Att zipfit gurus!

**GoldenBC** · 02-18-2025, 01:19 PM

If your Hawx and hawx XTD are the same volume and from the same generation you won’t have to do anything. If they are from different generations where the older ones feel tighter, you probably still won’t have to do anything and the cork will sort itself out in a run.

If you have problem spots, punch the shell. Don’t heat mold the shell to the liner as it will loosen the entire boot.

**IceBumps** · 02-23-2025, 05:18 PM

This thread inspired me to join the Zipfit Club, so I wanted to share my experience in the process.

For starters, my feet measure 11.5, which are flat with skinny ankles. My boots are 27.5 Tecnica Mach 1 LV 120. I use Patriot footbeds and the combo with the stock liner kept my heel in place for the last few seasons. I now have over 50 days on the stock liners and had been cranking down on the buckles to keep my heel in place, which ultimately was starting to cause some cramping and cold toes and heel.

I contacted Zipfit and they recommended the Gara LV. The liners arrived four days before a trip out to Colorado. Day one, I took off the straps and put in the microwave for 40 seconds in 10 second intervals, put the liners on, then put into the boot worldcup style. It was a bit of a struggle at first but got into the shell, also I felt immediate panic from the pain. I kept them on for ten minutes then repeated the process. The third time, I messaged out the cork in the areas creating discomfort which helped immensely. I also bought the boot horn which is worth the eleven bucks. I repeated this process the follow two days and on the third, I felt comfortable enough that I decided to use the Zipfits out of the gate on my trip.

Day one of trip, I heated the liners up in the oven on a convection setting at one hundred seventy degrees for two minutes then spun them around for another minute. I had absolutely no issues skiing and felt extremely connected. No pain and very comfortable but super locked in despite only buckling the first notches. The Zipfits kept my feet warm compared to the stock liner.

The Zipfits were so comfortable that I had to consciously think to unbuckle the straps whenever I went into the lodge for a break otherwise they were perfectly fine remaining locked in.

Overall I am happy with the purchase and definitely feel there is a better connection to the boot and ski as the heel and ankle are locked. The additional warmth helped me stay out longer and cold wasn’t a distraction. From my experience the key is to get that break in period right.

**shitskier** · 02-26-2025, 11:51 AM

Has anyone made their own cork mixture? Or found a generic supplier? Every time I check Zipfit's website they are sold out. I also don't need to buy more tubes, I just want bulk cork.
I was thinking it was just ground cork and some sort of thick oil/silicone, but I think they state there is a ceramic mixture, maybe some sort of silicone clay.

**DoubleBogey** · 02-28-2025, 08:02 AM

Originally Posted by shitskier

Has anyone made their own cork mixture? Or found a generic supplier? Every time I check Zipfit's website they are sold out. I also don't need to buy more tubes, I just want bulk cork. I was thinking it was just ground cork and some sort of thick oil/silicone, but I think they state there is a ceramic mixture, maybe some sort of silicone clay.

It's been tried by someone on skitalk. Im also pretty sure the patent for the omfit is public and it lays out exactly what its comprised of and it may even be posted in the zipfit thread over there. I dont think they were able to do it, either the sourcing of the materials or getting the mix right. Either way, I think they just went back to buying tubes. Im also pretty sure that the omfit is made in Italy, so if you really wanted to get serious you could track down the supplier but that seems like a lot of work for little gain.

**banzai** · 02-28-2025, 04:23 PM

<p>

Originally Posted by DoubleBogey

you could track down the supplier but that seems like a lot of work for little gain.

</p>
<p>
I've gone down that rabbithole and I'm pretty sure I've identified the company that manufactures the liners and cork mixture. However, unless you are ready to sink in tens of thousands of euros, I highly doubt they will entertain your offer.</p>

**arild** · 03-02-2025, 01:39 AM

I've had some luck with ground down wine corks, leather balm and mineral oil. Messy as fuck, though.

Sent fra min Pixel 8 Pro via Tapatalk

**FloridaSnow** · 03-02-2025, 03:50 AM

Originally Posted by arild

I've had some luck with ground down wine corks, leather balm and mineral oil. Messy as fuck, though. Sent fra min Pixel 8 Pro via Tapatalk

https://www.corbetts.com/zipfit-spot...ion-tube-2025/
don't know if you're in Canada

**J. Barron DeJong** · 03-02-2025, 08:21 AM

Originally Posted by FloridaSnow

https://www.corbetts.com/zipfit-spot...ion-tube-2025/ don't know if you're in Canada

Norway

**naedward81** · 03-03-2025, 12:42 PM

Anyone had luck removing cork from the ankle pockets? Had to add cork when I went to the Cab Free, basically bump the Gara LV to an HV. Now I got my hands on the Atomic Remedy. Removed cork from the tongue, but haven't tried the instep pocket yet. I can barely get the cuff closed on the new boot.

**DoubleBogey** · 03-03-2025, 12:49 PM

I assume you are talking about the little third pocket. Youll probably have to massage it out manually, a spoon from the outside scraping it towards the port hole will work too. You might have to remove some omfit from the main ankle pocket to make some room for the cork you actually want to remove.

**waxman** · 03-03-2025, 01:17 PM

There's a long spoon like thing that bartenders use that we have used to "drag" cork out of the pocket.

**J. Barron DeJong** · 03-03-2025, 02:11 PM

Video from Zipfit on how to remove cork:
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=Pp50B9vsXJE

They recommend jabbing an empty tube into the pocket. Don't warm up the cork.

**DoubleBogey** · 03-03-2025, 02:32 PM

I'm not sure its possible to get a tube into the small instep pocket that comes off of the main ankle pocket, I could be wrong

**J. Barron DeJong** · 03-03-2025, 02:45 PM

Are you talking the yellow pocket in the image on this page?

https://www.zipfit.com/resources/adding-omfit-cork

I haven't tried getting a tube in there, but you could always massage the cork out of that area to a more easily accessible spot. (Note it says that pocket is empty when shipped). I've been able to access all the other areas with a tube.

**jackattack** · 03-03-2025, 02:45 PM

If you remove some excess cork from anywhere in the ankle pocket it will allow the other zones to migrate as needed. I’ve don’t before but eventually ended up putting more in after break in.

**zion zig zag** · 03-03-2025, 05:43 PM

Remind me what the break in period is? I have a slight pressure point under my medial malleolus on one foot. I've only toured in them 4 days (GFT) and I only feel it while buckled up and skiing, so I hesitate to do anything at this point. Should I just go and spin some lift laps in them?

**DoubleBogey** · 03-03-2025, 06:48 PM

If you've only toured in them for 4 days I wouldnt worry, but maybe you could massage the pressure point. It took me 4-6 resort half days to get my Garas right. Get them warm and go spin some lift laps, skiing is still the best way to break them in.

**naedward81** · 03-04-2025, 08:12 AM

Got the instep pocket empty last night using a tube. I did heat my boots up in my heated bag for a while to soften if and make it a little easier. Now tonight is high ankle pocket and I then I'll ski them Wednesday night and go from there. Cork need to get moved around a bit still, but that can be skied in.

**J. Barron DeJong** · 03-10-2025, 07:42 PM

Saw that the founder of ZipFit died today. His life prior to the ski industry sounds interesting:

Coomer was raised in Sydney, Australia, and after training as a world class swimmer, became the youngest competitor at the 1956 Melbourne Olympics (in modern pentathlon). He went on to study product design in Sweden, where he learned to ski. During that period he was secretly recruited into British Special Forces and participated in the covert operation to bring the Dalai Lama out of Tibet. A brilliant natural athlete, he trained with the French ski team, taught skiing in Australia, then emigrated to the United States where he became ski school director at Solitude, Utah and then Mt. Rose, Nevada. There he coached the McKinney kids. In 1968, Doug Pfeiffer at Skiing Magazinehired him as a ski tester.

https://www.skiinghistory.org/lives/...w28lb1PYO_pXnA