Author Topic: new Foot Beds / orthodic today  (Read 1587 times)

Ron

  • 6+ Year Member
  • 1000 Posts
  • ******
  • Posts: 2992
new Foot Beds / orthodic today
« on: October 11, 2007, 12:32:19 pm »
Got my new beds made today! My fitter, Billy Kaplan is awesome. As a pedorthic, he is able to create more of an orthodic foot bed than just a bed that is molded to the shape of the foot (especially if your foot is not "perfect").? As he formed the beds, he used his digital allignment tool to help form the beds to correct allignment issues. This will make the final adjustments much easier and provide a better overall fit. Having the foot sit properly in the bed is a better way to approach allignment. I was really suprised on how they felt. I really felt stacked over my ankles, a good knetic chain. He's also intalling my M4 boot heaters ( a problem with plug boots) and we will do final allignment and adjustments. Whhooooo-hooooo baby, let it snow....
« Last Edit: October 11, 2007, 01:12:19 pm by Ron »

Share on Facebook Share on Twitter


Gary

  • 6+ Year Member
  • 1000 Posts
  • ******
  • Posts: 2590
  • Location: Rochester, NY
Re: new Foot Beds / orthodic today
« Reply #1 on: October 11, 2007, 01:31:09 pm »
Makes sense the way Billy is approaching this. He seems very methodical in his process.....works good for the customer.

Heated boots.....

OK Gang.....bring your sticks, I'll bring the marshmellows. We can roast the melllows over Rons boots on the chairlift rides up the mountain!

Won't that be fun....hey...who's bringing the chocolate?


Gary

Ron

  • 6+ Year Member
  • 1000 Posts
  • ******
  • Posts: 2992
Re: new Foot Beds / orthodic today
« Reply #2 on: October 11, 2007, 01:41:33 pm »
It's basically an orthodic but just not built to correct foot issues, just adjust they way the foot sits on the bed.

Hopefully, the dogs will stay warm, I have heard from others that the M4 will keep the feet warm enough for several hours even on 10 degree days.

jim-ratliff

  • 6+ Year Member
  • 1000 Posts
  • ******
  • Posts: 2739
Re: new Foot Beds / orthodic today
« Reply #3 on: October 11, 2007, 02:03:18 pm »

Ron:

Have you also considered a pair of 'boot gloves' or whatever those things are called.  I've seen Dianne using them, and I believe that Harald does sometimes as well.  Insulation on the outside rather than the inside, so it doesn't get in the way of snow feel.

In fact, I believe that Lynn also has used them and recommends them for people with plug boots or with cold feet. (Of course, they don't come color coordinated   :D ).

Jim
"If you're gonna play the game boy, ya gotta learn to play it right."

Ron

  • 6+ Year Member
  • 1000 Posts
  • ******
  • Posts: 2992
Re: new Foot Beds / orthodic today
« Reply #4 on: October 11, 2007, 02:23:20 pm »
Yes, I have them, they help some but not much with plug boots. The new M4 heaters will not affect the fit of the boot. The heating element itself is wafer thin, the cord is about a 1/16th thick and can easily be routed in a way that is not perceptable to the wearer. They really did a nice job on it. I got it over the summer on sale.

Gary

  • 6+ Year Member
  • 1000 Posts
  • ******
  • Posts: 2590
  • Location: Rochester, NY
Re: new Foot Beds / orthodic today
« Reply #5 on: October 11, 2007, 02:37:55 pm »
Jim, I've used the Boot Gloves and they do help but found that the snow sometimes gets packed under it at the toe and seems I had colder feet then.

Having said that, I now put them out to pasture and use the paper thin toe warmers on top of my toes in my boots. The same company that makes those hand warmes makes the toe warmers too. They don't affect the foot angle in the boot as I place them on top of my toes to the top of the sock.? I was surprised how well they fit and how they help keep my feet warm. The big test was Jackson Hole last year when the temperatures started out at 23 deg. F BELOW.....those little toe heaters saved the day. I buy the Hand heaters and toe heaters by the box for Alice and I. Saweeeet...they work awesome. Don't usually need the hand warmers but when it's below 0 or cold and high winds, them little babies do the trick.

Ron's set up is slick...should keep his tootsies quite comfortable. But if you don't want to spend the bucks, try the toe warmers...they work.

Gary

midwif

  • Global Moderator
  • 1000 Posts
  • *
  • Posts: 1389
  • Location: New York City
Re: new Foot Beds / orthodic today
« Reply #6 on: October 11, 2007, 03:16:52 pm »
I am the ultimate GAPER. Not only do I have the neoprene booties, but also have the MP3 system.  I take cold toes, very, very seriously. 
One of these days will upgrade to MP4. An issue with the earlier versions was battery longevity, which is pretty short on very cold days. Have heard the MP4 has much longer life when used on the warmer settings.
"Play it Sam"

jim-ratliff

  • 6+ Year Member
  • 1000 Posts
  • ******
  • Posts: 2739
Re: new Foot Beds / orthodic today
« Reply #7 on: October 11, 2007, 03:34:46 pm »

I have to confess I have none of these.  Except one day when I didn't get the bottom buckle tight and got a lot of snow in, I've never had cold feet.  Of course, the coldest weather was one day at the Canyons when the high was 5 degrees, but that's a long way from 23 below.

Of course, I also have Smart Wool socks, which retain their insulating value even when wet.
"If you're gonna play the game boy, ya gotta learn to play it right."

midwif

  • Global Moderator
  • 1000 Posts
  • *
  • Posts: 1389
  • Location: New York City
Re: new Foot Beds / orthodic today
« Reply #8 on: October 11, 2007, 04:09:52 pm »
Jim
I am willing to bet cold, hard cash (at least a $1), that Gary, Ron and myself all have smartwool or bridgedale wool socks. You are just one genetically lucky dog to have warm toasty toes! Damn, I'm jealous. Would save me a lot of ski moola ;D
"Play it Sam"

midwif

  • Global Moderator
  • 1000 Posts
  • *
  • Posts: 1389
  • Location: New York City
Re: new Foot Beds / orthodic today
« Reply #9 on: October 11, 2007, 08:22:39 pm »
Ron
If you ever see the MP4 or even better, the MP 5 (coming next season?), please give me a heads up. I would love to get those babies on sale. Saw them ONCE in sierratradingpost.c om, but never again.
"Play it Sam"

Ron

  • 6+ Year Member
  • 1000 Posts
  • ******
  • Posts: 2992
Re: new Foot Beds / orthodic today
« Reply #10 on: October 12, 2007, 07:22:15 am »
Jim/Lynn, yup, both smartwool light socks and bridgedale utlra lights. :)  Gary too!

I am truly blessed to have a very warm internal furnace!  It's difficult for me to get cold, I wear spring gloves unless it's 10 or so. My feet are normally very warm but these Atomic RT, TI's are wafer thin and have a very thin liner. Gary literally laughed when he felt how thin they are. So, they are just cold boots BUT they fit me perfectly.

Lynn, I am trying to remember which store but I think it was skidepot and they had a 10% additional off for epic bears. I think I paid like $120 for the M4's. Yes, they are much improved over the previous generation, you don't need to drain the battery before recharging and they will last several hours. Some folks posted at Epic they used them on the 2 setting (of 4) in teens and 20's for all day comfort. Supposedly, they will run for 6 hours in near zero temps.

Gary's method works well, It did help and kept my feet pretty warm, if I had normal shell's I think that's all you would need. The only thing is those packets need 02 for them to generate heat so it helps to take them out at lunch or at breaks to get exposed to the air. I think I will still use them on real cold days to supplement the heaters to conserve on battery life.

jim-ratliff

  • 6+ Year Member
  • 1000 Posts
  • ******
  • Posts: 2739
Re: new Foot Beds / orthodic today
« Reply #11 on: October 12, 2007, 08:28:03 am »
Jim
I am willing to bet cold, hard cash (at least a $1), that Gary, Ron and myself all have smartwool or bridgedale wool socks. You are just one genetically lucky dog to have warm toasty toes! Damn, I'm jealous. Would save me a lot of ski moola ;D

OK, when someone is willing to put down THAT kind of cash, I know I'm about to lose.? Maybe the difference is just that I've got standard thick liners in my boots that provide more insulation than the high performance thin liners that y'all have.?

I'm going to be a bit humiliated to have Lynn and her custom liners skiing circles around me, but I guess at some point all parts of the male ego just need to crumble.? Hopefully she will be a lady about it and not 'in my face' too much.

On a serious note, a question probably for Lynn.? What is the path of blood flow into and out of the foot.? I know the femoral (sp?) artery feeds the leg, what goes into the foot.? I would think having a pocket warmer placed over that artery (if it's close to the surface like the wrist) would effectively warm the entire foot as the warmed blood is carried throughout the foot?

« Last Edit: October 12, 2007, 08:41:35 am by jim-ratliff »
"If you're gonna play the game boy, ya gotta learn to play it right."

Gary

  • 6+ Year Member
  • 1000 Posts
  • ******
  • Posts: 2590
  • Location: Rochester, NY
Re: new Foot Beds / orthodic today
« Reply #12 on: October 12, 2007, 08:47:30 am »
Lynn, I'm wondering if you could just by the newer batteries. Don't know if the price Ron stated was just for batteries but guessing the connections would be the same.

Yeah, when I felt the inside of Ron's boots, I could actually move the plastic of the outershell with my fingers....thin baby, thin.

The toe heaters work well but Jim you brought up an intersting point.

I know that  on real cold and windy days...if I place the Hand warmer on the bottom side of my wrist, my fingers stayed warm. I did the a couple of times and it worked well. I usually put the warmers on the back of my hand cause I don't want anything between my palm and the pole grip. But heating the wrist....where the primary blood flows through seemed to work well.

It think that in some circumstances (race boots withstanding), overly tightened boots caused by improper fit are a major cause of cold feet.

Don't know how you'd put a heater in the upper cuff area of the boot cause that's were you need complete contact around the shin is key.

Hey..nothing like trying out new ideas though.

Best,
Gary

jim-ratliff

  • 6+ Year Member
  • 1000 Posts
  • ******
  • Posts: 2739
Re: new Foot Beds / orthodic today
« Reply #13 on: October 12, 2007, 09:01:18 am »
Gary:

Great minds and all that ....  I did send a question to Hotronics asking if one can just upgrade batteries (all because Lynn implied that she wasn't 'feelin the love' over on the other post).  Depends on whether a 4-cell battery is a different voltage than the 3-cell and whether they are using a different plug or not.

I absolutely agree with the over-tightened boots comment, and I think it's especially true with the lower two buckles.  People get boots that are (or become) too wide, and then over-crank the bottom two buckles trying to compensate.
"If you're gonna play the game boy, ya gotta learn to play it right."

Ron

  • 6+ Year Member
  • 1000 Posts
  • ******
  • Posts: 2992
Re: new Foot Beds / orthodic today
« Reply #14 on: October 12, 2007, 09:23:13 am »
The toe area is going to be the best loaction feet-wise, that's the thinest point and farthest point so there is less blood flow and much great er propensity for that areas of the foot to become cold. Just less mass. All of the foot heaters are designed to be place directly under the toes.  As far as the battery goes, if you can afford it, I would just get a new system. The heating element is different now as well and i think its more effecient as well as the battery.