Just bought new boots

Hi

I just bought some new boots in the Snow and Rock sale.
The guy in the shop said to wear them 10 minutes a day to wear them in before skiing (I am going next week).

I have been doing this, and whereas they felt perfect in the shop, the more I have them on and walking about, I am getting pins and needles in my right foot on movement.

When the foot is still it feels fine, there is no pinching just pins and needles and I can't work out which bit of the boot it may be which is causing it...

Is this normal for a new boot to feel a bit odd, or should I take it back to the shop asap? !!

cheers
Jasmin

Hi Jasmin,

That's not right - sounds like the boot is too tight and restricting circulation in your foot, which is going to be very bad news after an hour or two on the mountain.

You should certainly take them back now and get them changed or adjusted to your satisfaction; don't let them fob you off with "they'll stretch / pack in / fit perfectly after a week of pain". It might just be a simple adjustment, or you might need to go up a size or choose a wider boot model.

Even if the boots were discounted, Snow and Rock have a responsibility to ensure a good fit; I'm sure they'll spend some time to get it right for you if you explain exactly what's going on with your foot.

Let us know how you get on,

Powderhound

Hi Jasmin

I have problems buying boots I always need to get them adjusted etc. One thing I can almost Guarantee you is that if you take them back to the shop in the UK the person who adjust them for you will know enough to be convincing but not enough to solve your problems, they may over stretch the boots or try and fit you with another pair that ar too large but feel comfortable etc.

My advice take them back to the shop say that you want your money abck and buy them at the resort that you go to on holiday.

This way you will get good advice, you will have a wide range of boots to chose from, they will be cheaper too. Best thing os all though is that if you have to get the boots adjusted then you can have them adjusted over the course of the time that you are there and have them fir perfectly rather than taking the boots that you have bought and finding that they tell you the boots are completely wrong for you and that you should buy another pair.

I always buy boots from a resort because they are too important to be left to the chimpanzees (who will tell you they are experts) in the UK shops.

Hope this helps

Cheers

Max

Hi Jasmin

just to add to my previous message
I bought my first pair of boots from snow and rock and apair form my other half at the same time, we spent hours in the shop trying boots on and getting a good fit, but like you when we got home we had pain so we both went back and had our boots stretched (bear in mind that one you have had them streched or worn them on snow Snow and Rock will not exchange them o giuive you your money bacK). we went back and had the boots stretched, moled to our feet, paid for the inserts etc and when we finaly made it out to the resort we were both in agony within a couple of hours of skiing.

This cost me a couple of days skiing because my foot swoll up so badly that I could hardly walk on it. When I got back Snow and Rock would not exchange the boots but said they would blow them out for me some more so I let them do this but next year when I skied on them they were just as bad.

My other half bought new boots at the resort and had them fitted Perfectly and so I did the same. since then I will always go to a resort to buy boots.

Cheers

MAx

Ok, thanks Max and powerhound,
very useful but I am now in 2 minds about this!!

I have them on now and the pins and needles is not so bad, it only occurs if I lift my leg up so it is parrallel to the floor, or if I sit on the floor with my legs out straight, (which may matter if falling over and then getting sudden pains) but not if I stand in skiing position and move around at the ankle.

They are now (as I have had them on for 30 minutes to test what they feel like,) making both my feet ache (they are heavy and my feet are tired after working on them all day...

The thing is, over the past 3 months or so I have tried on about 7 different types of boot, and this pair came out top - I am worried that there will be no boots in the resort which fit me any better so late on in the season, so I am leaning towards trying a footbed...

I mean, should ski boots feel as comfortable as trainers? or should I expect some level of discomfort.
I have only been sking once, I remember not liking the hire boots, but when on the ski's, I did not think about them...

cheers
Jasmin

Hi Jasmine

I am sure that the pins and needles or pain are tollerable now but trust me when you are out on the slopes and your feet start heatng up and then swelling you might experience awhole new level of pain.

You could buy the inserts, (I found that they made things worse for me) or you could take the factory ones out that came with the boot.

I know that it is a pain fitting boots and that you have tried many on but there will be more choice at a resort and something I will tell you for a fact is that you will be able to find a decent pair of comfortable boots (unless like me you are hideously deformed lol).

Begginer boots are made to be more comfortable and less stiff / responsive. if this is a begginer boot and you are having pain then something is wrong, if you are having pins and needles your circultion is being cut off somewhere.

Trust me take them back get your money and buy a cheaper better pair at your resort.

cheers

Max

Jasmine

I was trying to figure out what you meant by pins and needles. Does this feel like the blood is cut off to your whole foot, just part of your foot, or is this more of an ache type of pain ? where ?

It is very hard to know just how snug a new ski boot should feel. It should feel tight, but not in a way that cuts off circulation. If this is more of a general ache in the foot, it is more likely to be a footbed problem.

Where these female specific boots ? Mens boots have a higher cuff and are more likely to cut off circulation.

It is interesting that you say there is relief when standing in the ski position. This is normally the case if the boot is a little short, but to a degree is a good thing in new boots. Boots do pack in. Many of the boots you see on ebay with one or two weeks of use, are for sale because they packed in and now feel too big. Do you have the same problems if you wear the boots with very thin socks ? I always wear very thin socks with new boots and then expect to need a medium sock after a couple of weeks of use.

The footbeds that came with the boots are proberbly not great, but work for some people. Try the boots on after taking the footbed out (you may need to pull the liner out to get the footbeds out). Does this help and in what way ? The boots may feel shorter as the arch is not suported, but does this relieve the pain ?

You also did not say whether these boots had a heat moldable liner. This is worth finding out. If the boots do have a thermo moldable liner, the store should be able to heat and fit these for you.

These ideas may clue you in as to where the problem lays. If it is a footbed issue, you may find you can play with different footbeds or inner soles and solve the problem or you may need a custom footbed. It depends how much you want to spend, how much time you will be in the boots and your level of commitment. Not having a perfect fit is one thing, spending a week in discomfort is another.

Trencher

I was trying to figure out what you meant by pins and needles.

A tingling feeling in the place where the blood supply has been reduced or cut off.