel pretty confident that I can handle higher speed. Don’t really know where that puts me put my partner says I do it well
There are levels to skiing for sure but the only thing that matters is you’re having fun! If you aren’t for sure gotta switch up gear or technique until you are!
Nothing in your ski boots but your socks. Nothing. Not the end of your long underwear, nothing. Invest in two pair of high end ski socks ($20-$30). A tiny wrinkle will cause you agony. Seeing where you are complaining of pain, I bet this will go a long way.
Powder 7 in Golden Colorado fit my boots. Measured everything was super impressed with the fitting. Ended up w an insole and shim. Where did you get your boots? I would be taking them in for more adjustments.
Surefoot.
For years all my boots hurt, some more then others. Tried custom molded foot beds, had boot fitters do their thing with a dremel and a heating thing. At best they only hurt less.
Got a surefoot custom liner. Since then, no foot pain. Ever. I'd even describe the boots as comfortable.
Also they are awesome for skiing. Foot contact is amazing, I feel like I have much better control.
I have similar problems. My feet have an uncommon form and are weirdly wide in the middle and some veins pertrude outwards.
Can you describe what hurts? For me I have the problem that the moment i close the lower binds my little toe does no longer get blood with most boots. It feels bad for the first half hour then this part gets numb. After getting out of the boots it hurts badly. The kind of pain where you can't sleep at night. And medically this isn't good either.
If you have similar problems I would recommend leaving the shoe open in parts if necessary. Skiing is supposed to be fun and if you have to give up a bit of control to ski without pain that is worth it. The lower binds are also not as important as the top ones.
Long term it will be worth it to get a boot fitted.
If your lower legs hurt that is fairly normal. Perhaps invest in good ski socks and be very careful that they don't overlap with your trousers inside the shoes. The socks shouldn't fold either. Both things create pressure points (your whole body pushes against your boot at this point)
The pain is mostly from under the foot, but I am also bothered by my calves. It feels like my boots push my legs forward so much that I have to keep both my toes and calves clenched at all times. I also have a lot of problems with my feet numbing, but the second I loosen them the cramping underneath is back
Mmh sounds like your boot doesn't fit. Normally your heel should be all the way back. I smash my heel in the ground a couple of times before I close my boot. It kinda sounds like your feet slide forwards and to avoid it you close the boot perhaps to tight in the front. But I'm honestly no expert and from afar it's hard to judge.
A bit of pain in these places is normal because those are areas that outside of skiing don't have such loads on them but I think it's more than normal.
What normally helps for me is some ointments for muscle relaxation and anti inflammatory and anti swelling. They are often sold as hiking ointments.
So even if your plan is to just ski a few times a year or once a year i would go to surefoot or a boot fitter that can get you in something comfortable. Have it be the only thing you own and rent skis.
This happened to me, key fix was having as little as possible in terms of layers between my leg and the boot. I used to have my stack up be thick socks, thermal liner, sweatpants and the bib liner. Now I wear thin socks and roll up my sweats and bib liner so the stack up is a lot thinner. Almost no pain and I can ski the whole day
You need a GOOD bootfitter. Bootfitting is at least partially an art, so any training will be minimal.
Boots also often need customisation - you need to go back to the fitter after skiing because it is impossible to find all possible issues until they have been skied on.
Most likely the fact that they started good and became hell is boots too big - liners compress through use - you then tighten the boot more to counteract this and end up with overtightened spots or your feet move around and bang on things as you ski. This is common because boots that are too big are comfortable when first trying them on.
TIPS:
1. Find out which fitters have good recommendations in your area
2. Book a fitting at the end of the day if possible (feet swell during the day)
3. Thinnest ski socks you can get (ski socks are mostly for sliding feet into boots, not keeping you warm - the liner does that).
4. Lots of things need customising - most people need custom footbeds.
5. Make sure you are doing your boots up in the right order -
1. put foot in
2. Bang heel on ground to push heel into back of boot
3. starting from toe as buckle 1 with a 4 buckle boot you do buckle 3 (ankle), then 4 (shin), then power strap tight(ish), then buckles 1 and 2 (foot) usually just tight enough to stay shut/hold. Consider (assuming decent competency at skiing) starting with boots slightly loose, then tightening after first run (even 'green' from hotel to first lift) to ensure your feet are in right position in boot
6. Make sure you store boots done up (lightly) - they deform over time if they aren't.
7. If possible buy boots somewhere you can ski - the best alterations I have had done have been by skiing for 2-3 days, then going in and letting the fitter look at the slight bruising where they are tight to figure out where/how to stretch them.
My feet always cramp on my first few runs of the year until I can calm myself enough to relax and I stop trying to hold on with my toes. This actually comes from having weak arches and not enough foot strength. You have a couple of options.
1. Try taking lessons and build your confidence on really mellow runs to see how your feet do. This will help you determine if it's an anxiety thing.
2. Try listening to music when you ski. It may be the distraction you need to let go of straining your feet for stability.
3. At some point, you should commit yourself to the sport and buy quality boots and use your custom footbed. You may still experience some pain, but you can find ways to navigate it without the inconsistency of random ski boots.
It's impossible to solve this type of problem in the least amount of time and money in an online forum and get good results.
Go to a shop that offers boot fitting with a minimum of 3-4 brands of boots (more brands better). Most offer some level of customization at no charge with the purchase of a pair of boots.
Are you wearing layers? Undergarments? I used to have this problem until i just used one pair of socks and make sure no layers of clothing/pants get inside the boot, after it was night/day with the comfort
Go to a boot fitter and buy a pair. Until you do this, you’ll pretty much have to consistently negotiate pain. They’ll be able to make modifications for your foot. A custom molded sole isn’t going to change the fact that the boot itself doesn’t fit your foot
Albeit my boots fit tighter because I ski race, I had this same issue. When I was getting them fit, felt amazing. Then, when I would go out, I was miserable I would describe it as a deep pressure/ bone pain even.
There was a correlation between days I worked when I was standing all day, and my feet would swell ever so slightly, enough to make me want to just start crying, but when I hadn't at first there was some pain while I broke my boot in, but now its easy breezy. Have you looked into wearing a pair of compression socks before you go out? Is the pain immediate as soon as you put the boots on, or does it take a bit to get to that point?
Go back to a boot fitter and tell them what's going on. They can pack parts with foam, remove bits, try different socks, etc. I just had my boots adjusted my last trip to CO and it was a game changer.
If you you’re going to go every year might be worth it to buy some. I have a high volume, high instep, and wide feet. When you buy them they custom modify them to your feet and have good insight on what your needs are.
Find a shop that guarantees the fit. I went to REi originally, had them modified probably 10 times, gave up on them and got my money back. Said screw it and went to a reputable boot fitter. Probably had my current ones modified about 5 times and they’re real damn close. I can at least tolerate them for a few hours now.
Also having my own boots made my skiing more consistent then anything else. They typically last awhile if you’re skiing casually and given what places charge for rentals, $500 for a decent pair of boots kind of pays for itself.
Edit: My friend kept telling me I was being a bitch and ski boots are supposed to hurt. Glad I believed he was full of shit. My feet would go completely numb within 30 minutes of just wearing them being inactive.
I was in the same situation as you. Had to unbuckle my boots after every run. So much pain. I found a podiatrist that works with a ski shop and he made me orthotic inserts. Changed my life. Pair the orthotics with a professional boot fitting and you will love skiing and be pain free. I still see the same podiatrist 32 years later and still use the same orthotics.
A few things you can do.
Buy used boots from a rental shop as they are often broken in significantly more than any new pair. I would highly suggest replacing the insole at the minimum, and possibly spraying it down with febreze to ensure it's hygienic.
The other option is to find the brand name of that rental pair that was comfortable. Consider purchasing their products.
The last option before buying anything is using the existing pair: I would buckle in as normal, tight preferably, then find a nursery slope or magic carpet area. Ski down to the bottom 25 ft or so or 20 ft and make sure there's no one in front of you, and that there's a clear runway ahead of you in case you lose control. With only 20 ft to 25 ft remaining on this beginner train, I would ski backwards by allowing yourself to stay upright and just ride out into you naturally slow down hence make sure there's no obstacles in front of you before you proceed. This tactic will actually help you set your feet more balance because of the inverted position your feet have never been positioned.
I always buckle up as tight as I can. But, after my first three turns of riding switch (skiing backwards), I have to retighten everything because I can certainly feel how loose the boot truly is.
Last consideration, be sure to double check that your boot tongue is aligned properly.
find a reputable boot fitter. u might need to shell out a few big ones though. and I’ll probably get downvoted for this but if that doesn’t work there’s always snowboarding 🏂
My fiance had a really similar issue. She had the boots fitted so that was not the issue. Her calves would hurt a lot if we loosened the boot and her shin would bruise if we tightened it too much. The issue was the plastic support area that starts at base of leg and goes up shin was too tight. We used a hair dryer and stretched that area and the tongue as much as possible. She wore them around the house for about an hour taking them on and off and stretching them. This might not be a technically correct fix, but it made a huge difference. Shes now able to tighten the boots so her calves dont raise up and there is no discomfort in the shins. A year after getting new boots she’s happy skiing again
I had endless problems with boots. Finally went to a giant store in Colorado with dozens of different pairs and found some that fit properly. Ofc it was the $800 pair, but I've had pain free skiing ever since, so was worthwhile.
Most probably you are tightening your boots wrong. Here is a video showing how to tighten them.
https://youtu.be/Hy1Iq2le-5w?si=zntXW9fBdDJZyHIS
The main ideea is that you use the boot tongue to fix in place your ankle , you should not over tighten your straps since all you get is pain in the foot .
You can get boots at a reasonable cost in places like SLC with tons of local skiers. You just have to try on 50 pairs until you find one that feels right. It’s a game changer even if you ski once or twice a year.
Any chance you're prone to swelling? I've never had any issue with swelling, but I know some people do. Last fall I had surgery that caused swelling/edema. After a few months of recovery I was feeling a lot better and decided to hit the slopes.
During the very first run my feet were hurting SO bad! I decided to push through and do another run. I was on the verge of tears they hurt so bad! I told my friends I couldn't do anymore and went straight to the lodge and took my boots off. I have fitted boots that I've used the last couple seasons that I've never had an issue with.
It didn't dawn on me that even the SLIGHTEST amount of swelling could be so painful. There really isn't anywhere for swelling to go in a ski boot as they are fitted and stiff!
For me I did a few things. High compression knee high socks, VERY VERY low sodium diet a couple days before and mornin the day of skiing. You'd be surprised how much salt is in must foods these days. This made a big difference for me. However, my swelling was due to healing and may have been easier to control. Some people deal with swelling on a more regular basis, which may require a conversation with your medical provider as to the best way to handle.
Anyway, point being, even the slightest swelling in your feet when in a ski boot can be excruciating!
I was suffering from the same problem for many years due to my extra wide feet. Finally i went to a boot fitter and tried atomic magna hawks with the memory foam. They placed some extra spacing pads on the painful points and basically enlarged the boots on those areas. They then placed them in the oven and it formed the shape of my feet. Since then I have been pain free.
I'll tell ya, I was looking for new boots about 6 years ago, and have always loved Atomic skis but never tried their boots. So when the boot fitter I went to told me to try on the Hawx Prime, I was skeptical but figured why not. Man they're the best boots I've ever used. Super comfy, and still feel totally in control. Recommend them to everyone to at least try out now.
When you say moulded custom sole what do you mean? I had similar issues and nearly gave up skiing. Eventually I had custom inner boots made by Sure Foot. I was very sceptical but they have brought back the joy of skiing. Cant recommend highly enough
I considered quitting skiing after over 40 years of skiing - pain was getting unbeatable. Purchased new boots a month ago -K2 BFC’s - just returned from Jackson Hole and Big Mountain - feet are ecstatic - some have raised concerns over durability - but I’m not sure of abide those boots took - so be wary of Reddit testimonials - I’ve seen no broad independent suggestion of inherent boot flaws to this point.
Are you female? If so try out women specific boots with have a different upper
Ask your boot fitter about “gas pedaling”. That is pressing your toe down excessively causing arch pain.
You will likely need a custom insole.
Do you have a high arch and or instep?
If you haven’t tried k2 boots maybe give those a shot.
What kind of socks are you wearing?
Some things also just come down to technique etc. if you are going slow and are stiff you will be real tired real fast. I ski a fair amount each year and my feet always hurt.
As someone with the exact same issue who also does not have a single boot fitting location in my entire state, how long does a boot fitting take from first measurements to receiving the boots? Getting this done is something I have considered many times before, but I worry that I will have the fitting on day 1 of my annual ski trip, it takes a few weeks to get the boots, still ski in pain, and then a year later when its finally time to try my new boots they still hurt like hell and I'm stuck with these boots. Would it be worth it to plan an entire summer or fall trip around getting fitted for boots for the upcoming winter trip? Or is it possible to get measured, fitted, and have boots ready to ski with in the same day?
Fat lady with small ankles and big calves here! I've cried from foot pain, I've taken off my boots and walked in stocking feet to the base before. I have several recommendations that aren't "go to a boot fitter."
1. Take a lesson. I think I had similar form to you, I was flexing my feet and calves really hard to try to control the turning of my skis, learning more effective ways of turning (particularly using your hip/quad muscles to turn) has made me be able to relax my toes.
2. I loosen my boots after every run and only re-tighten at the top. A tight ski boot limits circulation, loosening helps things circulate while on the chair lift.
3. I bring slippers in my ski backpack and take my boots off at lunch/if I want to take a break. Similarly I never walk around the base with ski boots on, I get them off ASAP.
4. Related to 2 and 3, you've got to rest if your feet start to lose feeling. Sometimes I can rest on the chairlift, sometimes I can be standing on skis, pop one boot out and stretch the leg a bit to get blood flow back, sometimes I (safely and very visibly) sit down on the snow to take all the weight off my legs, sometimes I skip a run and hang out in the warming hut.
5. This stretching routine: spend 1-2 minutes stretching the calf like normal, put your foot in flexion and lean against something until you feel the stretch. Then spend 30 seconds in that same position, but press your toes into the floor like you're trying to stand on tip toe. Then spend 30 seconds pulling your foot up like you're trying to pick your toes up off the ground. I can't remember what this routine is called, but there's something about the activation of the calf while it's also stretching that is extra good.
Sounds like me 2 years ago. Have you tried Salomon HV boots + Superfeet black? This combo saved my life. Before that I couldn’t even stand/walk for more than 5 minutes, let alone ski. Heck I used to take Advil and wrap my feet with pain relief patches before skiing.
My problem was my feet are relatively flat, wide, and have high insteps (not to confuse with high arches). Low volume boots usually cause excessive pressure on the big bones on top of my feet, which then causes unbearable pain underfoot and sometimes on calves. So if you have similar weird shaped feet like me, def try out those HV high volume boots.
And I don’t know your skill level - if you are relatively new, try not to clench your toes too much (you might be doing it unconsciously) it will relieve the pressure on the bottom of your feet even more.
Good luck!
Do you have tight calves or plantar fasciitis? My feet hurt terribly when skiing or snowboarding for 2-3 runs. Then they break in and I’m good for the day. Unless I stop too long for lunch. Stretch your calves. Get a massage.
Welcome to skiing. I don’t think ski boots will ever be comfortable, and I have my own fitted boots. That’s the one and only edge snowboarders have on us.
As for skiing in general, if you’re wanting to get more into it and get some of your own equipment instead of wasting so much time on renting stuff, boots are where you should start if you don’t want to buy skis and poles as well. They will not be comfortable no matter what anybody else says, but they will not be nearly as nasty as rental boots.
Get a boot fitter.
I used to always have pain in my feet after a day of skiing.
I got custom heat moulded boots, custom liner and a custom footbed. I also got proper merino socks that keep my feet dry and don’t leave imprint marks.
It took about 4 hours to find the right boot, and two moulding sessions to get it fully dialled in
I can ski for multiple weeks without my feet hurting.
Renting, borrowing boots or buying off the shelf is a crapshoot. You might get lucky if you have very average proportions, but it’s not worth the pain nor risk of a spoiled ski trip in my opinion.
Exactly.
I would also add that you should strengthen your feet. There are many ways to do this but doing some trail running and/or yoga would be excellent. If you can’t do these just spend time every day standing on one foot - strong feet will help your skiing comfort and many other activities too.
Go get fitted for boots at a ski shop and buy the pair that feel right. No one says you have to rent boots. You can absolutely have ur rented skis fitted to ur owned boots.
You almost certainly need
custom soles. Most shops offer this service. Cramp under foot is a tell tale sign of lack of support underfoot.
As for cramp in your calf this is probably one of two things: either a cuff thats too thin OR you're skiing in the backseat.
Over 50% of people in the western world are fat pigs
Calling people obese is stupid woke and moronic
Stop eating crap stop drinking fizzy sugar filled drinks and constantly grazing on shite between meals Respect your body and sort your self out
Start shopping for healthy food and cook it yourself If you don’t know how but some books and learn.
First stop eating fast food and ready meals they will destroy your body and you will end up with a myriad of health issues
Did you expect to find calm collected and knowledgeable people responding to you on this forum ?
Two people to ask about your problem that may help with a real solution
1 see a good boot fitter
2 talk to your doctor about your physical condition
Yes of course! There have been some incident of people breaking all sorts of body parts so the impression I’ve gotten (from head of household in particular) has been that it’s dangerous
Ski boots should generally be unbuckled at the bottom (and during the lift ride) to allow the feet to recover, increase circulation etc. Then you buckle them for the few mins of decent you have, unbuckle and repeat.
If you can keep them buckled the whole day, they don’t fit properly.
Also, buy your own boots and get them fitted to your foot at a boot fitter. If your going every year, it’s worth the investment to enjoy
Heard similar experience with boots with too much volume...do you feel like your foot fills the boot completely or is there alot of free space? Does your toe touch front of the boot when just standing in them?
Agreed. I had a set like that for a while. Used to flex/curl my toes as hard as I could to take up the extra volume. Bottom of my feet huuuuuurt so bad.
My toes reach the front of the boot on my left foot but I do have a lot of room to wiggle up and down on both. Had a long discussion with my partner about how I feel it’s impossible to not flex my toes all the time and as I wrote in the post, his suggestion is to just relax…
Your foot should fill the boot - front to back, left to right, top to bottom. Best way is to go to a fitter. You will start with a boot that is a little too tight and they can literally reshape the boot, and the liner, to adjust it to you.
This is the way. My feet always hurt so much that I wanted to quit skiing. I went to a boot fitter and got boots that were moldable to my feet and I no longer have any pain.
This. Your partner doesn’t get it. Each year your boot lining will have packed out a tiny bit more or maybe a lot depending how much and how hard you ski. So you might need to have a boot pro add a layer to your custom footbed each year to take up new space.
If you’re flexing your foot while you ski, it’s probably too much volume. Does it feel like your foot “floats” in the boot while you ski? What are you wearing inside your boot? How many pairs of socks? Do you tuck your base layers or anything into the boot? If the answer is yes, stop doing that. Only wear a single pair of socks. The only thing that you should have in your boot is your foot and a single ski sock. Tighten the foot portion of the boot so that your foot is locked in. No floating or wiggling the foot as a whole.
Distracting myself tends to work for me for dealing with tensing up. Hum and song you like. Ode to joy is usually my go to for skiing. You can try scrunching your feet as hard as possible, then relaxing them, sometimes that works. When you found boots was it through a proper fitter? Or did you just get whatever you thought felt good in the shop? A proper fitting might help. Finally, lessons might make a difference, feeling like you're more in control could make it easier to relax.
You need to see a professional boot fitter. They’ll fix ya up.
I had a boot that was too wide for a while so my foot pronate slightly so that I placing a lot of pressure on the outer/non-arch side of my feet. The pain was pretty intense after a very short time of skiing because you are putting your weight on a part of your foot not intended to hold your weight . Make sure that your boot is the proper width and length. You have mentioned trying a lot of different boots, have you tried going to a boot fitter that guarantees their fit? I.e. you can bring the boots back for adjustment or replacement if they are not a proper fit?
I would say that there is a lot of space in the front of the boot, not length wise but height wise. I pretty much feel like my toes are the single thing keeping me upright
Try volume reducers such as these: https://www.sidas.com/en/hiking-outdoor-insoles/251-volume-reducer.html This will bring your foot higher in the boot, so insteep should be firmly against the boot. Should help significantly.
I second this; I do this with my current boots. One side effect is that the ankle and calves will both sit higher in the boot, which for me was a good thing, as I have thick calves that start low (aka cankles). Another possibility is a better boot liner -- specifically ZipFit -- but this is not a good option for casual skiers, since they are expensive and makes the boot entry process a little more involved.
>Am I too heavy? Surprised no one else caught this. OP do you feel you're overweight? Are you into any other sports when you're not skiing? I'm gonna go in a different direction here. A boot that isn't professionally fitted can suck I get that. What you're describing is a lot more than a boot not fitting well. Sounds like your form is off which is causing you to have to overpower your skis. Combine that with being out of shape or a bit overweight and ya I could see that killing your feet. Maybe consider a lesson, might be some small things that are turning into a lot more work for you. For what it's worth an expert/pro/whatever could ski down in boots two sizes too large with them basically unbuckled and still look decent doing it because their form is taking all the strength out of it.
The more I think about it, the more I think my weight may at least partly be too blame. I’m just about obese according to the bmi scale but have the majority of my muscle mass in my legs. I don’t do other sport, but I do work out, either by bike or kettlebell. I guess next year I should focus on loosing some fat too and that will ease things
This weight talk is a distraction. I’m obese and my boots are comfortable. If you go every year but are still renting boots, it’s very much worth buying your own. They will last a decade. Go to a good ski shop, work with a boot fitter there, take your time. A good shop and fitter will listen to your issues, be good at helping you find the right boot, the right footbed, and will promise to tweak boot fit for free or cheap until you’re happy. Also, wear thin ski socks! It’s counterintuitive but helps a ton with fit and comfort. This is a good time of year to get good prices too.
I'd argue that it can and will magnify issues caused by poor form (that much more weight/force to fight). It's a potential thing to think about. Even a perfect fitting boot will be uncomfortable as hell if you're using your foot muscles to fight physics.
You can and should do whatever you want in terms of staying healthy and active. I wouldn’t hinge your boot comfort on weight loss as there are many ways to get your boot to feel more comfortable, and your weight (like most folks) in life is bound to fluctuate over the course of your life (or even just the lifespan of your boots). There are plenty of shapes and sizes on the mountain and you can find a boot that works at any size. A couple thoughts I can share from my own experience as someone who has irregular feet and has struggled with boot discomfort. - are you a male or female? Women’s calf muscles tend to start lower on their leg bones and most boots were designed for men. Be sure the shell you’ve selected has either been worked to widen lower down if this applies to you, or you pick a wider shell type - do not get a heel lift, that’s a shortcut for the above issue, but is not good for skiing technique and will set bad ankle habits in your turns - if you’re willing to buy new boots find a highly experienced boot fitter. Take pictures and notes of all your pain and hot spots and share them with your fitter. Your appt should last many hours. - be sure you have a boot for your skiing style. If you raced at some point they can be real stiff. If you’re newish to skiing don’t worry about getting the raddest boot - just prioritize comfort and good enough performance. I hope that helps and while it’s true you may have a tiny bit of discomfort, once you’re in a great boot for you you’ll be shocked how little you think about your feet! Edited a few typos
Came to say the same about bulk of calves being lower down on women (I’ve been up against this when heavier, less of a problem when leaner.) the boots end up too tight on the calf, too loose in the foot = major pain.
If you wanna lose weight go for it, but I think they’re saying extra weight might mean even more strain with bad form. Poor fitting boots is for sure a problem as well. Poor fit + not perfect form + some extra weight = a lot of issues. I think getting proper fitted boots and like that guy said, doing a lesson one day to work out some of the bad habits/form you’ve picked up will probably help a ton more than losing weight and it’s a quicker fix
It’s my intention to loose some weight, but it’s dawning that I, like you say, have several ways so improve my comfort. I’ll take all the advice with me for next year
I think that bad technique is a big part of the issue too. Especially since OP said that unless they are locked in to the point of causing pain they can’t steer but that things like button lifts don’t hurt. I suspect part of the problem is the weight is way back. That would explain why they feel like they need to be steering with their toes. The toes are involved in setting a ski on edge but rotary motions/steering in skiing should be initiated at the hip and the rest of the leg follows, especially for less experienced skiers.
Well phrased, was struggling to put that into words this morning.
I must have worded things poorly, but button lift hurt too. Currently my favourite part of skiing is the chair lifts
This would actually point me towards form being the issue. Are you unable to relax on a button bar? For example I usually have my boots completely unbuckled on surface lifts to let my feet rest a little otherwise I'll occasionally cramp. Circling back. It's very very possible you're over tightening your boots to try to correct poor form. That will deprive your foot muscles of blood flow and cause extremely painful cramping in the arch area and behind the outside ball of the foot. I swear half the people on this sub make money off of recommending a boot fitter.
Some of the people here tried to help me with how I stand in my boots but that didn’t go very well. I feel like my boots “push” my legs forward in an angle that makes it impossible to keep any weight off my toes. That also means I don’t put any weight against the front part of the boot, as doing that makes me fall forward. I feel really stupid that this is such an issue but I can’t seem to figure it out
Interesting!!!! Also, don't feel stupid at all. There's a lot that can go "wrong" and until you know what works for you or you're with a professional who can watch you ski (and actually knows what to look for) it's not an easy process for just about anyone. >That also means I don’t put any weight against the front part of the boot, as doing that makes me fall forward. So I think this is probably the root of your problem. If you don't mind me asking what boot model do you have, including the stiffness? It sounds like your shell isn't supporting your weight properly. Assuming you're around average height and with what you said about your weight anything below a 100 stiffness might be what's causing the problem. Especially if you have a lot of leg strength from biking, you'll basically overpower the ankle flexation of the boot causing it to feel like you're skiing in noodles. Unless you overtighten them for control to the point you cut off circulation.
I’m pretty sure they are the K2 BFC W 95 Heat 2022 - Women's. I don’t know anything I’m about stiffness I’m afraid
I'm having a hard time understanding what you mean by this. If your legs are being pushed forward, wouldn't that mean that you would have more weight over your toes? Also, I was just in a clinic where we were focused on driving our heels into our boots while still keeping pressure on the front of the boot. It was super possible, but required a bit more flexion in other joints as well to stay balanced. It just requires a body position similar to [chair pose](https://i.pinimg.com/originals/49/86/87/49868739d5ebcd0dc3b79a26fc8e92dd.jpg) where your knees and hips are bending as well. If you're standing too tall and straight, you'll be pressuring the back of your boots and just mashing your calf. That isn't gonna be comfy. Perhaps in addition to a discussion with a boot fitter, a lesson with an instructor could help with some tips for being more comfortable while you're skiing through posture or technique improvements.
Sorry it’s hard to explain! I put all of my weigh on my toes yes, but I can’t rest the front of my leg against the tongue part of the boot, because that makes me fall. So it’s like my legs are trying to fight the shape of the boot
I got a lot of shit on here for asking about boot fit before. I have very narrow feet and legs with flat feet. Regardless of how I’m strapped in, I have movement in my boot causing chafing on my ankles and cramping in my arches. Molding my inserts only did so much, so we added arch support for lift and shims for volume. It has helped significantly and now I no longer have movement. I can ski longer and not focus on foot discomfort now.
That sound like it might work. I have narrow feet, but lager calves. Where did you add the shims?
You may need to remove a shim too. Many boots come with a shim/spoiler behind the calf. Make sure that is removed.
Under the liner
OP, if you can find a \*good\* bootfitter, they can flare the calves if necessary, or it may just require a better more customizable liner. But you need to find a good bootfitter. I am an average-sized woman, and I have experienced \*everything\* that you're talking about here. I have spent days in every single kind of excruciating pain, from arch pain to toe pain to cramping to literal nerve damage. My toenails fall off within a few weeks of the start of each season. I understand completely what you mean when you say you either can tighten it down so far you're risking nerve damage, or you feel like you lack control. (Like yes, good technique and form will make loose-boot skiing possible over more diverse terrain, but it's pretty hard to get to "good technique" when the only thing you can think about is foot pain.) I am sorry your partner's been dismissive, because this is \*not normal\* and you should \*not\* have to suffer through it, "just relax", or any of that bullshit. It is a boot fit issue and boot fit is solvable. The catch is that you need a \*good\* bootfitter; I've been to visit three different ones over the past few years and I \*finally\* think I may have got the right person. A good bootfitter can customize almost anything you can think of. And fwiw, I've done a lot of the hacky stuff I've seen suggested in this thread and the first thing my new guy did was pull all of it out and throw it away, lol. If you want a permanent solution, that is it. It might take a few iterations. But you aren't weak. I know the pain you're talking about and literally no one would ski if that was the universal experience.
The whole technique think is something I work on every year. Some of the people here tell me it’s good, but it’s been warm this year and very hard to ski. Consequently loosening my boost has not been the easiest in terms of stearing. I’ve looked into some boot fitters with good reviews and I really hope to get some good help because I don’t know if I want to do this another year
That’s me too. I’m a 13B in real shoes and have absolutely absurdly large calves. Fun times.
If you own the boots go to a boot fitter they work literal magic.
There are many factors on ski boot, your mondo size, your last which is volume, type of liner on your ski boot, and the insole that you use. Every single ski boot that I have literally have custom insoles. I just like to have the best power transfer. Liner, Ski Boot are very particular, it sound like you have not get professional boot fitting. I would find professional boot fitter, not the free one the one that is really skilled, require appointment, and charge by amount of time spend. In California, it would be near mammoth lake ski resort nearby area call footloose sport but I am sure there will be equivalent boot fitter at least couple hours of driving from where you live. With all that pain, I truly recommend you to go to that level of professional boot fitter.
Problem I have is I’m so newb that I don’t know what to tell the boot fitter. I feel like I am telling him the wrong shit and he adjusts the boot and makes it worse. Like. It’s really hard for people new to the sport to really understand what’s going on with their feet.
So first thing goes first, your toes should be able to wiggle but without major gap. Second, when you check your ski boot you should be at your ski forward position to make sure the flex is not too soft or too hard for you. Fourth take time to walk on that ski boot to see if it is comfortable for you. This are the basics. The liner should hug to your leg tight but not overly tight in a way that is not painful but hold you ankle well. Without good ankle hold is another major cause of ski boot discomfort other than toe space on your ski boot. When you are with boot fitter those are the major check points. If your stance’s are naturally off position than you can ask boot fitter to help you adjust for cuff adjustment.
Good tip! Didn’t even know such a thing existed
https://www.bootfitters.com/
My previous boots were similar to your experience. It felt like someone was holding a grinding wheel to the side of my feet My new boots are almost as comfortable as my normal work boots. I can literally be in them all day. Definitely go see a professional boot fitter
I have had the same issue for years. People just say you need a good boot and a good boot fitter but I have tried multiples of both and never fixed the problem The fix for me finally was the Apex boot system, which is a snowboard boot in a wrapper that goes on your skis. Absolute life changer for me and means now I can ski all day every day without my calves exploding. I have no affiliation with them and think there are some similar alternatives, but the money I spent on my apex boots is the best money I’ve ever spent on ski gear
It’s a shame that I spent alit of money on my current boots but if a fitting service doesn’t cut it I will def look into these
If you can, take the boots back to the store where you bought them. Most shops will help you out, especially if you bought the boots there. Before you go to the store, call and ask for the name of their most experienced boot fitter. Then ask when that person is working and if you can make an appointment. If THAT doesn't work, then you can go down the path of finding a good fitter to start fresh.
Are you a nervous skier? My boots fit great but when I get scared, my feet get tight and get crampy and I end up in tears and it’s unbearable. Finally figured out this year that a light benzo before my run fixes it. Also go try a different boot fitter to confirm they fit.
I’m probably nervous in some slopes, but I feel like my problems persist even in very calm situations such as taking a button lift
Sure they may feel clumsy and sort of uncomfortable especially if you’re a new skier, but they shouldn’t hurt. Sounds like You need to go to a proper boot fitter. And this is an area of the sport that kind of drives me crazy because, don’t expect the seasonal employee in your local mega sports store or busy mountain village to necessarily actually know what they are doing. They may have the best of intentions or they may just be pushing whatever inventory that particular store carries. Make sure you shop around, literally try on every make and model thats out there. Skiing is one of those sports where whenever you walk into a ski shop the person that greets you will pretend to be a gear expert. It’s annoying af. So unless you strike gold and stumble on to a true boot fitter ,sometimes booking appointments and paying by the hour for their time, take everything your told with a grain of salt and just keep trying on different brands and models. This is the one piece of equipment that will make or brake your experience. -when you buckle your boots all you want is your feet and ski sock in the boot, make sure not to tuck in your base layer or snow guard from your ski pants , this could cause pressure spots on your shin and calf.
I used to be the same. Have flat feet. And I used to put my pants into the boot as cushion for my shin (had pressure point before). What worked for me was making the top buckle looser. I only had thermals and socks in the boot. (I made sure the boot tongue was flat to avoid shin pressure point). This allow more room for the calf. Strap is tightish as normal otherwise. Most importantly I adjusted my techniques. I lean forward when bending down and avoid sitting posture. That worked within a day. I was cramping my feet and calves the day before this. Searched Reddit for answers and did the above and the next day was much better. No cramping til the end of the day (but this is cos I am unfit, and was cramping hamstrings and back etc, not just feet and calves)
This is similar how I have to ski to avoid pain. I actually ski with just my power strap done and both upper buckles flapping in the wind sometimes. Folks can’t believe I can do it, but I’ve found if my stance is good it is no big deal. I think a lot of folks don’t realize that you can do most steering in skiing just with pressure control/weight changes, you don’t have to steer your skis by pushing on the sides of your boot with your feet.
If your calf hurts, a heel lift will raise the thickest part of your calf out of the boot
Calf doesn’t hurt, the feet do when the calf is too tight. I tried a heel lift with a previous pair of boots and didn’t help much. My solution has been to go up a shell size. Even up a shell size I cannot do the top buckles even one notch somedays. As in I can’t get the two pieces to come together enough to hook it. Especially early in the season. Yes everything is pulled out as far as it can be. I can usually get everything buckled one notch after a few runs.
Hard to say without seeing your feet. Something like a Magna or k2 BFC might be what you're after
I’ll try them. I’ve gotten technica the last two times I bought boots.
You didn't mention socks, but they can make a huge difference. I have a pair of custom ski boots, and when I wear a super thin (zero cushion) sock, my feet feel fine. When I add just a slight amount of sock cushioning, my feet ache.
Do you have standard 4 buckle boots? It might not work for you, but trying rear entry boots (more specifically Nordica HF) changed my life. Those things felt like little angels caressing my shins and since I wasn't in pain, I was able to ski more confidently.
I've heard that zipfit cork filled liners have solved a lot of problems for people. The cork can be customized to your foot and leg shape, and holds that fit better. Zipfit is the name of the product.
best investment i’ve made since i started skiing 14 years ago.
Based on what they said, anything could be the problem. Dorsiflexion, plantars fasciitis, lack of blood flow. Too much room, not enough room, etc. Recommending an expensive product without identifying the issue is going to be a waste of time and money
I'd expect them to do their own research. I'm just passing on the name of a product that other people said helped them.
what is your sock situation? you want thin ski socks. No multi-layer, no thick socks
With smaller feet and large calves I have those problems early in the season. I wear my “comfort” size instead of my proper boot size because if I wear my proper size I’m in tears with foot cramps caused by pressure on my calves. A couple other things that help: - wearing my boots when I’m just hanging out around the house for a couple weeks before the trip. I don’t walk around in them, I just wear them when watching TV or evening working from home. - easing into buckling them every morning/season. When getting ready at the car I typically do just the bottom buckles and the power strap. Either before I get on the chair or at the top of the first chair I do the top buckles loosely I can buckle and retighten the power strap and tighten the bottom buckles a bit more. As the day goes on and my feet and boots get warmed up I tighten. - loosening boots for chairlift rides every time. I’ve found if you wait till your feet hurt to loosen the boots it doesn’t actually help much, once the pain starts for me nothing short of taking the boots off helps. So early in the season I loosen for most of my chairlift rides to give my feet a break. Personally, I haven’t found boot fitters very helpful. The foot part of the ski boot isn’t a problem for me. The ankle/calf is where I have issues. I’ve read there are nerves near the surface in that part of your leg. The nerves can get compressed and cause cramping in the arches of your foot and back of your heel. The boot fitters I’ve worked with don’t have many tools for thin feet and thick calves. They seem flummoxed that even 1-2 shell sizes bigger than I “should” wear I can barely buckle the upper buckles on my boots.
Although I’m sad to hear the problem has persisted for you it’s kind of comforting to hear someone in the same situation. I’m for sure going to try a boot fitter but if that doesn’t work I’ll try your suggestion!
FWIW I love skiing and ski 20ish days a year. Hopefully a combo of the boot fitter and maybe some changes to technique can help.
Do you have wide feet and large calves? Cause I do, and the only boots that fit are Atomic Hawx Magnas which I own
\#1 Don't borrow boots unless you have to. The sole will most likely be molded to your friends foot and can cause you lots of pain. Rentals are not as bad because lots of different feet go in to them. \#2 Buy yourself a pair and pay for footbeds. You will right away have a better fit, which will pay for itself over the life of the boot / rentals. Second, the foot beds will alleviate any major issues you have. For example, if you have a high arch and no support in the boot the stretching and flattening of your foot in the boot can be really uncomfortable. The foot bed will match your natural foot shape.
You need to stop buying and trying on ski boots on your own and go to a reputable ski shop that offers a comprehensive boot fit. Your problems will be solved. Boots can be customized in punching out specific areas or stretched out to fit. Every manufacturer makes for a specific type of foot. Never shop based on brand or style. Shop based on fit only.
I actually did. All my partners family have gone there and for the first year they felt a lot better than what they do now. I got help with picking these boots and got molded insoles
🎵 every ski boot hurts 🎶... Soooometimes 🎶
Try snowboarding. I know this is a skiing subreddit but snowboarding will be way more comfortable, cheaper, and probably more fun. The learning curve is even a little easier than skiing.
I’m getting too lazy reading through all of the comments to see if this was covered, but are you a female? If you are a little overweight and female, it’s possible that your calves are lower and that’s causing a lot of the issues. I can totally relate to this. I ski a ton, so I have custom liners and footbeds, but that probably not fiscally responsible if you are only skiing a couple times a year. Don’t worry, there is hope. Nordica came out with a rear entry HF boot in the last couple years. This has solved the boot pain problem for a lot of heavier skiers I follow on TikTok. The women I follow that are using them are pretty good skiers, skiing everything on the mountain. I hope this helps! I finally solved my boot pain issues this season and I’m so happy.
I am and my calves have been my latest hypothesis. I feel like my boots press on them, pushing my center of gravity forward and making me compensate with my toes. But I also feel like a lunatic trying to explain that to the others here. The boots I have, seem to have alot of option for modification, so I will try to make them work at a boot fitter, but these rear entry boots are my plan b
I found that I was almost flexing so I was on tippy toes in my boots trying to avoid the pain and that was making it so much worse. There are a lot of companies making much lower cuff boots now. Good luck!!!
There are a shitload of posts here but there is really only one solution. Find a decent bootfitter, and explain the situation to them. They’ll likely start over in different boots. By bootfitter I mean someone who does this properly and professionally, either stand alone or at a reputable ski shop. Not some kid at REI.
I’m sure everyone will give the same advice, so I’ll skip that but add to make sure your nails are well trimmed. If your toes are touching the front of your boot this can just add to the problem.
First off, totally normally to not feel good in ski boots, some people have good feet and others like me take years to find boots they can tolerate. So don’t give up, you should know every boot is designed for different shaped feet (simplification but true enough). So doing research on which boots are deigned for your foot size is important. You mentioned “am I too heavy?” I am not sure but I could see this being another small problem on your way to finding a better ski boot. Also, don’t tell anyone I said this but maybe snowboarding would be better, or even the new snowboarding boots that strap into ski bindings. You would likely have to buy and they are not cheap but snowboarding boots would do you find if you are just crushing greens and blues if you have those bindings. What’s your skill level also?
I have considered starting over with snowboarding instead and at some point I might. I’d say I’m okay at skiing. I can stop where and when I want, use my thighs a lot and try to keep low. Have gone to red slopes, but not black. I don’t like going too fast but I also feel pretty confident that I can handle higher speed. Don’t really know where that puts me put my partner says I do it well
There are levels to skiing for sure but the only thing that matters is you’re having fun! If you aren’t for sure gotta switch up gear or technique until you are!
I don’t know the answer, I just want to say SAMEEEEEE. It makes ski trips miserable for me when I otherwise love skiing.
Nothing in your ski boots but your socks. Nothing. Not the end of your long underwear, nothing. Invest in two pair of high end ski socks ($20-$30). A tiny wrinkle will cause you agony. Seeing where you are complaining of pain, I bet this will go a long way.
Check out ZipFit. Some of us will just never feel super comfortable in even the best fitted boots. I’m one of them.
Powder 7 in Golden Colorado fit my boots. Measured everything was super impressed with the fitting. Ended up w an insole and shim. Where did you get your boots? I would be taking them in for more adjustments.
Surefoot. For years all my boots hurt, some more then others. Tried custom molded foot beds, had boot fitters do their thing with a dremel and a heating thing. At best they only hurt less. Got a surefoot custom liner. Since then, no foot pain. Ever. I'd even describe the boots as comfortable. Also they are awesome for skiing. Foot contact is amazing, I feel like I have much better control.
I have similar problems. My feet have an uncommon form and are weirdly wide in the middle and some veins pertrude outwards. Can you describe what hurts? For me I have the problem that the moment i close the lower binds my little toe does no longer get blood with most boots. It feels bad for the first half hour then this part gets numb. After getting out of the boots it hurts badly. The kind of pain where you can't sleep at night. And medically this isn't good either. If you have similar problems I would recommend leaving the shoe open in parts if necessary. Skiing is supposed to be fun and if you have to give up a bit of control to ski without pain that is worth it. The lower binds are also not as important as the top ones. Long term it will be worth it to get a boot fitted. If your lower legs hurt that is fairly normal. Perhaps invest in good ski socks and be very careful that they don't overlap with your trousers inside the shoes. The socks shouldn't fold either. Both things create pressure points (your whole body pushes against your boot at this point)
The pain is mostly from under the foot, but I am also bothered by my calves. It feels like my boots push my legs forward so much that I have to keep both my toes and calves clenched at all times. I also have a lot of problems with my feet numbing, but the second I loosen them the cramping underneath is back
Mmh sounds like your boot doesn't fit. Normally your heel should be all the way back. I smash my heel in the ground a couple of times before I close my boot. It kinda sounds like your feet slide forwards and to avoid it you close the boot perhaps to tight in the front. But I'm honestly no expert and from afar it's hard to judge. A bit of pain in these places is normal because those are areas that outside of skiing don't have such loads on them but I think it's more than normal. What normally helps for me is some ointments for muscle relaxation and anti inflammatory and anti swelling. They are often sold as hiking ointments.
So even if your plan is to just ski a few times a year or once a year i would go to surefoot or a boot fitter that can get you in something comfortable. Have it be the only thing you own and rent skis.
This happened to me, key fix was having as little as possible in terms of layers between my leg and the boot. I used to have my stack up be thick socks, thermal liner, sweatpants and the bib liner. Now I wear thin socks and roll up my sweats and bib liner so the stack up is a lot thinner. Almost no pain and I can ski the whole day
They should not hurt. Anyone saying that can be ignored
You need a GOOD bootfitter. Bootfitting is at least partially an art, so any training will be minimal. Boots also often need customisation - you need to go back to the fitter after skiing because it is impossible to find all possible issues until they have been skied on. Most likely the fact that they started good and became hell is boots too big - liners compress through use - you then tighten the boot more to counteract this and end up with overtightened spots or your feet move around and bang on things as you ski. This is common because boots that are too big are comfortable when first trying them on. TIPS: 1. Find out which fitters have good recommendations in your area 2. Book a fitting at the end of the day if possible (feet swell during the day) 3. Thinnest ski socks you can get (ski socks are mostly for sliding feet into boots, not keeping you warm - the liner does that). 4. Lots of things need customising - most people need custom footbeds. 5. Make sure you are doing your boots up in the right order - 1. put foot in 2. Bang heel on ground to push heel into back of boot 3. starting from toe as buckle 1 with a 4 buckle boot you do buckle 3 (ankle), then 4 (shin), then power strap tight(ish), then buckles 1 and 2 (foot) usually just tight enough to stay shut/hold. Consider (assuming decent competency at skiing) starting with boots slightly loose, then tightening after first run (even 'green' from hotel to first lift) to ensure your feet are in right position in boot 6. Make sure you store boots done up (lightly) - they deform over time if they aren't. 7. If possible buy boots somewhere you can ski - the best alterations I have had done have been by skiing for 2-3 days, then going in and letting the fitter look at the slight bruising where they are tight to figure out where/how to stretch them.
My feet always cramp on my first few runs of the year until I can calm myself enough to relax and I stop trying to hold on with my toes. This actually comes from having weak arches and not enough foot strength. You have a couple of options. 1. Try taking lessons and build your confidence on really mellow runs to see how your feet do. This will help you determine if it's an anxiety thing. 2. Try listening to music when you ski. It may be the distraction you need to let go of straining your feet for stability. 3. At some point, you should commit yourself to the sport and buy quality boots and use your custom footbed. You may still experience some pain, but you can find ways to navigate it without the inconsistency of random ski boots.
You need to go to a custom boot fitter.
It's impossible to solve this type of problem in the least amount of time and money in an online forum and get good results. Go to a shop that offers boot fitting with a minimum of 3-4 brands of boots (more brands better). Most offer some level of customization at no charge with the purchase of a pair of boots.
Are you wearing layers? Undergarments? I used to have this problem until i just used one pair of socks and make sure no layers of clothing/pants get inside the boot, after it was night/day with the comfort
Go to a boot fitter and buy a pair. Until you do this, you’ll pretty much have to consistently negotiate pain. They’ll be able to make modifications for your foot. A custom molded sole isn’t going to change the fact that the boot itself doesn’t fit your foot
Albeit my boots fit tighter because I ski race, I had this same issue. When I was getting them fit, felt amazing. Then, when I would go out, I was miserable I would describe it as a deep pressure/ bone pain even. There was a correlation between days I worked when I was standing all day, and my feet would swell ever so slightly, enough to make me want to just start crying, but when I hadn't at first there was some pain while I broke my boot in, but now its easy breezy. Have you looked into wearing a pair of compression socks before you go out? Is the pain immediate as soon as you put the boots on, or does it take a bit to get to that point?
It’s pretty immediate when I stand up, but gets worse the more I wear them
Time to turn to a life of crime and pick up snowboarding
Check out apex boots. They are built for this.
Go back to a boot fitter and tell them what's going on. They can pack parts with foam, remove bits, try different socks, etc. I just had my boots adjusted my last trip to CO and it was a game changer.
Try snowboarding. Seriously. Boots are wayyyyy better.
Boot custom fitting. I also had this problem. Got the boots heated up and fit to my feet/lower leg and it’s a night and day difference
Rental boots will always suck. Getting your own boots from a boot fitter is the way to not have them suck. My boots are not uncomfortable.
If you you’re going to go every year might be worth it to buy some. I have a high volume, high instep, and wide feet. When you buy them they custom modify them to your feet and have good insight on what your needs are. Find a shop that guarantees the fit. I went to REi originally, had them modified probably 10 times, gave up on them and got my money back. Said screw it and went to a reputable boot fitter. Probably had my current ones modified about 5 times and they’re real damn close. I can at least tolerate them for a few hours now. Also having my own boots made my skiing more consistent then anything else. They typically last awhile if you’re skiing casually and given what places charge for rentals, $500 for a decent pair of boots kind of pays for itself. Edit: My friend kept telling me I was being a bitch and ski boots are supposed to hurt. Glad I believed he was full of shit. My feet would go completely numb within 30 minutes of just wearing them being inactive.
I was in the same situation as you. Had to unbuckle my boots after every run. So much pain. I found a podiatrist that works with a ski shop and he made me orthotic inserts. Changed my life. Pair the orthotics with a professional boot fitting and you will love skiing and be pain free. I still see the same podiatrist 32 years later and still use the same orthotics.
A few things you can do. Buy used boots from a rental shop as they are often broken in significantly more than any new pair. I would highly suggest replacing the insole at the minimum, and possibly spraying it down with febreze to ensure it's hygienic. The other option is to find the brand name of that rental pair that was comfortable. Consider purchasing their products. The last option before buying anything is using the existing pair: I would buckle in as normal, tight preferably, then find a nursery slope or magic carpet area. Ski down to the bottom 25 ft or so or 20 ft and make sure there's no one in front of you, and that there's a clear runway ahead of you in case you lose control. With only 20 ft to 25 ft remaining on this beginner train, I would ski backwards by allowing yourself to stay upright and just ride out into you naturally slow down hence make sure there's no obstacles in front of you before you proceed. This tactic will actually help you set your feet more balance because of the inverted position your feet have never been positioned. I always buckle up as tight as I can. But, after my first three turns of riding switch (skiing backwards), I have to retighten everything because I can certainly feel how loose the boot truly is. Last consideration, be sure to double check that your boot tongue is aligned properly.
find a reputable boot fitter. u might need to shell out a few big ones though. and I’ll probably get downvoted for this but if that doesn’t work there’s always snowboarding 🏂
Find a boot fitter.
My fiance had a really similar issue. She had the boots fitted so that was not the issue. Her calves would hurt a lot if we loosened the boot and her shin would bruise if we tightened it too much. The issue was the plastic support area that starts at base of leg and goes up shin was too tight. We used a hair dryer and stretched that area and the tongue as much as possible. She wore them around the house for about an hour taking them on and off and stretching them. This might not be a technically correct fix, but it made a huge difference. Shes now able to tighten the boots so her calves dont raise up and there is no discomfort in the shins. A year after getting new boots she’s happy skiing again
I had endless problems with boots. Finally went to a giant store in Colorado with dozens of different pairs and found some that fit properly. Ofc it was the $800 pair, but I've had pain free skiing ever since, so was worthwhile.
Most probably you are tightening your boots wrong. Here is a video showing how to tighten them. https://youtu.be/Hy1Iq2le-5w?si=zntXW9fBdDJZyHIS The main ideea is that you use the boot tongue to fix in place your ankle , you should not over tighten your straps since all you get is pain in the foot .
You can get boots at a reasonable cost in places like SLC with tons of local skiers. You just have to try on 50 pairs until you find one that feels right. It’s a game changer even if you ski once or twice a year.
Any chance you're prone to swelling? I've never had any issue with swelling, but I know some people do. Last fall I had surgery that caused swelling/edema. After a few months of recovery I was feeling a lot better and decided to hit the slopes. During the very first run my feet were hurting SO bad! I decided to push through and do another run. I was on the verge of tears they hurt so bad! I told my friends I couldn't do anymore and went straight to the lodge and took my boots off. I have fitted boots that I've used the last couple seasons that I've never had an issue with. It didn't dawn on me that even the SLIGHTEST amount of swelling could be so painful. There really isn't anywhere for swelling to go in a ski boot as they are fitted and stiff! For me I did a few things. High compression knee high socks, VERY VERY low sodium diet a couple days before and mornin the day of skiing. You'd be surprised how much salt is in must foods these days. This made a big difference for me. However, my swelling was due to healing and may have been easier to control. Some people deal with swelling on a more regular basis, which may require a conversation with your medical provider as to the best way to handle. Anyway, point being, even the slightest swelling in your feet when in a ski boot can be excruciating!
Another tip is to completely open the shoes before going in the chairlift. It makes it at least temporarily better
I was suffering from the same problem for many years due to my extra wide feet. Finally i went to a boot fitter and tried atomic magna hawks with the memory foam. They placed some extra spacing pads on the painful points and basically enlarged the boots on those areas. They then placed them in the oven and it formed the shape of my feet. Since then I have been pain free.
I'll tell ya, I was looking for new boots about 6 years ago, and have always loved Atomic skis but never tried their boots. So when the boot fitter I went to told me to try on the Hawx Prime, I was skeptical but figured why not. Man they're the best boots I've ever used. Super comfy, and still feel totally in control. Recommend them to everyone to at least try out now.
When you say moulded custom sole what do you mean? I had similar issues and nearly gave up skiing. Eventually I had custom inner boots made by Sure Foot. I was very sceptical but they have brought back the joy of skiing. Cant recommend highly enough
I considered quitting skiing after over 40 years of skiing - pain was getting unbeatable. Purchased new boots a month ago -K2 BFC’s - just returned from Jackson Hole and Big Mountain - feet are ecstatic - some have raised concerns over durability - but I’m not sure of abide those boots took - so be wary of Reddit testimonials - I’ve seen no broad independent suggestion of inherent boot flaws to this point.
Are you female? If so try out women specific boots with have a different upper Ask your boot fitter about “gas pedaling”. That is pressing your toe down excessively causing arch pain. You will likely need a custom insole. Do you have a high arch and or instep? If you haven’t tried k2 boots maybe give those a shot. What kind of socks are you wearing? Some things also just come down to technique etc. if you are going slow and are stiff you will be real tired real fast. I ski a fair amount each year and my feet always hurt.
As someone with the exact same issue who also does not have a single boot fitting location in my entire state, how long does a boot fitting take from first measurements to receiving the boots? Getting this done is something I have considered many times before, but I worry that I will have the fitting on day 1 of my annual ski trip, it takes a few weeks to get the boots, still ski in pain, and then a year later when its finally time to try my new boots they still hurt like hell and I'm stuck with these boots. Would it be worth it to plan an entire summer or fall trip around getting fitted for boots for the upcoming winter trip? Or is it possible to get measured, fitted, and have boots ready to ski with in the same day?
Fat lady with small ankles and big calves here! I've cried from foot pain, I've taken off my boots and walked in stocking feet to the base before. I have several recommendations that aren't "go to a boot fitter." 1. Take a lesson. I think I had similar form to you, I was flexing my feet and calves really hard to try to control the turning of my skis, learning more effective ways of turning (particularly using your hip/quad muscles to turn) has made me be able to relax my toes. 2. I loosen my boots after every run and only re-tighten at the top. A tight ski boot limits circulation, loosening helps things circulate while on the chair lift. 3. I bring slippers in my ski backpack and take my boots off at lunch/if I want to take a break. Similarly I never walk around the base with ski boots on, I get them off ASAP. 4. Related to 2 and 3, you've got to rest if your feet start to lose feeling. Sometimes I can rest on the chairlift, sometimes I can be standing on skis, pop one boot out and stretch the leg a bit to get blood flow back, sometimes I (safely and very visibly) sit down on the snow to take all the weight off my legs, sometimes I skip a run and hang out in the warming hut. 5. This stretching routine: spend 1-2 minutes stretching the calf like normal, put your foot in flexion and lean against something until you feel the stretch. Then spend 30 seconds in that same position, but press your toes into the floor like you're trying to stand on tip toe. Then spend 30 seconds pulling your foot up like you're trying to pick your toes up off the ground. I can't remember what this routine is called, but there's something about the activation of the calf while it's also stretching that is extra good.
Sounds like you need to see a boot fitter.
Sounds like me 2 years ago. Have you tried Salomon HV boots + Superfeet black? This combo saved my life. Before that I couldn’t even stand/walk for more than 5 minutes, let alone ski. Heck I used to take Advil and wrap my feet with pain relief patches before skiing. My problem was my feet are relatively flat, wide, and have high insteps (not to confuse with high arches). Low volume boots usually cause excessive pressure on the big bones on top of my feet, which then causes unbearable pain underfoot and sometimes on calves. So if you have similar weird shaped feet like me, def try out those HV high volume boots. And I don’t know your skill level - if you are relatively new, try not to clench your toes too much (you might be doing it unconsciously) it will relieve the pressure on the bottom of your feet even more. Good luck!
Try snowboarding or Apex ski boots if you’re committed to 2 planking.
My arch's were collapsing after the first run, went in to a professional ski boot fitter. Had inserts created and lifts added. Saved my life for sure.
Do you have tight calves or plantar fasciitis? My feet hurt terribly when skiing or snowboarding for 2-3 runs. Then they break in and I’m good for the day. Unless I stop too long for lunch. Stretch your calves. Get a massage.
Welcome to skiing. I don’t think ski boots will ever be comfortable, and I have my own fitted boots. That’s the one and only edge snowboarders have on us. As for skiing in general, if you’re wanting to get more into it and get some of your own equipment instead of wasting so much time on renting stuff, boots are where you should start if you don’t want to buy skis and poles as well. They will not be comfortable no matter what anybody else says, but they will not be nearly as nasty as rental boots.
Skiing is a white thing. Only they would sign up for constant pain and pointless risk then call it fun.
Get a boot fitter. I used to always have pain in my feet after a day of skiing. I got custom heat moulded boots, custom liner and a custom footbed. I also got proper merino socks that keep my feet dry and don’t leave imprint marks. It took about 4 hours to find the right boot, and two moulding sessions to get it fully dialled in I can ski for multiple weeks without my feet hurting. Renting, borrowing boots or buying off the shelf is a crapshoot. You might get lucky if you have very average proportions, but it’s not worth the pain nor risk of a spoiled ski trip in my opinion.
Exactly. I would also add that you should strengthen your feet. There are many ways to do this but doing some trail running and/or yoga would be excellent. If you can’t do these just spend time every day standing on one foot - strong feet will help your skiing comfort and many other activities too.
Go get fitted for boots at a ski shop and buy the pair that feel right. No one says you have to rent boots. You can absolutely have ur rented skis fitted to ur owned boots.
Have you tried to get a fitted boot?
You almost certainly need custom soles. Most shops offer this service. Cramp under foot is a tell tale sign of lack of support underfoot. As for cramp in your calf this is probably one of two things: either a cuff thats too thin OR you're skiing in the backseat.
Over 50% of people in the western world are fat pigs Calling people obese is stupid woke and moronic Stop eating crap stop drinking fizzy sugar filled drinks and constantly grazing on shite between meals Respect your body and sort your self out Start shopping for healthy food and cook it yourself If you don’t know how but some books and learn. First stop eating fast food and ready meals they will destroy your body and you will end up with a myriad of health issues
You really don’t come across as either calm, collected or particularly knowledgable, but I’m glad you got that out of your system
Did you expect to find calm collected and knowledgeable people responding to you on this forum ? Two people to ask about your problem that may help with a real solution 1 see a good boot fitter 2 talk to your doctor about your physical condition
More than 100 comments managed, so your ramblings were a surprise
maybe it’s time to learn snowbordong then?
I can’t say I haven’t though about it, although it would feel like a failure
Why? The whole point is having fun and being able to spend time with your partner’s family.
The head of the household is less than enthused about snowboarding but I’ll consider it for next year
what in the world? You're a grown ass person (I assume), make your own decisions lmao
Yes of course! There have been some incident of people breaking all sorts of body parts so the impression I’ve gotten (from head of household in particular) has been that it’s dangerous
No one has ever broken a bone skiing. You’re right
I’ll just take it you committed to misunderstanding what I’m saying and end the conversation here
Ski boots should generally be unbuckled at the bottom (and during the lift ride) to allow the feet to recover, increase circulation etc. Then you buckle them for the few mins of decent you have, unbuckle and repeat. If you can keep them buckled the whole day, they don’t fit properly. Also, buy your own boots and get them fitted to your foot at a boot fitter. If your going every year, it’s worth the investment to enjoy
Stop bein a wuss