ski boot blister question

I have a recurring blister spot in my AT boots.  After a multiday tour across a lot  of flat areas last weekend, I ended up with a large open spot where the blister tour off (ouch!)  The spot is on both feet, on the inside of my feet, above the middle/rear area of the arch.  Otherwise, the boots (Scarpa w/ molded Intution liners) fit my feet great.  Wondering if anyone else has dealt with this successfully - perhaps having a bootfitter punch out the shell a bit in that area?  Or maybe just switching to a lower volume insole?  (I'm currently using green superfeet)

You could probably have the shell punched a bit, but you'd want to chat with someone versed the subject. Jim Mates at Custom Boot Service has a good reputation. A temp solution could be to just prep the area of your foot with Leukotape prior to your tour.

JQ has it right. Take em to a quality bootfitter, you won't be sorry. Lots o shops offer free lifetime tweaks once you have had them fitted once.

If you need temporary immediate relief, go with the tape. If you can't get it to stick because your feet sweat, find some benzoin tincture. I use the individually packaged benzoin tincture soaked swab sticks. No muss no fuss.

I find that I have blisters on most multiday tours, no matter how well the boots fit.

Sometimes an easy fix can help as in reducing the size of your ski sock so it fits snugger with no room for friction, as if your size is large 9-12 then switch to a medium. When doing this you will be surprised how easy the smaller sock fits and for me at one point where I had a blister experience it solved the problem.
best of luck

spot is on both feet, on the inside of my feet, above the middle/rear area of the arch.

Similar for me after long climbs. I have been having a bit of luck applying chap stick to the skin in the area in question beforehand. My girlfriend insists that I carefully record which chap stick is used in this manner, and to never consider using those sticks again after they have been infected by my feet... but hey... my feet blister a bit less.

Thanks for all the good suggestions! "Blister gear reviews" can take on a whole new meaning here.

One thing I wonder about -- given the location of the blisters -- is whether some adjustment in your gait might help -- How much lifting the ski off the snow on each stride vs sliding the the ski forward ?   Lifting the ski seems like it would contribute to movement / friction within the boot in that location.

Back in the day when I was stronger and faster (12-16 mi tours) I would just let them heels blister, bleed and finally callous up. At the end of the season say like August that callous would just fall off. Today I'm a big fan of previously mentioned Leukotape.

One tip with Leukotape (which you'd figure out soon enough on your own) - it does not stretch. At all. So you if you put it on skin which is stretched in normal foot movement, you want to position the foot to stretch the skin while applying it. Otherwise you will find out just how well the tape can immobilize a body part!

I got a wicked blister from touring with my instep buckle undone. It caused my heel to lift which allowed my inner heel to rub up and down against the liner which caused the worst blister I've ever had in my entire life.

I had to wear crocs for a month the spot was so bad. Ever since then I make sure my instep buckles are nice and snug so it restricts the heel movement.

Lot's of good experience here.  I'm pretty good about keeping my skis on the surface when possible, and just sliding, unless it's steep.  I do tour with my buckles undone, though, so maybe that is the culprit.  I'm definitely going to pick up some leukotape.  At least this looks to be a good, long touring season to try out some adjustments!

Good to know.   Which Scarpas?   I have a pair of Scarpa Rush

I only unbuckle the top buckle for touring and leave the instep and ankle buckles fastened (I've removed the "power strap" completely)

Which Scarpas?

Hey, that's my boot! I'll try that approach, I've been leaving everything loose. When you say that you leave the two lower buckles fastened - is that pretty tight like you ski them, or looser?

Hey, that's my boot!  I'll try that approach, I've been leaving everything loose.  When you say that you leave the two lower buckles fastened - is that pretty tight like you ski them, or looser?

FWIW, Dynafit boot designers have consistently said the forefoot buckle is to keep the heel in the heel pocket and should be set to do that and not released for skinning. Having loose buckles leads to premature liner wear and, in many cases, blisters.

Hey, that's my boot!  I'll try that approach, I've been leaving everything loose.  When you say that you leave the two lower buckles fastened - is that pretty tight like you ski them, or looser?

Same tightness as for down. I have a ritual for putting on my boots -- I kick the heel into the pocket a couple of times, buckle the front buckle, buckle the instep buckle, kick the heel again, tighten the front buckle 1 notch, tighten the instep buckle.

The tightness is firm, but not super tight -- it doesn't restrict blood flow to my toes -- but it does keep my heel and foot from moving around.
For the most part, the only time I crank the buckles a bit tighter is if "air" is part of starting the down.

The range of motion in the Scarpa Rush in "walk mode" and with the top buckle loose (and on the green hook) is quite good -- so I don't feel the need to unbuckle the lower buttons.

YMMV, My feet are just slightly narrower than "average" and lack any "interesting" features -- so I have had fewer fit and blister issues that most people since thermofit liners came along (but I have had "hamburger heels" on more than once in the days of leather boots.

Duct tape for a temporary solution. Protect it until it is really healed. Don't know about that other brand of tape people have mentioned in this thread. Duct tape works better than new skin or any other product I've tried that was designed to prevent blisters. You need to protect your skin so it heals up otherwise you won't know if the buckle tightening or new socks or whatever will work.