J2Ski Forum Posts and Replies by SwingBeep

Did the boot fitters use a Brannock device to measure your feet, did they do a shell check, how much space was there between your heel and the shell, and did the fitters measure the range of motion in your ankle? This might be the reason why you are not bending your knees enough and are leaning back too far.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=0tz9BzXMzp4&list=PLj093vcOwkcfs4iNAOkaLpvgKFItJ4MrA

The first column in the diagram below shows a skier with (A1) optimal setup, (B1) boots too upright, and (C1) too much forward lean. All three skiers are balanced over the middle of their feet (note the dotted line through their centre of mass), but skiers B1 and C1 must adopt less than functional stances to compensate for their boot setup. The second and third columns show how skier B cannot flex deeply without falling over backward (B3), while skier C cannot extend fully without falling forward (C2). Only skier A can flex and extend through his full range without losing balance.



Unfortunately this is only part of the puzzle, as Trencher said boot board and binding ramp also have to be taken into account.

Many skiers also lack sufficient range of ankle flexion (dorsiflexion) to use a boot with a lot of forward lean, and attempting to do so can cause excessive pronation (collapsing arch), which affects edging movements and knee function, not to mention pain and foot problems.

Of course, none of this matters much if your boots don't fit snugly, or if they are very soft or overly stiff.

If you take the time and trouble to get your boots properly fitted and setup you'll be on your way to becoming a really good skier, nothing other than your own efforts can hold you back. Ignore these issues (as most people do) and you will find it very difficult to reach your full potential and no amount of expense on equipment or instruction will change that.

If only I'd have known all this 25 years ago.................................

brooksy wrote: Its the ski boots prob that's bugging me I know 27 is the ideal length & my feet are 11cms wide but boot retailers ect don't give width fittings just Med/Wide if you're lucky.

The manufacturers usually give last widths on their websites, normally but not always the width given is for a size 26/26.5 boot. The width generally increases or decreases by 2mm per size. I think the widest boots available from the major manufacturers are nominally 106mm. Much more important than forefoot width is the fit around the ankle. If a boot is too tight across the forefoot it can easily be made bigger, but if it's too loose around the ankle there's not a lot that can be done.

The Salomon SPK Kreation is a very light (cheap plastic?) 90 flex (soft) 104mm freestyle boot.

brooksy wrote: SB it was the manufactures that state these screws are for canting ???

That's right, but they're not. I assume that the sales and marketing departments didn't think cuff alignment adjuster sounded as sexy as canting adjuster.

http://wiki.fis-ski.com/index.php/Lateral_Upper-cuff_Adjustment

This article explains the difference between canting and cuff alignment, the effect of limited dorsiflexion and how to deal with it and what custom footbeds do.
http://www.skibootfitting.com/video.html

Skiers who buy ski boots without a shell fitting often end up with boots that are too big. This table gives the last lengths and widths of a popular mid range boot.


If your foot measures 26 cm on a mondo point measuring device and you are given a size 26 / 26.5 boot (there are no half sized shells) the internal length of the boot will be considerably longer than the length of your foot and the thickness of the liner. It will probably feel nice and comfy in the shop though.

If you go to the Obergurgl website http://www.obergurgl.com/main/EN/GG/WI/orte/infrastruktur/index.html#searchresult and select "Sportgeschäft" under "type" you will see that all the sports shops are owned by 3 people, so there isn't much competition. You should be able to get a slightly better deal from Scheiber Sport.

One of the reasons for the extra cost might be that more shops in Austria comply with ISO standard 13993:2001: Rental ski shop practice -- Sampling and inspection of complete and incomplete alpine ski-binding-boot systems in rental applications, than in France. This is a lot of extra work but helps to ensure that the bindings are in proper working order and the boot soles aren't out of spec.

The screws on the sides of the boot are nothing to do with canting. They simply align the boot cuff to your leg so that you can press on the middle of the tongue and should be adjusted by the boot fitter as part of the fitting process, very few of us have perfectly straight legs. Canting is either carried out by angling the sole of the boot http://cantology.com/how.htm or if there's enough room in the boot, putting wedges between the inner boot and the boot board.

Whilst Superfeet insoles are better than the ones that come with the boots they are nowhere near as good as a properly made custom footbed.

From what you describe and how you stand on your skis (I looked at last year's video) it's likely that your boots are either too big and / or the liners have packed out. The first thing to do is a shell check. Take the liner out and put your foot in the empty shell, with your toes brushing the front of the shell how much space is there behind your heel? Then find the centre of the shell and move the front of your foot side to side at that point, how much space is there either side of your foot? You might also have limited dorsiflexion http://www.gmolfoot.com/gmolfootbalance.htm

I don't know how land ownership is organised in other alpine regions, but here land that is suitable for agriculture, commerce and housing is owned by individuals, companies, the local communities, the Canton and the State, so the lift companies usually have to compensate these land owners for the use of their land. The forests and the land above the tree line are mainly owned by the local communities who usually own part of the lift companies so the lift companies have free use of that land.

I have read that in France the land on which the purpose built resorts were built was compulsory purchased from the locals for very little as part of a Soviet style central plan http://pistehors.com/backcountry/wiki/Articles/Opposition-To-The-Espace-Diamant

Saas Fee ticks all the boxes.

Sledging from Hannig during the day and on Thursday evenings, there is an ice skating rink close to the ski lifts at the top of the village and a 25m swimming pool together with a children's pool and slide at the Bielen leisure centre.

The village dates back to the middle ages and is set in a spectacular location surrounded by thirteen 4000m peaks. There are enough shops and some pretty good restaurants, the Waldhotel Fletschhorn restaurant is excellent.

The Inghams brochure price for HB in the **** Hotel Glacier for the week beginning 22.12.12 was £1019 pp

There was a thread with exactly the same title a few weeks ago http://www.j2ski.com/ski-chat-forum/posts/list/13045.page the advice given there is also applicable for the journey to St Anton. Shops outside the ski resorts have sales at this time of year so you might find a bargain.