The Bootfitter’s Thread

I thought it would be cool to have a thread for fellow bootfitters to share some love with each other; pass along knowledge, ask questions, find tools, rant, and speculate on the future of the universe. This isn't a place to ask bootfitters questions, there are plenty of other threads.

I'll start. Been bootfitting since '05. Started at Surefoot Whistler as a lowly tech working nights and am now at Selkirk at Kicking Horse Resort.

A few weeks ago I got pissed off that our hydraulic presses always break and take too long to set up and that a traditional ball and cup on a punch just fucks up toe lugs so I designed a toe punch specific cup. Pretty stoked on how it's going and can crank out a toe punch in a minute without any collateral damage. It's able to punch all the way around the toe box and can either massage the punch or lock it in to have it set up depending on the plastic.

Attachment 360123
Attachment 360124

I'm a lonely at home boot fitter with a SVST press and a Foredom grinder, forced into self boot fitting as nobody around me gives a shit if you're not their friend.

That piece is super sick! How are you attaching it into the lever press? cutout with plastic ring?

I was also wondering if someone can offer me some advice on grinding? How do you know how much you can grind plug boots? I've been using a flashlight shining against the boot to gauge how much plastic is gone based on the intensity of the light.

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Originally Posted by mr_pretzel

How do you know how much you can grind plug boots? I've been using a flashlight shining against the boot to gauge how much plastic is gone based on the intensity of the light.

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Get a dead boot and grind some holes in it.

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Originally Posted by Eluder

Get a dead boot and grind some holes in it.

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Already did that a bunch, just wondering it there’s any more science to it.

nice work! its great to see new tools being invented to solve real problems.

On more sketchy grinds, I could start to feel the bit through the boot more. Tends to be as far as I ever want to go with grinds, but its a valid gauge.

Sent from my Redmi Note 8 Pro using Tapatalk

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Originally Posted by GoldenBC

A few weeks ago I got pissed off that our hydraulic presses always break and take too long to set up and that a traditional ball and cup on a punch just fucks up toe lugs so I designed a toe punch specific cup. Pretty stoked on how it's going and can crank out a toe punch in a minute without any collateral damage. It's able to punch all the way around the toe box and can either massage the punch or lock it in to have it set up depending on the plastic.

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I like it. Fanatyk in Whistler Village has some similar ones they've fabricated.
I use a toe lug adapter that I make from either hard rubber or wood; it fits into the large SVST ring and can be moved side to side depending on the location of the punch. Works pretty well for medial 1st distal phalanges issues, too.
Attachment 360154

Nice one Greg. I wonder how many people have fabricated something like this. Have suppliers just not realized people have moved on from hydraulics?

Pretzel, my toe punch cup just threads into the lever arm. It’s only used for toe punches.

As for finding, if you can start to move the plastic by pushing on it that’s just on the thin side. Really, you just want to make it a bit thinner. Keep your finger on the backside of the grinder to make sure you don’t go too deep.

Great thread idea, subscribed. GoldenBC, would you consider this an appropriate thread to ask questions about stance? I would like some opinions on things like binding delta, boot ramp, forward lean... Searched a bit, didn't find anything.

why my feets hurt?

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Originally Posted by natebob

Great thread idea, subscribed. GoldenBC, would you consider this an appropriate thread to ask questions about stance? I would like some opinions on things like binding delta, boot ramp, forward lean... Searched a bit, didn't find anything.

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there's lots of other threads discussing that, you should search harder.

I'm not a bootfitter but it's interesting, so please fitters keep the discussion going.

I moved on from my position as buyer/fitter for a shop here at the end of last season. If anyone has a lead on a used press hit me up.

Should have said I searched and didn't find what I was looking for, but did find a few things. I'll keep searching.

Do any bootfitters or shop folks have a tongue for a Maestrale 4 Buckle size 29 right boot? I can order a new one from Scarpa, but just looking for a used/junker to put on an old beat up boot. Thanks.

Let me preface this by noting that I am not a boot fitter;

My wife got me a CARV thing for Christmas, and it goes between the boot board and the liner. Problem is that it takes up enough room that my comfy boots make my feet go numb and on my left foot, turn purple within 20 minutes. Is sanding a boot board down to make vertical room a thing?

Boots are Speedmachine 130’s, and local area is still under lockdown/stay-at-home orders.

Recommendations/thoughts? Best way to DIY it?

Although things are supposed to start reopening in the next few days, I’m not sure if bootfitting will be as well.

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Originally Posted by johnnyg82

Let me preface this by noting that I am not a boot fitter;

My wife got me a CARV thing for Christmas, and it goes between the boot board and the liner. Problem is that it takes up enough room that my comfy boots make my feet go numb and on my left foot, turn purple within 20 minutes. Is sanding a boot board down to make vertical room a thing?

Boots are Speedmachine 130’s, and local area is still under lockdown/stay-at-home orders.

Recommendations/thoughts? Best way to DIY it?

Although things are supposed to start reopening in the next few days, I’m not sure if bootfitting will be as well.

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grind down boot board ?

thinner sock?

thin out footbed in your boot (or remove?)

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Originally Posted by mntlion

grind down boot board ?

thinner sock?

thin out footbed in your boot (or remove?)

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Removed foot bed, lots of room now. Sometimes I don’t think of all the easy ways.

Thanks!!

Saw this being discussed in another thread but will post here to not hijack.

Re: Cankles, athletic calves, overweight, no heels, burning quads...

Back in the day we used to chuckle at George McConkey for 'Veritcalizing' boots, but he was on to something. A decent number of people give up on skiing because they have very large and low calf muscles. This causes them to upsize boots, get lots of heel lift, lots of calf pain, burning quads and tons of visits to a bootfitter who just adds heel wedges and flares their cuff and loosen the buckles. Shit don't work for the extreme cases though.

The issue at hand is that boot designers choose a boot to have 'X' forward lean. They do this by locking in the rear of the boot at X angle and then have the front of the adjustable to accommodate different legs sizes. The issue is, it is the tibia at front of the leg, not the back of the leg that should be at X angle. When you cram a big calf in a boot the rear is at X angle and the front is now 10 degrees steeper. The fact that the boot can't be done up tightly makes it extremely soft and exacerbates the problem. Quads and calves burn like an SOB.

Solution:

Adjust the boot so that the front of the boot is at X angle by shaving down the bottom of the back of the upper cuff and bolting it in place at a more vertical position. With most boots, you need to remove a lot of material on the lower cuff, above the heel pocket. This is because the calf goes so low, the lower cuff will still push the leg forward. You will still find that the upper cuff and liner will need to be flared. Pads to hold the heel/ankle are invaluable and those Sidas heel retention elastics actually work like a charm if the person is flexible enough to put them on.

I've found the best boots to do this with are ones with a walk mode, especially the discontinued Salomon QST. Put the boot on the person, put it in walk mode, have them stand up in a comfortable position with knees lightly bent and mark where the shell moves to. Then bolt the shell in this position.

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Originally Posted by Eluder

I moved on from my position as buyer/fitter for a shop here at the end of last season. If anyone has a lead on a used press hit me up.

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I know of a shop that has gone out of business, that has all the tools for sale, BUT last time I enquired they also were requiring you to buy their remaining inventory of their boots, liners and accessories.
It's been well over a year, and I'm not sure if they are more willing to move on just the tools.
I'm local (in CO) and could help with shipping logistics. PM me if you want the contact information and inventory list.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by GoldenBC

Saw this being discussed in another thread but will post here to not hijack.

Re: Cankles, athletic calves, overweight, no heels, burning quads...

Back in the day we used to chuckle at George McConkey for 'Veritcalizing' boots, but he was on to something. A decent number of people give up on skiing because they have very large and low calf muscles. This causes them to upsize boots, get lots of heel lift, lots of calf pain, burning quads and tons of visits to a bootfitter who just adds heel wedges and flares their cuff and loosen the buckles. Shit don't work for the extreme cases though.

The issue at hand is that boot designers choose a boot to have 'X' forward lean. They do this by locking in the rear of the boot at X angle and then have the front of the adjustable to accommodate different legs sizes. The issue is, it is the tibia at front of the leg, not the back of the leg that should be at X angle. When you cram a big calf in a boot the rear is at X angle and the front is now 10 degrees steeper. The fact that the boot can't be done up tightly makes it extremely soft and exacerbates the problem. Quads and calves burn like an SOB.

Solution:

Adjust the boot so that the front of the boot is at X angle by shaving down the bottom of the back of the upper cuff and bolting it in place at a more vertical position. With most boots, you need to remove a lot of material on the lower cuff, above the heel pocket. This is because the calf goes so low, the lower cuff will still push the leg forward. You will still find that the upper cuff and liner will need to be flared. Pads to hold the heel/ankle are invaluable and those Sidas heel retention elastics actually work like a charm if the person is flexible enough to put them on.

I've found the best boots to do this with are ones with a walk mode, especially the discontinued Salomon QST. Put the boot on the person, put it in walk mode, have them stand up in a comfortable position with knees lightly bent and mark where the shell moves to. Then bolt the shell in this position.

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Really good explaination/walk through. Did lots of these at snow covers in Vancouver in my younger days. Worked really well for those who needed it. I like the wrinkle with the walkmoded boots.

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Originally Posted by Dee Hubbs

I know of a shop that has gone out of business, that has all the tools for sale, BUT last time I enquired they also were requiring you to buy their remaining inventory of their boots, liners and accessories.
It's been well over a year, and I'm not sure if they are more willing to move on just the tools.
I'm local (in CO) and could help with shipping logistics. PM me if you want the contact information and inventory list.

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D.H. your inbox is full.

Does anyone have a good resource on further learning about boot/binding delta, reasons for preference, physiological predictors, etc?

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Originally Posted by GoldenBC

Does anyone have a good resource on further learning about boot/binding delta, reasons for preference, physiological predictors, etc?

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Inside boot ramp angle/forward cuff lean is entirely dependent on ankle rom

I’ve spent many hours trying to research binding delta, as I am so sensitive to it.
If I am more than a mm or two heel high my balance goes to spaz mode.

What I have found is that short tib fib/long femors need positive(heel high )
and long tib fib to short femur need toe high.
Which make sense if you draw it out.

But there is also a relationship between long/short lower extremity to torso length that I have not grocked out yet.

some nerds on this page

https://www.facebook.com/groups/2351551268450761

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Originally Posted by mntlion

some nerds on this page

https://www.facebook.com/groups/2351551268450761

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I requested to join a few months ago when you sent me it before. I’ll try again. Thanks.