Boot Doc vs Zipfit liners for a fused ankle?

[BMC]

I have Zipfit liners in my Lange RS130 wide (100 last) boots, and Surefoot foam liners in my Lange RX120 boots (also 100 last). Yes with two pairs of virtually identical boots I’ll have no need for new ones for at least a decade

I have a direct point of comparison between Zipfit and foam though.

I find the Surefoot foam liners easier to get on and off. Possibly that’s because, like you (I’m also in the Gara) I also find I have to be careful closing the lower buckles. It’s a tight fit. It’s similar in the foam liners too, that tight fit in the lower shell, but just less of an issue.

I think the Zipfits stiffen up the boot more than the Surefoot foam liners do. It may only be an issue of 3% difference, but I feel I notice it. Both are firm fitting but completely comfortable.

Personally I slightly prefer the Zipfits because they provide essentially the same precision fit and control, but I can transfer them to new boots. The downside is the greater pain in the #%*^ to get them on in particular, and to a lesser degree getting them off. The foam liners are set and forget. Not so much the Zipfits

 

[Pat AKA mustski]

I do use a heated boot bag and it sure does make it nice! I share the love and put my wife's boots in with mine so we both start the day in warm boot heaven.

You're a good husband!

 

[DanoT]

I love the Zipfits but I have removed virtually all of the OMfit from the tongue and around the ankle (I have probably about 3-4' of 1/2" tubing full of it) and it's still a challenge to close the shell around it because the overlapping pieces right above the instep are pushed open and I have to be very careful to get them just barely overlapping before clipping the latch. Some of this is due to the extra girth of my cankle and some of it is from the tall heel lifts. I will continue to shave down the heel lifts as I experiment to find my limits after having the plates removed so I may gain a little more room.

You might want to try a Buckle Extender to aid in closing the boot at the instep buckle. It is a bale attached to an aluminum piece with notches that the bale on your boot buckle fits into and then the Extender bale fits into the boot buckle notch.

I have a friend with very limited or no ankle flexion and she puts a plastic bag on each foot to facilitate getting the boot on. She then skis all day with plastic bags on her feet. I tried to get her to try my Boot Horn that I use for getting on my hiking boots but she wasn't interested and doesn't mind wearing plastic foot bags.

 

[ski otter 2]

I have a ski friend who also has limited ankle flex from an old injury, and for him getting his 130 boots on is easier than off, the opposite of many. It helps he can heat the boots to get them on, but this is harder to do for getting them off after skiing. He often has to sit in the lodge with his boots against a heater for a while before they'll come off.

(His injury was from having to walk so many miles in competition as a golf pro, whatever the condition of his ankles at the time.)

 

[LiquidFeet]

Use one of these.

 

[surfandski]

Thanks for the comments! It's not a matter of the buckles being too short as I can get them buckled. The problem is that with the combo of my big instep and heal lifts, it's hard to get the plastic to overlap before buckling that 2nd buckle and if you aren't careful you can get the plastic to bind against each other and put a crease in one of them. That's where I thought a really thin foam liner with just a thin amount of foam in that area would make the liner lower volume but it sounds like it really wouldn't be much lower volume than my Zipfits with all of the OMfit removed in that area.

Here are some pics to show you the area I'm having issues with. It works once I get skiing and get everything flexing and seated so maybe I should just roll with it but it can be painful at first as there is a lot of pressure in that area with the plastic overlapped just a couple of mm. I wonder if any other manufacturers make the plastic a little longer where it overlaps. I love the way the Lange's fit but I'll try some other boots on when I get out West.

Honestly, I'm thankful my ankle is doing as good as it is given that I thought my skiing days were over so if this is as good as it gets, I'm still stoked but always open to new tweaks.

 

[Brian Finch]

IIRC, I may have chimed in on this earlier & am NOT OFFERING MEDICAL ADVICE:

•I have seen a high level skier do well with the set up you are seeking.

•I have transitioned a number of skiers with OA & fusions into cabrio boots, Intuitions & a rubber (sometimes with Swiss cheese holes under the midfoot/toes for flex) zeppas.

•Over the years, I’ve seen folks brake metatarsals post fusion by applying excessive force thru the legs.

Best wishes & good luck!