Method of customizing a boot

A kit for customizing a thermoformable boot, comprising:

• a re-usable core dimensioned to generally correspond to a foot size of the thermoformable boot, the re-usable core selected from a group of re-usable cores each corresponding to a different range of standardized foot sizes;
• a sacrificial medial side insert manufactured in absence of the selected re-usable core based on a tridimensional shape of a wearer's foot, the sacrificial medial side insert having a medial internal surface and a medial external surface generally conforming to a medial side shape of the wearer's foot;
• and
• a sacrificial lateral side insert manufactured in absence of the selected re-usable core based on the tridimensional shape of the wearer's foot, the sacrificial lateral side insert having a lateral internal surface and a lateral external surface generally conforming to a lateral side shape of the wearer's foot;
• wherein the sacrificial medial side insert and the sacrificial lateral side insert are insertable into the boot with the selected re-usable core having a foot size generally corresponding to a foot size of the boot, the medial internal surface and the lateral internal surface abutting outer surfaces of the re-usable core.

A method of manufacturing customized inserts for a boot that is at least partially thermoformable, the method comprising:

• receiving numerical data corresponding to a tridimensional shape of a wearer's foot for use with the boot;
• manufacturing a medial side insert based on the tridimensional shape of the wearer's foot, the medial side insert having a medial internal surface and a medial external surface conforming to a medial side shape of the wearer's foot;
• and
• manufacturing a lateral side insert based on the tridimensional shape of the wearer's foot, the lateral side insert having a lateral internal surface and a lateral external surface conforming to a lateral side shape of the wearer's foot;
• wherein the medial side insert and the lateral side insert are shaped to be insertable into the boot with a core dimensioned to generally correspond to a foot size of the boot, the medial internal surface and the lateral internal surface abutting respective outer surfaces of the core;
• and
• wherein the medial side insert and the lateral side insert are configured to be inserted into the boot before inserting the core into the boot.