Advice on Ice/Mountaineering Boot Lacing - Prevent Heel Lift
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I am currently wearing the La Sportiva Trango Extremes, but I have repeated problems with heel lift in several mountaineering boots. I am using a custom insole. |
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No matter how tight I lace down my boots, after I walk around in them for 5 minutes I've got loose heel already. Think it's unavoidable with a rigid sole boot in a rigid crampon. I'm baffled as to how to do any better without cutting off circulation if overtightened. |
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You may already do this. But, if not, it will help a little bit... |
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I only climb in rigid soled boots. I also have extremely narrow heels. |
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I have very narrow heels and I just wear a sock with extra heel padding. Works great.....for me :-) |
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try lacing around the whole ankle with a "starting knot" at the back, I do this on the first set of eyelets above my ankle. If you're okay with a semi rigid boot, Salewa's new ones fit a narrow/low volume foot quite well. |
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Thank you everyone for the responses. If you can share pictures or videos that would be fantastic. |
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The Trango last is a bit sloppy in the heels for me. |
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Mia Tucholke wrote:I have very narrow heels and I just wear a sock with extra heel padding. Works great.....for me :-)on this topic what socks do people wear with your ice boots? I think most of my socks are medium hikers from smartwool thanks |
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coop wrote: on this topic what socks do people wear with your ice boots? I think most of my socks are medium hikers from smartwool thanksI wear expedition weight smartwool. |
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This may not be the answer you're looking for, but... try a different pair of boots. I went through three pairs of boots (nepal extreme, super alpinista, and a pair of Kaylands) before finding a brand/model that fit perfectly (Scarpa Summit GTX). As much as I tried, I was never able to make my previous boots fit correctly with any combination of insoles, lacing, etc. |
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I'm going to try the modified lacing techniques and thicker socks. MarcDurant wrote:This may not be the answer you're looking for, but... try a different pair of boots. I went through three pairs of boots (nepal extreme, super alpinista, and a pair of Kaylands) before finding a brand/model that fit perfectly (Scarpa Summit GTX). As much as I tried, I was never able to make my previous boots fit correctly with any combination of insoles, lacing, etc. |
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Coop eat a cheeseburger and fatten up those heels!! |
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coop wrote: on this topic what socks do people wear with your ice boots? I think most of my socks are medium hikers from smartwool thanksSmartWool Over calf Ski socks. To get the perfect fit on my fucked up feet "one whole size different each foot" is size up to a bigger boot one half to a full size from largest foot. I wear the Batura and i then use the old tongue insert from my Nepals combined with Green Superfeet. The lace lock on the Batura and Nepal seems to keep things in place just fine for me and have giant skinny ass long feet rocking a size 46... |
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Smart wool with the extra heal padding |
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Could you post some pictures? Dane wrote:I only climb in rigid soled boots. I also have extremely narrow heels. One of the boots I use, liek you, is the Trango Extreme. FWIW I don't tolerate heel lift in any of my boots. For the Trango I generally lace the lower so it is not very tight and snap into the lock lace. The I do a dbl or single cross over knot (half a square knot) above the lock lace and depending on the terrain (steeper it is and the more support I want) I may do that again after every lace hook. (likely just as Crag is suggesting) No reason for your heels to be lifting in any rigid boot if they actually fit. Let me know if that helps or if you need more info or pictures. |
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The P-Guide is more flexible under foot. Should walk better and have less heal lift even though they are wider in the forefoot. I found the P-Guide to fit a half size larger so I got a lower volume boot that fits my narrow heel better. |
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In my trangos, I wear a pair of regular socks (thin), and then wear a thicker sock with the toes cut off to prevent heel lift. That way I have my toe wiggle room but a complete heel lock. It works great. |
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A heel lift (wedge) cures issues such as these in ski boots. Maybe experiment with adding a shim under the footbed while cragging at home crags. |
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Custom orthodic footbeds..... |
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Dude, just loop and swoop... duh |