Will ski boots designed with toes splaying (ie spreading toes) something that will catch on in ski boot design? It has with running shoes...

[MikeHunt]

Here you go https://www.thevintagenews.com/2016...ice-used-against-women-accused-of-witchcraft/
Easily modified.

Shoes pre-Altra are indeed torture devices. Less tortous versions of Chinese foot binds.

 

[Philpug]

We hear about "plug boots", many don't realize that that refers to the "plug" or internal shape in the boot verses the external shape. @onenerdykid do you happen to have amny images of internal "plugs" that you can share?

 

[onenerdykid]

We hear about "plug boots", many don't realize that that refers to the "plug" or internal shape in the boot verses the external shape. @onenerdykid do you happen to have amny images of internal "plugs" that you can share?

Redster World Cup (a "plug" boot), right side:

Hawx Prime (a medium lasted, non-"plug"), right side:

The last creates the internal shape of the shell (or cuff), therefore it includes the obvious fit portion of the shell, but also things like recesses for t-nuts, cuff alignment hardware, the boot board, etc.

And the above images show, a "plug" boot uses a last just like a "normal" boot. A World Cup-level race boot is very anatomically shaped, it's not a shapeless "plug" like people tend to believe. It's just a lot narrower and uses thicker plastic compared to your average all-mountain boot.

(These images represent CAD data, not the actual metal last. It almost looks like you could step into these, but that is not there once it is made of aluminum.)

 

[Paul Lutes]

Shoes pre-Altra are indeed torture devices. Less tortous versions of Chinese foot binds.

View attachment 134842

View attachment 134843

Well alrighty then; I hereby promise to never whine about my feet again.

 

[GinaW]

So I actually had corrective surgery on my left foot to address my splay foot (bunion and tailors bunion), lets just say I do not recommend this procedure to anyone unless they desperately need it as the recovery is long and arduous. My right foot has the same issue, lucky me I have a matching pair, but I have opted to go with custom foot beds and wider toe boxes on all my footwear. While Altra may fit better out of the box, I am not sure the shoe alone without any mods will do anything to prevent the condition from worsening. Currently I buy extra wide shows and stretch them in key areas so as not to aggravate my foot and to accommodate my foot beds which take up a lot of volume. Ski boots have never been an issue for me since I always get them custom fit, which includes punching out the to box so as to accommodate the shape of my foot. With custom shell boots this becomes even less of an issue as in theory the boot will form to the shape of your foot, though I still need a punch or two right around the big and little toe knuckles. Bottom line is that if you have a proper boot fitter fit you in a boot, part of that process will be to make the necessary modifications to the boot to ensure proper bio-mechanics. You can go through the same process for running shoes at a good running store or with a podiatrist, though I think most people do not bother. Custom foot beds are also important to ensuring proper fit and addressing foot issues. With ski boots I find you are best going to an actual boot fitter for these as opposed to a podiatrist as most podiatrist build their foot beds to address walking and running issues, the few foot beds my podiatrist build me for my ski boots had issues and ultimately did not work well. Bottom line is that I now put a lot of time and effort into ensuring what I put on my feet is comfortable and ensure proper bio-mechanics, I wish I had been doing this in my early teens as it would have likely prevented my current foot issues altogether.

It sounds like you've done a lot of work to solve the problem! I'm trying to help my son, who has developed a tailor's bunion while working his first year as ski patrol, a job he loves and really wants to be able to continue. Unfortunately he's in a lot of pain. He took a day off and paid what seems like a lot to me but maybe it's not ($250) to have his boot "punched," but still in a lot of pain. Any advice you can offer? Thanks.

 

[LiquidFeet]

It sounds like you've done a lot of work to solve the problem! I'm trying to help my son, who has developed a tailor's bunion while working his first year as ski patrol, a job he loves and really wants to be able to continue. Unfortunately he's in a lot of pain. He took a day off and paid what seems like a lot to me but maybe it's not ($250) to have his boot "punched," but still in a lot of pain. Any advice you can offer? Thanks.

$250 for one punch???

 

[dovski]

It sounds like you've done a lot of work to solve the problem! I'm trying to help my son, who has developed a tailor's bunion while working his first year as ski patrol, a job he loves and really wants to be able to continue. Unfortunately he's in a lot of pain. He took a day off and paid what seems like a lot to me but maybe it's not ($250) to have his boot "punched," but still in a lot of pain. Any advice you can offer? Thanks.

So I had surgery to correct a tailor's bunion on one foot ... and have the same issue with my other foot. Surgery worked but it was a long and painful recovery and something I never want to go through again. With that in mind here is what I recommend:

1. Find a podiatrist who can do injections in the foot to relieve the pain - as long as the bunions are swollen there will be pain
2. Get orthotics for every day use and ensure that all footwear fits properly without causing pain
3. Get custom footbeds for his ski boots and work with a boot fitter to punch out his boots to make space for the bunions

The trick is to ensure you do not irritate the bunions. With me I used to wear the wrong shoes so my feet would always be sore and the bunions would be swollen. At that point there is not much you can do to avoid pain. So eliminate the pain with the injections and then do everything else to make sure it does not come back. If this approach does not work then surgery may be the only option. That said you should really consult with a podiatrist for an expert opinion as the above is just what works for me and everyone's feet are different.

 

[4ster]

$250 for one punch???

Yeah!, I have to think that at least included custom footbeds.