 Poster: A snowHead
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Evening all!
This year, I'm thinking of purchasing my own ski boots and I was just wondering what the best ones to be looking for are, and a rough guide price that I should look at?
I only go skiing once a season, for a week at a time. I'm a fairly comfortable skiier, skiing reds and blacks but not blacks with moguls.
I'm going to Val Thorens on Jan 10th - would it be worth buying them over there, or am I just going to be hitting big prices and it'll be better to get them in the UK somewhere?
Cheers
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Apologies for the length of this! I've let that extra Sunday morning hour get to my (snow)head...
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the best ones to be looking for are...
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Those that fit the shape of your foot, are of the right flexibility for your ski experience, weight, leg length, etc, and that allow you to do the type of skiing you want to do. A well fitted pair will likely improve your skiing no bounds, and be comfortable yet snug, close-fitting, and responsive.
I guess you have 3/4 avenues to venture down: Online, UK Chain Store, UK Specialist, Resort Specialist...
Buy online
Pro - Price (sometimes)
Cons - Little idea of sizing. Little idea of fit. No customisation. No foot support off the shelf. Any modifications/customisation would cost you extra from a boot fitter. Can end up costing you more than other options.
Not recommended. I'm sure there are those out there who have had good experiences this way. In my experience the saving of buying online is often more than cancelled out by later modifications/adjustments/ensuring adequate support. If things go wrong, you will likely spend more money in making it usable than you saved originally. Often I see people who just end up buying a new boot, and 90% of the time it's because the original was too voluminous.
Going quite a fair few years back I was the victim of this myself. I bought a boot three sizes too big off eBay (based on my shoe size), and it caused me no end of problems on two holidays. I would have been better off hiring; it would have been cheaper, better for my skiing, and I would have enjoyed my holidays more. People seem to be happy to spend a great deal on excursions away, but really want to skimp when it comes to equipment. Being ill-equipped could ruin a day (or more) of your £1000ish holiday - why bother saving £xx here or there?
Therefore I would discount buying online, unless you know exactly what you're are looking for, and have the means to modify/customise/problem solve available for free.
Buy from a chain store (EB, S&R)
Pros - Relatively fair prices. Often backed by a guarantee of some sort. Multiple locations.
Cons - Can be very hit and miss on the boot fitting front. Any issues on your holiday - no local support.
I know some very decent boot fitters at these types of store, but I also know of very inexperienced fitters that could just be in for a couple of days a week, with limited training. How do you know who you're getting? Any issues abroad will likely cost you extra, but you do benefit from a decent network of well-equipped shops in the UK. Good facilities for customisation and custom support. Also most will have a guarantee of sorts, if everything goes wrong you have something to fall back on. It might not help when you're stood at the top of the Grand Couloir with your toenails in your hands, but it's far better than buying online.
I know a lot of people who have been very happy with fits from this type of store, and some that have been less happy.
UK-based Specialist
Pros - Great fitting. Lots of experience. Plenty of happy customers.
Cons - Price; can be more than either of the above (please correct me if wrong!)
You only have to look as far as some other threads on here to see that these type of places often have a great reputation for getting you in the right boot for you. If they don't have what's right for you they tend to tell you what to look for as opposed to shoehorning you into something that might not be quite right. I've not looked into prices too thoroughly here, but I imagine you pay a little bit of a premium, and at the end of the day you get what you pay for - expertise, top analysis and tech, and presumably, great skiing.
Often these places can be quite localised, so there may be a bit of travel involved, but they tend to be well spread around, London, Oxford, Chorley, etc etc.
Resort-based Specialist
Pros - Great fitting. Plenty of experience (if you're pointed toward the right shop). The ability to tweak boots everyday, during/after skiing.
Cons - Potentially price (in some shops, but very much competitive others. Varies). Very localised.
These can vary, but if we're looking at 'specialist' fitters you often work with an experienced boot fitter, offering great fitting boots and after-sales service (oooh-er). The big bonus here for me is the way you can keep on going back over your stay if you fancy a little tweak - the fitter will be there for the duration of you holiday, and possibly for the year after, and the year after. Why would a resort based fitter shoehorn you into an ill-fitting boot when you're off out skiing for the day, and stay in a chalet 3 minutes walk away? If it doesn't work you'll be back. If you need a tweak you'll be back. Often all after-sales services/mods will be included in the initial cost. Often they will guarantee the fit of the boot.
The fitters experience in problem-solving can also be useful here - they will often see a huge number of problems over the season, as skier after skier who have bought boots elsewhere/online come hobbling into their store to find out why they're uncomfortable.
Prices can vary wildly here I imagine. I know of quality fitters similarly priced to UK chain stores. I also know of fitters where you can be looking at double a chain store price, if not more.
I've droned on for much longer than I meant to, but hopefully some of this is helpful (to somebody at least!). In the interests of balance I work for/with more than one of the above but i've tried to be as unbiased and as frank as possible. If someone feels i've been unfair somewhere please let me know (i'm sure you will anyway!) and i'll amend accordingly.
OP, I hope this helped a bit, but feel free to PM me; I could certainly advise with a few of the options above.
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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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sellwin90, The sticky tells you all you need to know (well most of it anyway  )
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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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sellwin90, I'd say it's essential to buy from a store with a good boot-fitter. If you were to buy in VT then you'd need to be prepared to spend half a day getting fitted. Maybe ok if you arrive in resort early enough to do it the day before your skiing starts, but would be a pain if you had to do this on the first morning. Also, you'd need to go back there if you needed adjustments, so maybe not such a good idea if you won't go back to VT each year.
I bought a pair from a good shop in Val d'Isere some years ago and went back each year for some tweaking at the start of my trip. Became part of the holiday! But it only worked because I was going there each year.
I got my current pair from solutions4feet in Bicester and would highly recommend them if you are within driving distance. If you live further afield then there may be other recommendations from Snowheads who live near you.
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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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Hi Folks,
new poster here.
I'm also in need of some new boots this season
Can anybody recommend a good boot fitter in or around the West Midlands?
Probably nearest that I know of is S&N Birmingham, but not been too impressed with the service from them in the past
Have been considering visiting Ellis Brigham in Tamworth but don't have any experience of their expertise/competence.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Lockwoods in Leamington? and not too far from Solutions4Feet.
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Thanks, I'll pay them a visit
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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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| halfhand wrote: |
| sellwin90, The sticky tells you all you need to know (well most of it anyway ) |
I actually had a look through threads to see if there was any posts regarding this, how I managed to miss the very first sticky, I don't know!
Cheers for the responses, I'll make my way through them today!
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