Newbie questions

[Bolder]

Hello, I've never had a pair of boots shaved to get a little more space. But I'm seriously considering it for my Rossignol Alltrack 120s.

Here's the situation. I bought them last year and felt like I had the fit dialed 80 percent in the shop. I have high insteps, narrow arches and somewhat wide forefoot -- and, ahem, short toes. So I've always had a bit of a problem fitting footwear. For example, E width dress shoes are often loose in the heels, but D width sometimes pinch my toes...

I got the Rossis to about 90 percent on my right foot with a pair of thermal fit liners (can't remember the brand), which to be honest I'm satisfied with -- I didn't have the time last year to get to a pro fitter . (we live in Paris, so I'd probably need to do it in the Alps) and didn't want to blow a day . At any rate, I can ski all day long without discomfort/cold.

However, after about 20 days last year, I realized that the left instep isn't working -- too tight unless I leave buckle open to last or second-last detente -- I thought the liner/insole might settle down a bit to give me an extra mm or 3. No luck.

So, my question -- I like the boots, except for left instep. Is shaving the shell the best option? Or should I try a noninvasive technique?

Thanks in advance.

 

[Jilly]

Not shaving, remolding. The shell can be heated and stretched. But get a professional to do the work. I know...time of the slopes, but your feet will be better for it. Some fitters will do the work over night by the way.

 

[dbostedo]

What she said... ^^^^

It's very common to have boot shells molded or stretched a bit here or there to relieve pressure and fit your foot better. Talk to a boot fitter and get his or her advice, and let them do the work.

Since it's your instep, they also may want to look at the liners/footbeds.

 

[Philpug]

Since it's your instep, they also may want to look at the liners/footbeds.

Start with the footbed, make sure the foot is posted properly, by that I mean that it is straight in the boot. Is the bootboard flat? some boots have an artifical arch molded into the bootboard, this will also push that instep up into the top of the boot, make sure bootbard is flat. Then you can remold the liner in the instep area with some additional padding in that area during the remold process. All of this is done before you get to the shell. The area over the top of the instep is not an area that gets "shaved" or ground, but punched because that plastic is thin. I will say because all of this is happening after 20 days of skiing, it is not the shell but liner or footbed issue.

 

[Bolder]

Thanks all, good information, especially about the bootboard. I was wondering about how extra space is made above the instep.

I'll take a closer look at the shells. I think I only need a few mm to make the boots as good as they can be.