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Heat Molding Liners

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  • Heat Molding Liners

    I purchased Intuition Liners at Intuition's office in Vancouver late last season and the liners were heated by Intuition with hot air while in the shell to mold them. I was not happy with the molding because it seemed like they did not mold well around my ankle bones and I had movement vertically when riding resulting in pain from rubbing. So I surfed the web and came across the following directions that I used to remold my liners last weekend. I have to wait until I ride to be sure, but the liners seem to have molded much better to my feet using the oven method described below. Unfortunately I cannot remember where I found it or who the author is.

    BTW: I used the Intuition toe cover and thin sock, as well as a 1/16" thick foam pad on my foot at a pressure point. Also, it was NOT hot and painful to put the hot liner on my feet as I had expected.

    Here's my cheat sheet for doing Thermoflex/Intuition type liners:

    1. Pre-heat oven to 275 F for at least 10 minutes
    2. Lower oven temp to 240 F
    3. Place a single liner in the oven on aluminum foil on the middle rack
    4. Set timer for 10 minutes
    5. Place 2x4 (or something at least 2" thick to stand on) on floor
    6. Prep boot shell (move buckles to loosest positions)
    7. Place toe cap on foot and cover with tight compression stocking (without footbed)
    8. When timer goes off remove liner from the oven and note time on clock
    9. Place the footbed in the bottom of the liner and ensure it is lined up properly within the liner (centered, ankle placement)
    10. Put foot into liner, stand on bare floor while setting liner wrap (inside goes inside)
    11. Put foot and liner into boot shell - hold wrap together in front while inserting
    12. Pull up gently on the back of liner to remove any wrinkles and set ankle position
    13. Double-check wrap (inside/outside flaps at same height) and place tongue into position (for Flexons)
    14. Lightly close buckles in this order - middle, bottom, top
    15. Set powerstrap and cinch lightly
    16. Step onto 2x4 with toes only and drive heel back and down - hold in place, don't move!
    17. Do not bang heel into pocket (creates loose heel pocket)
    18. Continue pressing/pushing heel back and down while using small amount of forward flex
    19. Do not flex hard in the boot yet
    20. After 10 minutes of cooling begin flexing forward a bit while keeping heel down hard in the pocket

    After 5 more minutes (15 mins. total since removing from oven) the liner may be removed from
    the shell to completely cool (but feel the shell and make sure it's not warm to the touch before removing liner).

    Do not slip foot out of liner while it's still in the shell. Remove the liner and foot
    together, then slip foot out of liner being careful not to compress any areas of the liner.

    Allow the liner to completely cool outside of the shell. Then put everything back together, put on a normal ski sock,
    and test the fit.

    Repeat for second boot.

    Note that I don't recommend putting the footbed on your foot directly as shown in the tutorial as it can be prone to some problems - poor alignment of the liner (seams in the wrong places), footbed shifts on the bottom of the foot during insertion. If your footbed is stiff enough then I recommend putting it in the liner first and making sure everything is lined up right.

    Don't pull up too much on the back of the liner when setting the heel pocket. This part is critical to getting rid of any wrinkles that may have formed, but pulling too hard can create a loose heel pocket (depends on how many times the liners have been baked).

    I like to set my heel pocket by pushing against a wall on a carpeted floor. My boots don't slip backward and I'm able to push downward and backward with good even pressure to create a great heel pocket. I can't stress enough to NOT bang your heels back in the pocket like you might do when putting on boots.


    A few things that are not noted but I did that I beleive made it easier:
    * I placed 1/8" thick spacers between my toes before putting on the toe cap.
    * I taped the toe cap to my foot so it would not move in the liner.
    * I used tight fitting cloth mechanics gloves when handling the hot liners. They are like hot jello when heated, so be gentle with them.
    * I mounted a binding to a piece of plywood and used two straps to spread the boot shell open. This made it very easy to put the liner with my foot in it into the shell without help from anyone.



    * When I spread the boot, there was an edge of plastic sticking out that I taped to be sure the liner did not catch.
    * I sprayed the inside of the shell with silicone spray before putting the hot liner into it. It slid right in.
    * I put my 2x4 under the plywood that my binding was mounted to to get the slope described to make a good heal pocket.

    I had reservations about doing it myself, but it turned out to be a straight forward process that I suspect most riders would be able to do for themselves.
    sigpic


    Osprey, Sherpa, Custom Coda 120WT, Custom DS110, Condor (Green), Spliff

    Custom Twist Out duck foot bindings, Bombers (custom duck foot base plate and 3 pads), releasable S810ti on custom duck foot riser

    Nordica N3 NXT ski boots (best so far)


    Wife: 104 SII & 100 Blunt XL with S810ti bindings on custom "adjustable duck foot" risers

    Loaners: 125LE, 105 EMP, 101 KTP, 100 Blunt XL, 98 Slapdash, 88 Blunts

  • #2
    I just thought of Kramer with his shirt in the pizza oven....


    Boards:

    Spruce 120s(x2), ALPs(x3), Lacroix 99's, BWPs.

    Bindings:

    Pro Prime Riser/Rossi Bindings(x2).

    Comment


    • #3
      "We cannot-a allow-a the people to make-a they own pizza pies!"
      -poppy
      Dave | Elevendy

      Comment


      • #4
        Mahatma's instruction list for heat molding liners:

        1. Purchase liner of choice (or go to step 2)

        2. Take liner to slope side boot shop (or go directly to slope side boot shop and purchase liner)

        3. Pay boot tech a nominal fee for him to place liners in an appropriate liner heater

        4. 10 minutes later boot tech will place your warm liners in boots while having you put on some funky sock with a weird front on it.

        5. Step into boots and cinch them down.

        6. Enjoy the pain of having warm, form fitting liners slowly try to chew your feet off

        7. Take off boots when told to do so and make sure both feet are still attached to your body

        8. Dip both feet in battery acid bath to get rid of funky sock with weird front stench

        9. Walk around barefoot while cursing and drinking the days first beer to get over the experience.

        10. Slip into what are now custom fitted boots and enjoy the rest of your life.
        "It's no measure of health to be well adjusted to a profoundly sick society" Jiddu Krisnamurti

        Spruce Sherpa - RVL8 KTP - RVL8 Blunt XL

        Comment


        • #5
          mahatma,
          Corrections:
          * second beer in step 9.
          * first beer during step 6.
          sigpic


          Osprey, Sherpa, Custom Coda 120WT, Custom DS110, Condor (Green), Spliff

          Custom Twist Out duck foot bindings, Bombers (custom duck foot base plate and 3 pads), releasable S810ti on custom duck foot riser

          Nordica N3 NXT ski boots (best so far)


          Wife: 104 SII & 100 Blunt XL with S810ti bindings on custom "adjustable duck foot" risers

          Loaners: 125LE, 105 EMP, 101 KTP, 100 Blunt XL, 98 Slapdash, 88 Blunts

          Comment


          • #6
            Slow,

            Ha ha. You seem to do things right. I've had more than one friend destroy pretty nice liners by over cooking them in the oven. I'm not sure if I don't trust me or if I don't believe our oven but I always go slope side. I think in the end I'm just happier paying someone to take all the responsibility.

            Plus, a few years ago when I had a new pair of snowboard boots done the boot tech was a drop dead gorgeous, 20 something bunny. I'd say on scale she was close to 70% as gorgeous as Mrs. Mahatma. Let's face it, a man just doesn't see that everyday.
            "It's no measure of health to be well adjusted to a profoundly sick society" Jiddu Krisnamurti

            Spruce Sherpa - RVL8 KTP - RVL8 Blunt XL

            Comment


            • #7
              Over time, my boots have moulded my feet! Takes longer but you get a great fit in the end
              Crossbow (go to dream board)
              Most everything else over time.
              Go Android

              Comment


              • #8
                I have to admit I was nervous about over cooking and I put it off for some time. The keys were turning down the oven and the boot spreader.

                Val, that is the benefit of being able to skiboard all summer on an indoor slope. Your feet do not have a chance to rebound!
                sigpic


                Osprey, Sherpa, Custom Coda 120WT, Custom DS110, Condor (Green), Spliff

                Custom Twist Out duck foot bindings, Bombers (custom duck foot base plate and 3 pads), releasable S810ti on custom duck foot riser

                Nordica N3 NXT ski boots (best so far)


                Wife: 104 SII & 100 Blunt XL with S810ti bindings on custom "adjustable duck foot" risers

                Loaners: 125LE, 105 EMP, 101 KTP, 100 Blunt XL, 98 Slapdash, 88 Blunts

                Comment

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