This is probably something that I need to go see a proper boot fitter for or possibly a podiatrist but since that's not really possible right now I thought I'd see what the collective wisdom here has to say!
I have a pair of touring boots (Scarpa Maestrale RS) that I've used a few times, but whenever I ski downhill in them I get the worst pain I've ever felt in my feet - to the point of having to stop every 30 seconds, and it really prevents me from skiing properly at all because I'm so distracted by it (I ended up snowploughing yesterday simply because parallels were too painful!). It completely ruins touring for me. The pain is either under my forefoot or in my arches or both - hard to tell exactly because it ends up just feeling like the base of my foot is on fire.
The boots feel like they fit when I initially put them on (perhaps a little on the tight side), the problem only manifests when I start using them for a while. The first time I used them was all lift served downhill skiing at a resort, and I remember having an enjoyable time with only a little discomfort that I put down at the time to breaking in a new pair of boots in. Skinning in them is ok for a couple of hours, after which that starts to become quite painful too. I don't get this at all in my downhill boots so it must be something about the fit of these ones.
I have tried getting the liners heat molded at a ski shop, and a couple of different Superfeet insoles. I've also tried adjusting the tightness of all the various buckles - I even ended up skinning with everything completely undone and the shell open the other day in an attempt to stop my feet hurting. Nothing seems to have worked though and I'm now considering whether I should just accept I need to sell the boots and try another pair.
Before I do that though does anyone have any suggestions or similar experiences? Orthotic insoles, heel raisers/volume reducers, a new liner in the same shell? I have only used the boots maybe 6-8 times total so I thought perhaps the liners were still compressing and adapting to my feet but it's got to the point where I don't want to go touring at all because I know how painful it'll be...