Custom footbeds

[Flo]

Hi, I have some custom footbeds that I use in my everyday life to walk, run, ski... They were initially made to correct shin splints and lower back pain and did their job. Now, they are getting tired (packed under the first metatarso-phalangeal joint). So, I visited a podiatrist but they cost $800, not covered by my insurance which seems excessive.

I wanted to know if some of you tried the custom footbeds from SIDAS, Masterfit or Heel-lock? Any experiences in the shop near Tahoe (StartHaus, Olympic bootwork...)?
Thank you.

 

[onenerdykid]

First, you will greatly benefit from having a footbed made for your everyday shoes and a separate one made for your ski boots. Your feet are doing different things when walking vs. when skiing and your footbeds will be built with different levels of support, stiffness, and guidance for each. Very generally speaking, your everyday footbed will allow a bit more pronation and ankle mobility than your skiing one will. And this will help you in both activities- your everyday shoe will walk with more comfort and your ski boot will fit and perform better.

Second, spend more of your time researching the best footbed makers, not brands. Most custom footbed brands are very similar and they start their life out as flat blanks, which get molded & made to your needs. Where things will differ greatly is the person making them. The good news is that there are some great options in your area but I'm sure someone here can personally attest to who you should visit.

 

[Alexzn]

StartHaus is great, I also heard good things about OlyBW, but do keep in mind that these are skiing footbeds, not waling footbeds, they re designed to support your foot in the immobile state, not when it is moving. II would also try to work with a fitter who is certified podiatrist. Most likely you are better off paying $800 and getting something that would actually work for your particular problem.

P.S. I a would highly recommend getting StartHaus footbed for your ski boots. I have them in my regular and touring boots, they are not cheap, but worth their cost many time over.

 

[dj61]

Hi, I have some custom footbeds that I use in my everyday life to walk, run, ski... They were initially made to correct shin splints and lower back pain and did their job. Now, they are getting tired (packed under the first metatarso-phalangeal joint). So, I visited a podiatrist but they cost $800, not covered by my insurance which seems excessive.

I wanted to know if some of you tried the custom footbeds from SIDAS, Masterfit or Heel-lock? Any experiences in the shop near Tahoe (StartHaus, Olympic bootwork...)?
Thank you.

$800.-? Are the covered in gold? I had a custom footbed made here in EU for €110,-. And of course the health insurance took care of the bill. Long live radical left socialism.

 

[Flo]

$800.-? Are the covered in gold? I had a custom footbed made here in EU for €110,-. And of course the health insurance took care of the bill. Long live radical left socialism.

I got mine in France for less than 200€ and that was covered by the insurance too. I get that they need to reimburse their student loan but I cannot bring myself to pay this price. That's why I am looking for cheaper alternatives.

I will check with Olympic and StartHaus.

 

[James]

$800.-? Are the covered in gold?

Welcome to the US medical system. That’s with insurance. Without is $1,600. Lol, kidding but basically accurate.

For skiing, about the most expensive I’ve seen is in the $450 range. That would be US Orthotics in Manhattan. They would likely interface well with your condition.
Considering it’s Manhattan, you should be able to find a podiatrist qualified footbed maker for say $250.
Most “normal” ones are in the $150-200 range, with many around $100 with say boot purchase. That’s the Masterfit type.

 

[martyg]

$800 is way excessive. I went to Boulder. Custom footbeds for cycling shoes as part or a Retul fit. Custom footbeds for running at a guy in Boulder who is the footbed whisperer.

"Custom footbeds" are often not "custom". They are libraried. Which means they have thousands of shapes on hand. They match your footbed shape to what they have in a CAD system, and then run them. Close, but not custom. Not worth $800.

Jeff Grey molds my ski orthodics.

If you are in Tahoe, look up Robin Barnes. Ask her for a local recommendation.

 

[cem]

"Custom footbeds" are often not "custom". They are libraried. Which means they have thousands of shapes on hand. They match your footbed shape to what they have in a CAD system, and then run them. Close, but not custom. Not worth $800.

that would be the AMFit system in a certain chain of ski boot shops that you are talking about, 99% of other custom footbeds are custom and made direct to foot.


There are a number of products out there that can and will do as much if not more than the $800 ones, it is often all about the maker of the product rather than the product itself, in ski i use Masterfit, Superfeet and Sidas products depending on the foot and the boot we are going into, for day to day use we have great success for most of my medical referrals with the superfeet custom carbon products but it all depends on the foot and the conditions affecting it, that said i can do a carbon corrective device her in the UK for £350 including it being made in the USA and shipped back to me and still make money on that so $800 is getting to the high end

have a look at Start haus, (jim's guys do a great job) or search for a certified pedorthist in the area, whilst a pedorthist cant "diagnose" they can make an accommodative device for you

 

[dovski]

that would be the AMFit system in a certain chain of ski boot shops that you are talking about, 99% of other custom footbeds are custom and made direct to foot.


There are a number of products out there that can and will do as much if not more than the $800 ones, it is often all about the maker of the product rather than the product itself, in ski i use Masterfit, Superfeet and Sidas products depending on the foot and the boot we are going into, for day to day use we have great success for most of my medical referrals with the superfeet custom carbon products but it all depends on the foot and the conditions affecting it, that said i can do a carbon corrective device her in the UK for £350 including it being made in the USA and shipped back to me and still make money on that so $800 is getting to the high end

have a look at Start haus, (jim's guys do a great job) or search for a certified pedorthist in the area, whilst a pedorthist cant "diagnose" they can make an accommodative device for you

So have had foot surgery and have those super expensive footbeds from my podiatrist. They are fine for walking and running but terrible for skiing. The simple reason is that they were not designed with skiing in mind and my podiatrist is not a boot fitter who understands how ski boots need to fit/work. My Sidas custom foot beds are fantastic because they were custom made by a great boot fitter to ensure proper boot fit and bio-mechanics while skiing. FYI the Sidas footbeds cost $160 and last forever. I strongly recommend you work with a bootfitter on these as your footbed will alter the boot fit so other adjustments may be needed to ensure proper boot fit.

 

[cem]

So have had foot surgery and have those super expensive footbeds from my podiatrist. They are fine for walking and running but terrible for skiing. The simple reason is that they were not designed with skiing in mind and my podiatrist is not a boot fitter who understands how ski boots need to fit/work. My Sidas custom foot beds are fantastic because they were custom made by a great boot fitter to ensure proper boot fit and bio-mechanics while skiing. FYI the Sidas footbeds cost $160 and last forever. I strongly recommend you work with a bootfitter on these as your footbed will alter the boot fit so other adjustments may be needed to ensure proper boot fit.

i have to ask, were you telling me i should work with a boot fitter to sort out my footbeds? or replying to the opening poster but quoting what i said?

 

[Pequenita]

Any experiences in the shop near Tahoe (StartHaus, Olympic bootwork...)?

I'll be honest, I can't tell the difference between footbeds. I have the heel loc footbeds from Olympic Bootworks in my alpine boots. Overall, the boots are not as good a fit as my touring boots, where I have footbeds made at Helm of Sun Valley in Sacramento. I feel like both were ~$200 for the pair.

I don't know the price of orthotics/footbeds for walking shoes as mine were covered by insurance. I do know, as others have said, that ski boot footbeds are more rigid than footbeds made for walking, and shouldn't be interchangeable.

 

[Wendy]

Phil molded me a pair of Masterfit footbeds that are hinged in front of the arch so they can be used for walking. They were heat molded to my foot from a pair of blanks.He made them for a pair of hiking boots. Didn’t know that type existed, but they do!

 

[dovski]

i have to ask, were you telling me i should work with a boot fitter to sort out my footbeds? or replying to the opening poster but quoting what i said?

Replying to the opening post

 

[Flo]

Thanks everyone for all these information. I will stop by StartHaus and Olympic and see what they can offer. Since I opted for the Ikon pass next year and will ski at Squaw/Alpine, these places seems to be the most convenient to adjust the fit of my boots with these new footbeds.

 

[James]

Don't think any footbed maker calls them “lifetime”. More like three years.

 

[Flo]

Don't think any footbed maker calls them “lifetime”. More like three years.

Yes, I used to replace them every 2 years . I usually keep the new ones for running and use the olders in my everyday shoes. Those in my ski boots are 6 years old (with 2 years of running) because they are the only ones with which I have no pressure on the instep.