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If you live in the northern hemisphere, unless you are near a glacier, your resort shredding days are now numbered. Below are three things you can integrate into your summer activities that will result in stronger feet and less snowboard boot pain next winter.

1) Walk barefoot, bonus points for running barefoot:

Remember your hippy friend that walked barefoot everywhere? Maybe he was on to something? Walking barefoot strengthens the muscles in your feet and builds calluses (the best way to prevent blisters). Maybe there’s a reason that we were not born with shoes….or with snowboard boots for that matter. Start light by taking your flip flops off for a little bit while you’re walking on the beach during this summer’s vacation and then keep incrementally increasing the distance that you walk barefoot with each walk you take.

2) Get up from your desk and move:

The health hazards of sitting for prolonged periods of time are widely publicized and none of the data bodes well for snowboarding – especially if you are a 9-5 weekend warrior! The good news is that studies show that frequently getting up from your desk (even if for only for a couple of minutes) can significantly reduce the desk rot. Try mixing in some of the following into your workday:

Get up and talk to colleagues in person rather than sending intra-office emails
Walk to a farther bathroom
Stand up periodically or try a standing desk for part of the day
Sit on an exercise ball
Take calls while walking
Mix up your day with a little movement and come snowboarding season- your feet (and whole body) will be ready to charge the park, rip groomers and/or slash pow turns!

3) If you’re a gym rat try the Bosu Squat:

The what? A Bosu Ball is a fitness training device invented in 1999, it looks like a half ball with a flat, rigid plate or base. If you were wondering, Bosu stands for both sides up. Anyways, I can tell you from personal experience that balance required to perform the Bosu ball squat lights up the fast twitch muscle fiber in your feet -those same muscles that tell your brain that they are on fire on the first day of the snowboarding season.

4) Bonus:

Skateboard, Surf and Snowboard. That’s right, go to Mt. Hood, South America or Australia. If you can’t chase the snow then shred the water or the concrete. Nothing conditions your feet for shredding like shredding!

Have a great summer!

-Nate

Spring is in the air and for most of that means that our days on snow are coming to an end. It’s been a killer winter, the snow came early and often here in the Mid-Atlantic. If you are like me, all of those days on snow are taking a toll on your gear – broken binding ratchets, core shots and your boots no longer offer the comfort and support that they once did. No matter how hard you pull your laces you can’t quite seem to get your boots tight enough. The toe and heels are peeling back in spite of the shoo goo you’ve applied multiple times to try and correct this. The spot where the highback of the binding meets the heel cup has rubbed a hole all the way through the shell of your boot. And, quite possibly the #1 indicator that it’s time for new boots is when they stink so bad that your friends require them to be strapped to the roof for the ride home after a day of riding.Zach

So you’ve decided that it’s time for new snowboard boots. How do you decide what boots to buy?

When you are shopping for your boots, you should look at boots made by a minimum of two different manufacturers, so that you have at least one comparison. Different brands have slightly different liners and just a small difference in volume will make a big difference in comfort and performance. Please don’t judge the fit of a snowboard boot until you’ve tried it on, laced it up and flexed it. It’s common for your toes to go right to the front of the boot when you first put your foot in the boot. Many people take this as a sign that the boot is too small. Lacing the internal liner and external laces will oftentimes “seat” you foot into the boot, pulling the heel back and reducing/eliminating the pressure you initially felt on the toes.

Where should you go to try on and buy your boots?

Snowboard Specific Shops → This type of retailer is a great option (Support Your Local Snowboard Shop) as they have knowledgeable, trained and experienced boot fitters. You’re most likely to get someone who snowboards and has on-snow experience with many of the boots. They’ll gladly give you individualized attention!

Ski/Snowboard Shops → Ski boot fitters have been fitting boots for years. They have lots of resources for custom fitting your boots. If you have a really hard foot to fit, pay a visit to the most experienced boot fitter at one of these shops.

Large Box/Chain Stores → I don’t recommend these stores since they usually have only a very limited selection, and normally the staff are not as trained or experienced in boot fitting.

Internet → Proceed with caution! It may appear that you are getting a great deal, but when your feet begin to hurt, the deal’s not so good.

I have often times been asked the question, ” what’s the best snowboard boot?” I always answer, “the one that fits your foot the best.” Many people think that I’m kidding or being kind of facetious, but it’s the truth – to get a great boot fit you have to “do the work” (it’s a mini workout trying on multiple pairs of boots) and try on several boots (with a professional boot fitter) until you find the one.

Happy Shredding,

Nate

Avoid Foot Pain Next Winter by Doing These Three Simple Things This Summer

Time for New Snowboard Boots?