TAKE YOUR SKIING TO A HIGHER LEVEL
RIGHT BOOTS ARE THE TICKET
By Cindy Kleh / Photos by Carter Photographics / Illustration by Sarah Blincoe

Le Feet Lab offers custom ski boot packages.

All skiers dream of reaching a greater level of expertise. They may buy the latest and greatest skis on the market, take private lessons and practice diligently, but few realize the importance of well-fitting ski boots.

“Boots you try on in a shop feel great until you ski 10 days on them and pack the liners out. Then you start to experience all sorts of movement that causes you to lose control of your skis, and consequently damage your feet,” says Jacques Thomas, renown foot guru and owner of Le Feet Lab in Winter Park. With over 33 years of custom boot fitting experience, Le Feet Lab has been selected by Masterfit University as top boot fitter in the US for the last nine years in a row.

“For the first time in 10 years of skiing, I feel like the skis are an integral part of my feet. I got the boots initially for the comfort, but the added response and control is an unexpected fantastic bonus!” - Mike

Thomas contends that most of the skiers who come into his shop with boot problems have purchased boots that are one to three sizes too big. “A good fit is a snug fit. If you have pressure points, the shell can be stretched there.”

Are Your Boots Too Big?
Take the liners out of the boot shell and slide the foot into the shell until the toes touch. If you have ¾ to one inch between your heel and the back of the shell, it’s the right size. Anymore than that, and the boot is too big. Extra socks and foam padding will never solve the problem. In order to find the exact, correct foot size, the subtalur (ankle) joint must be in a neutral position – a measurement best left to a foot expert such as Thomas.

There’s No ‘Average’ Foot!
“Most people don’t even know what type of feet they have,” Thomas contends, adding that only 10 percent of the population has “normal” feet – the rest deal with imperfection. Most (80 percent) are pronated; the other 10 percent are supinated.

“I have lived my 52 years with foot and knee problems, and it took a trip to Winter Park on vacation to find a solution.” - Bobby

OWNERS: Jacques Thomas and daughter Jacqueline

Better Control with Orthotics
To make matters worse, many people have different size foot and leg lengths, resulting in kinetic misalignment. This can create bunions, heel spurs, Morton’s Neuroma, plantar fasciitis, hallux valgus or other foot disorders. Only a custom orthotic will address those anomalies and eventually cure them.

So come in and visit Jacques and Jacqueline for a free consultation. Your feet will thank you.

Custom Orthotics:
• Correct for pronation by supporting the arch and repositioning the foot in the volume of the boot
• Stabilize the foot from excessive movement
• Redistribute body weight
• Increase lateral leverage for better edge control

“Trying the ‘skithotics’ for the first time was a really strange feeling in that I had never experienced an arch before. Looking down at my legs, I was stunned to see that they were now straight after many years of being knocked-knee’d.” - Scott

OWNERS // Jacques Thomas and daughter Jacqueline
LOCATION // On US Hwy 40, Behind 7-11, Winter Park
PHONE // 1(800)322-8567 / Local (970)726-9841 / Fax (970)726-4862
EMAIL // skilab@rkymtnhi.com
WEBSITE // www.lefeetlab.com

READ MORE STORIES FROM THIS ISSUE:
• Winter 2011 Articles