Where To Heat Mold Snowboard Boots?

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For a little context, there are different approaches when the industry refers to a heat mold for snowboarding boots. As a word of wisdom, the best course of action would be to ask a tech or professional at the snowboard retailer or the resort you frequent for the best advice.

There is no need to make a costly mistake when there are people who have knowledge of the subject. One of the last things a rider wants is to have a misfit boot cause a career-ending injury or potentially worse damage to the snowboarder.

How Much Does it Cost?

This is a diverse question, depending on the route in which a snowboarder was getting fitted wishes to go. For example, the fitting process could be as inexpensive as purchasing self-fitting boots or purchasing (or already owning) a hair dryer. 

It can cost less than a hundred dollars, and the issue is that you risk making mistakes and possible injury. 

As for getting a professional to take care of the process, a fitter will charge an average of around one hundred and four hundred dollars; this is to size, tailor, and fit a boot properly to its owners’ feet with the expertise and quality expected.

When Should You Do It?

The simple answer is right away; take your boots immediately after purchase to the fitter at the store. More than likely, there will be a professional there that can do this service for you or point you in the right direction to do it yourself or find a fitter.  

If you cannot do it right away, it is recommended that you perform the task before your first ride down the slopes. Of course, this is unless you have the self-fitting heated boots you will want to wear the next time you shred or even around the house before you go.

Can you Mold your Own Boots?

The simple answer is yes; this is a do-it-yourself type of project, and the first step is to research the topic of heat-fitted snow boots and find the product that fits your needs. Some self-fitting liners only require the initial time wearing them to mold to a rider’s feet.

The next step is to research the steps needed to accomplish a well-fit boot, and this typically will include a heat source like a hair dryer or similar tool. 

For example, a person will need to take the inside boot liner out and gently heat the material until it feels malleable; then place it back in the boot and immediately after, strap that sucker on and let the material form to your feet.

Should You Try the Oven or the Hair Dryer?

As mentioned before, finding a safe heating source and the time to execute is the key to doing this task yourself. The most recommended way to do it yourself is to use a heat source like a hair dryer, a tool that can release sufficient heat without burning the boot lining.

An oven, though not recommended, can heat the boot lining effectively. Still, common sense would lean towards using an iron or dryer unit before cooking the liner. 

That being said, if this is the only heat source you have, it has been shown to work for others.

Common Mistakes you Need to Avoid

The most common mistake is accidentally catching your boot lining on fire; this happens because a person either forgets their linings in the oven, has the material too close to an open flame, or a variety of different ways to set flame to the material. 

This is easily avoided by using heating sources like a hair dryer or clothing iron. 

As for any other mistakes that can be made, one would be allowing another person to use your snowboarding boots, which could throw off a molded fit or take too long to place your feet inside the bindings to get a proper molded fit.

Final Thoughts on Where to Heat Mold Snowboard Boots

There will be a bunch of differing opinions on the right way to heat mold a boot lining to a rider’s foot. The only surefire way to get this done correctly is to consult an expert and have a professional do the work for you.

Otherwise, a rider can use a household hair dryer, clothing iron, or even the oven can provide enough heat to loosen up the materials enough to allow for the cooling to mold the fabric to the rider’s feet. 

The truth is that this heat molding makes a big difference and is worth looking into.