 Poster: A snowHead
|
I was in a similar situation to you and decided to wait until I could afford a pair of boots from a proper boot fitter (Rivington Alpine). I ended up spending £370 including a custom footbed and it's been the best ski equipment purchase I've made (and there have been a lot). My boots initially felt too tight, they took a while for the liners to bed in/pack down and are now perfect. I can ski all day with no pain and can flex them properly too.
Based on my own experience I'd say save up and buy them once properly. Depending on how much skiing you do you'll have them for 5 years+
Oh and welcome to skiing - it's absolutely amazing 
|
|
|
|
|
|
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
|
|
justatheory, I got 6 years times 4 weeks per season from my Nordica boots before I smashed a buckle off lol. With a well fitted shell you can get a new liner at 3 - 4 years and extend the life.
|
|
|
|
|
|
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?
|
| rogg wrote: |
| CEM wrote: |
| and a large lump on top of each foot |
Out of interest what was your "cure" for that. I have one on each foot - i think they're called "bone spurs", basically a big hard boney knobble right on top of foot over the arch. Is that what they had? I snowboard so it's not too much of an issue, but might come back to the dark side one day, so i'd be interested to know. |
Rogg,
correct they are bone spurs, or metatarsal-cuneiform exostosis if you want a bit of tech speak
there are various solutions depending on the size and exact location, first thing we look at is making sure there is sufficient room the shell height for the majority of the foot, if not we need to lower the base board to give a little more, the foot needs to be well supported on a good footbed as it is instability of the joint which causes the problem and the forces of skiing will irritate it further...then the lump itself... we can either grind the material of the tongue thinner (the hard plastic part) so that the bump can push up and through a little, if we need a little more then we cut a section of the plastic out and replace with a soft padding material, or if required push the shell up locally at the problem...... normally thee spurs locate themselves directly under the buckle tooth plate of the second buckle so often we have to remove the metal work, do the stretch and then re fix the tooth plate.
in the most extensive cases then pushing the shell out and replacing the liner with a wrap around style liner where there is no tongue and the whole liner is made of a thermo mouldable material works really well.
for your snowboard boots the solution can be even simpler (depending on the boot), just miss out the lacing directly over the problem so you have a good hold below and above leaving a window in the lacing
|
|
|
|
|
|
You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
|
This thread has probably been done to death. However-My penny's worth is this:
As a beginner you don't yet know how good or bad boots can feel or what constitutes a good/bad fit on a new boot. I know I used to just accept that my feet would hurt. Then I had a proper boot fitting in France and a footbed to deal with my high arches, and all the pain went away. The footbed can be just as important as the boot in my opinion, unless you have perfect feet (but you don't know that until you have skied for at least a day in your boots). My footbeds have just been inserted into their third pair of boots in 7 years and they are still going strong on the original €50 investment (in my defence I try and ski at least 30 days a season). They make the difference between the balls of my feet feeling like they are on fire, and my not even thinking about my feet from 9am until 5pm.
Skiing on a dry slope or in the snowdome does give you an idea about the bits that hurt, but it's not the same as a day on the mountains.
We all make mistakes buying boots, and it can be costly. (My sister did it when she was getting back into skiing after a few years off and when she was still an early intermediate, and I blew a fortune on a pair last March and regretted it within 3 days-they were just too comfy-which in boot parlance=too big). Even proper boot fitters don't get it right, they are offering you what they have in stock which might do. Each manufacturer has slightly different last shapes, widths and boot shapes. New boots should feel very tight, and it's difficult to convince a beginner that the size is still right.
Personally, I would not buy boots as a total beginner, but wait a couple of seasons, then you can invest in a better quality more advanced boot which will last you longer. Buy them in a resort if you can from the local boot guru who fits all the local ski instructors, ski on them for a couple of days, go back and get them tweaked by the fitter.
However, if you do want to go for it, try getting some from a shop and fitter that offers a comfort guarantee, so you can take them back after your trip and you will get most of you money back. £150 is not much though. Definitely got to add that extra £100 into the pot.
If you hadn't realised it yet, you are beginning to realise that one of the joys if skiing is its ability to part your from your hard earned cash!
|
|
|
|
|
|
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
|
CharlotteJane, great to see that someone else has got a recommendation for Skee-tex in Battlesbridge, I'm on my second pair from them and have been more than pleased with the service offered on both occasions.
FWIW I haven't invested in custom footbeds yet, but do use a pair of Superfeet green instead (I have a matching set in my trainers too). I get on fine with these, though it may be a case of what I don't know, I don't miss.
|
|
|
|
|
|
You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
|
A couple of late suggestions.
Next time you have a lesson at the snow dome, go a bit early and try on the next smaller size boot. You will soon know if it is too small, or actually fits better than the ones you have been using.
Second, how normal are your feet? All are different, but some are more problematic than others. Don't answer these questions on the forum, just to yourself:-
- do you have problems getting shoes to fit, i.e. can you more or less buy anything your size with no problem, or do you have to worry about shoes coping with the width and shape of your feet?
- how do the soles on your shoes wear? Evenly, or does one side wear down before the other?
If you have problems with shoe fitting, or if your soles wear unevenly, you should be looking at serious boot-fitting with custom footbeds (or even orthotic insoles to correct your stance). If not, then hire for your first holiday and see how you get on.
(I speak from experience. My feet have unusually high insteps and supinate severely - i.e. I walk on the outside edges. This makes it impossible to carve (or survive a draglift) without customised orthotic insoles, yet another step in cost beyond customised footbeds unfortunately. My ski boots are also a size smaller than the shoes I normally wear, and have been stretched to accommodate the bits of my feet which stick out!)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
I would advise getting your own boots, even if it's just to know that the smell is your own... To add a bit of balance to an earlier comment, the service I got at Lockwoods was very good, and after measuring my feet suggested a pair of boots in the sale rather than the latest shiny model. Also cannot fault the fit of the boots in any way.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
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.
|
Hi Again everyone, I wanted to thank you all for your posts.
I did, in the end visit Lockwoods and got some boots fitted.... I paid extra for superfeet insoles too and have worn them for a few hours at the snow dome and they are SO much better!
The amount of work that went into making sure they fit me was remarkable so I am glad I avoided somewhere that didnt 'fit' them for you ... or else god knows what I would have ended up with....
They had to give me a size smaller than I thought I was, then take insoles out of one as one foot is smaller than the other, then stretch them out as they were a bit tight on my toes.... they now feel very snug and comfortable and completely different to what I had been wearing when learning.
I also learnt how to do up ski boots... something i didnt know and had been making the mistake of tightening them around my feet as the boot was too big!
So I am very pleased! I went with an open mind on cost and got the ones that fitted best, Lockwoods were great so thanks everyone for your advice. Will hopefully make my ski holiday coming up very soon even more enjoyable! 
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
|
| Quote: |
I also learnt how to do up ski boots... something i didnt know and had been making the mistake of tightening them around my feet as the boot was too big!
|
Care to share this with us. I just gradually crank up the buckles until they feel right. Is there a secret?
P.s. - Your boots will probably be agony when you get to the slopes
|
|
|
|
|
|
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.
|
|
|
|
|
|
FAQ
In the next couple of years they're going to be heading in with a black and decker drill to clear me out. 
