Greetings fellow foot lovers! As a die-hard supporter of best-practice boot fitting everywhere, I wanted to share some thoughts on the heat fit process.
What is a Heat Moldable Liner?
Heat moldable (AKA heat fit, AKA thermofit, AKA thermoform) liners are made primarily of closed cell EVA foam. Different compounds and densities do exist. The temperature range for the given liner's materials is relatively narrow and will vary by the materials that are used. The range may be 20 degrees on one liner type (say, 160 to 180) and 15 degrees on another (say, 180 to 195). The ranges for various liners may or may not overlap.
Why Temperature Precision Matters
A professional boot fitter will know the specs of the liner they are working with. They will set their equipment to be centered on that range and the equipment will be accurate enough to hit that temperature consistently across all moldable areas of the liner. There will therefore not be underheated areas that do not mold, and more importantly the liners will not get "overbaked" which can harden, knot, and ruin perfectly good liners.
Can You Heat Fit at Home?
Yes, and it is even suggested by some manufacturers. I would urge you, however, not to do this. We have seen more rice-bag, hair dryer and oven burned liners than I would care to recall. I have nightmares of screaming feet, hardened liners and angry riders that had no idea of the foot misery they were inadvertently causing.
Common Misconceptions
I should ride my boots before doing the heat fit, right?
Mmmmmmmmm. The opposite is actually true. Heat fit first. A heat fit works best on brand new liners. It should be done immediately.
Walking around in my boots helps, right?
Mmmmmmmm. It does nothing good. Our goal is to reposition liner material to the negative areas of the foot. This works best on a brand new liner.
Heat fit is optional, right?
For boots that have heat moldable liners (most) it should be considered mandatory. The boot will have a more generic fit than a cheaper non-moldable liner until it is heat fit. There is no good reason not to heat fit.
What to Request During Your Professional Heat Fit
Oooh, glad that you asked. Here's what you should insist on:
- Professionally done - Don't attempt this at home
- Wear the (thin please) snowboarding socks that you will actually ride in (no loaner socks, please)
- Fit with your inserts (footbeds) in the liner
- No toe caps
- Standing, feet at shoulder width
- Flat surface (no ramps or lifts)
- Knees bent slightly
- No motion for 3 minutes
Following these guidelines will ensure you get the best possible fit from your heat moldable liners and avoid the common pitfalls that can ruin a perfectly good pair of boots.
Ready to find the perfect boots for heat fitting? Check out our complete selection of snowboard boots - all featuring heat moldable liners for that custom fit you deserve!
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