Custom footbeds

Post by **Whitey** » Wednesday 11 March 2009, 19:19

Hello All,

the discussion about socks and feet slippinghere just put me to think about custom footbeds. I have never used them, but only the original NW (or whatever) footbeds. In soft boots I usually don't use them at all. So, are those expensive custom footbeds worth of money and what advantage they give, if any?

Thanks!

Post by **rowies** » Wednesday 11 March 2009, 20:34

I have a pair of new Deeluxe Track225, when you take out the thermoliner, there is just a flat plastic bottom plate, My bootfitter gave me the advice for some custom footbeds because I have a "hollow foot". And in hardboots this could lead to bad bloodflow in my feet and cramps. the foot is only supported on the heel and toes. So without the footbeds I have no support in the middle part of my feet. The footbeds give some extra support and i don't slide in the boot.
It costs 60€ for 1 pair, it works a little bit like thermoliners, they heat the footbets and then they put them on a sort of "tempur foam" an you need to stand on them for about 15min untill they cool down. Then you just put them in your thermoliner.

Post by **Felix** » Wednesday 11 March 2009, 21:43

In ThermoFLEX or Intuition liners I use no footbed, otherwise I use Conformable ones (Vacuum molded).

Footbeds that are in boots at the POS are simply in there for trying out the boots -they are throwaway objects independant of the boot, you will feel much better with custom footbeds (either cork or Vacuum molded Conformable/Surefoot etc..)

Post by **ngsam** » Thursday 12 March 2009, 5:47

same as felix... conformable SIDAS footbed.

I would never ride without. The investment is totally justified because this is just so compfortable.........

Post by **nils** » Thursday 12 March 2009, 8:31

if you can afford custom fit in boots its always better than good stock fit.

I am very happy with my northwave liners, that are getting a bit old, and soon i'm going to get a custom liner from Sidas, ( not the stiff race but the normal version). Custom footbeds are of course part of that and i had that in my old SB121 which never hurt and felt so comfy i felt like wearing tight moonboots

NIls

Post by **harald** » Thursday 12 March 2009, 10:53

Hi,
I have tried both the heated footbeds and the molded Surefoot ones and is very satisfied with both solutions. The argument against the shop heated footbeds is that they will be softer after a while and thus not provide the demanded stability, while the Surefoot beds (very expensive) will keep their stability. The reason for the foot beds is not only the comfort they provide, but also improved control over the skis and board since they stabilize the foot and transfer your movements directly to the board/ski. Improved control is difficult to measure but I think both my snowboarding and skiing boots gives more direct contact with the board/skiis without having to tighten the buckles maximally. Therefore, I think it is worth the investment and will strongly recommend it. I think it is not by accident that all top skiers (and perhaps also snowboarders) have individually fitted boots, liners, and footbeds. Even racing cyclists use them.

Post by **pokkis** » Thursday 12 March 2009, 11:16

I prefer king size double bed

Post by **starikashka** » Thursday 12 March 2009, 13:07

pokkis wrote:I prefer king size double bed

Post by **harald** » Thursday 12 March 2009, 14:30

King size double bed is definitely very comfortable and using it avoids the problem with tired leg muscles and sore feet

Post by **Schneewurm** » Thursday 12 March 2009, 21:28

Please keep in mind, at most time people buy this "Custom footbeds" in sporting good stores. Thats not the same thing, like You go for fit them / customized them by an orthopaedist. Orthopaedic inlays are much better fitted and they equalize also the length of your legs! It's even better if they use the same products for a cheaper choice.

Watch the difference: An orthopaedist is trained for to help people to be comfy!
A sporting good salesman is trained to let peoples think they are comfy!

E.g. for wintersports we have some good orthopaedic-specialist. One of them is http://www.heierling.ch who helps people, like the Schoch Brothers (Raceboarders), Tanja Frieden (SBX), or skiers like Bode Miller, Didier Cuche, Markus Larsson, Kalle Palander, Benni Raich, Ivica Kostelic, Lindsey Vonn etc. to find a comfy and powerfull solution for their boots.
(for carvers not seeking for to be medalled with olympic gold, but just only visit tomorrow or the days after the WorldCarving-Session from Pureboarding at Davos-Switzerland (Central-Europe): it's just behind the railway-station / next to the parking-area for to take panorama-funicular up tp the test-base of World Carving Session 2009.)

A more important thing, then exact footbeds, can be a good dampening, e.g. with sorbothane or similar product, offering some vew mm of dampening. For Intec-users it's a must, even on icy slopes with a lot of fibrations!

Beside that: I followed a link at the Heierling-Page, watch out:
http://www.stolzski.ch/pages/e/folgesei ... &sprache=1

Post by **Felix** » Thursday 12 March 2009, 21:52

Bennie Raich and Pallanders usually frequent Leitner and not Heierling AFAIK. I personally wouldn't go to Heierling - that shop is monstrous for a bootfitter, similar to Strolz in Lech. There are many people working at Heierling - so usually for a simple task just like producing a sole it will rather be an apprentice and not Heierling himself doing the work (still probabely much better trained than the average shop that promises bootfitting chores).

Leitner is probabely the most renowned fitter on the worldcup, so if you get a date great, otherwise there are many other top notch bootfitter in the alps. For example Auer who together with Leitner developped the abducted toe stance now used in nearly every ski racing boot and escpecially in the Fischer boot line which Leitner and Auer devellopped and is built now under the Fischer brand at Garmont.