General Terms and Problems

Ski boots can make or break even the most awesome day of skiing, but it doesn’t need to be that way. Ski boot problems and pain are often caused by one or a combination of just a handful of issues. Here is a list of the most common ski boot issues people face.

Before reading this please note that this list will help you identify what might be going on in your ski boot but it is best to leave it to the professionals to fix it.  

Heal lift: If your heal is lifting in your boot it could be that it is too big or that the liner has broken down. This can lead to lack of response from your boots as well as soreness and/or blistering on the heal. The best thing to do is apply adhesive padding to the out side of the liner. There are two way to hold the heal down through the use of adhesive padding. One is to apply the padding around the ankle bones in a half moon shape with the open space facing your toes. The other method is to hold the ankle down by placing strips of padding on either side of your achilles. Tip: If you don’t have adhesive padding you can use strips of duck tape.

6th Toe: This is a boot fitters term for the pain many people feel behind their pinkie toe on the side of their foot. Most of the time this is caused by the boot being too narrow. Luckily, a simple expansion of the ski boot shell can provide great relief. Tip: Don’t go grinding away on your boot for more room. The plastic is thin at this part of the boot and a punch (expansion) will be much harder to do later.

Black Toe: Consistent banging against the front of your ski boot can lead to pain and blackening of the toe nail. This is often caused by the boot being too small. A good boot fitter will be able to grind out some of the plastic out or expand the shell to give you more room. Tip: If you do develop Black Toe it can be quite painful. You can try to drain the blood that is causing the pressure and discomfort by drilling a small hole at the base of the nail with a very sharp knife or by heating up a needle. When working your way through the nail move slow. Once you have gotten through the nail blood will come rushing out and the pain will subside immediately. BUT BE CAREFUL.

Shin Bang: Pain or discomfort to the front of your shin is often referred to as shin bang. The problem with the pesky discomfort is that there are many issues that can lead to server case of shin bang.

What Causes Shin Bang?

  1. Your boots are too Big. When your foot doesn’t fit your boot properly it slides forward in the boot and hits the front of the shell. (Unfortunately there is nothing you can do about bigs that are to big for you. Get some new ones.)
  2. Your boot is too stiff. (Get new boots or cut out plastic from the inner cuff of the boot to soften the flex)
  3. There is something in the cuff of the boot or in the sock. (Make sure your sock is not bunched up and that your pants are on the outside of the shell. If you feel something in the cuff try to remove it or smooth it out.)
  4. The Flex point of the boot does not mach your foot shape. (Heel lifts sometimes help)

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