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  1. #26
    Join Date
    Jul 2006
    Location
    voting in seattle
    Posts
    5,122
    Footbeds aren’t a one size fits all or even a one approach fits all.

    What works for a ski boot (ridge outsole and mid sole relatively light loading) might not work well for a hiking/hunting boot (flexible sole and heavier loads)

  2. #27
    Join Date
    Jan 2006
    Location
    Teton Village
    Posts
    2,674
    Off the shelf (OTS) inserts can fit as well as custom orthotics when properly fit. There are several factors to consider when purchasing OTS inserts.

    A few years ago I wrote a pretty detailed thread on this subject, but cannot find it.

    IMHO, Superfeet is the king of OTS inserts. They are easily modified and last for years.
    Ski Shop - Basement of the Hostel



    Do not tell fish stories where the people know you; but particularly, don't tell them where they know the fish.

    Mark Twain

  3. #28
    Join Date
    Dec 2010
    Location
    西 雅 圖
    Posts
    5,359
    Quote Originally Posted by skiing-in-jackson View Post
    IMHO, Superfeet is the king of OTS inserts. They are easily modified and last for years.
    Not crazy about the rock hard plastic sub-frame or only two real arch height options, but they work for many feet. The relatively high heel wrap doesn't always work for wide heels or midfeet. Pretty much all trim-to-fits can be modified by an experienced bootfitter - examples are using a size larger than needed to move the arch forward, grinding the sidewall of the footbed to reduce pinching, selectively thinning the footbed under the ball of the foot, etc.

  4. #29
    Join Date
    Dec 2010
    Location
    西 雅 圖
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    5,359
    Quote Originally Posted by GeezerSteve View Post
    YMMV, of course. AFAICT, there is ongoing debate and discussion among fitting among podiatrists re weighted vs. unweighted vs. in between orthotic fitting and it seems the general consensus is that the best method varies with the individual.
    Hey Steve, good to see you back.

    That is my experience as well; the guy who has a degree and charges $500 for custom orthotics and the guy with a high school education who's built hundreds of custom ski footbeds are both giving you their "best guess" option. Some people in each group have a higher success rate than others.

  5. #30
    Join Date
    Nov 2012
    Location
    Eastern WA
    Posts
    531
    Quote Originally Posted by gregL View Post
    Not crazy about the rock hard plastic sub-frame or only two real arch height options, but they work for many feet. The relatively high heel wrap doesn't always work for wide heels or midfeet. Pretty much all trim-to-fits can be modified by an experienced bootfitter - examples are using a size larger than needed to move the arch forward, grinding the sidewall of the footbed to reduce pinching, selectively thinning the footbed under the ball of the foot, etc.
    ^This. My experience is not in boot fitting, but there is only so much that can be done with Superfeet. I use Vasyli products weekly with my clients and love that I can get a nice custom fit in less than 5 minutes in a product that will ultimately last longer. Not knocking Superfeet, they work for lots of people. But there are superior products out there, especially for those with unusual foot anatomy or biomechanics.

  6. #31
    Join Date
    Dec 2010
    Location
    西 雅 圖
    Posts
    5,359
    Quote Originally Posted by bourbonisgood View Post
    . . . there is only so much that can be done with Superfeet.
    The hard plastic frame doesn't grind well. It liquifies easily and makes a mess of your sanding belt and/or needs to be trimmed with scissors afterward.

  7. #32
    Join Date
    Nov 2007
    Posts
    5,707
    My ex, who is picky AF, liked Superfeet

    OTOH, Gunner at Granite Chief made me some Amfit footbeds in 1999 that I’m still using.

    Both ways can work. How much trial and error do folks wanna do vs. working with an experienced hand?

  8. #33
    Join Date
    Mar 2008
    Location
    northern BC
    Posts
    30,881
    I went to a store in Vancover that had all the brands of off-the-rack insoles on the wall with several staff to help you buy them

    but nobody telling you that their product was the only path to enlightenment
    Lee Lau - xxx-er is the laziest Asian canuck I know

  9. #34
    Join Date
    Dec 2010
    Location
    西 雅 圖
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    5,359
    Quote Originally Posted by XXX-er View Post
    I went to a store in Vancover that had all the brands of off-the-rack insoles on the wall with several staff to help you buy them

    but nobody telling you that their product was the only path to enlightenment
    One great thing about trim-to-fit footbeds is you can stand on a number of options and choose the one that feels the best, while the effectiveness of every custom footbed, regardless of brand and molding apparatus, relies on the skill and experience level of the person molding and finishing it. Keep in mind that stock footbeds often feel different when trimmed down to fit in your ski boot (they will invariably be narrower and shorter). If you are "on the fence" between two brands or two heights, pick the one that feels more "natural" - i.e. you don't "feel" the support in an obvious or localized way.

  10. #35
    Join Date
    Sep 2017
    Posts
    13
    I've never thought about footbeds other than the stock options they come with. I just always thought everyone dealt with the foot pain. My feet only hurt in ski boots when I'm standing still. I don't recall them hurting on the up or the downhill.

    After reading this thread I'm going to stop by my shop this weekend to look into footbeds. That being said, I have a pair of shoes that hurt my arch occasionally. Maybe I should look into footbeds for my other day, hiking, work, etc. shoes. I've never felt any pain in my stock footbed Altra running shoes.

  11. #36
    Join Date
    Mar 2008
    Location
    northern BC
    Posts
    30,881
    Just rembered these

    https://luxis.com/product/featherspr...mpression-kit/

    My father used to walk 10km a night around the warehouse at a big steel plant and he had sore feet so he seen the add in a national enquirer and answered the add ... he swore by the feathersprings

    made out of stainless steel
    Lee Lau - xxx-er is the laziest Asian canuck I know

  12. #37
    Join Date
    Nov 2013
    Posts
    1,109
    Quote Originally Posted by gretch6364 View Post
    If your feet are sliding around.....
    Gretch is right on this. If you're using insoles to stop your feet from sliding around in your boots your fit is messed up to start with. Doesn't matter if it's a ski boot, running shoe, or climbing boot. Yeah you can take up volume with a insole, but again then you might have started with the wrong sized boot.
    Quote Originally Posted by glademaster View Post
    You're not going to lose all of your toenails putting in a 25 mile day? Hiking and hunting boots shouldn't fit anything like ski boots or climbing shoes.

    Also Glade you're correct in that they shouldn't fit the same, and the insole style shouldn't be the same either. But still if you're trying to fix your feet from sliding around with insoles, you're already down the wrong path.

    Quote Originally Posted by Telemarketeer View Post
    Gellin like Magellan
    Do not waste your money on anything "gel" they don't actually help your feet and can actually cause more movement making your foot more tired.
    TLDR; Ski faster. Quit breathing. Don't crash.

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