Boot Alighment and Adjustments -- The Review Continues.

[RISkier]

I'd posted some comments in the resident boot fitter thread but thought I'd offer some impressions after a chance to ski the boot modifications more extensively. Some folks had suggested I had some alighnment issues and after reading the resident boot fitter thread I made an appointment with Jeff Bokum. He spent some time evaluating my feet, stance, and alignment. I had him make some custom footbeds. He added some shin pads that he said would let me more easily maintain contact with boot tongue, punched out an area in one boot that was a pressure point (I have a really funky big toe which may require surgery at some point -- even street shoes can cause me problems), and made a couple of other boot modifications. He also evaluated my alignment and indicated that I was about 3 degrees off with my right leg/boot. He suggested that I use duct tape to play with canting until I got it dialed in. I just returned from a 6-day ski trip and must say the changes are quite remarkable. Prior to the boot modifications I'd been having quite a bit fatigue in my quads, especially my left quad. I just thought I wasn't in good enough shape. But the boot modifications have made a world of difference. I'm clearly in a much more natural/neutral/balanced position. After 6-days of skiing my legs and body were tired, but my quads never turned into noodles and I attribute much of that to the alterations Jeff made. The boots are also really feeling comfortable. I had the boots on for long periods of time each day, and did quite a lot of walking in the boots, they feel great. I still have a bit of hot spot on the one toe and I'll have Jeff see if he can grind a bit more out, but I don't see how one could expect greater comfort from ski boots. I've played with canting and I'm not sure I have it exactly dialed in, but I'm getting close. From what I can tell somewhere between 2.5 and 3 degrees seems about right. My last day of skiing I think I overdid the canting just a tad but it's much easier for me to engage the inside edge of my right ski. I plan to keep evaluating the canting till I'm really confident I've got it right and then have Jeff make the permanent modifications. Not only am I skiing more comfortably, but I'm convinced the modifications have improved my skiing. No, they certainly haven't made me an expert skier, but they have made it easier for me to engage the tips of my skis and have improved my ability to engage my edges. My only regret is that I didn't work with Jeff, or someone as qualified as Jeff, when I purchased the boots initially. I'm sold!