Custompack FAQ

The CustomPack comes in 2 sizes; small for US shoe sizes 6-9.5 and large for US shoe size 10 upwards. You can check which size you need using the blue full sizing chart link above.

Used properly the CustomPack will give you performance gains and can reduce your risk of injury. It will do this by:

• Improving leg length discrepancies
• Catering for inflexible ankles
• Increasing heel load
• Improving timing and symmetry between legs
• Improving comfort

The CustomPack explained:

The white shims are one single width through their entirety, whereas your orthotics will have thicker and thinner parts, depending on their function, for controlling your foot movement.

The reason for this difference is that the white shims are simply used for evening out leg length and need this consistent shape, whereas the control of your foot arch and contact with the footboard is done by the ShoePlate Pro QuickRelease – almost like a rowing orthotic.

The ShoePlate Pro QuickRelease and shims have different curvature and shaping to your everyday orthotics because in rowing, the foot moves differently to the way it does in the walking or running gait.

White leg length CustomShims come in 2 sizes: 1.0 mm and 2.0 mm. The shims are placed under your shorter leg to even out your functional leg length in the boat – just like an orthotic or heel wedge does when walking or standing.

The black heel shims are for athletes with poor ankle flexibility or for those who want to engage even greater heel loading earlier in the drive phase.
The heel shims can be great for athletes with a history of back injury.

The CustomHeel increases gluteal activation and control over the pelvis and lower back. This control occurs when you load the heels i.e. more heel load equals better gluteal firing which means a more stable pelvis and lower back.

The shims go between your rowing shoe and ShoePlate Tops and shoes.
These products were designed to fit together perfectly.

You will need to remove your rowing shoes and screw the appropriate shims between the ShoePlate Tops and your Rowing shoes.

CustomPack Fitment Guide

Increase the accuracy by video taping yourself side on at the left and right side of the body while erging/rowing to see if one leg sits higher than the other, then adjust with the shim and see what difference this has made.
Generally the higher leg will sit up higher. You can also have a trainer or health care professional measure your seated leg length on the erg at the catch and finish from the base footplate and observe your pelvis symmetry.

Relying on your own feel is also useful.

Being tested on an Instrumented Foot Stretcher that will measure the difference between left and right foot is the gold standard.

Contact the BAT Logic team if you are interested in having your club assessed.

The two white leg length shim sizes are adequate for most leg length issues.
You would never place 1cm of shims under a 1cm shorter leg – this is too extreme for the body to adjust to. The settings are always as least invasive as possible e.g. 8 mm longer right leg, 2.0mm shim may suffice to give you an adequate effect.

The following table is an average case estimation based on our work with over 2000 elite and sub-elite athletes. If you feel that the shim advised below is not suited to your individual case then please contact your health care professional for further advice.

Shim choice will be dependent on the cause and effects of the large discrepancy, guides are only relative and based on our consulting experience fitting these.

To measure the effect of your shim choice it is advised you are re-measured on the erg/in-boat from the base footboard up to your hips as well as looking at video again to identify any changes. Relying on your own body feedback is also useful.

Like any boat rigging change, the effects will take time to get used to and will become clearer with more use.

Click here to learn more about leg length discrepancies.

Click here to view some basic leg length assessment methods.

Click here to view more detailed methods of assessment.

You should use this shim if:

• You are still struggling to get heel contact early enough, or at all, even with the ShoePlate Pro QuickRelease (this may be due to rowing style or in most cases very inflexible ankles)
• You feel that you would like a further heel wedge on top of the 4 degree heel wedge on the ShoePlate, to build even more heel use or support the heel more (may help in back injuries, achilles strains or other calf and ankle injuries)
• You would like to row on a very steep foot stretcher setting but still maintain early heel contact
• To raise the height of the heel only, rather than the entire foot

There is only one size of black shim available – a 5mm heel raising wedge.

View the fitment guide video for the CustomPack or download the CustomPack Fitment Guide PDF.