Heel lift to fix low instep volume?

[fbw360]

Hey all, quick question for those that are more knowledgeable.

I've always had a pretty low instep volume and struggle with locking my ankle down even with the ankle buckle cranked all the way down (with the rest of the boot fitting well). Went to a local shop that i've been frequenting for 3 years with good experiences all around and spent some time chatting about my issue, took a few measurements, etc. Bootfitter told me he personally has a similar issue with low instep volume around the ankle, and that a small heel lift shim should be an easy fix. Was a little bit wary since I have never felt the need to adjust the ramp angle and I know that heel lifts are sometimes used to just get tourists out of the shop :/ but I figured why not try it out for under $10. Ankles felt absolutely locked in the next day, but even as only a moderate skier I could tell the difference in the ramp angle and it felt a bit off - but also maybe it is just an acceptable adjustment time? So... did I get taken for a ride? should be looking at a full foot shim?

The above actually all happened at the start of last year but I had a season-ending injury shortly after so only now looping back to this with my slow return to skiing lol. Cheers for any help, thanks!

[Duffman]

How is your range of motion at the ankle? Low or high dorsiflexion? I need a lift due to fairly stiff ankles ,but I also hated it at first due to how it actually threw my weight back , after having one for a decade now I've learned to compensate. May need to mess around with forward lean w a spoiler in the back of the boot to see if that helps .

If it's just height overall in the boot and your ankle flex is normal to high, prob better off with a full bontex shim under the liner.

[SacTo]

I would get custom liners. Not a fan of changing something that isn’t broken(ramp angle) to fix another problem. If you need to go the cheap route, put padding on the tongue.

[Benneke10]

Have you tried the Atomic Hawx Ultra boots? They lock my low volume foot and ankle very well. I've heard the high performance Salomon boots are also good in that regard.

[phil_dirt]

Have you tried the Atomic Hawx Ultra boots? They lock my low volume foot and ankle very well. I've heard the high performance Salomon boots are also good in that regard.

Atomic hawx fixed this problem for me, I have a low instep height.

The salomon s/max (they're called something else this year) have a low instep height as well, but didn't fit as well around my ankle and heel.

[XXX-er]

I use the Sole foot beds, heat moldable , also you can customize by sanding the grey foam off the bottom

[arild]

Zip fits with leather inners. Holy shit, that's a level of heel lock down I'd never thought I'd experience. For reference, I ski in Corsas, where the volume is so tight i think I'm going to die every time I buckle up in my Dobermanns, but the terror goes away along with any semblance of sensation in the feet. I can then put these liners in my Lupos, which have stupid high instep for me, but the liners just tell my heels and ankles "STFU, you'll stay put and almost like it.

support the raddest project going: http://heritagelabskis.com

[Core Shot]

If you don’t like the heel lift wedge (it does change ankle angle and dorsiflection) try one or two bontex shims.

If you’re cheap then make your own from cereal boxes. But it’s thinner than bontex.

[whereiscarlos]

Have you tried the Atomic Hawx Ultra boots? They lock my low volume foot and ankle very well. I've heard the high performance Salomon boots are also good in that regard.

I also had success with the Hawx Ultra.

I ended up downsizing shells to a 26.5 and adding zip fits for the resort, but would feel good about skiing my 27.5 hawx xtd, which also have zip fits, as an every day resort boot (maybe with a touch more liner goo for resort duties).

Used shells and some used zips would likely get you the setup you desire while costing less than a brand new boot (with stock liner). You’d also have plenty of budget left over for a couple trips to the local boot fitter if necessary.

[fbw360]

How is your range of motion at the ankle? Low or high dorsiflexion? I need a lift due to fairly stiff ankles ,but I also hated it at first due to how it actually threw my weight back , after having one for a decade now I've learned to compensate. May need to mess around with forward lean w a spoiler in the back of the boot to see if that helps .

If it's just height overall in the boot and your ankle flex is normal to high, prob better off with a full bontex shim under the liner.

I have a pretty high range of motion (I dont remember the exact measurement he took but he commented it was high and not an issue). I think for me it is purely a volume problem.

Thanks for all the helpful advice everyone.

RE: Atomic Hawx Ultra, I have not tried them yet - currently on a pair of Nordica speed machine 130s. I will keep my eye out and maybe see if I can try them another time at the shop, cheers for the recommendation. Zip fits would be fucking sick, I have been on the fence about pulling the trigger on them for a year or two. I may just start off with trying a full shim and then depending on how this season goes (read: I dont break myself again) I might try to track down some used zips.

Thanks again!

[Duffman]

I have a pretty high range of motion (I dont remember the exact measurement he took but he commented it was high and not an issue). I think for me it is purely a volume problem.

In that case I would avoid the heel lift.. if you have above average flexibility there can cause more issues than help by opening up the ankle joint. Try a bontex shim under the liner first , depending on your shin / calf volume can also try an eliminator tonight or some other.paddimg over the curve of the instep and up the lower shin

[skier2265]

FYI, Hawx ultra has a pretty generous instep. its my current boot. s max has a lower instep.


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[Tailwind]

Can anyone comment on the lowest instep you've found in a burly touring boot? I'm in Hoji Free's currently and constantly working to take up a little bit of room. I've swapped to intuition pro tours with HV tongues but it feels like a stop gap.

I've heard maybe Zero G's

[SacTo]

FYI, Hawx ultra has a pretty generous instep. its my current boot. s max has a lower instep.


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I’m in the Hawx Ultra Professional with a LV tongue and it’s money!

[Jongle]

Can anyone comment on the lowest instep you've found in a burly touring boot? I'm in Hoji Free's currently and constantly working to take up a little bit of room. I've swapped to intuition pro tours with HV tongues but it feels like a stop gap.

I've heard maybe Zero G's

Hawx Ultra XTDs + Zipfits.

[stuckathuntermtn]

If you don’t like the heel lift wedge (it does change ankle angle and dorsiflection) try one or two bontex shims.

If you’re cheap then make your own from cereal boxes. But it’s thinner than bontex.

Shims would be better than heel lifts. Way better.

[fbw360]

yup shims were the move - went back to the shop shortly after all the feedback from the post and spoke to a different tech who agreed and replaced the heel lifts with shims. Issues fixed all around and much happier. Thanks again everyone!

[old goat]

I have a moderate width foot with very low instep volume. Bontex shims work for me. My bootfitter gives them out free like candy. Tightening the lower buckles more also works but that pinches my morton's neuromas, so the shims are better.
Where I have used heel wedges in the past is when I started using Power Wraps. The extra material in front of the shin was pushing me into the back seat.

[kootenayskier]

Can anyone comment on the lowest instep you've found in a burly touring boot? I'm in Hoji Free's currently and constantly working to take up a little bit of room. I've swapped to intuition pro tours with HV tongues but it feels like a stop gap.

I've heard maybe Zero G's

Low volume burly touring boots do not exist. Apparently (according to Mat @ Atomic) the touring market just doesn’t support the necessary investment. I find the Hoji Frees lowish volume instep, pseudo cabrio tongue and instep buckle, with a MV Luxury liner, beefy custom footbeds, and 3mm heel lift (under the liner) gets me to something skiable.

[Cocximus]

Then why tf is everyone crying for the vulcan if there's no market for a low volume burly touring boots. Why did dynafit invest in a new last? The old one worked. On the same note why tf does Costco constantly change the coffee they sell. I'm stuck with a bag of piss coffee that's worse than Tim Hortons.

[halliday]

That's saying something as Tim Horton's coffee really sucks.

[XXX-er]

Vulcan/ pwrwrap/ sole foot bed fits me, no complaints about the flex (there isnt any) it seems to work for me

After what i see with rad1/ khion/ beast/ Hoji with a speed nose Dynafit are'nt all that imo


and back in the day I would buy the lunch at tim hortons drive thru and head over to the starbucks drive thru for coffee, it took longer but the coffee was that bad

[obnomad]

Evidently the Scarpa Quattro XT is low volume and decently burly.

[reynolds.trailrun]

I find the Hoji Frees lowish volume instep, pseudo cabrio tongue and instep buckle, with a MV Luxury liner, beefy custom footbeds, and 3mm heel lift (under the liner) gets me to something skiable.

I am in a similar boat though you seem to have an even lower volume foot. I use a MV dreamliner and C heel pads to remove volume around the ankle. Though my liners have packed out a lot over the past three+ seasons (~150-160 days). I will probably be adding some shims to remove some of the volume from the now packed out liner. Though the toe box is tiny. I am not sure I can lose much volume in the toe box.

[andy m]

If you have minor to moderate heel lift, try these ankle booties from EzeeFit. They've worked well for me.

https://www.ezeefitsports.com/Ankle-...ion-s/1871.htm