Back into skiing again?
 

It's been at least 8 years since I gave it up because of my feet. Bunions on both, but the right foot is worse. The tight ski boots irritate it and lead to a few days of soreness afterwards.

Instead of selling or shelving the ski's and boots, I decided to give it a try once more with modified boot liners. The one inch hole fits the location of the bunion perfectly. I'll tape over and around the hole before using them.

My Salomon skis have only one season of use.
I'll see how it works...it might be time to sell the works.:)

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1708879827.jpg

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Ouch! Looks painful…with any foot wear. Can’t you get it cut off?

It's not a simple fix...they would have to cut a section of the bone out to make it straight.
If I wear wide shoes, it's no problem.
At my age, 70, I don't want the surgery when I can live comfortably without it.

Hey Steve, I'd take your boots to a decent ski shop/bootfitter. As I recall from a previous thread you have one near you in Grand Rapids? This time of year they'll still have most of their seasonal staff on hand but they'll be less busy.

Ask them to punch the shell to accommodate your bunion. Shouldn't take longer than overnight; might cost you $25-$40 (or a half-rack -- 12-pack for the rest of you -- decent beer) and will be well worth it.

^^^ Yeah...it used to be Bill & Paul's but when I bought my last pair of skis they had sold out and it was renamed? They are still there.

I never heard that they could do that...I might check that out. I'll see how my fix works first. It took me a while to be sure that I had the right spot for the liner hole....There's prob an easier way.

I had the boots and skis stored in a room that is unheated. An hour later at 71 degrees, I still can't get the two top buckles within the first notch...lol
I'm the same weight as the last time I used them...that hard plastic is terrible when cold.

I'll give them another hour before I try again.:)

The boots finally warmed up enough to become a little more flexible....got them both buckled. :)

I have “normal “ feet and ski boots have never not caused me agony. Went skiing three days ago with some friends to an unchallenging area. I only buckled the bottom two buckles. It worked.

And yes, these are brand new boots with a custom fit guarantee. They still are torture devices.

^^^ Torture devices is a good description....lol

It's a fun sport, I've always enjoyed it. Not many good runs here in Michigan..but CO is an easy place to have some fun. I think I've skied almost all of the major resorts there over the years.
Keystone is prob my favorite.

This is common with our other ski club parents. It’s cheap to get your boots punched out. Basically, they heat up that section of your boot with a heat gun and push it out with a rod so it fits your foot.

^^^ If this boot liner hole doesn't help enough...I'll def check it out. I'm sure there are lots of others that have the same problem. Bunions are nothing bad, until they are awakened by pressure...then they are a problem.

They are also hereditary...my mother, brother, and two sisters have them also.

store boots buckled up. Otherwise the plastic wants to return to its original flat shape.

If the liner mod isn’t enough, +1 on having your boots punched out. Takes ten minutes at a good shop.

Looks like this would be just the ticket

https://www.modernfootankle.com/resources/foot-care/guides/lapiplasty-bunion-surgery-pros-and-cons

Thanks...that makes sense on storing them. I'll remember that.

I've been to two diff foot specialists over the years, but this new procedure looks much different than what they wanted to do.

With the old, both told me I wouldn't be back to normal shoes for six months.

They were probably talking about a proximal 1st metatarsal osteotomy

They might have told me the name...I forget it.
The main reason I'm willing to live with it is...it really doesn't bother me until I wear the wrong shoes or bump it while walking. (which is rare being on the inside of the foot)

About 5 years ago, I was hit by a car while biking, which led to intermedullary nailing, with a rod from hip to knee. 2 years ago, one of the effects of the accident was the discovery of two fractured vertebrae in my mid back.

The first surgery with the rod was a breeze....I was back to biking within a month. The back surgery is still lingering...but I can live with it. It's def better than pre-surgery.

So...I'm tired of surgery. At 70, I'm not in a hurry to fix something that I've had since my 20's.:)

A pic of the skis that go with the boots...

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1708984358.jpg

Kudos Steve, my days of skiing are over. I'm only 61 but reference the Top Gun quote my body cannot cash the checks anymore. I can still do many things but falling on skis and breaking my shoulders is not a risk reward combo for me. I still jog around and ride motorcycles all the time. Jealous you can still manage the downhills, but the second issue for me are the costs. Holy C that sport is insanely expensive now.

Edit, if the downhill ski industry is anything like mountain biking industry then your older skies and boots are not your friend. Last time I skied (8 years ago) I demo'd some latest model equipment. I was an average blue slope guy but that equipment made me better than I actually am. Just like my SDGT KTM and all the electronics they pack in.

Ski safe Steve!!

^^^ Thanks
I've changed from taking on any slope to enjoying nice cruising slopes over the years.

I was looking at the rates for Keystone today and found that I can get a senior single day discount rate of $208....lol

That's just plain stupid.....How did it ever get that high?

A full day-pass at Crystal Mountain near Traverse City is only $59
A lot less elevation, but might be best for now. :)

There is an interesting ski boot, called the Apex Ski Boot, which is like a snowboard boot that buckles into a plastic exoskeleton which provides the stiffness and interfaces with the bindings. I wonder if that might work better for tricky feet than the traditional all plastic ski boot.

I've crashed twice this season on my right shoulder, not separated but definitely tweaked. The biggest issue I find with returning to skiing at 60 y/o is 1) eyesight on very flat days, and 2) foot quickness or rather lack thereof.

Interesting...and also pricey!

https://www.apexskiboots.com/?keyword_session_id=vt~adwords|kt~apex%20ski%20boo ts|mt~e|ta~676052268888&_vsrefdom=wordstream&gad_s ource=1&gclid=CjwKCAiA0PuuBhBsEiwAS7fsNZvY0N7u5wVx as57giQ5V_vOSFpxbs5CRXHc2rZ2wlBnsmr-I87cCxoCA80QAvD_BwE

$650 to $900/pair.

Ski gear is definitely pricey. But less than lift tix/passes. Not a cheap sport.

Other inner + exoskeleton boot designs: Dahu, etc.

Note: I've zero experience with this sort of boot and don't expect to get any - my Technicas are new, I've spent money fitting them, and even though I whimper in pain getting them on and pull an armpit muscle getting them off, they feel good once I'm buckled up. Need to figure out lean adjustment (spoiler etc) but that's mostly trying to get the boot to do my job.

The last time I skied Keystone, CO the rate was $115 for an adult full day.
Now, 8 years later, I'm eligible for a senior rate of $208/day.

If my current stuff won't work...I'm selling it on CL
I even saved the plug that I drilled out from the boot liner. :D

I went skiing last week and have lift tickets gotten pricy. $153 single day pass at China Peak (Central CA) and I will be heading to Kirkwood in a couple of weeks - $159/day (Tahoe area). My friends who live in Park City say that tickets are about $250/day.

I remember the good old days when tickets were $10

A number of years ago I bought myself and my wife a pair of heated boot bags. Hands down the best ski equipment purchase I've made in the last 20 years. Nothing like cozy warm easy-open boots to start the day. Bonus points for happy wife. Helps our boots and gloves dry out overnight, too. $150-$280 ish.

You also might consider an electric heating pad laid over the tops of your boots for the same purpose. Some of the USB versions look intriguing, especially for use in the car on the way up/down the hill. But be very careful -- most heated boot bags go up to ~105F max -- don't buy (or at least don't set) an electric pad higher than that temp; use at your own risk.

I didn't know they made such a thing...checked on Amazon for heated boot bags. This one will heat up to 140 degrees.....Wow!
I could go for that.

https://www.amazon.com/KULKEA-Thermal-Trekker-Heated-Boot/dp/B07P7D6C3F/ref=sr_1_5?crid=37E8V5DQYSL8Y&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.gth c9vyIoeX3BYoAbzorN5JUg1gWZSeXIDmk5v1ntzU0LjFalYWUP TIgloKHIH2T5piEN5OKMI6xyfAvuQ2CdVTyTzdSKu-A2eb1VPRKnBfcTWWhn5mqgIMJwrol1rexqv89yy8THv5esKGrS ee9OAGflaCTSSSvMXfoiwjvBSGD1EYMhUgVRWmvxm7EzecrOM2 aSH_pK3GDquCz_V5xp3VGJTaB5QeYq1BC1ycxY6ngAoR1DzcrO S3gt6jup3m8JABJMMniBhbXn8_Exkv-sSavMdqgWZS2H6jqgWsP5KE.UduO8dt5CFeLoHUI2groGMUch3 7i8iUNobzAKnRAKBM&dib_tag=se&keywords=heated%2Bski %2Bboot%2Bbag&qid=1709169052&sprefix=heated%2Bski% 2Bboot%2B%2Caps%2C267&sr=8-5&th=1

Or 6 bucks on a weekday.

I find that boot fitting is a PITA and not a one shot thing but requires additional tweaking after a few outings. Once they are done, it is pretty clear sailing with minimal discomfort.

The sport has gotten pretty expensive over the past decade or so. However, there are ways to keep the cost in check. Season passes bought in Spring for the following season, Buying gear on flea bay after the season closes at about 50% of retail. Demo skis at the end of the season from a shop. Season end sales at retailers. Booking lodging in Summer. I have been known to sleep in the SUV wrapped in my -35 bag.

With some buds in CO all week skiing Copper and Cooper on a Monarch Mountain season pass that gets 3 free days at a number of resorts. Senior pass was about $525. I will get my money out of an Epic Local pass, about $600, on my own next week at Breck and Keystone if my 72 yo body holds up.

Great day at Copper today after a dump that happened yesterday. Blue skies and some great cruising.

Or clip lift ticket off someone leaving at noon!

Back in the day (late 80's early 90's).... I remember lift tickets at Boyne in Michigan being $36 for a holiday or Saturday. That was outrageously high for me and my college buddies..... 2 weekends ago I paid $112 for a crappy snow condition Saturday ticket at Boyne Mountain. At lunch, I paid $9.00 for a can of beer and $14.00 for a burrito (which was cheaper than the $23.00 hamburger at one of the slopes's taverns).

Some of the local condos for rent there are as high as $2000/night.

I can't imagine how younger families with a couple kids can afford to go an ski vacations anymore.

That said.... Heading back to Boyne Mountain in a couple weeks with my old college buddies for our annual 4 days of shenanigans that will involve lots of booze and 12 55-60 year olds acting like they are still in their 30's. :D
Hopefully no broken bones or bloody noses this year. (previous year trips included broken ribs, broken heels and several bloody noses and lips) Only three of us left of the 12 that still hit the big kicker jumps in the the terrain park. It gets tougher each year to be the first one to hit the big jumps.... Getting old sucks but as they say... Pain is only temporary, pride is forever. :D



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http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1709208279.jpg

That's true, there's ways to ski more affordably.

Equipment and gear can be bought on sale, demo sales, etc and can last a long time.

Season pass amortized over an active year isn't that much per day. My pass will cost $50/day if I get just 20 days in.

Having a mountain in easy driving distance (about 90 min for me) means gas but no lodging.

I pack lunch most days.

It is still not a cheap sport, but then again you're getting several hours of skiing per day paid for, so if you look at per-hour cost it starts to look better.

Re: boot fit. I know the specific case here involves a physical deformity and no boot is designed for that. But, in general, I've always found that certain brands fit certain feet. I've worn various Langes since the 70s. They fit my feet so well, I never even unbuckle them at lunch. Other boots I've tried simply do not fit. And many others I know view Langes as torture devices :D

The last few times I skied Keystone, I decided to rent the boots and skis instead of lugging my own thru the airport. At the rental hut, I asked if they could fit my feet and why I needed a custom fit. Sure..no problem.

I ended up with extra wide boots that were too loose on the rest of my feet....and made it hard to control the skis. The last time I rented was the last time I skied.

As said, I think a good bootfitter could easily address your issue. The boot needs enough material to be punched out there, yours may or may not, but the sales on new boots are coming . . .

My boots are canted, which is a necessity for me (bowlegged, duck footed, lower legs curved, flat arches, not symmetrical, skinny calves). Custom footbed. Left boot punched out at fifth metatarsal. Other than being hard to get in/out of, my boots fit and feel great. I still want to try a shim behind the liner cuff, to adjust forward lean a bit.

A good friend of mine is a boot fitter and always says “marry the boot, date the ski”.

Perfect! :D