Foot beds

[ScotsSkier]

Hmm, maybe time I looked at some new ones....I have a couple of sets in regular use....one of which is the original blue molded conformable.....done by pat Zimmer in Val d'isere..........in 1987.....

Anyone any experience of the ones by buck at Olympic bootworks in Squaw?

 

[Rod9301]

Hmm, maybe time I looked at some new ones....I have a couple of sets in regular use....one of which is the original blue molded conformable.....done by pat Zimmer in Val d'isere..........in 1987.....

Anyone any experience of the ones by buck at Olympic bootworks in Squaw?

Really good, you can ask him to mold yours without too much eight weight bearing.

They allow ankle movement, which is good, do not get rigid ones.

 

[Jerez]

Any photos available of these type of foot beds? Maybe we can find similar ones.

Sorry, I've been sick as a dog and not really attending to this. Will take a photo as soon as I stop coughing long enough to get a clear one!

 

[Jerez]

for some reason I can't seem to be able to upload more than one photo. But here is number 1 view of bottom ot footbed. Well now there are 3!

 

[Noodler]

Any photos available of these type of foot beds? Maybe we can find similar ones.

I know I'm bringing this thread back from the dead, but I believe that this footbed is so fantastic that it deserves a campaign to get Sven to bring it back.

The footbed Jerez posted about is the ZipFit Kinesthotic. What Sven Coomer, inventor of the ZipFit liners did (among many, many other major ski industry credits), was to take his invention of the Downunders footbeds (the BEST off-the-shelf footbed available) and add the ZipFit OMFit cork compound to strategic spots of the footbed and then add a custom covering over the Downunders. Here's an article that discusses the ZipFit Kinesthotic footbed. I have attached a couple images.

I actually had a pair of these that were in a pair of boots I bought long ago. At the time I had no idea what they were or what I had in my hands. Unfortunately I accidentally damaged one of them, but I did test the remaining one and was amazed at how these work. They provide many of the benefits of a ZipFit liner in the form of a footbed.

So I emailed Sven a few years ago to ask him about the footbeds and see if there was any way to purchase a pair. Unfortunately he said that he had no plans for producing any more of these footbeds and recommended the Downunders as a substitute.

Anyone else interested in these?

 

[luliski]

Anyone any experience of the ones by buck at Olympic bootworks in Squaw?

I don't race, but I do appreciate a good fit. Buck does a really good job and he is super patient if something's not working. He's very professional, and on top of that, two of the times I've been in his shop he's given away products to people who couldn't afford them : once to a local teen-ager who had recently lost a parent and needed money to go to a freeride competition, and once to a woman who works in a restaurant at Donner Pass and has bad feet. He made her footbeds for free. He seems to have a passion for what he's doing and isn't in it just for the money.

 

[James]

I know I'm bringing this thread back from the dead, but I believe that this footbed is so fantastic that it deserves a campaign to get Sven to bring it back.

The footbed Jerez posted about is the ZipFit Kinesthotic. What Sven Coomer, inventor of the ZipFit liners did (among many, many other major ski industry credits), was to take his invention of the Downunders footbeds (the BEST off-the-shelf footbed available) and add the ZipFit OMFit cork compound to strategic spots of the footbed and then add a custom covering over the Downunders. Here's an article that discusses the ZipFit Kinesthotic footbed. I have attached a couple images.

I actually had a pair of these that were in a pair of boots I bought long ago. At the time I had no idea what they were or what I had in my hands. Unfortunately I accidentally damaged one of them, but I did test the remaining one and was amazed at how these work. They provide many of the benefits of a ZipFit liner in the form of a footbed.

So I emailed Sven a few years ago to ask him about the footbeds and see if there was any way to purchase a pair. Unfortunately he said that he had no plans for producing any more of these footbeds and recommended the Downunders as a substitute.

Anyone else interested in these?

Interesting!
Can't be much worse than the essentially throw a dart at it, pray, then pretend it's scientific, footbeds that everyone makes.

 

[DanoT]

Interesting!
Can't be much worse than the essentially throw a dart at it, pray, then pretend it's scientific, footbeds that everyone makes.

Or you could go to a podiatrist, pay 5 times more than at a ski shop, get the "scientific" footbed and then discover that other than materials used in making the footbed, they all are essentially the same because a mirror image of the bottom of your foot is essentially the same no matter who does the work.

 

[SBrown]

Interesting!
Can't be much worse than the essentially throw a dart at it, pray, then pretend it's scientific, footbeds that everyone makes.

welcome back james

 

[James]

Or you could go to a podiatrist, pay 5 times more than at a ski shop, get the "scientific" footbed and then discover that other than materials used in making the footbed, they all are essentially the same because a mirror image of the bottom of your foot is essentially the same no matter who does the work.

Dude, a pedorthist instead of a podiatrist only charges 2.8x. Rearrange the letters for savings! Though I know one who charges over $400 now.

We forgot to mention the sand they shove under your foot, then vacuum out the air to set said sand and make it hard and form your foot. Yes, instant fossil. If you've burned enough sage, washed your feet at midnight in goat's milk with a full moon, and eaten the proper type of tree bark- which depends on the fitter, the state, the time of year, - don't worry you'll be wrong anyway..., with all that you might get a decent footbed. See, darts aren't all that bad. Ok, use a hatchet if you must.

Or.... go the high tech Surefoot route which is essentially Hollywood high tech. All those little pins that come up to "map" the bottom of your foot go to like one out of 12 templates. So throwing a dart isn't that far off. Then it goes to the cnc machine, which is high tech, to make the product. So it's like cro-magnon man with a computer. He's only got a few keys he can press and he can't read anyway so...
Darts! or...Clubs!

 

[markojp]

...his invention of the Downunders footbeds (the BEST off-the-shelf footbed available) and add the ZipFit OMFit cork compound to strategic spots

No judgement on the quality and efiicacy of how they work for you, but 'the best off the shelf'... I guess I have a problem with that. Maybe it's semantics, but the 'best' is a line of footbeds* (for non-custom work) that make it easier to find a commensurate arch shape and volume match for a given foot. TIme spent fabricating, overall cost to the consumer, and consistency of outcome is at the top of most fitters' priorities.


* any line. I know which I prefer, but it doesn't really matter. The evaluation by the fitter matters more.

 

[Noodler]

No judgement on the quality and efiicacy of how they work for you, but 'the best off the shelf'... I guess I have a problem with that. Maybe it's semantics, but the 'best' is a line of footbeds* (for non-custom work) that make it easier to find a commensurate arch shape and volume match for a given foot. TIme spent fabricating, overall cost to the consumer, and consistency of outcome is at the top of most fitters' priorities.


* any line. I know which I prefer, but it doesn't really matter. The evaluation by the fitter matters more.

Maybe I'm misunderstanding you, or maybe you're misunderstanding me. I said the "best" off-the-shelf, as in non-custom, footbed available. If you've never used a Downunders footbed then you don't have any experience to base the opinion on. I (and my kids) have used many of the available OTS type footbeds over the years. Nothing beats a Downunder without going custom.

 

[jmeb]

Nothing beats a Downunder without going custom.

Other things beat a Downunder if they are a better fit for the consumer. Downunders fit a lot of people, but some people might be better served with the arch shapes (heights / lengths) of other brands. I think that is @markojp 's point.

 

[Noodler]

Other things beat a Downunder if they are a better fit for the consumer. Downunders fit a lot of people, but some people might be better served with the arch shapes (heights / lengths) of other brands. I think that is @markojp 's point.

The Downunders are uniquely able to dynamically adjust the level of support unlike other OTS footbeds. This is the problem with most non-custom footbeds. The Downunders work well for a low arch, high arch, long arch, short arch... you get the picture. I have been amazed at how well they've worked for friends and family all with very different feet.

Once again, if you've never actually used a Downunders and you have an opportunity to do so for yourself, or as a recommendation to someone you know, it's a fantastic product for low cost if custom isn't an option.

 

[James]

What's the over-under on a Downunder?

 

[KTN]

I did not feel like starting a new thread so I just grabbed this one.

Does anyone have first hand knowledge on the DFP Podium Plus Foot Beds?

Yup...pain

 

[KTN]

This thread is probably dead but I was thinking...I could probably be convinced that "custom" footbeds are a waste of money for most normal ugly feet and probably don't improve anyones skiing if you're already comfortable with a "quality trim-to-fit" aftermarket footbed. I like A-lines.

Unless you're in pain...I don't think they make a difference...and in my own experience, the DFPs were actually painful.

 

[Uncle-A]

Yup...pain

Thanks for the feedback.

 

[Uncle-A]

FWIW A few of the posters have used the term "Off The Shelf" (OTS) and I get the idea, I was taught that in retail the term is "Over The Counter" (OTC) if that helps clarify the discussion.

 

[DanoT]

It is just the stock footbeds that come with the ski boot that are garbage and should be thrown away. Most people's feet are fine with aftermarket trim to fit. The shop where I work we offer a full custom mold-able as well as a trim to fit heat up partial mold-able footbed.