Garmont G-Ride Boot Problems?

I gotta add some input from my experience at Jim Mates' shop.  I wanted a little extra toe wiggle room in my TLT's, so I called him up.<br>I asked him on the phone and when I first arrived 'hey Jim, so how much is this going to cost me?' He said that he'd just a take a quick look at my boots and would have a better idea then....So, he checks the boots out, cooks the toes of my liners to pack them out a bit...then he asks for something like  $60.  <br>So, yeah, Jim Mates may know how to fit boots...and I may yet got back to him again someday if I have an ill-fitting pair of boots...but my first experience with him was rather negative. I don't like it when a service provider won't even give the customer a rough estimate on the cost, maybe its my fault for assuming it was going to be relateively cheap, and then get nailed with what I considered a hefty bill for the work provided. <br>just my two cents...<br><br>by the way, I got Megarides and have had similar problems...my thought is that I've never had blister problems with Scarpas because of the middle instep buckle keeps my ankle from lifting up and shifting around even when the rest of the boot is loose...when I loosen up my mega's...my heel can lift up and rub.  I may try adding laces to my liners this season to help lock my foot in place while skinning.

Vaselin, it's gotten me through 5 marathons and a 50 mile run blister free.

Indeed, Mates is not cheap - my boots run around $150 to $200 per pair for a full fit job including custom footbeds, shell fitting & grinding, and thermofit cooking. I've been a shop tech and have done my own shell and liner work before (and could again) but I still think he's worth it. You could probably cut the price in half by just getting the footbeds, which I think are critical and most people couldn't do on their own, if you have no contact issues with the shell or are handy with a boot press and heat gun . . .<br><br>You could also try Kelly Timmons in Wallingford (Dr. Happy Feet), who tends to be more racer oriented (former Lange WC serviceman) but I doubt that his prices are much different.

You guys rock...thanks for all of the responses, I greatly appreciate it. I was thinking that since nobody I ski/tour with was getting them, than it must be my feet.<br><br>Yeah, I spoke to Yates on the phone last week. Now I know maybe I should see him. For those that didn't report any cost, any idea how expensive it could get? He told me that it clearly depends on the problem, but that it could run into the hundreds.<br><br>Gaper - Yup; I wish Paul & Sky would have taken a photo of my foot back in January on our trip....that was my inner heel on both feet precisely! I will definitely give those a try. In the past I have tried Spyroflex, Moleskin, Second skin and none of those worked either.<br><br>I completely agree with the results of touring in the Laser. That was my previous boot; never any problem on looong tours, but tour 1 hr. in the G-Ride and it's as if I've been skinning all day.

Jim Mates was very reasonable with me. He spent at least an hour investigating my foot-boot situation and then re-molded both shells. I paid him something like $45 (I think he asked something like $35, after telling me more like $60 on the phone ?). The cost was minor considering the vast difference he made. I did use his free follow-up molding too to tweak the fix to perfection.<br><br>I encourage you to ask him what his rates are for your needs, so that you aren't surprised. Based on my experience I don't hesitate to recommend him if you have problems with your boots.

Martin Rand at Sturtavents in Bellevue is also a great alternative. I had that heel problem on my alpine boots and they took care of that real quickly with a little grind. The plastic could be a little tight around your heel and a little grind will get rid of that. They have a break down of a price up front as to what it will cost you. <br>JDB