Plastic Boot Modifications
 Many experts
have claimed that any plastic boot should be modified after purchase to
fit a foot better. We are in that group. Most people can get away without
modifications and never know the difference but often simple inexpensive
or free adjustments, additions or modifications can make a world of difference.
Shell
Stretching - Like downhill ski boots the shells of plastic mountaineering
boots can be stretched to fit wide feet. All this entails is removing
the liner, heating up the shell and applying pressure in any areas that
are too narrow. This generally works best on the sides of boots. Superfeet®
makes a very nice but very expensive device for stretching the instep
of a boot but very few stores are willing to purchase it as it is seldom
used. We have found that lacing a boot in a less than ordinary manner
is the best way to address this problem if a qualified boot fitter with
the instep strecher can not be found. No plastic mountaineering boot
fits wide feet very well. In the past we simply bought longer boots
(larger sizes are also wider) to fit wide feet but the performance decreases
dramatically. If you have an E or greater foot shell stretching is the
best way to get good performance, warmth and comfort.
Insoles
- Custom or after market insoles are almost universally superior
to the insoles that come with a new boot. Custom insoles are expensive
but often worth it. A custom insole is formed to fit the individual
foot. By cradling the foot precisely, the boot performs better, the
foot tires less, and the foot stays warmer. Of great benefit on big
mountains is the ability to walk down hill for several days without
slamming toes into the front of the boot. Unlike standard insoles the
custom fit generally does not allow the foot to slide over the insole
easily when walking down hill. Superfeet® makes a very nice insole
that is much less expensive than a custom insole and performs well.
Insoles can
also be used to take up room. Often a boot is the right length but feels
sloppy on a foot. Usually this can be fixed by adding a second flat
insole under the one in the boot. This is also a trick for warming up
a boot. A good percentage (up to 60% by some tests) of heat is lost
through the sole of a boot. A second insole slows conduction of heat
through the boot. On big mountains the second insole can be removed
up high if needed to occomadate extras socks. Some feel the extra insole
will keep feet warmer than extra socks but we know of no conclusive
tests that settle this argument as the material used in the second insole
would play a great role in determining this. Never the less, this little
trick allows a slightly bigger an perhaps warmer boot to perform very
well.
Heel Cups
and Pads - A common problem in plastic mountaineering boots is heal
lift and loose spots. Like downhill ski boots the inner boot can be
padded to take up unused space that allows a foot to move inside the
boot. These pads are placed outside the inner boot. Common places to
put them are around the ankle and directly above the heel. Go to a good
boot fitter for these - if placed poorly blisters are the ussual consequence.
Heel cups
are simply a partial insole that can be placed under another insole
or used by itself. By lifting the heel, the area the heel is lifting
within is removed and performance increase - often dramatically. We
reccomend this as the starting point for addressing heel lift. If you
have a very high instep padding works better in most cases as lifting
the heel places the instep uncomfortably close to the top of the boot
- the supply of blood to the foot move over the bone though this region
and pressure here is a common cause of cold feet.
Raichle®
Thermoflex Liners - Down hillers likely already know about these
wonderful inventions. Coupled with a custom insole it is unlikely you
can get a better fitting boot. A idea stolen from the downhill industry,
these liners are of a heat moldable foam. They replace the liners that
come standard. The liner is heated untill soft, placed over the foot
and in the boot. The boot is laced and the liner is allowed to cool.
With a good boot fitter the outcome is the best fitting and warmest
boot on the planet.
These liners
are made to fit downhill boots and are much higher than standard mountaineering
inner boots. They are quite flexible so they can be left at this lenght
or cut down. If cut down the top begins to fall apart unless sewn shut.
These liners
also compress over time. Reheating and refitting will fix this but is
only effect up to 5 times before they begin to permenanatly flatten.
These liners
are around $200. For most it is not worth the effort and cost but is
a dream fix for those of us with feet of unussual proportions or in
need of a very warm boot. These liners are thicker than most standard
inner boots so it may not be possible to add them to boots that fit
tight. If you are looking for a new boot consider a slightly larger
boot to occomadate them.
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