 Poster: A snowHead
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Just a very quick thank you to Tim at Kneissl UK and Colin at Solutions-4-Feet.
On a recent trip back to the UK I collected the Kneissl Black Star XC’s and Kneissl branded Tyrolia Power 12D bindings that Tim had superbly packaged up and posted out to me. They were received in perfect condition and look just superb. I love the simplicity of the almost solid black design with flashes of red. I can’t wait to try them out on the slopes at the EoSB.
As I had to pass through Bicester anyway during my trip, so I made an advance booking for ski boot fitting at Solutions-4-Feet. All I can say is that I am utterly amazed at how technical (in a good way) ski boot fitting can be, and thoroughly appreciate the expertise on offer there at Solutions-4-Feet.
The fitting session started off with ascertaining my foot size, width (I have incredibly narrow feet), taking account of any funny lumps and bumps, then an assessment of foot flexibility.
My philosophy to life is ‘get it right first time’, so I opted for a set of custom footbeds rather than off the shelf footbeds. My feet were placed in the mould and then the malleable mould was hand shaped to each foot. The footbeds were then heated and placed between the sole of each foot and the mould so as to assume the profile of my foot once cooled. Then they were off for hand customisation by Colin in his little workshop.
There was only one ski boot that Colin could recommend (due to the narrowness of my feet). The vain side of me was pacified when a gorgeous pair of red/black ski boots appeared out of the box (matching the Kneissl Black Star XC skis I have just purchased). Colin thinks I am the first customer in the UK to purchase the 2015 Atomic Redster WC boots. Although it is a ‘race’ boot it was selected as it suits my narrow feet, and only has a flex rating of 110 to suit my competency and weight.
My bare feet were placed in the boot shells to ensure the clearances between foot and shell were correct. I then tried the boot on using the liner and my custom footbed. I was initially concerned because they felt so different to the hire boots I had been using over the years, the liner was a lot more cosseting to all areas of the foot than I had ever previously experienced and I could feel my toes touching the end of the boot. Colin reassured me this was perfect and all would become clear soon.
The boots and liners were then heated to 120°c and my feet were then slid in to the boot and buckles fastened appropriately. My feet had foam toe caps, large bunion type foam pads over specific lumps and bumps on my feet, covered in socks to match my usual sock thickness, all wrapped in a plastic bag to ease entry into the boot. A few minutes of standing still to allow the boot shells to take their initial shape was then followed by 10 minutes (wrapped in freezer packs to set the shells) of slightly flexing the shells. And that was it, I beamed like a Cheshire Cat, the boots felt amazing!
Towards the end of the boot fitting had to turn down Colins kind offer of a beer as I was driving.
A few sample images follow (the boot in the photo is a 130 flex, my boots are 100 flex).
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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2015 Atomic Redster WC
Last edited by Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person on Tue 25-03-14 8:53; edited 1 time in total
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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You do realise, that even though it is not the case, that people will think you are the sort of muppet who just bought that set up because it all matches!
I am another happy Colin Client....not a matching one though
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WeiB.beer, are you sure that wasn't 120F? 120C sounds as though it wouldn't do your feet much good  Even 120F is 48C which is quite warm against the skin.
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| rungsp wrote: |
| You do realise, that even though it is not the case, that people will think you are the sort of muppet who just bought that set up because it all matches! |
is there any other criteria for buying kit
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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i've heard nothing but good things about colin, but the colour scheme's all a bit gary numan for my taste.
Last edited by You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net. on Tue 25-03-14 13:13; edited 1 time in total
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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| Megamum wrote: |
| WeiB.beer, are you sure that wasn't 120F? 120C sounds as though it wouldn't do your feet much good Even 120F is 48C which is quite warm against the skin. |
Probably a bit of miscommunication here, I was definitely informed 120 something, and by virtue that the boots we're removed from the oven using oven gloves then I think it was over 120f/48c.
In retrospect I assume that the oven was set at 120c and the boots may only be in there for X minutes thus not allowing them to achieve parity with the oven temperature.
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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WeiB.beer,  I hope they cooled down a little before you rammed your feet in them. They come off of a standard liner heater nicely cosy, but that does sound hot!!
Mind you my boot fitter has told me that the boot tech they will offer next year will include boots where the whole thing inc. liners is heated and moulded to the user's foot. Perhaps that is what you have had done. I imagine they have to get that sort of boot fairly hot for that.
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| Megamum wrote: |
| WeiB.beer, Mind you my boot fitter has told me that the boot tech they will offer next year will include boots where the whole thing inc. liners is heated and moulded to the user's foot. Perhaps that is what you have had done. I imagine they have to get that sort of boot fairly hot for that. |
That's exactly how my boots were fitted, shell and liner went into the oven.
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You know it makes sense.
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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I'll add to the happy customer of Colin's list!! Awesome boot fitting, my race boots fit like a glove and 3 years on performing great still! Im certainly not matching - Orange Rossi boot with red and white head skiis ;-p
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Poster: A snowHead
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I also purchased a pair of the excellent Kneissl Black Stars from Tim and am absolutely delighted with them. Best skis I have ever owned and Tim's advice and support was first class. Do check him out as he gives discounts to Snowheads. 
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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I hope I am wrong, but this all reads as a bit of an advert to me.
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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Megamum, you wouldnt want the plastic softening at 48c, a black boot would then soften in spring sun on the terrace...
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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dode, colin doesn't need any adverts. These are all genuinely satisfied customers. Assuming that the OP can cope with a race boot and has access to someone in Dubai or Val T who can adjust if/when they are screamingly tight (or he can apply rule 5) he'll be another advocate.
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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CEM, 
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CEM, interesting - it still sounds hot, you mention gloves - yes, I would think they are necessary. I'm just envisaging an oven at 120C that I might bake in - it's only warm for baking, but oven gloves would still be needed. How soon do the customers stick their feet in them? I just envisage something at 120C as able to cause burns with prolonged contact. A kettle boils water at 100C and when that is at boiling point inside I can't lay hands on it on the outside. I know the client probably has a ski sock on does that provide sufficient barrier to be able to put the boots on straight from the oven? It just all sounds, in theory, a bit on the warm side or is it all controlled so that the liner doesn't get that hot relative to the shell - perhaps by this liner that you mention? I'm just interested in the science behind the concept - I don't suppose I'll ever need to buy a pair
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| Megamum wrote: |
| CEM, interesting |
CEM's post seems quite straight forward, only the plastic shell is heated to 120c the stock or after market liner (zipfit, etc) is then inserted. The customer is advised not to touch the shell/ buckles etc but with assistance to put foot into liner ( wearing socks +/- padding on prominent areas).
As normally the liner keeps your foot warmer than the external shell, here it's protecting the wearer from the heat of the shells.
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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Megamum, the boot goes on straight from the oven, NEVER burnt a customer yet! the plastic cools pretty quickly and if it wasn't for the metal clips i could probably get away without the gloves
been heating shells this way or using boiling water for some 15 years,, yes a kettle boils at 100 degrees C but it is the nature of the material (water) and the steam it creates which causes more damage than the actual heat (if that makes sense) plastic doesn't create steam the liners if heated get to about 60 degrees, or in the case of a thermo liner it goes in that same oven to 120 degrees, never needed gloves to handle them and they go straight against the foot (with a sock) on that process i have heard of one person getting a burn but it was caused by a fault in the liner not the process itself
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Megamum, and a good sauna is 95C but you dont get burnt....
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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| Megamum wrote: |
I agree it is the steam that causes the damage (something I know only too well looking at scar on my left hand from about 4 weeks ago  |
Ouch! Don't forget about the Latent Heat that is given out when some steam condenses onto your skin!
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Alastair Pink, Even more is given out when a superheated item from microwaved bowl of soup suddenly explodes from the depths of the bowl and showers you!!! Sorry folks, I digress 
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You know it makes sense.
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CEM, what you need are hands like my mother in law. 70 years of cooking mean she has no nerves in her hands. Never seems to need gloves - the thinnest cloth will do.
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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| WeiB.beer wrote: |
My philosophy to life is ‘get it right first time’,
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Mine is "just because you wear band-aids on your nipples, doesn't mean you've finished a marathon" but I like your's too.
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FAQ
Only the shell gets to 120C the liners are heated to a lower temp. Yes, I can see - that makes more sense, I had assumed that the whole lot went through the 120C process ergo, the liner ended up as hot as the boot shell - clearly this is not the case. Thanks for the explanation 