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Is there a good easy way to adjust boot canting without taking the boots to the shop and starting a meaningful relationship with a qualified bootfitter who will make all my dreams come true?
I remember the last time I bought boots, the guy just loosened the bolts, told me to stand in a "neutral position" and then tightened them. Is that all there is to it?
I doubt it can be done properly... by yourself, looking in a mirror.
Yes. It's basic geometry at best.
I had a shop do it, and they did it for free.
My 2 cents:
There's no point in messing w/ your cants unless you know why you want to, and there's no point in messing with something that affects your knees unless you do it right.
Are you having alignment issues?
For most people (meaning people w/ lower legs that are less than 2 degrees out of alignment), a (good) orthotic should address canting issues. If you still need a little more, you can get another degree or two out of most cuffs. If your lower leg is out of whack by more than 3 degrees, you need under-binding cants.
Assesment should include using some kind of system to measure lower leg alignment- ie dropping a plumb bob off your knee.
If you plan on skiing for a long time, it's worth taking care of your knees.
Thanks all. My previous pair of boots (skied for 3 years no issues) were canted so I just figured with the new pair (which I haven't skied yet) I probably need it. I am going to put some heat-form orthos in first thing so maybe I will just use those and see from there - I think the if-it-aint-broke-dont-fix-it approach is good. New boots though, I think I just want to play with all the fancy adjustment dials...
Note that a professional footbed does some canting, so you need to put those in first.
Not being a bootiftter, I dont see why the cant adjustment couldn't be done at home with a friend (I dont think you can reach down and tighten the nuts yourself without altering the cant).
I remember having them loosened, standing on a flat surface, knees and feet apart, flexing forward a few times and having them tightened while slightly bent.
The home route may be acceptable until you get to a shop for the pro setting.
Your only setting the cuff angle, anyway, which is nothing compared to sole grinding or canting.
Are you talking about cuff adjustment or canting? To adjust the cuffs on boots, I have always loosened them up, flexed forward a couple times, and tightened them back down to get them in alignment with my shin. As to canting I always thought that was the actual process of adding/subracting degrees of angle via shaving hte bootsole or placing plates under the binding to keep your knees straight and skis running flat.
<----runs 1.5 thick in and 2.5 thick in on race skis
Does this sound right?
Hunter
yeah, sorry, cuff canting, not sole canting - will try the loosen, flex, tighten appraoch...thinking of getting some SOLE insoles as well.
goal for upper cuff is when you are in the boot shell only, with foot beds in the shells, the sides of your legs should have about the same spacing inside and outside, left and right.
move the cuff side to side to make this happen
use a mirror, if you look down legs/knees/feet move
Also I would not play with it untill you ski the boots and then only if you have pain/problems
It may also help to have a friend tighten the cuffs back down after you do mtlions approach so you don't move them while bending down to tighten them.
Also, depending on the boot, cuff alignment may not do much for you. In some boots the lower shell goes so high into the upper cuff it's going to inhibit any cuff alignment you try to do.