Buying ski boots for the first time...advice needed please?

A snowHead

Hi,

As the title suggests. I’m an intermediate to advanced skier but have never owned my own boots or skis. Just back from a long weekend in L2A and finally come to the conclusion that’s it’s time to ski “comfy” from now on.

So looking at buying my own boots for the first time and wanted some preliminary advice on here before heading to a boot fitting shop. Looking for the boots that will allow both inner and outer custom moulding but want to stick to a reasonable budget (£250-£500?) so that I don’t get stuck in by a sales pitch.

A quick look online and I like the look of the Salomon X Max 100’s, Fischer RC pro 100 vacuum’s and the Rossignol Alltrack Pro 130’s? Anyone had any experience with these? Or any better recommendations?

Any help will be much appreciated.

A snowHead

Look at the buying ski boots sticky be careful in your selection of "shop" then do whatever the bootfitter tells you. It's easiser in the long run. They really aren't in the business of upselling you to something you don't need because they don't need the ballache of you constantly going back to complain etc. Of course if you pick somewhere that is more "shop" than "bootfitter" caevat emptor.

Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?

Tried to get some info from that sticky but the majority of it was a argument regarding the customer service experiences from a certain boot fitter/shop.

You need to Login to know who's really who.

the best boots are the ones that fit you, and to be honest regardless of the make they all do more or less the same job, with varying degrees of comfort / flex / etc.

There are some that are supposed to be easier to put on or made with a walk option, but other than that, the boot's job is to hold your foot in a fairly rigid position.

Flex / comfort / performance are all up to you, so best get yourself down to a boot fitter, explain what you are looking for.

I bought mine at a resort (L2A in fact) on my first ski day there, and went back to have a few minor tweaks and adjustments during the week.

Other people swear by ski barlett or profeet here in the UK, take a look at their offerings and have a think about which is closer / easiest to get too or give them a call.

Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.

@Roscoe, if you can read past one customers experience from about 10 years ago there is some useful information on the thread, it has however got a bit long and some stuff is out dated

as to what the right boot for you is, nobody can answer that on line, all the models you mention are good boots, equally they are all very different shapes/volumes so without knowing what shape your foot is it is a bit like comparing apples with oranges, both good fruit abut one might be to your taste and one cause you to be ill

as top what shop/ fitter to use, it all depends where you are based and what you are looking for

You'll need to Register first of course.

@CEM, thanks for the advice! I’m based in the southeast so Bicester is not to far away. Can always convince the OH to make the journey with a shopping to the village! 😉

Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...

@Roscoe, just a bit confused, you're an "intermediate to advanced skier" but you're only now looking to buy boots? And you've not yet hired or tried the very different boots you're asking us to comment on. To get to your level needs considerable time on snow and you've yet to identify a brand or model that feels good on your feet.
Sorry, I'll take a pass on this thread Puzzled

After all it is free

@auntie masque, no worries. Not sure any need for the hostility, just ignore the thread.

As to your analysis and conclusions, I’m sure there are many skiers like myself that enjoy an annual ski trip, ski reds and black runs, but would not have a clue about the spec’s of boots and skis. Hence asking for advice from those more knowledgeable then myself.

@Roscoe, not hostile, genuinely confused. By now you should have some idea or at least memory of boot branding that feels good or at most hurts you the less and you're asking for feedback on very different products both from last shape and performance. Add to that you say you're skiing reds and blacks but have no idea about any of the equipment you use but you like the "look of" xxx . . . you do realise what that sounds like?

Go see CEM in Bicester, be honest with him about your abilities and your goals and he will fit you with suitable and comfortable boots but if your feet are problematic you will have to revise your budget upward. He doesn't have any sales pitch and will measure and correctly fit boots. And don't forget to add the cost of decent footbeds, skiing at your level they would certainly be most appropriate and add to the comfort quotient.

*Ski* the Net with snowHeads

@auntie masque, 1. I know a couple of "advanced" skiers who only bought once they were "advanced", 2. I'd be well impressed with any shop renting any of those boots.

And given last differences between ranges, etc. not much help to rent a rental boot that has the same brand and racing stripes when the fit will be completely different.

snowHeads are a friendly bunch.

This article is written about ski boots for junior racers, but there is some very good info in there which is applicable to everyone.

http://snowheads.com/ski-forum/viewtopic.php?t=135817&highlight=

I've had mixed experiences with shops that claim to offer expert boot fitters. Some good and some bad. A good boot fitter might not agree entirely with the advice in the article, but if they seem to be taking an approach which is completely different to what the article suggests, I would walk away and find a different shop.

I've seen staff in (well respected independent) shops do some odd things, ie recently I saw a 'boot fitter' tell a customer that a boot was the right size for them without doing a shell check.

snow reports

@under a new name, premium rental gear is usually retail product and good shops are quite happy to swap etc if you go back and tell them your feet hurt. You and I both know that there are astonishingly good skiers that wouldn't dream to call themselves "advanced". The OP needs to go shopping and try on, after all, none of us have his feet or have seen him ski.
I do have to confess a curiosity to witness the OP especially on the -25 glazed ice crap we've had in Ferni this week Evil or Very Mad

You know it makes sense.

@Roscoe just go shopping and if you cannot remember what you put on your feet and hurt, then back off the booze too. Fit is everything with boots and nothing we can say here will have any effect on that.

Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:

Last boots I bought were Atomic Hawx from Solutions for Feet, replacing some Salomon Impacts, imo you need to put your trust in the fitter and be totally honest in your ability and ambitions, they know the sizing of different makes and should be able to work out what fit and flex is going to work for you.

I am very happy with my current boots, smaller than the last, but I never feel the need to let off the buckles.

My point is, I would suggest not coming to the boot fitter with any preconceptions of brand or model.

A snowHead

@auntie masque, I have never or at least rarely seen rental boots that premium!

A snowHead

@auntie masque, thanks that’s great advice. Much better than questioning someone’s skiing ability (cause that’s clearly the benchmark of credibility on these forums) based on that fact they don’t know exactly what make and model boots/skis they ski in.

I ski red/black runs and have fun. I’m sure that doesn’t make me advanced ( I did say intermediate/advanced) and I’m by no means a technically perfect.

Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?

You need to Login to know who's really who.

Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.

You'll need to Register first of course.

Hi Roscoe,

As already mentioned Solutions For Feet in Bicester are excellent. That's all they do. I have just bought some new boots from them. i went in thinking yeah i think Atomic Hawk Ultra's would be right for my narrow feet & they look cool. After five mins he said right Salomon X Max 100s are right for you. Your feet chooses the boot not you. I can thoroughly recommend them.

Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...

@Andrew911, thanks! I’ve Dm’d Cem and will be visiting before my next ski trip.

After all it is free

@dp, good advice. I don’t know a great deal about boots so wanted some constructive info from this forum.

*Ski* the Net with snowHeads

Out of interest - how did you arrive at that selection of boots?

snowHeads are a friendly bunch.

@dp, price point, fully customisable outer and inner and a vague amount of brand recognition. You reply is exactly the advice I was looking for.

snow reports

Being a total gear-head I usually read every review possible before choosing anything EXCEPT for ski boots. I just go with whatever the boot fitter suggests and try to give the best feedback I can during the process. Makes, models etc and other people's experiences of them are completely useless when it comes to choosing a boot that will fit your feet. Fit is everything and no two pairs of feet are the same.

Looks like you are on the right track going to an experienced fitter. CEM fitted my wife's current boots about 5 years ago and they have been excellent, easily the best boots she's ever owned. Her previous 2 pairs (both fitted at different shops) had issues after a few weeks once the liners packed down - basically a bit too big for her. Her current ones are spot on, although she does have Zip-fit liners rather than the stock ones - again on CEM's recommendation during the fitting process.

You know it makes sense.

can someone explain to me about packing down, i have atomic hawk primes, they are a couple of weeks old and i have been wearing them around the house for an hour a day, also did a couple of hours at gloucester ski slope, they feel ok, still a bit to snug at the front and a very tiny amount of heel lift, i am after comfort more than performance, they are definately more comfortable now then when i first bought them, if they pack down even more then i think they might get a millimetre or two to big. i have read reports of packing down by a whole size or more, and other reports say it might not be to much.

Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:

@compostcorner, the material in a ski boot liner is essentially thin layers of various foams, some better quality that others, some a bit like furniture foam, so just like that DFS sofa that feels really firm in the store and when you first sit on it at home, the foam squashes and compacts when you sit in the same place for 6 months, the foam in a ski boot liner does very similar on a micro scale, the ankles push into the same place each day and it compacts the foam a little..... Now, if you have a snug fitting shell, one which matches your foot shape well then there is less compaction, if there is space (ie the shell has extra space) then the motions of skiing will cause more compaction as the foot vibrates and moves a little in each turn, this is why rental boots normally don't give much control as person A pushes one it of foam aside, person B pushes a different bit, Person C another area etc, by the time you get to person X then it is a case of everything being pushed away from someones foot and they fit where they touch.

as to how much a boot will pack depends a bit on the foot the skier the way the shell fits the foot and the quality of the liner in that particular boot, using the boot you have as an example, in the various levels of that boot 100 flex, 110, 120, 130 etc there are 3 different types of liner, silver, gold and platinum,(there is a lower level liner in the very base level boots) as you go up in spec the liner materials are denser which gives a tighter out the box fit which feel more aggressive but doesn't pack down as quickly, on the lower level boots they use a softer material as a lower level skier wants more comfort (generally) the trade off is the foam compacts more quickly.

as for a boot packing out a full size, that is a bit of spin, if the shell check was good in the first place then the liner only has so far to go, if however the boot was bough big (or generous) as the customer did not like the feeling of the boot being so close to their foot then yes that liner will keep compressing and as it does just a little by little the boot will feel bigger and bigger until the foot starts to rattle around.

i have said it so many times, it is all about tolerance of the foot to be in a boot, how much compression that the individual likes and technique of the skier and biomechanics, this is why we always fit boots with a thin sock, as things pack down a bit you can then go to a slightly thicker sock to take up some of the difference.

if the shell fit of the boot is good then you can change the liner out for an after market liner such as zipfit or PU foam injection, where the materials are denser but form a shape around YOUR foot, by doing that you reduce the micro movements so reduce or slow the packing out

A snowHead

thankyou, very informative, my atomic hawk primes have 110 flex with a silver lining

A snowHead

@CEM, good point on the socks. I had my boots professionally fitted by Steve at Sole (ie very snug fit!), and use a really thin sock. When using a thicker one I can really feel the difference on my one pressure point. Also found a plastic heel insert and now 2 additional vertical pads around my right (collapsed) ankle make a big (positive) difference to heel hold. I've relied on good bootfitters to find solutions to my difficult feet and having just spent a weekend swimming in rental boots would suggest good fitting boots should be at the top of the priority list for where you spend your ski holiday budget.

Help!!

Buying ski boots for the first time...advice needed please?

snowHeads Forum Index >>> Equipment Reviews/Questions