 Poster: A snowHead
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Iv been skiing for about 13 years (I'm 20 years old now) and I'm pretty confident that my feet have stopped growing. Iv been hiring boots for the whole time iv been skiing and the last few times iv gone skiing iv been ... less than happy with them. I end up going back to the hire place like 4 times to get different boots because they never fit me properly, or they feel way to soft.
Iv come to the conclusion that now is probably the time to buy my self a nice pair of ski boots.
The problem i'm having is it is very difficult to work out what boots I should get. I find the reviews talk positively about some boots but they don't compare and contrast different boots very well. They don't tell me why I should buy one pair over another. Maybe I'm looking in the wrong place.
Iv been looking at these http://www.salomon.com/au/product/ghost-max-130.html But i'm so uneducated about it that I don't even know what the 130 on the end of its name means?? Is that the model number?
Just a little more info about me, I ski these http://www.skilogik.com/skis-rockerlogik-howitzerrl.php , Im about 6 foot tall and my feet are a size 11 US mens. Iv been skiing powder in japan for the last couple of years, mostly off piste. I suck pretty badly mogul skiing and don't do it very much. That's probably why I suck. Powder skiing is the biggest requirement for these boots.
My questions:
1. Are the boots i'm looking at right for me? Is there a better choice
2. Is it a good idea to buy my boots in Tokyo. I live in Perth Australia and buying them here isn't really an option.
3. How long does a pair of boots typically last, I ski about a month a year.
Thanks in advance for any help
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Firstly don't buy boots based on reviews you read. You will only have the same issues you have with rental boots.
My advice would be find a shop in resort with a boot fitting service and take it from there. They will spend time measuring all aspects of your feet and analyzing the shape. Then they will find a few different boots that suit your feet. The bonus of buying in resort is that you will be able to go back to the shop so they can address any comfort issues as you bed into your boots initially.
How long the boots last you will be dependent on how much you ski in them. If you are only skiing 1-2 weeks a season they should last you at least 5 years.
Hope this helps
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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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If you're after a list of reputable boot fitters, you can do worse than look at the BSBA list, here
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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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Where do you live? If you let us know chances are you will get suggestions of some good boot fitters not too far away. Then go see one, be brutally honest with the answers to his/her questions about your skiing, let them do their stuff measuring your feet and buy the boots the fitter says are right for you.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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The OP said Perth, Austrailia
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NickyJ, So he did 
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My last boots lasted 6 years of skiing 4 weeks per year. And it was only because I smashed the buckles that I retired them, otherwise I would have just got some new foam liners.
BOOTFITTER... as said above. Tell a decent bootfitter what type of skiing you do, let them measure and look at your feet, they will then pick a boot that suits you. The 130 figure is the stiffness rating, which doesn't really compare across manufacturers. Some people prefer softer flex for powder, it depends on your own preference. As long as the boot works with your foot and you can flex the shell then you should be ok, just use it as a rough guide.
Last edited by After all it is free  on Fri 20-12-13 19:35; edited 1 time in total
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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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Oops! My bad!
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You will find there are certain topics where the combined wisdom of the site is so overwhelming it is no use fighting them. One of those is:
Boots need fitting by an expert.
As it's a UK site, most people know/know of a decent fitter here or in the Alps, but since you live on the other side of the world, I'd suggest finding out if you can get them fitted in/near a resort in Japan. Mike Pow is our resident expert in Hokkaido. I don't know if any regulars ski other Japanese areas. Look at his:
SR : HokkaidOH! 2013/14
thread in the Snow reports section. Click on his name and you can send him a private message. You might find that this is a bit of a black hole for us due to our weak currency and plethora of more local skiing options. By the time someone starts thinking of trips to Japan to go skiing from the UK, I suspect they already own boots!
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Read the post,the kid says he lives in Perth in OZ not exactly on CEMS doorstep .The ski shops in Tokyo are in the Kanda area and as the locals like to buy new gear every year, you may be able to pick up a bargin from last years stock. Some of the boot fitters speak English, depends on the shop. Only problem would be size as our JP brothers have smaller feet on average. A good site is www.forums.ski.com.au .Lots of good info on there. As I`ve only skied in Nozawa Onsen in Nagano I couldn`t tell you about shops in the north Nisseko etc.
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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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ICI and FUSO are the shops with the good bootfitters.
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| Quote: |
You will find there are certain topics where the combined wisdom of the site is so overwhelming it is no use fighting them. One of those is:
"Boots need fitting by an expert." |
Yep, and so overwhelming that those of us who really don't need boots fitted by an expert, just end up feeling weirdly left out. 
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You know it makes sense.
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moffatross, really?
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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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It's a figure of speech, under a new name i.e. that so many people find expert fitting is a necessary part of the getting new boots experience that I kind of feel I might be missing something important because it's not been necessary in my own.
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FAQ
