Ski boot adjustments

Iloveskiing,

I have a confession to make.

I have a serious pathology which is to "modify" all sorts of products to make them better, easier to use or just last longer! I love to take any new product,,,discover how it works and then find ways to modify it for my needs. I will not list all the changes I have made over the years but let me share with you a secret "boot modification" which I discovered from ski racers.

It will improve your skiing a great deal!

If you will look very very carefully at high quality pictures of World Cup ski racers and you focus just above the boot cuff, you will note a knob! (just under the ski suit).
This knob is the buckle to a ski strap known as the "power strap"! You can find this strap in all ski racing sites or serious ski shops.

I tend to lose at least 3-4 pair every year, so several years ago I installed my own "power strap" by sewing by hand this strap on the upper ski boot liner cuff!

I can see now all you "expert" skiers saying, " Pavel,,,,you already have one strap on upper section of boot,,,silly man"


Follow me on this one.
The strap you have is riveted or screwed to boot shell! Thus it tightens the liner to top shell section.
Go ahead put on boots. now watch as you flex forward! What do you see? There is a space between leg and boot liner.Thus you have to move the leg 2-4 degrees forward before this action is on boot shell. In other words you have "free play" within the boot. This is very much like a "free play" with your car steering!
What if you had a snug, tight liner and when you flexed your knee forward it would right away pass this flexion to boot thus to ski.
That is the function of this second strap!


Now back to Iloveskiing's question.

With the set up I have, my first power strap is cosy tight. I can feel the liner right against my shin.No pressure just a carresse. The second lower strap, I allow more pressure so that shell and liner are tight!
My top buckle then is just snug on lowest buckle setting. It provides lateral rigidity. The second lower buckle is again not very tight, just enough not to let my heel move inside boot.

The great error many skiers make is over tightening that second lower buckle. All this does is limit forward flex range, which is so important with modern skis!

It is the interplay of all the buckles and straps that makes the boot very very comfortable yet extremely responsive!

Do not believe me. Try it!

You will never again ski with just one power strap!

Oh snap! What do you use to create the inner strap? Also I noticed today after a long run (about an hour) my skis were getting loose and getting a mind of thier own. I had them tuned before I left on my trip and I didn't think I needed to readjust my buckles

IceGhost, Pavel willl probably tell you to either buy a spare power strap or improvise and cut a strip off an old belt, luggage strap, or similarly strong material etc.


and thanks Pavel for the tips, I'm a two week skiier and don't (yet) have my own boots but am thinking about getting a pair.

Iloveskiing,

You must have read my mind!
As you said so well, you can make your own or you can get some extra straps from store.

You sew the strap to the very top of the rear cuff ( of liner)

Voila!

IceGhost
You should always "re-adjust" your buckles if you ski hard. The foam does compact!

One more small point for putting boots on. At some point early in the buckle tightening sequence, push the liner tounge downwards. This will help stop your heel lifting without having to crank the buckles too tight.

The other adjustment that has not been mentioned is ramp, that is the angle of the foot within the boot. Some boots have a screw opperated cam in the heel. Others come with different inserts to go below the liner. I play with mine (the ramp angle) until it feels right, but I'm sure Pav could explain the need for this adjustment better than I could...

Trencher

With regard to the second 'power-strap'. If you don't have the inclination or skills to get and install a second strap, you can thread the power-strap already on your boot so that instead of sitting on the outside of the boot shell, it sits directly on the liner, inside the shell.

Then when you tighten it it applies liner snugly to the leg. This acheives the effect you mention of increasing the transfer of energy from leg to boot to ski, but you don't need an extra strap.

I haven't tried the extra strap and I imagine it works better, but this is not a bad way to go too. My sewing skills are limited to shirt buttons.

Pavel, I am sat here at the computer with my ski boots on ( buckles tightened as you indicated) and I can still lift my heel a little bit, any tighter and it starts feeling uncomfortable. Is this ok or would you say no heel lift at all? Does it come down to comfort v performance (I was hoping for both)
Cheers hopscotch

Epic.
Thanks for that suggestion. Excellent one.
As long as that top strap is inside the boot sheel. That is the secret!

Hopscotch,
The heel lifting issue will not be solved by tightening more the buckles,,,all it will do is cut blood circulation to foot!.What Trencher so well pointed out with his "ramp" comment is your solution.
As Trencher pointed out, many boot companies realize that this "heel lifting" problem can be solved by having an adjustment screw on the lower heel section of boot shell. In essence this screw goes into the boot shell and is connected to a wedge like "ramp" ( just under your heel area) As you turn this screw,,,the ramp is raised,,thus raising the heel platform against your heel. Voila no more space or mouvement!

See if you boots have this screw! You can not miss it since it is right on the boot sole in heel area!

If you do not have this screw,,no problem. You can buy a Dr. Scholl heel lifters. There are several models and cost is very low! I like the gel ones! Start with thinest ones.Take out your boot liner foot plate ( that flat piece at bottom of boot liner) With duct tape ,,,tape under this plate the heel "lifter". Place all back and go skiing! If you still have some play,get a thicker pad! repeat until you are satisfied!
Once you are satisfied,,,,boot heaven will come!

Of course some ski stores have heel inserts which does the same function! It is your call!

Hope this helps you!

Hopscotch, in my book it is never comfort OR performance! It should first be above all comfort,,,then performance!
he heel pad will actually place you in a more "attacking" ,more forward posture for better skiing. You will gain both in comfort and performance!

May I suggest,,,,in next season that you get custom orthotics! There are many many hypped products in skiing,,but custom orthodics is not one of them.You will emediately see a difference.All serious skiers get custom orthodics, They will last you a lifetime. My superfeet units are 20 years old and still going strong! In my area there are new orthodics that you can place in your microwave oven for 5 minutes and then insert in ski boots! They are $45 US!