# Serious foot pain, boots or bindings?



## Powdasnarf (Jan 15, 2013)

Hey everyone,

I have this excruciating pain in my feet when I shred. This is mostly in my downward foot. They don't hurt whatsoever when I'm just lounging around, but they start to hurt when I go down the mountain and continue while on the chairlift for some time.

I've done a lot of reading and there seems to be no easy way to decide if my boots or bindings are the likely culprit. Quick summary:

Boots: Size 10 Vans Encore, single boa lacing system. I wear a size 10 US shoe. After doing some reading I'm thinking that I might need to downsize to a 9 (I measure a 9.5 on the metal thing). They feel plenty tight around my ankles and upper foot, but I can wiggle my toes and they don't seem to touch the front of the boot.

Bindings: Ride EX. Kind of lower quality, so I'm wondering if they're the issue. Since things hurt on the chairlift perhaps these are just not tightening comfortably.

Any advice is greatly appreciated. Thanks a lot.


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## NWBoarder (Jan 10, 2010)

How often do you ride? If you only ride occasionally, then your feet may hurt just from getting used to riding. I know that the first few times I get out to ride, my feet are sore by the end of the day, but after a few days, they are used to it and don't hurt by the end of the day anymore.


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## wrathfuldeity (Oct 5, 2007)

Through out the foot bed and get some proper foot beds...but have the foot bed fitted.


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## Powdasnarf (Jan 15, 2013)

I ride about 8 or so days per year (I must travel for the gnar). My friends who ride about the same time don't experience this at all though.


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## wrathfuldeity (Oct 5, 2007)

everybody's foot is different


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## NWBoarder (Jan 10, 2010)

wrathfuldeity said:


> everybody's foot is different


This. Not only that, but I'm guessing you all ride different equipment as well, which can play into it. At only 8 days a year though, it sounds more like foot fatigue than equipment issues to me.


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## Basti (Sep 22, 2011)

You should definitely get some custom footbeds like Remind or (my preference) Footprint Game Changers. Footbeds can make all the difference. If that doesn't work try different boots.


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## chomps1211 (Mar 30, 2011)

Wear the boots around the house for a couple hours. Tighten them like you would for riding. If no issues, probably the bindings. My guess is it _is_ the bindings, since you get more constant pain mostly in your lead foot which stays strapped in more/longer than the rear.

Also, second the footbed advice!! Custom molded "Orthotic" footbeds made a HUGE diff. for me. (...$120 and worth EVERY PENNY!!) I also changed the ankle strap mounting position on my 2010/11 Cartel's from the highest point to middle attachment points. Those two things pretty much fixed 85-90% of _all_ the foot PAIN problems I was having. 
(...reasonably sure the remaining 10-15% is just my fucked up & abused dogs! :dunno: )

You are going to have to take some time to try different things to get this figured out because the fact is,.. Everybody's feet _ARE_ different! What works for one, won't necessarily work for the other! No way around that!


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## Soul06 (Dec 18, 2010)

I have similar problems. I think NWBoarder hit the nail on the head. I use to get the WORST foot cramps. Particularly in my forward foot. I changed my insoles to Superfeet which helped a little but not fully. I notice that it hurts when I first start riding for the day but as my feet get to relax a bit they adjust. 
Like he said I believe it comes to a lack of frequent riding.


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## Snow Hound (Jul 21, 2012)

I had this exact same problem. I only get a week 2 or 3 times a season. I figured that my feet just didn't like snowboarding. Running my boots loose helped but also felt sketchy. Then I swapped my Motos for Salomon Synapses. I've just got back from my second week with them and rode first to last lift with no pain whatsoever.


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## --bigtime-- (Sep 10, 2010)

Hey, so for someone who has had flat feet his whole life and had custom orthotics for his shoes since he was a kid. What is my best choice for something in my SB boot to help out since there is no way my normal shoe orthotics would work??? I already have superfeet in my 32 Lashed but I feel like I could be better off with some more arch support.
Thanks (and not trying to thread jack OP)


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## DurpaSnarfer (Jan 23, 2013)

Powdasnarf said:


> Hey everyone,
> 
> I have this excruciating pain in my feet when I shred.
> Any advice is greatly appreciated. Thanks a lot.


Powdasnarf, (nice username, btw. snaaaarf)

Sorry to hear about your foot pain. I've seen this a lot in riding buddies over the years and had some personal issues in the past as well.

I don't mean to be a dick, but how good a snowboarder would you say you are? It seems like a lot of newbs have foot pain issues that only resolve themselves once they gain some skills/confidence and relax into a groove (instead of applying higher, nervous foot pressure to the board at all times).

Another somewhat personal question is, are you drinking/partying while riding? I had a lot more pain in my feet when I was getting sloshed on the hill. Seems counter-intuitive, I know, but it is what it is. If you are always consuming alcohol while riding, and partying in other ways, you might have an alcohol/substance abuse issue.

Good luck resolving the issue.


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