 Poster: A snowHead
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Apologies first...... Sure this question has been asked before. I have waded through , and not quite found my answers.
Best place to buy ski boots ? I am a standard size 6 , but the hire boots I get always seem to be wet ....so I want something a bit drier and better !
Ebay any use ..... Or snow and rock ....ellis bringham ?
Or do I need to go more specialist ?
I am a beginner skier but will probably go once a fortnight indoor and a couple of weeks away ....so they will get a fair amount of use.
I do a lot of marathon running and i know things exist like gait analysis and also the insider knowledge of where the true experts are in fitting running shoes , rather than standard high street shops that are sometimes rubbish .
I was wondering if there was any insider knowledge on ski boot fitting , or can you get away with any boot really when you are at the level i am at .
At the end of the day I am never gonna be a good skier, but just wanted something comfortable for my green and easy blue slopes.
Also is it ok to have your own boots and use hire skies , or really do i need skies as well?
I'm in the north west , cheshire area .
Thank you 
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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| sammyboyo wrote: |
| I am a standard size 6 |
Who's standard is that then? Ski boots vary (a lot).
| Quote: |
| I'm in the north west |
Usual recommendation thereabouts is Rivington Alpine: http://www.rivingtonalpine.co.uk
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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They really can make a difference to your enjoyment. Ski boots will never be comfortable but they can certainly be very uncomfortable if you don't get the right ones for you. Check out your local dry slope and the clan there usually know the best person locally to give you a good service. John at Snowfit in Norwich is brilliant. - but a fair way from Cheshire....
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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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depends how much you want to spend. If you have ordinary sort of feet and don't have great plans to become a whizzy skier you can probably find comfy boots for not too much money - but you must try them on, so ebay really isn't a great idea. If you have a Decathlon anywhere near you they might be worth a look. It's good if you can talk to a boot fitter - don't just guess for yourself, as you are likely to end up with boots that feel comfortable "out of the box" but could soon become a bit sloppy.
When do you need them? Might be some sales on later (I was in Go Sport in Annemasse, near Geneva, today and they had lots of boots in their sale).
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They are cheap in Decathalon arent they !
Gosh I am torn between going the whole hog and having a proper boot fitting ....or just buying Decathalon ones .
Thanks for the advice folks ....will have to have a think
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| Quote: |
Do people buy a certain boot as a beginner and then outgrow them as the get better , or will the boots I buy suffice me , bearing in mind I am only ever likely to stick to easy runs and have no great ambitons
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if you get good fitting boots (ie not too big, as the liners "pack out" after a time) they should do you for some years of skiing a few weeks a year on easy runs. As you cope OK with rented boots it seems unlikely, really, that you need to go for anything too fancy. Spend the money on lessons instead!
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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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There are great instructors in Scotland....
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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I would go straight to Rivington Alpine. Buying boots "off the shelf may be cheaper initially but add the cost of a re-fitting by a specialist (after sore feet spoil a ski holiday) and they will be more expensive than Rivington in the long run
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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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Thanks .....
Silly question , but if I buy my own boots , but then RENT skies, will my boots get wrecked and knackered by rental skies?
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| sammyboyo wrote: |
Thanks .....
Silly question , but if I buy my own boots , but then RENT skies, will my boots get wrecked and knackered by rental skies? |
No, rental skis won't knacker your boots in the slightest.
There is another thread running here recently about the pros and cons of buying boots/skis. You may want toi give it a read.
If you are a beginner skier then I would strongly suggest you do NOT buy boots yet. The two main arguments for buying boots IMO are:
1. If you have weird shaped feet you may never find a standard boot that fits comfortably. - I'll take their word for it, but can't help feeling much the same argument should apply to normal shoes and I struggle to believe all these peoiple have their shoes hand-made.
2. You will never get a perfectly fitting boot unless you buy your own and have them custom fitted for you. Without a perfectly fitting boot you will not be able to ski at the very limit of your ability. - This is absolutely true, but also irrelevant for a great many of us and especially true for a beginner. Contrary to what cameronphillips2000 says you certainly can have comfortable boots. Every pair I've rented over the last 10 years have been supremely comfortable. The most uncomfortable boots I've ever had were pairs that I've owned. Unlike rental boots you can't take them back and swap them endlessly until you find a pair you like. Rental boots are unlikely to be as tight as the purists say they are meant to be, but I'd far rather have a comfortable pair of rental boots in which I can ski well than an uncomfortable pair which might improve my performance by 10%. In addition, the boots you need as a beginner are unlikely to be the same as the boots you need 3 seasons later. Add in the additional hassle and cost of transporting them and I reckon you have quite a convincing argument for waiting a while before buying ski boots.
Whatever you do, please don't become one of those irritating people who your friends have to wait for at the top of every chairlift because you need to re-buckle your owned boots because they have been too uncomfortable to wear without unbuckling at every lift and pee break. 
BTW, there's no reason at all why rental boots should be wetter than your own. If you are talking about ones rented from a fridge then I rather expect they have never been dried out properly since the last person used them. Hardly a problem when you rent them for a week.
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You know it makes sense.
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@foxtrotzulu, I agree with most of what you have said, and certainly the general gist that if the OP doesn't have issues with hire boots there's no need to buy.
However, just in response to:
| Quote: |
If you have weird shaped feet you may never find a standard boot that fits comfortably. - I'll take their word for it, but can't help feeling much the same argument should apply to normal shoes and I struggle to believe all these peoiple have their shoes hand-made.
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I have weird feet from skiing perspective, but not a normal shoe perspective. My main problem is a high instep, which means ski boots put pressure on the top of my foot, cutting off blood supply and leaving me with completely numb feet after a very short while. I also have a narrow Achilles and a wide forefoot and it's difficult to match those conflicting requirements in a ski boot, whereas normal shoes just stretch in the right places after a bit of wear. Rental boots were so excruiciating I nearly didn't take up skiing. My own boots have always been more comfortable, but before Snowheads introduced me to proper bootfitters and I got boots from CEM, I had never skied pain free. None of these ski boot issues have ever caused me the slightest issue in normal (or running or hiking) shoes, as they are mainly adaptable in the key places through laces/buckles/not having any material there in the first place.
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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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| Gämsbock wrote: |
@foxtrotzulu, I agree with most of what you have said, and certainly the general gist that if the OP doesn't have issues with hire boots there's no need to buy.
However, just in response to:
| Quote: |
If you have weird shaped feet you may never find a standard boot that fits comfortably. - I'll take their word for it, but can't help feeling much the same argument should apply to normal shoes and I struggle to believe all these peoiple have their shoes hand-made.
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I have weird feet from skiing perspective, but not a normal shoe perspective. My main problem is a high instep, which means ski boots put pressure on the top of my foot, cutting off blood supply and leaving me with completely numb feet after a very short while. I also have a narrow Achilles and a wide forefoot and it's difficult to match those conflicting requirements in a ski boot, whereas normal shoes just stretch in the right places after a bit of wear. Rental boots were so excruiciating I nearly didn't take up skiing. My own boots have always been more comfortable, but before Snowheads introduced me to proper bootfitters and I got boots from CEM, I had never skied pain free. None of these ski boot issues have ever caused me the slightest issue in normal (or running or hiking) shoes, as they are mainly adaptable in the key places through laces/buckles/not having any material there in the first place. |
I stand corrected
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Poster: A snowHead
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| Quote: |
you certainly can have comfortable boots.
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agreed. I'd not be prepared to ski in uncomfortable boots, frankly. Actually, one of the most comfortable pairs I've worn for some time was a pair of touring boots rented for two days - the first to get used to them and how to use skins etc, the second for a "taster day" of ski touring with a guide. They were a revelation - so light! And perfectly adequate downhill for the kind of no-precision skiing I do. I did ski into a bush, from which the guide had to extricate me rather than wait all day for me to do it myself, but it wasn't the fault of the boots.
My sister's "owned" boots, which were ancient, died of plastic fatigue when she was skiing with me. She was leaving pink and purple bits all over the place (yes, they were that ancient....). She rented a pair which, contrary to some of the daft stuff you read on SHs sometimes, were pretty well brand new and comfortable. She realised she could ski a lot better in them than in her knackered old ones, which were like carpet slippers, and has since bought a new pair (Snow and Rock) of her own.
From observation I'd say that most French holiday skiers use rented boots and skis as a matter of course and the majority ski a lot better than the majority of British holiday skiers.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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I bought boots early. I don't have problem feet in shoes but the combination of narrow heels, wide toes, high arches and less than svelte calf muscles meant I was in agony in all the hire boots I tried. The only non ski footwear issue is heel lift in walking boots which is solved by getting the right ones! Not mad on stiletto heels but that's more due to lack of co-ordination!
I do faff a bit with boots at the top of some lifts, usually it's a sign of having skied the preceding run like a numpty and got tense and in the back seat. Often what I think is boot pain is back ache.
Do hate walking in ski boots - the gait alteration and the fact that boots aren't designed for walking plus the risk of ending up on my behind mean I carry walking trainers in a small pack.
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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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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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@sammyboyo, have a look at sail and ski in chester , they have a new store and are pretty knowledgeable , graham at rivington alpine is one of the best tho
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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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You'll need to Register first of course.
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@sammyboyo, the reason they are so cheap on e bay is either
nobody bought them and the shop is clearing them out
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somebody bought them on e bay and found they didn't fit as well as they had hoped
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@sammyboyo, forget ebay for ski boots !!!!!!!!!!
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I know ...... I'm an idiot !
I agree. I just got my brother and brother in law saying theirs were fine off ebay , and a couple close enough for me to travel to try on first .
I declined one offer to try because it said the ski boot was for advanced and experienced skiers , not novice like me I know thats to do with the flexibility of the boot .
Its hard to spend £40 fitting and over £200 on a boot , when I can try a pair on and get them for £30 off Ebay , and just resell them on again if they are no good. Surely theyhave to be better than the rental boots I have been using .
Does it really matter if I get advanced or intermediate boots when I am not at that level ?
Honestly I appreciate everyones replies . You have all given excellent adviceand I appreciate your time and trouble .
Please ignore me I am infuriating .
Thanks
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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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I bought a pair of Head S13 boots off ebay a few years ago and they have been great. however I did have to faff about with them a fair bit and do a bit of reading to get them the way I wanted and comfortable. I was going to buy expensive fitted insoles as my feet were feeling "fuzzy" after a day skiing, basically due to my feet moving slightly, bought a pair of insoles with a slight rubber feel and that stopped that.
the reason I bought the Boots.. I like the translucent plastic look... maybe just got lucky
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| foxtrotzulu wrote: |
1. If you have weird shaped feet you may never find a standard boot that fits comfortably. - I'll take their word for it, but can't help feeling much the same argument should apply to normal shoes and I struggle to believe all these peoiple have their shoes hand-made. |
Not handmade, but I do have to buy wide fit, and rarely find any that are comfy even then.
For the original post - id normally say don't buy online, other than that if you've got standard ish feet youll be fine, and if you have a local slope having your own is nice and saves faffing time each trip. If you do go decathlon, take an experienced friend. The service in there is very variable.
Buying too hard a boot does matter BTW, it makes it harder to bend your ankle which means when learning new moves you won't bend enough, will lean back instead and tire out your thighs really badly, plus often lack control over the front of the ski. That said if you are, erm, generously sized, the issue shows less - a bit of weight behind you will help you show an advanced boot who is boss  say 15st\16st plus? Even so I'd avoid anything advanced\expert - they are just unhelpful, not intended for the speed\terrain you are on.
If you must eBay get an experienced friend to help and be prepared to resell a fair few before you find one. Its similar to rental fitting process really - try a few which in theory are your size, just with royal mail instead of the counter assistant  so a bit slower\more expensive!
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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