Heat Molding RS-1 Boots

[Edmund]

I need to heat mold my new RS-1 boots, but I am not near a dealer.  How can I do this on my own?  I read a post a while back (I am not sure if it was this site or not) that someone used a kitchen oven.  That person seemed to know the correct oven temperature and time that can be used.  But I do not want to melt the boots!  Would my daughter's hair dryer get them hot enough to mold?

Ed.... 

[Horton]

No No No. They are Intuition foam but are thinner so they take less time. I think there is instructions with the boots. Do not cook as long as the normal Intution liners.  They are thin enough that I have gone without molding and am very happy.

[Edmund]

The instructions are for an authorized dealer using the Intuition

heater.  I skied with them this morning without molding them and they

were a little loose  around the foot but a little short at the toes;

but after I inserted some green Superfeet they felt pretty good.  I was hoping the

foam would shape them up so I would not have to use Superfeet.

[Roger]

I have green superfeet in mine and I prefer them that way. I do not intend to mold them...

 

[Thomas Wayne]

This will work fine if you cannot access an official Intuition heater.  Get a hair dryer ("blow dryer") that is rated at 1250 watts (or higher).  Using a piece of white plumbing pipe, make an extension that will keep the hair dryer at least 8 inches away from the mouth of the boot - just sticking the hair dryer deep into the boot can result in melting the dryer's housing and ruining it (I know, 'cause I did exactly that).

If you want to you can pre-heat the liner for 3 - 4 minutes in an oven set to 200 degrees.  Insert the liner into the boot, stick the nozzle extension into the boot almost to the toe and blast away at the hottest setting for  around 3 minutes.  Stick your stocking covered, toe-cap-bearing foot inside and let it cool for 5 minutes (minimum).

It's crude, and it's not as simple and handy as the real deal, but it does work.

 

TW 

[Edmund]

Thomas,

Sounds great.  Thanks!

 Ed.... 

[Edmund]

Here is the setup I made today after a trip to Lowes. I clamped a 2" x 1.5" flexible rubber coupling in between a 1875 watt blow dryer and a piece of 1.5" pvc pipe. Used it following Thomas' directions above and everything seemed to go just fine. I can feel my foot the impressions in the liners now. I hope some of the looseness has tightened up around the upper part of my foot as well. I will find out tomorrow at the lake.

Hmmm... I cannot seem to post the picture for viewing here, but you can download the photo attached below.

[Thomas Wayne]

There is one other advantage to the hair dryer gizmo; you can re-heat your liner while the shell is mounted on the ski and then cool your liner with your feet (one at a time) in the actual skiing position that you'll be using.  Hard to do that with the Intuition heater.

BTW, Edmund, your setup looks a lot better than mine did - very nice indeed.  If I do it again, however, I think I will incorporate a 45 deg. elbow about 4" from the business end, just to get the heat a little more directly into the toe area of the boot. 

TW 

[Edmund]

I just wanted to pass along that the boots felt great at the lake yesterday after heat molding them at home.  I got the extra toe room I needed in my left boot, and some of the volume filled-in where needed.  They feel snug now without having to use the Superfeet inserts.