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Need Bootfitting Advice - numbness

Pat AKA mustski

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I struggle with very similar issues. We talked about it when we met (the one and only time) at Squaw. I have skied in pain my entire life. Some days are better than others, but it always hurts and it’s always a circulation issue. I can testify to the fact that there are days when taking my boot off hurts more than childbirth. I am following this, hoping for any glimmer of hope.
 
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laine

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@Pat AKA mustski - I remember that discussion. I'm thinking about this season and getting in more time at the mountain - and that pain I felt in Park City. Hoping to figure out a way to address it up front. I gotta try something.
 

Viking9

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I’ve had circulation issues my whole life and when I went with heated socks ,Lenz it really helped. I would still un buckle after every run though.
Then I bought Zipfits and it changed my skiing life.
Believe it or not there are times when me VIKING9 DOES NOT UN BUCKLE HIS BOOTS.
Incredible.
I will never forget once not making it to the locker and ripping my boots off at the corner of the stairwell.
Another thing that helped was cutting a Superfeet stock off the shelf footbed and cutting it in half and not using the front part.
Having your toes able to be loose and move around is super important with circulation issues.
I think it’s safe to say that in your condition you have to opt for comfort over performance.
I also think you have to try the latest lenz, I believe it is the series 6.With the front of your footbed out of the way I think the sock with the heating elements in the toes would have to help.
Good luck.
Check the Zipfit thread but I believe it’s called Lockwoods in the Uk, mine were the stock Gara for $250.00.
 

Pat AKA mustski

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@Pat AKA mustski - I remember that discussion. I'm thinking about this season and getting in more time at the mountain - and that pain I felt in Park City. Hoping to figure out a way to address it up front. I gotta try something.
That video made some sense to me for sure. I’m going to take it to my fitter and see what he says. BTW- we are in Reno for the winter and would love to meet up and ski with you again.
 
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laine

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@Viking9 - I have tried heaters in my boots and also heated socks - but with the numbness, the heat actually feels like it's burning my feet.
 

luliski

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@Pat AKA mustski - Yeah, wondering if I go back to where I got my boots with that video. Or try somewhere else.... Would be great to meet up for some runs this winter.
I would go back to Olympic Bootworks before trying somewhere else. It sounds like you don’t notice (while skiing) that your boots are cutting off your circulation? I know you went back once already, but my experience with them (Oly Bootworks) is that they will keep working with you to get it right.

I recently got new boots and tried the Nórdica Promachine (105) vs the Lange RX 110 LV. I was told that the Promachine had less space across the instep, but more volume around the heel and ankle. I couldn’t tell about the volume around the heel/ankle, but I could feel the tightness across the instep. I went with the Lange, because I can’t ski with numb feet.There is an artery running down the top of your foot (and no, you can’t see it, but you should be able to feel the pulse) and I wonder if your boots are too tight in that area. Or maybe they’re too tight somewhere else. But you can’t tell where?

I also already have Zipfits, so I tried the boots with those, not the stock liners. I tried the stock liners when I got home and they are tight in all the wrong places. I haven’t had any Omfit added to my Zipfits yet (didn’t get to ski enough last season), but if it ever snows I’ll do that this season.
 

jwilli

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I have a bit of the same issue, although never to the point of extreme pain. A slightly higher instep than average for my overall medium volume foot is the main culprit. I'm in a RX130 right now with a footbed from Buck at Olympic as well. I noticed that this boot doesn't have a lot of height in the toe box and that seems to play into some of the discomfort. Overall I really enjoy the boot, though. I'm planning on grinding down the boot board a bit to increase a little vertical height in the shell and may even take some material off the toe of the footbed as well.
 

Scrundy

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Idk but if you say it feels as though your losing blood circulation somewhere. I think, I myself may get a ace bandage and wrap snug starting at top then work my way down till I found the pressure point. I’d probably only wrap the width of bandage each time and wrap as tight as you feel your boots are.
Sounds crazy but worth a try
 

LuliTheYounger

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I don't think it would solve it entirely, but it might be worth trying pantyhose or something super ultra thin like that, if you haven't already? I switch between the Smartwools you have & Zocks, which are like ballet tights thickness. It always baffles me since it doesn't seem like it should make much of a difference, but I definitely notice that my circulation better with the Zocks.
 

Pat AKA mustski

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I’m pretty sure you and I both have a pressure point somewhere that causes it. I get it in both feet though not to the same extent. The left foot is always worse. Since it only happens in ski boots, the elastic bandage wrap is actually a pretty good idea. My biggest problem is that i can’t tell the bootfitter where the issue is.
 

François Pugh

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You need to figure out for sure if its a nerve issue or a circulation issue. I think it's a circulation issue due to your cold feet. Lack of circulation will cause susceptibility to cold. If bad enough lack of circulation will cause pain all on its own too.
 

eok

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I am not a pro ski boot fitter by any means.

For ski boots, I have always needed to make sure there is minimal pressure on the top of my foot. Always. Otherwise I get too much pain & numbness. It's something I have to manage regardless of the boot model.

I had pretty serious top-of-foot pain/numbness and super cold feet initially with my Head Raptor 140 boots. The root causes were: 1) footbed took up just a bit too much volume and 2) footbed at mid foot was too "cupped", so some trimming of the footbed sides was required. Now I can be in the boots all day no problem.

The absolute best thing is to work with a good fitter when selecting a boot and/or fixing subsequent fit issues. That said, some of the things I do (or have done) to keep the tops of my feet happy in ski boots that (at least seem to) fit correctly:

- When you're in the boots, pushing/pulling the boot tongue periodically can get you relief. That is, pushing down (or pulling up) on the top end of the boot tongue may free a slight amount of space above the top of the foot. I can do this with my boots fully buckled. You may have to loosen the top buckles a bit first and then rebuckle them after. Just depends on the you & the boots. Anyway, I actually need to do this with my current boots a few times during each ski day.

- A modest heel lift (1/8-1/4") may help if the problem area is a bit beyond mid-foot.

- If you are using custom foot beds, consult with a fitter to determine if they are consuming too much volume. If you have the original nearly useless stock footbeds that came with the boot you can test this theory (at home) by taking out the custom footbeds and putting the stock ones in. Then buckle up & wear the boots around the house for at least 30min. Then do the same with the custom footbeds and compare results.

- As mentioned here, a good fitter can mod the tongue/liner to provide relief.
 

Philpug

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My biggest problem is that i can’t tell the bootfitter where the issue is.
If you don't tell him he can't help you. You have to open up. ;)

One of the suggestions above might be the answer ... but very well not. ;) One of the reason all of the professional bootfitters have answered is they/we might have a direction to start until they see all of the pieces, including your foot, no one is going to do a driveby diagnose. You can call CalSkiSo and set some time or if you will be in Tahoe over the next few weeks, Tricia has hours on Saturdays, I do on Sundays.
 
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laine

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@LuliTheYounger - Zocks? Never heard of them, but I'm intrigued. And @luliski - I think I'll reach back out to Buck and I'll share that video. I just wasn't planning on heading up to Tahoe until the first week in Jan, so was trying to think through options. He does sell Zipfits - so maybe I do need a different liner.

@Scrundy - Good idea with the ace bandage trick. I can give that a try.

@eok - Also like that test with the crap original footbeds. Not sure I still have those, but I think I have some out of a pair of running shoes.
 
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laine

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Yeah @Philpug - I was debating swinging by CalSki this weekend to talk to Greg about making an appt for a consult. But I might try some of those tests at home first to see if I can better identify a pressure point.
 

Philpug

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Yeah @Philpug - I was debating swinging by CalSki this weekend to talk to Greg about making an appt for a consult. But I might try some of those tests at home first to see if I can better identify a pressure point.
Call, I know they have been pretty booked up.
 

Pat AKA mustski

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If you don't tell him he can't help you. You have to open up. ;)

One of the suggestions above might be the answer ... but very well not. ;) One of the reason all of the professional bootfitters have answered is they/we might have a direction to start until they see all of the pieces, including your foot, no one is going to do a driveby diagnose. You can call CalSkiSo and set some time or if you will be in Tahoe over the next few weeks, Tricia has hours on Saturdays, I do on Sundays.
I am not shy about telling the bootfitter, but I can’t figure out where the problem originates. I have had the same problem in every boot during my lifetime. Like Laine, there are no visible red spots that indicate a pressure point. The frustration is not KNOWING where the problem area is. I have the identical problem in both feet.
 

jwilli

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I am not shy about telling the bootfitter, but I can’t figure out where the problem originates. I have had the same problem in every boot during my lifetime. Like Laine, there are no visible red spots that indicate a pressure point. The frustration is not KNOWING where the problem area is. I have the identical problem in both feet.

Every boot I try on seems to do this for me as well, at least those that feel snug enough to have some control over my skis. I have an extra pair of boots right now to stretch, punch, grind and get weird with to experiment on, looking forward to learning from that. I do wonder if an after market liner might be the solution, though.
 

Pat AKA mustski

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Every boot I try on seems to do this for me as well, at least those that feel snug enough to have some control over my skis. I have an extra pair of boots right now to stretch, punch, grind and get weird with to experiment on, looking forward to learning from that. I do wonder if an after market liner might be the solution, though.
I have used intuition liners and now have boot docs. The boot docs give me a better fit and the issue is marginally better, but it’s not a liner caused problem.
 

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