Heat Moulding Your Speed Skate Boots (Compiled from various sources.)

 

Q: How do I Heat Mould my Bont Boots?

A: Your boots have been constructed using a special 'heat moldable' material. If necessary, the shaded area, as shown on the instructions which come inside every pair of boots which depart our factory, can be heated, using a hair drier on the inside and outside of the boot, to make the fit more comfortable. When the boot has been heated sufficiently, so that it feels quite hot (do NOT scorch the leather, keep the drier moving in a circular motion), place the boots immediately onto the feet and lace firmly. You should NEVER wear boots with bolts only in the base, as it can damage the boots. Leave on until cool. The heating process takes a few minutes to do properly, so don't rush it. Be patient and do a good job. CAUTION: bolts used to attach frames should, for safety, be turned a minimum of 3 times into the nut. DO NOT PUT YOUR BOOTS IN THE MICROWAVE.

Q: How do I heat mould my boots in the oven?

A: Pre heat oven to 85C or 185F. Remove all bolts, frames, wheels etc from the boot. Place the boots in the oven for 20-30 minutes. Higher temperatures will damage the boot. Caution: Do not place feet in hot boots, let them cool a little first. Test the boot temperature with your hand before placing foot inside. Mount the frame to the boot and stand on it without wheels. Tighten the boot with the laces and wait until the boot cools. If there is a certain area giving you problems, push that area out using the handle of a screwdriver until the boot cools. You can heat mould the boots as many times as you like.

Q: How should I take care of my Bont Boots?

A: If your boots get wet, you must let them dry out in the shade, out of direct sunlight. Dry your boots after use, as the enzymes in sweat will break down the leather. Do not over tighten bolts, as this may cause the T-nut to be stripped. Replacement T-nuts are available through your supplier.

 

How to Heat Mold Speed Skate Boots

(Source: SkateLog.com )

Instructions for improving the fit of a pair of speed skates by heating them up and molding them to fit your feet perfectly.

How Does Heat Molding Work?
There are some carbon fiber boots that can be warmed until the boot is somewhat pliable. When the boot material is in this state, you can push a painful area of the boot away from your foot, or reform the entire boot to more closely match the shape of your foot.

Contact Your Boot Maker First
Before you try heat molding your boots, you need to make sure you have the type of boots that can be heat molded. The best way to find out is to ask the manufacturer. It is very important to check, because if you warm up boots that are not heat moldable, you can destroy them.

Questions to Ask Your Boot Manufacturer

ˇ               Ask whether or not your boots are heat moldable. (be prepared to provide the boot model, the approximate month and year you purchased the boot, and whether the boot is custom, semi-custom, or off-the-shelf)

  • Describe the problem you are having with your boot, and ask the manufacturer if the discomfort you are feeling could possibly be relieved by by adjusting the position of the frame, or by changing your skating technique.
  • Ask the manufacturer if they recommend that you skate in the boots for a period of time, to allow the natural heat of your body to mold the boots to your feet over time (sometimes this will happen).
  • If the skate manufacturer recommends that you try heat molding your boots, ask if the heating instructions in this document are safe and appropriate for their boots.

What NOT to Do

  • Do not use a heat gun to warm the boots, because it will get too hot. It can burn the boot material or start a fire.
  • Do not put your boots in a plastic bag and boil them. It will change the entire shape of the boot.
  • We do not recommend heating your boots in the oven, because it can change the basic shape of the boot, but several boot manufacturers do recommend this method. If you decide to try oven-heating your boots YOU MUST REMOVE THE WHEELS FIRST.
  • Make sure you only heat the carbon fiber portion of the boot. Other materials, like velcro closures, will melt very quickly if you heat them.

Heat Molding Instructions

  1. We recommend using a hand-held hair dryer for heat molding, because it will not heat the entire boot, causing it to lose its shape.
  2. Work on one part of the boot at a time.
  3. Leave the frame on your boot. This will help to prevent the boot from distorting when it is heated.
  4. Since you are not heating your boots in the oven, you can leave the wheels on the frame. You want to leave the wheels on, because after the boots are warmed, you will put them on and stand in them.
  5. VERY IMPORTANT: Loosen the laces on the boots, and spread both sides of the skate as far apart as you can. Pull the tongue out of the boot all the way. You want hot air to flow freely out of the boot, so the hair dryer will not overheat and shut down.
  6. Set the hair dryer to high heat, and place it inside the boot, pointing in the direction of the area you want to modify. (High heat has worked for people using these instructions in the past, with hair dryers ranging from 1200 to 1500 watts. Use caution with higher wattage hair dryers).
  7. Turn the hair dryer on, and set a timer for 10 minutes.
  8. Leave the hair dryer and the boot alone for 10 minutes. (Many skate manufacturers will tell you to keep the hair dryer moving, and to heat both the inside and the outside of the boot. This part of the process may depend on what you are trying to accomplish. Follow your boot maker's instructions.)
    1. While you are waiting for the boots to heat, prepare your feet for the molding process:
    2. If you need to push the boot away from your foot, use Mole Foam to build up a padded layer on the part of your foot that is feeling pressure from the boot (Mole Foam is a Dr. Scholl product similar to Mole Skin, but it is thicker, because it has a layer of foam).

 

  1. Prepare your foot for skating, the way you normally do. If you usually wrap your foot with athletic tape before you skate, do it now too. Wear the same socks you normally wear to skate.

 

  1. After your boot has heated for 10 minutes, quickly put it on your prepared foot, and lace and tie the boot as tight as you possibly can, without damaging the boot or your foot.
  2. Stand firmly in your boot until it has completely cooled. Some people like to speed up the cooling process by applying an ice pack to the warm part of the boot (a bag of frozen peas or corn will also work nicely for this).
  3. You may need to heat mold your boots more than once to get the best fit, because heated boots cool rather quickly. Remold the boots as many times as necessary to make them fit well and feel comfortable on your feet.

 

 

 

HEAT MOLDING INSTRUCTIONS

Before heat molding your boots, try them out first. It is very possible that heat molding is not necessary. After skating on your boots, if you determine that they need to be molded to achieve a comfortable fit, use the following method:

You will need:

A heat gun (a hair blow dryer will work, but a heat gun is more efficient).

Your boots mounted to your frames with wheels on (or blades).

An opportunity and location where you can skate.

ˇ         With your skates on and laced loosely, begin warming the ankle area with the heat gun. Use a circular motion with the heat gun and keep the gun at least 4 inches away from the boot to prevent scorching the leather DO NOT hold the gun in one spot, KEEP MOVING IT. Be very careful when molding boots with any VelcroŽ closures (straps or lace covers). VelcroŽ is extremely sensitive to heat. Just a small amount of heat can destroy the VelcroŽ closure. Keep the heat away from the VelcroŽ. If it is necessary to heat the area around the VelcroŽ, shield the VelcroŽ with a piece of cardboard (or similar), and minimize the amount of heat you apply. We try to heat only the carbon fiber closest to the desired area to be molded. The heat will penetrate up to the target area. This will reduce the chance of scorching the leather or melting the VelcroŽ. Once the VelcroŽ is melted, it cannot be repaired. It must be replaced.

ˇ         Mold only one spot at a time. When the boot begins to feel warm on the inside, the heat has penetrated completely through the heat sensitive material. Turn the gun off and begin forming the boot to your ankle. Push on the ankle supports with your thumbs and fingers and work it around your ankle bones.

ˇ         While the boots are still warm, lace and tie them as tight as possible without causing damage to the boots. Sit or stand in a position to simulate your regular skating style. Maintain this position until they have completely cooled. If the boot is still uncomfortable repeat the procedure as many times as necessary to achieve a comfortable fit.

ˇ         Repeat procedure for each spot that is uncomfortable. Remember, you may re-mold the boots as many times as necessary, and it may take several times before you achieve the fit you desire.

ˇ         If you have any questions, feel free to email, fax or call for assistance: