Your feet are worth a visit to a boot fitter

I’ve skied for 23+years but it wasn’t until two years ago, when the influence of EpicSki encouraged me to make a drastic change in my boots. At the time I was in a Salomon F6, size 26.0 I recall buying the boot at a bargain price and a big box store, because it felt good.

Two years ago I got a Dalbello Krypton StormID, size 24.5 . I took the time to go to a ski shop that sold boots and had the ability to heat mold them, but they weren’t truly equipped as a boot fitter.

This time around I decided to make an appointment with Jim Riley, from Precision Footworks, and take the time to go through the whole boot fitting experience.
Jim is a Pedorthist, has attended several Masterfit boot guy thingy’s, and has a tremendous amount of patience and knowledge.

I went to his shop with two pair of boots: Same shell size but different volume liners.
09 Dalbello Krypton Storm ID 24.5
09 Dalbello Krypton Kryzma 24.0
Note the difference in cuff height between the two storms and the Kryzma.

I had the green Superfeet in my old storms, and had picked up a pair of Hot Pink Superfeet to go in the new boots, with the plan of getting custom footbeds when Jim and I have more time.

Here we go:
Jim had me roll up my pant legs and walk down an aisle to view my wiggle
Okay, I guess he really wanted to watch my ankles and feet

He physically moved the joints in both feet a lot and noted that I am double jointed. I think we already knew that.



While we were waiting for the boots to be heated, he showed off the gaping hole in his knee from his little situation last winter.


To be continued...........

Back to fitting:
Here I am cooling my feet. Sure could use a cup of coffee.

With the Storm linersmolded he spent some time with his pointy tool and the super fancy Sharpie Permanent marker.



*we didn’t get a great pic of this but, I think you’ll get the idea. My Left side was perfect, with no need to tweek anything, but the right side was off just a tich, toward the outside.
After Jim put a dohicky in the pivot point on the Storm, I was plumb


The odd thing is that the Kryzmas were the exact opposite!
As you can see, in this pic, When I was in the Kryzma, I am tweeked more toward the inside.


The Kryzma needed a little extra umph with the dohicky,

but as you can see, Jim’s handy work got me just where I needed to be.

It is my intention to go back to Jim in January some time to get custom foot beds, but I can honeslty say, this boot fitting was the best gift I could give myself.

I guess you could say, I’m plumb happy!!!

Cool. Congrats. Next time wear shorts...

Greg said:

Cool. Congrats. Next time wear shorts...

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I took my volleyball shorts with me, but it slipped my mind to change into them until we were well into the fitting. I won't make that mistake again

He didn't raise the toes of the boots during the cooling process?

Philpug said:

He didn't raise the toes of the boots during the cooling process?

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He did. I'm not sure if I posted a clear picture of it, but the platform I'm standing on is inclined.
Also notice that I have ski poles. He had me lean as if I were getting after it during the hottest part of the process.

Trekchick said:

He did. I'm not sure if I posted a clear picture of it, but the platform I'm standing on is inclined.
Also notice that I have ski poles. He had me lean as if I were getting after it during the hottest part of the process.

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I see that now.

Hands down some of the best $$ I've ever spent is one getting my WIFE'S boot fit by a top notch boot fitter. I've realized over the years the extra $$ she'll spend on her boots/fitting is well worth the lack of complaining I'll hear from her about her feet on the hill

*Note, this need for super boot tweaking is something that I've never had the need for as I'm convinced (as have been a couple of boot fitters over the years) that my foot is the template foot that Lange uses when they design their liners/shells

:lol: I had a feeling this was coming when Brian pointed out your new pics on Facebook. Love your technical appraisal of what happened. It is amazing the difference when you find someone who knows what they are doing!!!! Well worth the time and money, especially when you consider all the money you can waste on the wrong stuff otherwise.

Which reminds me... I was supposed to be working on my stance...

The Krypton is great to work with as a fitter. It is one of the few boots that is completely modular and can be taken completely apart with an allen wrench and screw driver.

severine said:

: It is amazing the difference when you find someone who knows what they are doing!!!! Well worth the time and money, especially when you consider all the money you can waste on the wrong stuff otherwise.

Which reminds me... I was supposed to be working on my stance...

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Everything that happens in your boot translates to the snow. That's vital to your Grins, for sure!

Philpug said:

The Krypton is great to work with as a fitter. It is one of the few boots that is completely modular and can be taken completely apart with an allen wrench and screw driver.

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Jim mentioned how nice it was to have the bag of tricks that come with the Kryptons.
The hinge bushings, otherwise known as dohicky's, made it easy to adjust my cuff alignment, which is easily undoable if/when I get custom foot beds.
It was noted in the bootfitters forum on Epic that the added stiffness and cuff height, that I would need to have my alignment, dead on accurate.
When doing this fitting, the Kryzma definitely magnified a flaw in my alignment that was only miniscule in the storm.
I Love my Kryptons!

Thanks for the TR to the bootfitter, Trekchick. I echo everyone's statements here about a trip to the bootfitter. I make it a point to see my bootfitter before the start of each season. This year, he tweaked my footbeds just a tad since I swapped then out of old boots into new boots. He also measured the alignment of my knees and boots and did a little adjustment on the upper cuff of my left boot just to get it centered. He then planed the bottom of my boots to get it absolutely flat (more of a cosmetic thing). While I was waiting for my friend to pick me up (the bootfitting session was quite quick), we sat around and talked gear -- an even better way to get ready for the ski season!

Greg said:

Cool. Congrats. Next time wear shorts...

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Shorts hell, next time wear a bikini!! :razz:

This is the second time a bikini has been suggested. Why does everyone assume I even own a bikini?

Trekchick said:

This is the second time a bikini has been suggested. Why does everyone assume I even own a bikini?

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Ok, au naturale works too!! wow, this bootfitting thread is starting to turn into a Penthouse article, at least in my own twisted little mind!

Remember the Lange girl from last year?
Well, this is the Krypton Girl try outs...................

Trekchick said:

Remember the Lange girl from last year?
Well, this is the Krypton Girl try outs...................

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Oh sure, encourage me!! You're an instigator, that's what you are!!

Check out the smile on Carries face. She almost got the job!

Trekchick said:

Remember the Lange girl from last year?
Well, this is the Krypton Girl try outs...................

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Trekchick said:

Check out the smile on Carries face. She almost got the job!

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You should hear what Brian thinks happened after that photo was taken.

severine said:

You should hear what Brian thinks happened after that photo was taken.

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What happens at Abasin stays at Abasin

I'm betting Brian wishes he had been there