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J2Ski Forum Posts and Replies by ise

Messages posted by : ise

Painful feet advice
Started by User in Ski Hardware, 28 Replies
johntin wrote:Update.
frustrated if I am honest.
I went to a podiatrist who did higlight problems with my feet,they took moulds to make orthapiadic footbeds, which take four weeks to complete I was told these would go into ski boots.


That doesn't sound good, it shouldn't take four weeks. I know you're talking about something more than the custom footbeds knocked out in the conformable ovens but even so, mine take a few days depending how busy the guy is. Particularly since they're 90% computer milled which suggests your guys aren't equipped properly.

johntin wrote:I traveled quite a few miles to a boot fitters in Castleford but they where very busy, two hours later I gave up waiting so on limited time went to another establishment,I explained my problems, I tried on two pairs of boots, and ended up with a pair of Rossignol Bandits which where comfortable, the boot fitting was not in depth as the last e-mail threads suggest the lining was not took out so my foot could be measured in the shell. Anyway wore them in at home for twenty minutes etc for a period of time.
Meanwhile my orthopaedic footbeds arrived which I now wear in all my footwear. The podiatrist with a struggle managed to get them into my ski boots and a struggle to get them out.
last week I had a chance to try my boots out with my footbeds fitted, at the Xscape ski slope, Yup guess what, my feet where bloody agony, little toes on both feet went numb, cramp under little toe area this happened after about twenty minutes, agony. I am so disapointed, my family and friends had a great time in their hired boots.
Went to Ellis B in centre the boot fitter there advised me my orthopaedic footbeds where not suitable for ski boots and seemed very knowledgeable and advised custom footbeds, (saying boots where ok doing measurements with lining out etc took his time) so he made me my footbeds, moulded heated etc took over an hour. So Im now bedding these in at home, and sometime soon I hope to go back to xscape and see what happens or feel what happens.
So thats my sorry tale so far, any observations would be helpful, dont be to harsh.


Hard to call that, it sounds like EB and podiatrist are both wrong to me. The podiatrist I use is a sports specialist having worked for a couple of ski teams at the Olympics so he's able to ensure the beds are right for skiing. The EB beds will be OK but they'll never offer the same support the ones from the podiatrist should have offered.

EB and others make some play of discarding the stock insoles with comments about them being for punters or whatever but in truth the conformables aren't so much better, they're good for regular feet, just like the factory ones were, but once you start needs stabilising blocks on them they're not so good. If nothing else they won't take much abuse and most importantly the fitters don't have access to the proper equipment to measure pressure loads over the foot, their compromise is to get you standing in them to form them while hot which is not quite the same thing.
Energy bars/snacks
Started by User in Ski Chatter, 24 Replies
pavelski wrote:Silver,

The most important element is water and more water! Not energy drinks, power drinks or Red Bull drinks. Avoid them.


Don't avoid them, sports drink replace lost electrolytes and carbohydrates which are required under hard exercise. While it's unlikely a skier would suffer Hyponatremia or water intoxication you can drink too much water. The problem with Red Bull is really there's not much fluid in it. Isostar or similar are fairly ideal. I think it's reckoned any more than 8% carbohydrate in the drink is too much.

Indeed, standard sports medicine advice suggests sports drinks are required after around 90 minutes of exercise. That advice also includes hydration before exercise, something around 0.5 l a couple of hours before. For longer periods of exercise, IIRC, we're looking at 0.5 L per hour on sustained exercise but most (downhill) skiers can dial back from that.

Clearly your mileage will vary on that, no two people loose fluids at the same rate, in fact the fitter you are the less you're going need, although of course fitter people are more aware of this and drink more anyway. Clearly if your coasting around Les Naff on a few green runs then beer will be just fine :D
Painful feet advice
Started by User in Ski Hardware, 28 Replies
The best advice is not to be swayed by clever boot fitters. What you really need is a store with a big enough range of boots. 90% of people who have lots of work done on boots are having it done purely because they're in the wrong boot to start with. There's a huge range of boots on the market with a range of sizing and fitting. It makes far more financial sense as a boot fitter to carry a limited range of boots that are easy to work and do modifications for the wearer than to carry a wide range of boots.

As a rule of thumb, or should that be toe :-) , if you're able to walk a few km in a fairly ordinary pair of shoes without pain or discomfort then there's absolutely nothing wrong with your feet no matter what anyone says. Even then for most people a pair of foot beds should be about all that's required 99.99% of the time.

Taking advice on computers from a guy on PC World is something we'd laugh about, or hi-fi or camera advice from the young lad in Dixons, so you have to ask yourself how much you trust some guy who basically works in a shop in the local shopping centre.

The only combination that works as a consumer is a reasonable fitter and great range of product, a money back guarantee doesn't hurt either.

It's also worth bearing in mind there's precious little (genuine) innovation in ski boots and one pair's pretty much the same as another.
Skiing in April!!!???
Started by User in Switzerland, 35 Replies
Meercat wrote:For those seeking high altitude and a 'get away from it all' location - how about Arolla?


closed from April 13th though. Admittedly it'll be like Piccadilly circus above Arolla at that time but the lifts won't be running )
Skiing in April!!!???
Started by User in Switzerland, 35 Replies
agreed, Veysonnaz is out on a limb in the 4 valleys, by mid April I'm not sure if it'll be open and it doesn't offer good access to Verbier really which will be open and probably reasonable.
Ski near geneve - for a weekend
Started by User in Ski Chatter, 13 Replies
bandit wrote:
ise wrote:

ah yes, for train spotters there's some "must see" train lines apparently ) Sky Travel have a program repeated regularly on Swiss Rail Journeys, sad but there's some great scenery :D

ise I had no idea that you had a railway hobby, congratulations on your coming out :D

BTW The special scienic trains were charging a supplement when I last travelled. I expect it's to help pay for the perspex in the roof :-)


nope, it's for tourists to subsidise my half-price card and Mrs Ise's GA :lol:
Ski Boot Problem
Started by User in Ski Chatter, 4 Replies
Antosh wrote:Hi all,

I wonder if any body has the same problem as me. I own a pair of Salamon X wave boots which I have had for four seasons now. They are the most comfortable ski boot I have owned. When I purchased these I had the custom sole fitted etc. The problem is this year whilst skiing, the first few days were great, then my left leg shin was aching like mad. This really put a damper on things as I kept stopping and adjusting my boot to alleviate the ache/pain etc. I am not sure whether I have the shin bang thingy, or has my posture altered over the last few years etc. I am a advanced intermediate and I do ski a little aggressively. I would be glad to here other folks views.

Many thanks
Antosh :(


how many days is that though? 4 seasons is a bit vague.

The custom foot bed will compress over time although it's a bit odd, mine would last me two seasons or so. Likewise with the inners packing, a couple of seasons ought to be ok but it depends on which Xwave, 8 and below have fairly soft inners while 9 and above are better. I got two seasons out of some 9 inners.

Is the pain diffuse? all over the shin and deep or is it a point pain? for the point pain a tib' pad is enough and I use one myself.
Ski near geneve - for a weekend
Started by User in Ski Chatter, 13 Replies
bandit wrote:
The ticket also covers most of the Postbus service routes, if that forms part of your route.


probably covers some boats as well :D the beauty of an integrated transport system.

bandit wrote:ellistine when it says free round trip, I do believe that it means that you can choose the route you travel by, but you must complete the journey in one day :D


ah yes, for train spotters there's some "must see" train lines apparently ) Sky Travel have a program repeated regularly on Swiss Rail Journeys, sad but there's some great scenery :D