How can you heat-mold ski boots at home?

Question

Bought myself amazing boots at ridiculously low price on off-season on-line clearance, but the downside is that now I have to fit them myself. Is it possible to heat-mold them at home? If not, how much does it normally cost in a store where I did not buy them?

Answer 1

It is possible to heat mold them at home, but much more advisable to take them to a pro boot fitter. I do hope that he shells are the correct size and shape for your foot. Once the shell is chosen, the liners can be heat molded to your foot, after a foot bed is installed. Also adjustment for ramp and cant in your stance is fine tuned. The ramp is adjusted as a part of a package with your ski and binding.  As to how much this might cost, it depends on the specialist you choose, how busy they are and how soon you need the boots.  Typical beds are $75-150 for a set. Shop time is about $50-$100/ hour.  For this you have a pair of boots that should last you 3-5 years of use unless you teach full time. For a full time instructor, this might last 2 years (200 days).  

  The pair you have purchased should fit you for width and length, then they can be modified for your foot. By using a heat gun in certain points on the plastic and then pushing the soft plastic with a boot puch, a pressure point can be relieved. Also the forward lean of the boot may be modified and the flex softened.  Good luck, let us know how it comes out.

Answer 2

It's worth it to do it at a shop. Even after I was trained how to do it by the factory rep, and I actually had all of the correct tools and the special oven, I still messed up my first couple of liners. Luckilly, all you have to do is stick them back in the oven and try again.

Would I do it my own oven at home? No, it's not worth the frustration. A shop has all of the right tools. Likewise, someone who knows what they are doing will make sure the seams are in the right position and will be able to make other adjustments for better fit. There's lots of little things the shop guys know that the untrained person does not.

For just a liner remold and basic fitting most places are gonna sock you for $35-$50. Your boots, my friend, are more important than your skis. Drop some cash and have the job done by a pro.

Answer 3

Its pretty cheap at a store. I had my snowboard boots heat molded for about 50 bucks and they are really great. You could splurge and get them foam custom-fitted. It kinda hurts but they are perfect afterward. those can cost insane ammounts of cash though.