Of race boots, size and pain

[oldschoolskier]

A few years ago I thought my liner had packed out, and by chance one of our members had liners for sale that had never been used, that would fit the boots. While the liner and shell fit was the perfect match, in reality the pain and suffering it caused was beyond what anyone should go through to the extent of complete numbness for an hour after taking off the boots.

Solution, use original liners. Irony is that during dry fit and testing as you are they seemed ok with the new liners.

Moral of the story, there is a fine line between it has a touch of space (good) to snug (and causing pain). so in your case if they hurt now likely on the slope you have even more issues.

 

[Tony S]

Local shop is going out of business and has a pair in size 275,

Not much of a reason to choose a boot. Skis, maybe. Boots, no.

ESPECIALLY if the shop is going out of business.

 

[Nobody]

A few years ago I thought my liner had packed out, and by chance one of our members had liners for sale that had never been used, that would fit the boots. While the liner and shell fit was the perfect match, in reality the pain and suffering it caused was beyond what anyone should go through to the extent of complete numbness for an hour after taking off the boots.

Solution, use original liners. Irony is that during dry fit and testing as you are they seemed ok with the new liners.

Moral of the story, there is a fine line between it has a touch of space (good) to snug (and causing pain). so in your case if they hurt now likely on the slope you have even more issues.

I apologize, being verbose I guess the main message has faded in the background noise ...after two iterations of widening the boots in the big toe and in the sixth toe area of both boots, plus grinding on the lower (rear) external portion of the calf/ankle section of the right boot, and the custome footbed insertion, the pain has gone. Fit is still on the a tad too much snug side, but I am considering that as an acceptable trade off for a precise race boot (which I wear only for GS training for a limited amount of hours , and maniacally unbuckle after each run)
What I am looking at now, are ways to "understand" these boots to obtain maximum performance from them.

Not much of a reason to choose a boot. Skis, maybe. Boots, no.

ESPECIALLY if the shop is going out of business.

Well, it depends, if the goal is to save money...or if the goal is to obtain an as precise as possible skiing (to get a 275 boot for a size 10 foot would involve a substaintial quantity of bootfitting, IMHO, with no guarantees of success. But again, I defer to the expert bootfitters in here)
One needs to walk in with eyes wide open though , and understand what the risks are , buying from a shop that will most likely be unable to assist in the future.

 

[cantunamunch]

What I am looking at now, are ways to "understand" these boots to obtain maximum performance from them.

Err...not sure what this means...

Are you looking into off-season conditioning at all? Are you looking for little balance toys or games you could play (with) while wearing the ski boots?

 

[S.H.]

(to get a 275 boot for a size 10 foot would involve a substaintial quantity of bootfitting, IMHO, with no guarantees of success. But again, I defer to the expert bootfitters in here)

I don't know about that. I have a US size 10 foot and am in a 25.5 plug ... yes, there's bootfitting involved, but not an insane amount.

 

[Castle Dave]

I don't know about that. I have a US size 10 foot and am in a 25.5 plug ... yes, there's bootfitting involved, but not an insane amount.

FWIW I agree. Unless you have the feet from Hell, I would consider size 10 foot in a 275 to be a relatively comfort fit. I'm a size 10 shoe, have lots of humps, bumps and lumps and am in a 265.

 

[François Pugh]

My hiking boots, Danner Pronghorn, are size U.S. 11. My 26.5 ( as far as I can tell; they are smaller than my 27.5 boots and pre-date stamping a size on them) are after much work now comfy all day, but they are not warm.

 

[markojp]

I apologize, being verbose I guess the main message has faded in the background noise ...after two iterations of widening the boots in the big toe and in the sixth toe area of both boots, plus grinding on the lower (rear) external portion of the calf/ankle section of the right boot, and the custome footbed insertion, the pain has gone. Fit is still on the a tad too much snug side, but I am considering that as an acceptable trade off for a precise race boot (which I wear only for GS training for a limited amount of hours , and maniacally unbuckle after each run)
What I am looking at now, are ways to "understand" these boots to obtain maximum performance from them.

Well, it depends, if the goal is to save money...or if the goal is to obtain an as precise as possible skiing (to get a 275 boot for a size 10 foot would involve a substaintial quantity of bootfitting, IMHO, with no guarantees of success. But again, I defer to the expert bootfitters in here)
One needs to walk in with eyes wide open though , and understand what the risks are , buying from a shop that will most likely be unable to assist in the future.

Sounds like you need a new fitter. A 10 street shoe in a 27.5 boot? That's more I'm the realm of 26.5 unless you're unusually high volume. And yes, substantial changes can be made to plug boots... it's only time and labor, but not rocket science.

 

[Nobody]

Err...not sure what this means...

Are you looking into off-season conditioning at all? Are you looking for little balance toys or games you could play (with) while wearing the ski boots?

No, I need more "miles" (or if you prefer, more skiing) in the boots, until I learn how to best exploit them.
For sure, in these lockdown times and with all the resorts closed, I can only dry work at home on balance and strenght, but I am not going to do a PT session in by ski boots.
As an example, I use, barefooted, a balance board made of a plywood disc and a hard plastic half a sphere screwed onto it (bought, not self made)...performing (lousily) squats on one leg and such...but this is for another thread and time...

I don't know about that. I have a US size 10 foot and am in a 25.5 plug ... yes, there's bootfitting involved, but not an insane amount.

Sounds like you need a new fitter. A 10 street shoe in a 27.5 boot? That's more I'm the realm of 26.5 unless you're unusually high volume. And yes, substantial changes can be made to plug boots... it's only time and labor, but not rocket science.

I was replying to @MingDao inquiry and, as said not being a bootfitter (but a bootfitter's client), I would rather defer to more expert people to provide him an input on that. Thank you fro providing said input.

For the record, my Salomon XA trail shoes (which I use almost everyday except for work) are US size 9.5 EU 43 1/3.
The Dalbello shells are:
-DRS 110 308mm 26-26,5 while its liners carry stamped on the side: 260 77
-WC SS 306mm 26-26,5 while its liners carry stamped on the side: 7 176 (need to double check on the shells, whereas the liner aree with me at home hte shells aren't)
The Tecnica R9.8 110 shells are size 275 27,5, while the liners stamps have been completely worn out by use (again, need to double check on this)

Hoka Size 10 and Dalbello 275 are MingDao's, not mine.

 

[Tony S]

[Resetting context in this recently bumped old thread.]

Hi. Sorry to revive this old thread, but I would like to hear your experience after using these boots for what maybe couple of seasons now?
Local shop is going out of business and has a pair in size 275, which is the max size that Dalbello is making them. I can barely squeeze myself into them, but it is very tight.
I have a very narrow and slim foot but I normally ski in 285 (currently Salomon S Max) and I wear size 11 sneakers (I like Hoka, which run small).
Since these are top of the line Dalbello WC boots, I wonder whether it is at all streachable by a full size up (+10mm)?

Subsequent posts and posters should have this as background.

 

[markojp]

No, I need more "miles" (or if you prefer, more skiing) in the boots, until I learn how to best exploit them.
For sure, in these lockdown times and with all the resorts closed, I can only dry work at home on balance and strenght, but I am not going to do a PT session in by ski boots.
As an example, I use, barefooted, a balance board made of a plywood disc and a hard plastic half a sphere screwed onto it (bought, not self made)...performing (lousily) squats on one leg and such...but this is for another thread and time...



I was replying to @MingDao inquiry and, as said not being a bootfitter (but a bootfitter's client), I would rather defer to more expert people to provide him an input on that. Thank you fro providing said input.

For the record, my Salomon XA trail shoes (which I use almost everyday except for work) are US size 9.5 EU 43 1/3.
The Dalbello shells are:
-DRS 110 308mm 26-26,5 while its liners carry stamped on the side: 260 77
-WC SS 306mm 26-26,5 while its liners carry stamped on the side: 7 176 (need to double check on the shells, whereas the liner aree with me at home hte shells aren't)
The Tecnica R9.8 110 shells are size 275 27,5, while the liners stamps have been completely worn out by use (again, need to double check on this)

Hoka Size 10 and Dalbello 275 are MingDao's, not mine.

The day you let go of the notion that street shoe size is related to boot size is the day you'll begin to find your way toward performance bootfit that doesn't cause pain or lasting damage to your feet.

 

[RSTuthill]

Race boots have a purpose...maximum efficiency. There is a cost, and that is warmth and usually comfort. Yes, work can be done to the boot to minimize discomfort and it comes down what balance the skier is willing to endure. It is like a sports car and saying "the ride is harsh...and it is noisy", well, again there is a cost for that.

The same applies to using race skis to free ski. If you want to free ski on them after 10 in the morning, perhaps the slightly dialed back cheater models would be more appropriate. Using race skis on anything less than fully prepared injected courses can get old in a hurry due to their rebound energy as they try to plow through the crud.

 

[markojp]

The same applies to using race skis to free ski. If you want to free ski on them after 10 in the morning, perhaps the slightly dialed back cheater models would be more appropriate. Using race skis on anything less than fully prepared injected courses can get old in a hurry due to their rebound energy as they try to plow through the crud.

Lot's of folks are going to disagree with you here.

 

[KingGrump]

The same applies to using race skis to free ski. If you want to free ski on them after 10 in the morning, perhaps the slightly dialed back cheater models would be more appropriate. Using race skis on anything less than fully prepared injected courses can get old in a hurry due to their rebound energy as they try to plow through the crud.

Much depends on the skier.
If your skiing style is like a regular toggle switch. Then yeah. Think dimmer instead.
Of course if you are practitioner of the ATP* style of skiing then you are definitely gonna be a world of hurt.

* ATP - American Toilet Position.

 

[oldschoolskier]

Much depends on the skier.
If your skiing style is like a regular toggle switch. Then yeah. Think dimmer instead.
Of course if you are practitioner of the ATP* style of skiing then you are definitely gonna be a world of hurt.

* ATP - American Toilet Position.

Strange never thought of describing a lot of skiers that way, but it fits well. New Pugski term. ATP.

 

[Paul Lutes]

Strange never thought of describing a lot of skiers that way, but it fits well. New Pugski term. ATP.

Needs an emoji!!

 

[RSTuthill]

Lot's of folks are going to disagree with you here.

Thats fine. I have a lot more experience than most of them.

 

[oldschoolskier]

Thats fine. I have a lot more experience than most of them.

Based on the skiers on this site maybe not enough.

 

[Castle Dave]

ATP - very funny. I had a friend who called it 'the commode position'

 

[KingGrump]

ATP - very funny. I had a friend who called it 'the commode position'

You must hang with a more cultured crowd.