The care and feeding of your dogs or how to break in new ski boots.
By George A Salter
Steps To get the best boot Fit
WHAT DOES IT TAKES TO BREAK IN NEW SKI BOOTS
Selecting A Shop To Purchase Boots From
The Boot Fitting Procedure at Salters
The Fitting Process
Before Leaving The Ski Shop.
Before You Go Skiing For The First Time (Each Year)
Car Trips
Airline Trips
When You Get To The Mountain
In The Lodge At The Mountain (In The Morning)
The First Day Skiing
At Lunch
Each Night After Skiing
THE CARE AND FEEDING OF YOUR DOGS OR
HOW TO BREAK IN NEW SKI BOOTS
What does it take to break in new ski boots?
Some people call their feet dogs and I can understand why. They come into the ski shop after the first day skiing new boots and their feet are barking.
New boots are tough to break in. We fit them for longevity, not to feel like bedroom slippers. The higher the performance boot, the firmer the lining, and the more time you will need to spend breaking them in. You not only have to break in your boots but you need to break your feet in as well as the rest of the body. What do I mean, break in your feet? Just wear the boots 10 to 15 hours before you go skiing, every year.
Why do we have foot problems? Well for one thing, we aren't very kind to our feet. We shove them into things that are too narrow, too pointy, too high of a heel, with no support, and with some crazy shape or design that we call shoes. We spend hours standing, walking, running, jumping and who knows what else, and expect our dogs to be friendly and feel great. They are going to whine and bark for attention. You bring them into the ski shop and ask us to put them in a super tech, high performance rigid plastic replica of Godzilla shoes. We strap you in like a jet pilot ready for combat and what do you think happens next. Without any consideration for your faithful loyal friends, you take off for the mountains.
You land at the mountain with no conditioning time, raring to go, get out of your car, take your frozen monsters out of the cold trunk, struggle to get them on over 3 pairs of socks, (one pair that's sweaty from the drive) and then, with boots unbuckled, you clump to the lodge. Over the parking lot and through the mud to grandmother's lodge we go. "What an ordeal" you say, great formula for cold, blistered, blackened toes and numb sore feet. This is even before you get on the slope. Well you just won the Barking Dog Award. If this is the first time you have gone skiing with your new boots, you're probably in trouble. No, I'll take that back, the ski shop is in trouble. We are going to be the bad guys when the feet, legs, back, arms and who knows what else hurts? By the way, the boots never hurt. The feet do.
We have a Fly Anywhere Service Policy. Just call if you have a problem and we will come to your assistance within twenty-four hours. There's only one requirement. We must have your credit card number.
Your ski slope experience is going to be a lot different than in the ski shop. During the fitting process the foot will be evaluated, adjustment made to the boots, suggestions made, and options presented. Our concern is always, no matter how it feels in the shop, how does it feel when you get on the slope. Don't be surprised if you need to come back to the shop to work out problems that did not show up during the original fitting. Even then, there are no absolutes. If you have come from a long distance this may be a problem because the fax or phone systems don't work for refits. Boot fitting is not a science. We work mostly with foot problems not boot problems. The manufacturer knows how to make boots, but somebody goofed when it came to feet. Lets see if I can give you some suggestions about things you need to be aware of to prevent some foot problems. The following activities and suggestions are important when purchasing new boots.
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Selecting A Shop To Purchase Boots From
What are you looking for when you go out to buy ski boots? Is it price, performance, or fit? It should be all three. It's easy to find any one or even two, but to find a shop that has those three objectives as a standard takes a lot more time.
Did you know everyone thinks they have normal, average, or perfect feet. I saw a perfect foot, let me see, I think it was, or maybe it was; I'm sure I saw one some time in the last forty plus years fitting boots.
Even though we have years of boot-fitting experience at our one location, we are still learning. Our staff of dedicated professionals is continuously learning. Our goal is to be the best, but there is always room for improvement.
Here are a few of the things you may want a shop to do.
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The Boot Fitting Procedure at Salters
When working with a customer, we focus our efforts toward the areas that affects your skiing performance and comfort. We start by having you fill out an in-depth questionnaire, which we then review with you. Next we evaluate and rate the lower part of your body, especially the feet, ankles and lower legs. We take time to evaluate and explain in-depth whether you would benefit by replacing the foot bed that comes with the boot with a complete custom foundation support system, and I don't mean an insole.
Some of the benefits of this customizing concept are more comfort, less pressure points or numbness, less motion of the foot, a power steering feeling instead of a mush feeling, less fatigue, less falls, better alignment of the legs, feet, and skis; and much more.
We build our support system and emphasize the power points of your foot, which makes a tremendous difference in your performance, control, and comfort. Any orthotics needed for medical problems connected with walking or running should be handled by a professional, such as a podiatrist, orthopedic surgeon, chiropractor, or a sports medicine specialist.
After you go through the evaluation process, we usually know more about your feet and your skiing problems than you do. Does this take time? You bet it does, but it gives us a strong feel for your needs, plus an awareness of what may have been causing any problems. It's for your benefit.
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The Fitting Process
You will be asked to wear thin socks so the boots can be fit snugly. After a period of time, your new boots will begin to pack out and give you more room, at this point you may want to go to a slightly heavier sock.
When you are walking around the shop, we will want you to stay flat-footed and keep your knees bent. Flexing and edging will keep the toes from hitting the front of the boot and keep the rest of the foot from being forced into the narrow part of the shell. The toes will always move back if they are connected to the rest of the foot.
Communicate with the fitting technician at all times about how and what you feel. This is extremely important because we need to understand what you are feeling. Remember we don't feel a thing.
High performance boots are much firmer then beginner boots and will require more time to conform to your feet, but in the long run they will retain their fit.
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Before Leaving The Ski Shop.
Consider having your boots and skis technically balanced and aligned. This is like having your front-end alignment checked on your car. Having this custom service done could make a world of difference in your performance.
Purchase several pairs of the same size and weight socks you were fit in. Consider, Cat tracks, Boot heaters, Boot dryer, Boot carrier, Boot bag, and after ski boots. We also have special socks that keep your feet warmer.
Review the features of your new boots with the technician and understand the best method of getting in and out of them.
We call some very high performance boots Bar Boots, because of how firm they are when they are cold. You must go into the bar and relax to let them warm up before you can take them off. For the single girls, it's a great way to meet strong guys.
Call first, when you need to come in for such things as orthotics installation in your boots, balancing, wedging, heater installation, and special order pickup etc.
Review our shop checklist for things you might need on your next trip. This could save you lots of aggravation when you get to the ski area. Take one or two of the checklists home to use just before you leave on a trip.
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Before You Go Skiing For The First Time (Each Year)
Probably the single most neglected activity of the sport is conditioning. To break in new boots I suggest you wear them on and off for ten to fifteen hours before you ever set foot on the snow each year. Not just sitting, standing and definitely no horizontal activities. I mean walking, flexing, and edging, preferably on carpeting, avoiding slippery surfaces, simulate the skiing action.
It is advisable to do this at home, although I have heard of dentists clomping around in their offices. It's hard to visualize a gynecologist, a 747 pilot, or even a flight attendant wearing boots. OK, maybe a weatherman, I guess you have to use a little common sense. If you don't spend time in your boots, chances are your feet will complain or even bark and I wouldn't blame them. The first day out could be six to eight hours straight; and you say you haven't had boots on for nine months!
If you are breaking in new boots and orthotics it's even more important to condition. The real truth about this process is, you need to break in your feet every year. We can not be responsible for that part of the your conditioning.
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Car Trips
Review the checklist to see that you have every thing you need. Take extra socks to change into if necessary, the same weight you were fitted in (don't wear them to the mountain.) Keep your boots in a warm place in the car during the trip not in an un-heated trunk. The boots are much easier to get into when warm.
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Airline Trips
Review our checklist to see that you have every thing you need. Always carry your boots on the plane. If the airlines lose your skis you can rent, but your boots were fitted to you. I knew someone that flew out west and the airline lost his entire luggage including his boots. The strange thing was, he was the only passenger.
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When You Get To The Mountain
DON'T walk from the car to the lodge in your ski boots. If you do, wear cat tracks. Carry your boots to the lodge.
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In The Lodge At The Mountain (In The Morning)
Warm up your boots, especially if you didn't keep them in a warm place going to the mountain. Before you put your boots on, stretch and stretch and stretch! Start with dry feet and clean dry socks, not the ones you wore to the mountain. If your feet start out damp, they are going to get cold. Use the SAME THICKNESS socks you were fitted in, in the shop and only one pair; otherwise your boots will fit differently. After you have skied a while and broken the boots in, thicker socks may be appropriate.
If you get cold feet and tend to perspire, you may want to us a good ski sock or heaters. Using antiperspirant on your feet can reduce perspiration. (Not deodorant!)
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The First Day Skiing
That first run, take it easy. If you haven't conditioned enough or at all you could cramp up or the feet may spasm. Flexibility of the foot and legs may be a major cause of this problem. Warning high heels can be the cause of cramping, feeling pressure or pulling under the arch for many women. Lots of pre season stretching is important. I would treat this problem entirely different with guys that wear high heels.
If you tend to have problems on the lifts, like numbing or aching feet this may occur because you are letting your ski tips hang down. This causes pressure on the top of the feet and the back of the legs which can cause loss of circulation to the feet. Keep your skis on the footrest and the tips up. This may eliminate the problem.
If you’re new boots feel too tight, ski without socks for a few days until the boots starts to break in. If you feel pressure anywhere, check for wrinkled socks, underwear bunched up, stretch pants too tight under the arch or wrinkled anywhere. Also check that the boots don't have the liner misaligned. A major cause of boot problems is wearing coarse, heavy, or too many socks or wearing the boots on the wrong feet. Having clothing stuffed in the front of the boot can cause shin pressure.
During the break in period it is best to have only the foot and the sock in any part of the boot. There are many reasons for uncomfortable feet. An example is someone that feels fine in the shop but after a short time skiing their feet hurt so badly they have to take the boots off and they find that their feet are swollen. This person may have a condition called Edema. It is the build up of fluid in the feet and must be handled differently than the other problems. You can see that it takes more then just throwing on a pair of boots for some skiers.
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At Lunch
At least the first day or so, take off your boots. If your socks are damp, put fresh ones on and be sure to use the same weight. When you put your boots back on you will know if your feet tend to swell. Some skiers find it better not to take their boots off at lunch. Every one is different.
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Each Night After Skiing
The Care And Feeding of Your Boots when you
get back to your room at night.
Clean and dry your boots.
Don't take the liners out of the boot.
Buckle the boots lightly to retain their shape.
Place the boots upside down toes up so any
moisture under the liner will drain out.
Insert boot dryers inside the liners until they are dry.
If you have heaters in your boots, drain the power at
the end of the day and then recharge them overnight.
Don't put your boots near extreme heat or near an open fire.
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Salters Ski & CustomWinter Sports
3130 West Ridge Pike
Eagleville Pa. 19403
610-539-8003
Fax 610-539-8291
www.salterski.com
@ George A Salter 12/07/01 Dogs Catalog
