If you’re a skier, you’ve likely experienced painful ski boots. They’re a hard, rigid shell that’s meant to hold your foot in place, of course it’s going to hurt if they aren’t fitting right. Fortunately most boot pain issues can be fixed either with modifications to the boot, a new footbed, new liner, or a new set of boots. The Boot Solutions crew at Utah’s Powder House Ski Shop explained the 5 biggest ski boot issues that skiers tend to face.
1. Toe Pain: Toe pain is often caused by boots that are too tight, causing the toes to curl at the front, or boots that are too loose, causing the foot to slide forward and slam into the toe box. Tightness can sometimes be fixed with some minor toe-box stretching or grinding, but boots that are significantly too tight or too loose may need to be replaced.
2. Shinbang: Shinbang is typically caused either by a boot that’s too stiff, leaving the shins to slam into a wall, or boots that are too loose, leaving a gap that allows the leg to free-fall into the cuff. A forward lean or spoiler can sometimes help a boot that’s slightly too stiff, but a softer or tighter boot may be required.
3. Numb Feet: Despite what you might, numb feet isn’t generally caused by cold temperatures. Instead, it’s usually a result of boots that are too tight over the instep/arch, or boots that are too loose and thus require over-tightening the instep buckle to compensate. A new boot with correct volume is often required in this case.
4. Bunions, hot spots, and specific pain points: One or two localized pressure areas or a lack of proper foot support (through a footbed) can cause these localized points of pain. This is usually fixable with minor modifications if isolated, but a new boot may be required if it’s more widespread.
5. Poor control: If you’re feeling consistently out of control in your ski boots, there’s a handful of potential causes. The boot could be too big or loose, it might have the wrong ramp angle, flex, or alignment, or you might just lack a performance footbed. A snug performance fit with quality footbeds can help boost your performance.
