Are my snowboard boots the wrong size/brand for me???? Foot cramps.......?

Question

Ok so I have been boarding in my boots about 4 times now. I discovered that I wasn't lacing them tight enough ( I have the burton emerald with the lower and upper zone speed lacing ) my heel was slipping up and I found it harder to learn how to switch from my heels to toes with my heels slipping out. I usually wear a size 9, but the 9s were so tight I got a ten. My toes slighty touch, but I thought maybe they are too big or I should try another brand. My boyfriend said they are fine I just need to lace tighter. Well this past weekend I laced them very tight, and they felt good, except halfway down the slope my feet were cramping so bad it was hard to board. So I loosened them a little and bam, my heel was slipping up again. I was starting to think maybe its not just figuring out a happy medium tightness when lacing, but maybe I need to try a new brand. My boyfriend said there is nothing wrong with them, that I just need to figure out what feels too tight. Any brand suggestions??

Answer 1

i have speed zone lacing on my burton boots too. my feet get a little bit cramped up sometimes too. it's usually because i dont unstrap my bindings enough/ have bindings too tight or i havent moved my feet enough. i think the brand is fine. i like burton. if i dont tighten my boots enough my heels come up so i think your boyfriend is right because mine are just fine.

Answer 2

couple things you could try, did your boots come with the little yellow triangle shims? If so, remove your liner, and on the inside of the boot shell you will see 2 Velcro areas, stick em there. Then slide the liner back in. The shims will help eliminate heel lift and make for a really good fit. Another possible cause could be your forward lean, if you have too much it will force your foot to arc too much causing cramping and possible arc bruising and not to mention in-grown toenails. But sadly the main cause could be that the boots are too big, Tight boots are not bad especially since boots do tend to pack out over time, its like a pair of running shoes you need to break them in. Once your boots pack out too much then you will might get the same pain due to them being too loose. Your boots should be pretty snug, the tighter you lace them the better they will react to subtle movements.

On the bindings side of things, make sure your straps are properly positioned, a common mistake is that most people just take their bindings out of the box and slap them onto the board. Make sure you center both ankle and toe strap over your boot. If you feel pinching or see that the strap seems to be pulled too much in one direction then they need to be centered.

Answer 3

i have the speed lacing ones too, and sometimes i find that my heels slip up, but not as severe as you're describing. perhaps you should get regular lace boots. if you really want to try another brand though, don't get roxy. they're so uncomfortable and made for really skinny feet.