Cold/Numb Toes Problem

[ted]

your blood flow and nerve conductor could also be restricted in the area around the medial ankle bone.

 

[ted]

The instep buckle can also be moved slightly more proximal so it doesn't crank down as much on your ankle.

I alos find wrapintuitiuon liners are much more forgiving on insteps.

 

[ted]

The instep buckle can also be moved slightly more proximal so it doesn't crank down as much on your ankle. instep not ankle

 

[LiquidFeet]

#2 ="ankle" buckle
#3 = "instep" buckle
#3 and #4 are on the "clog" of the boot.
#2 and #1 are on the cuff.

The ramp angle of the boot board affects how strongly the top of your foot contacts
the top of the boot under the instep buckle. A bootfitter can alter this angle by grinding
the bottom of the boot board. You do need contact to tip the boot and the ski with
precision, but too much contact that feels like "pressure" is not good.

There are arteries on top of your foot. People are talking about how these arteries
provide warm blood to the toes, and how clamping down hard on the instep buckle
might impact the delivery of this warm blood.

Also important are the nerves on top of the foot. Clamp down on them and everything they connect with goes numb. Pinched nerves can produce numbness, pain, stinging, and the feeling of burning. Nerves are yellow in this image.

There are blood vessels and nerves embedded in the middle of the foot and around the ankle bones that sometimes get pinched by ski boots, causing numbness, cold, and pain. A good bootfitter can address these issues by working with the custom footbed, the liner, and the shell.

For those reading here who are new to boot adjustments, many of these adjustments come "free" with the purchase of a boot (not the custom footbed, though). It also takes some time skiing in the boots to diagnose the issues, and several trips back to the original bootfitter are often necessary to get this all sorted. These visits and adjustments are often free, since after all you paid a fortune for the boot in the first place.

 

[Chef23]

I just picked up a pair of the boot gloves I am going to try them out next week and see if they help me.

 

[jo3st3]

If you've tried all of the more complex solutions, don't overlook the basics. Sometimes cold feet/toes is the result of damp boots and sweaty feet in the cold temps. Some boots don't breath very well or the liners are way too thick for the temps you're skiing in. Unless you pull the liner out of the boots and totally dry both the liners and boots out, boots can make your feet cold pretty quickly. And it's always a good idea to start the day with a warm boot.

 

[Uncle-A]

If you've tried all of the more complex solutions, don't overlook the basics. Sometimes cold feet/toes is the result of damp boots and sweaty feet in the cold temps. Some boots don't breath very well or the liners are way too thick for the temps you're skiing in. Unless you pull the liner out of the boots and totally dry both the liners and boots out, boots can make your feet cold pretty quickly. And it's always a good idea to start the day with a warm boot.

Yup, dry feet are warm feet.

 

[Pat AKA mustski]

OK y'all, read her opening post. It's not wet feet.

To quote: "With all of the boots I have had in the last 15+ years, I have had the same problem. Cold toes. I ignored it and just thought it was somewhat normal. About 3 years ago I got some Hotronics, and it kinda helped, but it also made me realize it was more than cold toes. My toes would go numb. And then get cold. So the heaters warmed them, but I couldn't put them too high, because it would feel like my toes were burning when the bloodflow/feeling came back to them."

If blood flow returning causes pain, it's a circulation problem.

 

[CalG]

OK y'all, read her opening post. It's not wet feet.
SNIP

If blood flow returning causes pain, it's a circulation problem.

Since as far back as I can recall, whenever my feet got cold for any length of time, I would "get the stingies" as they would warm back up. I was usually running around in the house in stocking feet while this restoration took place. It was the same for my siblings and our friends. Our parents didn't seem to see any problems with it.

Did we all have circulation problems?

 

[Pat AKA mustski]

Did we all have circulation problems?

Did you get it every time you skied - no matter which boots - for the last 15 years?

 

[CalG]

Did you get it every time you skied - no matter which boots - for the last 15 years?

No ski boots involved in those early childhood adventures. Street shoes and four buckle rubber over shoes, or ice skates.

Ice skates for SURE when night skating ..... The stingies! I can feel them now..... ;-)

 

[Pat AKA mustski]

No ski boots involved in those early childhood adventures. Street shoes and four buckle rubber over shoes, or ice skates.

Ice skates for SURE when night skating ..... The stingies! I can feel them now..... ;-)

My point is that she has an issue specific to skiing and ski boots. As far as she knows, it's only when skiing she experiences this. I'm responding strongly because I have talked to the OP in person about this and have suffered the same thing my whole life in my left foot only and only when skiing. I grew up in Montreal. Plenty of ice skating, hockey, and cold weather with no issues outside of ski boots. Again to quote the OP: "My toes would go numb. And then get cold"

 

[Magi]

My regular socks are these: https://www.smartwool.com/shop/wome...ki-ultra-light-socks-sw001455?variationId=001 - which is the thinnest of the Smartwool women's ski socks.

The Lenz sock is a little thicker, and Sat was the first time I wore it.

Have you tried skiing in panty hose? I've seen bogg standard calf height leggs work wonders for people.

 

[laine]

If you've tried all of the more complex solutions, don't overlook the basics. Sometimes cold feet/toes is the result of damp boots and sweaty feet in the cold temps. Some boots don't breath very well or the liners are way too thick for the temps you're skiing in. Unless you pull the liner out of the boots and totally dry both the liners and boots out, boots can make your feet cold pretty quickly. And it's always a good idea to start the day with a warm boot.

Yep, we have a DryGuy DX boot dryer that we put the boots on as soon as we get home from the mountain. And I have a heated Kulkea bag. And it's just my toes, not the rest of my foot. If I touch the arch of my foot, it's normal temperature, if I touch my toes, they are quite cold to the touch. I think some kind of blood vessel or nerve on the top of my foot is likely getting compressed. I haven't had time to go back to my bootfitter to see what they recommend, but will in the next several weeks.

 

[KingGrump]

@laine do you use the foot rest on the lifts?

 

[Pequenita]

@laine do you use the foot rest on the lifts?

No footrests in Tahoe . She needs Mamie’s gadget!

 

[In2h2o]

@laine curious if when you used the touring boots a few weeks ago if they were any different? Did they cause similar issues ?

 

[Pat AKA mustski]

@KingGrump can you post a pic of Mamie’s gadget? I’m interested also.

 

[KingGrump]

@KingGrump can you post a pic of Mamie’s gadget? I’m interested also.

Why is it Mamie's gadget when I am the one who made them up?

 

[Pequenita]

Why is it Mamie's gadget when I am the one who made them up?

@Pat AKA mustski , in simplest terms, it is a fanny pack with an adjustable strap, connected to a dowel, aka, a portable footrest