When you purchase a pair of ski boots – whether you do so as a relative veteran or someone who is quite new to skiing – you can expect it to come with a flat insole.
This stock insole will certainly not represent the optimal fit for your feet, for the simple reason that it is a “one-size-fits-all” (or perhaps we should say, “one-size-does-not-fit-all”) solution. Every person’s foot shape is different to the next person’s, which makes it difficult to build adequate support into a standard flat insole.
So, to answer the question at the top of this article, of whether ski boot custom footbeds are worth bothering with… not only are they worth the bother, but they can be considered essential.
That is why the provision of a well-made custom footbed is such a major part of our own ski boot fitting services here at Ski Exchange. When you want to be sure of the best possible comfort and performance when you are next out on the slopes, there really isn’t any alternative.
Below, though, we have set out some of the specific factors that make the creation of genuinely comfortable and supportive ski boot custom footbeds so important.
They stabilise and support the foot
If you simply try to “get by” with the stock insole in the ski boots you have purchased, you could be risking excessive supination or pronation while you ski – and as a consequence of this, the development of pressure points and problems. You won’t want a situation where your foot is left unsupported, and therefore constantly collapsing and pressing against the boot’s internal walls.
Custom footbeds are integral to preventing these problems, which they achieve by stabilising and supporting the foot in a neutral position.
When a mould is taken of the foot in such a neutral position, this allows for the arch to be filled, and for weight to be evenly distributed across the entire foot.
They allow for pressure to be reduced on the ball and heel of the foot
Effective pressure distribution is an essential aspect of ski boot fitting, and certainly helps justify the use of ski boot custom footbeds.
During normal operation, the foot carries considerable weight through the heel and under the metatarsal heads (otherwise known as the “balls of the foot”, and the location of the foot where they push off when the given person is walking or running). The use of custom footbeds allows for the alleviation of pressure in these areas of the foot during skiing.
They help improve alignment
In this article, we have already referenced the importance of the foot being kept in a neutral position. However, you might have imagined that this would only have implications for the foot itself, rather than necessarily the rest of the body.
If you were to think such a thing, you would be mistaken. When the foot is able to rest in a straight and suitable position for the ski boot, this allows for the legs and hips to also straighten. As a result, these parts of the body will be in a stronger position to resist the variety of forces that they are subjected to during skiing.
And that, in turn, will help to lessen leg and feet fatigue, and greatly improve the skier’s stance, control, and balance. The positive effects of arranging for the fitting of ski boot custom footbeds, then, really could be very far-reaching.
To reiterate our message, we can assure you that the creation of custom footbeds for your ski boots will most certainly be worth your “bother”, for more than a few reasons. To arrange for the ski boot fitting appointment that will enable you to make it a reality – and to achieve an excellent all-round fit – please don’t hesitate to book online through Ski Exchange today.
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