So for my first trip of the season I decided I would take on a combination of travel on trains, buses and funiculars to travel across the swiss region of Valais Wallis. I was also keen to make this journey as easy as possible by packing lightly and making the most out of my old kit stretching it out for at least one more season. 

Packing my existing gloves, trousers and jacket all smelling of seasons past I picked up my boots. They looked alright at a quick glance. However on closer inspection I decided the insoles were well past their best. No longer offering much support or comfort I glanced at the bin and after considering my new recycle and reuse approach I decided that the best option might be just to get some new insoles rather than a whole new set of boots.

After some quick research I found a link to ‘Superfeet’ a company offering new insoles designed to improve support and performance. With over 40 years experience making the insoles I decided they probably knew what they were doing and decided to give them ago based on the company blurb

“All Superfeet insoles are sculpted for comfort and pain relief by cradling heels, hugging arches and offering the extra support needed to keep feet fresh all day long. They enhance the way the foot is intended to move, dispersing impact and decreasing stress and strain on the body.”

When they arrived I put them in the boots and stepped in initially the fit felt good and walking round the house they instantly made the boots feel a bit stiffer, never a bad thing.

The real test came next where I spent a week in the alps. This involved riding lots of pistes.  My overall opinion is that the superfeet offered great support and combined with the carbon stiffness they seemed to give extra power when making turns. This was particularly noticeable on the steeper runs where my old soles were now causing constant foot pain, this was now eased significantly.

They had saved my boots at least for this season and perhaps the next one given the early end to winter. Either way I will definitely take these soles from my old boots when they finally give up the ghosts.

Comfy as my boots were now, it still always feels great to take them off at the end of the day. One thing that never feel great after a long days riding is that damp feeling they have on removing them and if left to linger this is never pleasant for the overall mood in the chalet.

Thankfully I also discovered another product called ‘Drysure’ another eco friendly option these allowed me to dry my boots without heat and in the process reducing bacteria and fungal growth or so the marketing said. All I needed to do in reality was slip these into my boots overnight and then everything was good to go for the next morning.

The fact that they could absorb 7 days worth of sweat and moisture before needing to be reactivated made these an ideal investment for my week in the alps and both item will be essential when I next pack my case. Let's hope for all of us the next ski trips are sooner rather than later.

For any keen snowboarder who owns their own ski boot and is looking for enhanced performance a Superfeet GREEN insole costs £35.00. For more information visit www.superfeet.com. You can also find a list of Superfeet retailers and locate the store closest to you. 

Drysure Extreme boot dryers cost £29.95. For more information about Drysure and to place an order visit www.drysure.co