My Boot Liners seem to be decomposing... how to fix?

[randaroo]

I recently jumped into my, good to me, ski boots to find the liners lining materials to be either decomposing or the cats took to visiting them when no-one was around, ya know what I mean.
The surface fabric is clingy-sticky and the foam behind it seems to be a bit sticky/tacky too.
I've poured a load of baby powder into them and that's the only way i can wriggle/cram my feet into these dang boots. They ski just fine until I reverse procedure and have to ripp my feet back out, which is no fun either.
History: I've gone from a life of beg, borrow or steal Lange XLR's which I've totally cooked them all to death along with many broken and bent skis. Did I mention I'm old and have skied my whole life... so far, anyways... so, I had to switch to some easy comfy boots as my feet were suffering some lack of feeling and some not too comfortable issues that my best guess was attributed to my years and years, decades of "Lange foot".
Now I'm in a comfy Salomon (rental?) boot also fairly old, 7 years. Salomon X Wave 8.0 with a Sensifit liner(What ever the hell that is) and the materials seem to be getting older faster than me, how can that be...
Any advice/help, more baby powder(Its on the list), that an old fart on a pension should/could do about it?
Lemmeknow... Thanks Roo

 

[Sibhusky]

Sounds like it's time to replace the liners with after market liners like Intuition. Where are you keeping them? I've got way more mileage on my boots and they are fine. Mine are just stored in my clothes closet, not anywhere hot or damp.

 

[onenerdykid]

Now I'm in a comfy Salomon (rental?) boot also fairly old, 7 years. Salomon X Wave 8.0 with a Sensifit liner(What ever the hell that is) and the materials seem to be getting older faster than me, how can that be...

I think that boot is much older than you think. IIRC the last time that boot was made was around 2005. You’re due for a new boot.

 

[Philpug]

You’re due for a new boot.

This. We can talk about ABS, Active suspensions, traction control, but tires are the most important safety feature on your car, they are what holds you to the road. With that said, would you drive around on 20 year old tires? No, and since your boots are the most important peice of year, you shouldn't be skiing around in 20 year old boots. Time to replace shell and liner with an all new boot.

 

[Tom K.]

Another vote for new shoes.

If impractical for whatever reason, Intuitions, if you can find a good bootfitter that will put them into that old of a boot.

 

[François Pugh]

Hi, I can relate.
Putting boots on: get a heated boot bag.
Taking boots off: Heat the outsides with a hair dryer first.

Sticky tacky liner - don't know; my Solomon X-Max 10s with the sensi-heat whatever liner did not have that problem. They never fit the front of my feet despite many returns to the shop, but did eventually pack out in the heel. Maybe air them out really well, then don't put stuff in them and lock them away from the cat.

I agree, you could benefit from new boots - or at least new liners.

PS Get tested for diabetes; I did and turns out that's why my feet were numb on the bottom.

 

[webskis]

I recently jumped into my, good to me, ski boots to find the liners lining materials to be either decomposing or the cats took to visiting them when no-one was around, ya know what I mean.
The surface fabric is clingy-sticky and the foam behind it seems to be a bit sticky/tacky too.
I've poured a load of baby powder into them and that's the only way i can wriggle/cram my feet into these dang boots. They ski just fine until I reverse procedure and have to ripp my feet back out, which is no fun either.
History: I've gone from a life of beg, borrow or steal Lange XLR's which I've totally cooked them all to death along with many broken and bent skis. Did I mention I'm old and have skied my whole life... so far, anyways... so, I had to switch to some easy comfy boots as my feet were suffering some lack of feeling and some not too comfortable issues that my best guess was attributed to my years and years, decades of "Lange foot".
Now I'm in a comfy Salomon (rental?) boot also fairly old, 7 years. Salomon X Wave 8.0 with a Sensifit liner(What ever the hell that is) and the materials seem to be getting older faster than me, how can that be...
Any advice/help, more baby powder(Its on the list), that an old fart on a pension should/could do about it?
Lemmeknow... Thanks Roo

 

[webskis]

Hi, another option is ZipFit after market liners especially if you have low volume feet. Definitely, get the thinnest model like the World Cup or I believe there is a model that is even lower volume as they do take up quite a bit of volume.
Frankly, given the estimated age of your boots it maybe time to get new ski boots. Nothing affects your performance & comfort as much as ski boots especially with a good boot fitter.

 

[UGASkiDawg]

Get rid of said cat then new boots

 

[raytseng]

Hi, another option is ZipFit after market liners especially if you have low volume feet. Definitely, get the thinnest model like the World Cup or I believe there is a model that is even lower volume as they do take up quite a bit of volume.
Frankly, given the estimated age of your boots it maybe time to get new ski boots. Nothing affects your performance & comfort as much as ski boots especially with a good boot fitter.

Agree, but the issue with new high end liners like zipfits is they are often close to the price of new (sale) boots. Especially if the OP is on a strict budget and is down to skiing in old rental boots.

Ultimately it's up to the OP and their budget; how much money they want to spend for how big of a jump in improvement they want to take vs. how many days they see themselves skiing in this expenditure.

Unless there is something in the skiswap or generosity of the community:
I think there are general tiers with increasing $$$ for each option below. It also depends really how good a shape your shell is if you want to keep throwing new good money after bad.

1) Get a new or lightly used stock liner (e.g. someone's pulled liner on ebay)
2) Get used replacement used boots for liner+spare parts (ebay)
3) Get new midtier aftermarket liner (intuition)
4) Get an on- sale new boot+liner (old stock or sale) unfitted.
5) Get new high end liner (zipfit)
6) Get current model new boot and setup (fitted at a boot fitter)
7) Get higherend new boot PLUS high end liner

 

[David]

What size boots? I bought a pair of Intuition liners a few years back for my old boots and only skied them 3 times before I bought new boots. I keep meaning to put them in eBay but I just haven't gotten around to it. They are 27.5 and the ones that self mold from your foots warmth so you do not need to heat them unless you want to. PM me if interested.

 

[Ken_R]

I recently jumped into my, good to me, ski boots to find the liners lining materials to be either decomposing or the cats took to visiting them when no-one was around, ya know what I mean.
The surface fabric is clingy-sticky and the foam behind it seems to be a bit sticky/tacky too.
I've poured a load of baby powder into them and that's the only way i can wriggle/cram my feet into these dang boots. They ski just fine until I reverse procedure and have to ripp my feet back out, which is no fun either.
History: I've gone from a life of beg, borrow or steal Lange XLR's which I've totally cooked them all to death along with many broken and bent skis. Did I mention I'm old and have skied my whole life... so far, anyways... so, I had to switch to some easy comfy boots as my feet were suffering some lack of feeling and some not too comfortable issues that my best guess was attributed to my years and years, decades of "Lange foot".
Now I'm in a comfy Salomon (rental?) boot also fairly old, 7 years. Salomon X Wave 8.0 with a Sensifit liner(What ever the hell that is) and the materials seem to be getting older faster than me, how can that be...
Any advice/help, more baby powder(Its on the list), that an old fart on a pension should/could do about it?
Lemmeknow... Thanks Roo

You need new boots. At the very least new liners. What size boots you wear?

 

[randaroo]

Thanks all, sounds like a lot of sales shills hang'n here. Ha-joke.
I was looking more for a tried and true cleaning method and an idea of what the inside fabric and the underlying spongy liner material is and/or made of, then i can figure the best method to try souper cleaning them. Maybe I'll use a chimney brush on the Makita hammer drill and wizz up a potion, with some elbow grease I expect them to be either torn to bits or really really clean.
Thanks Y'all

 

[François Pugh]

Maybe an ozone treatment. Don't know how that would affect the plastic though.

 

[David]

Thanks all, sounds like a lot of sales shills hang'n here. Ha-joke.
I was looking more for a tried and true cleaning method and an idea of what the inside fabric and the underlying spongy liner material is and/or made of, then i can figure the best method to try souper cleaning them. Maybe I'll use a chimney brush on the Makita hammer drill and wizz up a potion, with some elbow grease I expect them to be either torn to bits or really really clean.
Thanks Y'all

Liners are done. Even if you get them on they'll only get worse throughout the day and you probably won't be able to get then on for a second day.

 

[cantunamunch]

Maybe an ozone treatment. Don't know how that would affect the plastic though.

OP will want the 6L size.

 

[David]

Maybe an ozone treatment. Don't know how that would affect the plastic though.

We use ozone machines here a lot but they wouldn't do anything to the shell or the liner. Maybe there are different types?

 

[James]

What size boots?
If they’re 27, I have a liner you could have.
It’s thin though.

 

[Henry]

If new boots aren't in the budget, and the shells are still OK, call Intuition. Their world headquarters is near you in Vancouver. They'll ask questions and suggest a suitable model of their liner...they have a dozen or so alpine ski liners, and the wrong one is really wrong for an individual. They may even have a return in the size and model you need and at a great price.
https://intuitionliners.com/contact-us/

They say that if one needs advice and boot fitting, call their recommended boot fitter in Vancouver, https://www.thebootmechanic.com/

 

[randaroo]

Thanks.... I think.
So... I whipped up a potion of laundry-dish soaps and took the toilet brush attached it to the Kango rotary drill, filled the boots up with said potion and shwizzled and pumped for a few minutes, rinsed the heck out of 'em and hung them in front of the wood stove.
Smoked the peace pipe and after a few hours... wayyyy cleaner and even look like theyll be good to go next 20cm(rule) day.
i know I'm answering my own question but... what are ya gonna do, here. thanks anyways.
chowfernow