Adjusting Ski boots for proper fit

ownsel

Hi all,I was wondering if anyone out there could tell me what is the proper way to adjust your ski boots for fit?I bought a pair of ski boots (Tecnica Modo 10's) in 53degs North a few weeks back but I think the girl that was doing the fitting didn't really know a huge amount about it. I went in to the Great Outdoors and in fairness the guy in there was very helpful but they only had one pair in my size and they just weren't comfortable so I took a chance on the pair in 53degs North as they were selling them off at half price and they felt comfortable on. I had them heated and moulded to my feet and have since bought a pair of "Superfeet" insoles for them but I would like to know how tight should the catches be adjusted for proper fit and is there a proper method or sequence for closing the latches to achieve the best fit?

robinph

Do the top latches up first and work your way down making sure that your heel is as far back in the boot as possible, they should approximately be as tight as is still comfortable. You should be able to wiggle your toes and there will be a very small bit of forward, backward movement possible at the shin, but until you are more used to wearing them you may not even notice that you can actually move a bit.

When you first start wearing ski boots they will probably just feel as if your foot cannot move at all though.

Edit: Oh, and on my boots I can twist the latches round to extend or shorten their reach a small amount as well which can effect which clip they can reach. Not sure about all boots but there is probably something similar on yours.

olaola

I would generally close mine loosely first to get them shut, and then tighten them up gradually. But that's because I have calves the size of a Ukrainian shot-putter. I would say - there has to be a *bit* of a struggle to close the clasps - if they are too easily shut, then they are too loose. Your heel should be held firm. I don't know if there is a sequence as such. Just make sure all the clasps are tight. When start to close them, you'll notice that the closed ones beside will get looser. So do a once over at the end to check.

robinph

Yep, you do need to go back over and check that they are all actually tight again afterwards. I'd seen the thing about doing the top up first somewhere else previously as a tip to ensure that your heel did actually get to the back of the boot and stay there I think was their reasoning. I do find that I can get the top ones tighter though by starting there and working down and rechecking, than I would if starting from the toe and working up. It's all very subtle differences though really.

Basically as get them as tight as you can and be able to wiggle your toes.

ownsel

Thanks for the help guys. I have heard varying suggestions as to how your foot should be held in the boots. From "your heel should not move at all and your toes should be up against the front of the boot" to "you should be able to lift your heel by half an inch and wiggle your toes freely". In my boots now I can just lift my heels slightly and just about wiggle my toes since the boots were heated and moulded. Before the moulding my toes were well free. Now also when I say I can lift my heels that is when I am standing upright, when I put my weight forward as I would be when skiing my heels seem fairly solid. I don't know is that the way it should be and you know yourself how important boot fit is so I just want to make sure everything is right.There just seems to be a lot of different views on "correct fit"

Poster King

It is all here

http://www.profeet.co.uk/ski_tips.asp

Techniques have changed since I bought my last pair of boots. Planning to buy a new pair this season so will be interesting to see if I'm given similar advice to that in the link above.

olaola

I suppose you'll know soon enough when you get on the slopes! Is this your first time skiing?

ownsel

No it's not the first time. Spent a week in Soldeu, Andorra last January. Got completely hooked. Got some private lessons and took to it like a duck to water. Spent the week battling with sore feet. Tried numerous boots and no matter what I did I couldn't get a comfortable fit. I'm just trying to work out how to adjust the boots correctly and could find very little information on the net about it. The link there from Poster King(Thanks) is the first definitive bit of information I've seen on the net about the proper way to close them. There just seems to be a lot of different views on how to do it and as I've had so much trouble the last time around I'm trying to do as much homework as I can before the next trip.

olaola

If you can't get them tight enough - you can use an alan key and move the bindings in (or out) instead of having them on the very last notch. Some boots - you just twist the hook to elongate/shorten. I've just looked for yours - and this looks like the method.