ZLÍN – Every person has a different foot shape, and if an orthopedic problem is added, their foot can literally suffer in skis. With the bootfitting technique, which is also offered by the Zlín ski specialist AVEX SKI, the suffering is over. Here, they will shape your skis exactly to your foot.
The bootfitting method is intended for anyone whose ski boots do not fit, who gets blisters and every ride on the slope is an ordeal for them. Mass-produced ski boots may not fit everyone like a glove. There are several reasons, such as wide feet, high insteps, growths on the foot, bunions and more. Fortunately, ski boots can be partially adapted to the wearer. Both the skeleton and the inner part of the boot.
The right insole is the foundation
Before AVEX SKI employees start shaping ski boots, they take a special impression of the feet to determine their dimensions and the shape of the arch. Very often it turns out that the problem is not in the feet, but in poorly purchased ski boots. "People tend to buy ski boots that are larger than they need. But that is a problem, because then the foot does not fit in the boot as it should, and as a result, it starts to push. Most often on the side or on the toes, which hit the toe in a large boot,” explained Iva Kysová from AVEX SKI.
The vast majority of people who come to have their ski boots shaped leave with only a properly selected orthopedic insole and have no problems. “We have experienced many cases where people came to us with ski boots that were up to two sizes larger than they should have. Shaping will not help in this case, because you would widen the boot even more, which would be counterproductive,” explained Kysová.
Shaping ski boots
However, if it turns out that the boot is chosen correctly, but it still presses somewhere, shaping comes next. This also has two phases. First, the boots are heated in a special oven, and the person puts their foot into the still warm boot. Before the boot cools down, they shape it themselves to fit their foot.
Sometimes, however, the orthopedic problem is larger, and this step will not bring the desired effect. Then special marking stickers are stuck on the pressed areas and the customer steps into the heated boot again. This time, however, the sticker causes the boot to stretch a little more. The most commonly used stickers are 2 to 5 mm wide. Thanks to these stickers, the boot can be enlarged by 6 or 8 mm in the affected areas.
The whole procedure takes about 45 minutes to an hour. But the time is definitely worth it, because with well-fitting boots you will enjoy skiing much better.