Footbeds for hire boots?

Hi,

As I only go skiing for one week every other year and as I am a Scot living in Yorkshire (and therefore very tight indeed ;))I have never been able to justify buying a pair of boots. As a result of this I always hire ski's and boots in whichever resort I am in. The problem I have is that I have odd feet with one foot being half a foot size bigger than the other, this can result in me having uncomfortable feet by the end of a days skiing due to one boot normally being to big for my smaller foot.

Someone suggested footbeds that I can simply insert into my hire boots. I would appreciate any thoughts or comments particularly if you use footbeds/insoles in your ski boots.

Any advice greatly appreciated.

Thanks Andrew

I have to have custom foot-beds for my boot...I couldn't ski without them,,,the best investment I have made and they last for years...go to a boot fitter and get measured properly..

There are off the shelf footbeds that will take up some of the slack and hold your foot better than those that come with the boots, the green ones from Superfeet are quite popular.

There are also other things you could do to take up some excess volume. Try cutting a piece of dense cardboard about 3-4mm thick the shape of the boot board and place it under the inner boot or wear a sock over the liner.

There are also some aftermarket products that might be of use http://www.stopheellift.com/products.html sells volume reducers and pads to stop heel lift. http://www.celsosport.it/italiano/boots.htm (scroll down to the bottom) sells a thing like a cut down wet suit bootee to put over the inner boot.

If you eventually buy some boots make sure that they are the right size for your smaller foot and have the other one enlarged to fit the bigger foot. My feet are both the same length but different widths; my boot fitter just makes the one that's too narrow a bit wider. If your feet are different lengths they can also be made longer if the fitter has the right tools.

Many thanks Daved and SwingBeep for your posts both of which were very helpful. I am going to a specialist footwear shop near Huddesrfield and discuss matters with one of there experts. Cheers again for your help. :)

well I hope they work...We will find out in Folgarida...

If you are serious about your skiing and will be going every year, then have a rethink on buying your own boots. A properly fitted pair will make a big difference to your skiing. You'll get more value for money out of them than just about any other ski item.

andyhull wrote:If you are serious about your skiing and will be going every year, then have a rethink on buying your own boots. A properly fitted pair will make a big difference to your skiing. You'll get more value for money out of them than just about any other ski item.

and less pain

Regardless, of how frequently you ski, if you are a committed skier, then I agree with the premise of buying boots. It is an infrequent purchase, (my current pair are entering their 27th season), and so the cost per year is constrained.

The benefits of owning well fitting boots have been explained. There are other advantages.

You will feel consistency in wearing the same boots. having bought a good pair of boots, you will be skiing in good boots every year!

You will save hiring and return time every year. Valuable time!

OK, that's the boot issue resolved. Now we need to sort out how you can get to ski every year. You need to address your approach to skiing costs!