 Poster: A snowHead
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Hi all
I need some new boots and wondered where the best place to go is? I live in Manchester, travel to London occassionally and spend some time around Morzine.
I have wide, high feet and fitting is a pain.
Where is the best place? I remember somewhere in Chamoniz being recommended?
Thanks in advance.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Go to Bicester www.solutions4feet.co.uk By appointment only weekdays are OK but if you want a Saturday booking before the season you may be out of luck.
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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boredsurfin, +1!! Dont both thinking of abywhere else. Save you time and feet and pay a visit to colin, simples 
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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NorthDave, SOLE in Chamonix have good results, but you need to book and allocate adequate time.
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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NorthDave, you are thinking of Sole in Chamonix, run by a snowhead. In London I would recommend Profeet in Fulham Road. Regardless that PaulC1984 says "don't go anywhere else" than solutions4feet, I know plenty of people who have been more than happy with Profeet.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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holidayloverxx, granted there maybe others, however my only excellent experience has been with colin. Sadly there are lots of place that give poor results just because the client wants a comfy bott which ends up being too large. With colin you get honesty wether you like it or not, and a great boot is the result
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SOLE in Chamonix is tops. Had mine fitted 2 years ago and still going strong. Booking is required.
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Colin has a top rep, I used SOLE in Cham and was very impressed with them and the time they took. I also had superb service from a guy in Austria but he came through personal recommendation and is a WC racer boot fitter on the circuit. You tend to find that wherever you go in the Alps there will be one or two top class fitters within the general area, ask about and ask experienced high level local skiers.
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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| PaulC1984 wrote: |
| holidayloverxx, granted there maybe others, however my only excellent experience has been with colin. Sadly there are lots of place that give poor results just because the client wants a comfy bott which ends up being too large. With colin you get honesty wether you like it or not, and a great boot is the result |
Of course....exactly my experience at Profeet
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Rivington Alpine worth a look too.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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+1
But note they're in Adlington and not Rivington!
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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| Dave of the Marmottes wrote: |
| Rivington Alpine worth a look too. |
I did get my existing boots sorted there a free years ago. I wasn't convinced they had a big enough choice of boot to buy from, although the chap obviously was a very good boot fitter.
Favourite at the moment is Sole in Chamonix I think. I'm over in October so will visit then.
Thanks for all your help.
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| NorthDave wrote: |
| Favourite at the moment is Sole in Chamonix I think. I'm over in October so will visit then. |
I'd give them a call before to see what their stock levels are like. I have bought boots at that time of year in the past and it was a bit touch and go whether the new season stuff would have been delivered.
I would totally recommend Sole if freeride/touring is your thing. They get the cool new stuff and do a good job fitting it IME.
If piste/racing is your thing, they will also do a good job I am sure, but they aren't quite so differentiated from Solutions4Feet or Rivington in terms of the kit they carry
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You know it makes sense.
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| holidayloverxx wrote: |
| NorthDave, you are thinking of Sole in Chamonix, run by a snowhead. In London I would recommend Profeet in Fulham Road. Regardless that PaulC1984 says "don't go anywhere else" than solutions4feet, I know plenty of people who have been more than happy with Profeet. |
+1 (as a happy Profeet customer)
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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+1 for Profeet. I also have difficult feet - oddly shaped and severe pronation
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Poster: A snowHead
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Dave at Ellis Brigham Castlefied is excellent, I have very pronounced arches and have struggled with sore feet for ages because the insoles were not built up enough (in his opinion). He knew exactly what my problem was and told me where and how my feet would hurt. He was right.
I suppose having a grasp of the structure of a foot and its mechanics go along way to making a good boot fitter. I doubt my feet will ever be 100% comfortable but I'll repost in January if hes improved my problem.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Seriously, why can't I just go and buy a pair off the shelf that fit? Do most people buy them after a fitting, or just off the shelf?
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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blahblahblah, you can if you don't have problem feet and understand what is a "fit" rather than comfy. Of course you'd buy them after a fitting...that's the point...assuming work has been done to make them fit
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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holidayloverxx, Sorry.Grammar, I meant do most people buy off the shelf? and a smaller percentage use the fitting process. I had never thought about it previously, but is it a big market? I have always rented, and most people I know have always rented.
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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I can store a small selection of animals under my arches. They flatten out over time spent in a ski boot which stretches the tendons under my foot causing severe cramping pains in the balls of my feet.
The way to prevent this is to "fit" a conformable insole so my feet don't flatten. You'd never get that either off the shelf or in a rental boot.
Besides which, rentals are for beginners and cheapskates.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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blahblahblah, when you have your own boots you can really tell the difference on fit, comfort and responsiveness
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homers double, So 90% of skiers.
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Pretty much the opposite, plus if you've invested a few grand in a family holiday your own boots can make it more enjoyable that packed out smelly rentals.
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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we'll be smashing it in October, so no worries about stock, at SOLE that is. Probably no snow though. Nobody uses ski boots without Dynafit compatibility or a walk mode these days do they? Perhaps they use Black and White Telly's too????? 
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WTF would I want to walk up a hill for when there is a perfectly good chairlift I can pay to use?
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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What I found was that my first rental boots cut large gashes in my shins leading to blood soaked socks. My first purchased boots were ok for 2 years (5 weeks) then I started having real problems with not being able to control my skis and general sloppiness. I had to crank the buckles up extra tight but that then blocked the shell from flexing. A boot fitter in France installed extra padding on the liners but this didn't help much. So I went to the old SOLE. After much measurement of my feet Seb went away and brought back a single pair. These will fit you he said. Amazing, a couple of minor adjustments over the next two days and the performance increase revolutionised my skiing. Suddenly I could make minor adjustments to my stance at speed and they were instantly transmitted to my skis. These boots lasted 6 years and approx 30 weeks of skiing on and off piste before they bit the dust (the smashing of a buckle on a rock was the deciding factor).
But... it does depend on what you need the boot for. If you just enjoy skiing fairly sedately as per a general ski holiday and do not particularly want to increase your performance or start taking technical lessons then as long as your feet are fairly standard in shape an off the shelf boot may be ideal. If you desire instant feedback to be transmitted from your skis and wish to develop your skills then it can make a massive difference to you. Moving up to custom foam liners may also be a good idea, especially if like me you have narrow heels and ankles that move if the rear boot volume is too large.
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+1 for Rivington Alpine
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You know it makes sense.
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Scarpa, thanks for that. I have had bad rental boots, but have used the same shop for the last 4 years, and they give me brand new set of Lange boots every time I go, they store customers preferences.
I have found these much better, and all the things you describe, which made me think of just buying a pair.I understand that the inners compress with use but was hoping as the pair I have in mind are quite snug already.
It has to be said I suspect you are a better skier than me, but like to think I am not all that sedate and have reasonable control. I also struggle to get more than 10 days a year skiing, quite like the new gear every time I go.
The first time I went skiing my boots were terrible, to large and did them up to tight and froze my feet, so I know it happens.
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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blahblahblah, Yup, if your feet suit Lange boots then all may be well, but remember though, a really top boot fitter will match your feet to a boot that totally suits them. As that boot should last you over 10 years then it makes sense to get one that will allow for future development. You can check shell size as many threads here have advised by placing your feet in them without liners so that your toes touch the ends and see how much of a gap there is at the rear. I find 15mm to be fine, anything over that and I would develop heel slop. I skied 15 weeks last year in my new Atomic Redsters and absolutely love them, but they happen to suit my physiology and preference for a lot of forward lean.
When I wear my ski boots unbuckled my toes are firmly jammed up against the end of the shell, it's only when I get into a ski position and do up the buckles that they pull back slightly. And as CH2O says, there are some fantastic boots out now that pretty much do everything, ski like a freeride alpine boot, and tour and hike like a dedicated touring boot.
Lots of choices out there so have a good discussion with your chosen fitter on what your aspirations are, how you will use them 80% of the time, how much you value performance over comfort etc
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Poster: A snowHead
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you will hear nothing but good thngs about CEM but another i'd also say in Europe would be Heierling in Davos.
http://www.heierling.ch/
They fit the boots for the Atomic ski team - but note they happily supply/ stock/ fit other boot brands. the point is, like CEM ( from what i hear ) they actually know what they are doing...
Just slapping someone on a Sidas footbed jobby and making a 'customised footbed' may be ok for a fair number of people... But of you are beng personally fit, then it is reasonable to expect that footbed to be what you need.. And in many cases it won't be because they have no knowledge or skill or ability to create an orthopaedic footbed as opposed to a produce by the numbers by anyone footbed that does indeed support the foot but in no way, shape or fashion CORRECTS any problem there may be... And if they can't be bothered to fit a footbed to the foot and the person, what chance the rest of the boot?
end of footbed rant... But since i had two ( 2 ) custom made boots and footbeds from recommended bootfitters both of which failed to fix a problem... Well, it's only due to Heierling and their pressure plates that i now know of my issues on my left foot - which also causes issues with shoes especially golf shoes, although Asics are much better.
sp, go to CEM or else Heierling or someone with orthopaedic knowledge, and the tools - note at Heierling they are ( or were..?) a bit more old school in still preferring foam fit inners, but otherwise will also align the boot etc somyour knee is properly aligned to the ski... Something CEM also does, but is frequently or even commonly ignored yet is another vital fitting component...
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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NorthDave, Nope, discount for accredited snowsports professionals only i'm afraid.
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