 Poster: A snowHead
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What are parents thoughts on this, with a 8 year old I know I will only get 1 year out of them but in that year he could do approx 20 - 25 days on the slope. Is it worth getting his own or just stick to renting?
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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For 25 days probably worth buying if you are good at eBay etc
I have 6 grandchildren arriving on Saturday for a week and have hired everything. Job lot from Skimium, with discounts. really CBA to keep track of the changing sizes of 12 feet. IM (considerable) E kids ski happily in, and on, whatever they are given. At club level, budding racers etc it's obviously more complicated.
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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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Buy definitely. Its a crimbo / b'day present and although you may only get 1 year out of them it saves a lot of fav, cost in the long run and pain finding the right boots!
Our little one has got some Head boots, picked them up in Ellis Brigham for only £35  (but then he is a midget!)
You should be able to pick up a brand new pair for circa £70, and even cheaper off Fleabay id imagine (Just be careful with sizing!)
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@Jonny996, We have always bought them for the grandchildren - though they do ski every week on dendix. Mainly secondhand at the ski club, then sell them later for the same amount! We have though bought a couple of pairs of Roces extendable boots which are lasting well - they cover enough sizes for about 3 years, and in a sale were only £35 per pair.
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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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Buy definately. The 2nd hand market is full of kids boots which have hardly been used. Lots of shops offer exchange too. The Roces adjustable boots are good it they are not that advanced.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Our local shop had a good range of second hand boots
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It is cost effective and hassle effective (avoid hire shops) to buy old seasons models or second hand, particularly if he has younger siblings to pass boots on to. That's what we do. And I think a snug fit is less important for kids given their lower height and weight.
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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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@Jonny996, brother in law grew through three pairs one winter...
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Ski boots ain't like street shoes so buying 'em with plenty of growing room can have an impact on safety. If the boot is too big then in a fall the foot can 'torque' a lot more before it applies sufficient pressure to the inside of the boot to then push/pull the boot out of the binding.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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A .young member of my family had ski boots for Christmas one year and had grown out of them before his holiday. They sat under the bed in my apartment for a few years, never quite the right fit for anyone else, and eventually flogged on ebay. For kids who only ski a week or so each year I'll stick to hiring.
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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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Yes worth buying and as @spyderjon, says don't be tempted to buy them too big. Size to fit properly at the start of the season and they will probably last the season. My theory is that the liner bedding in / packing out allows a bit of room for growth. If they aren't too bashed you will be able to get a reasonable price on here or eBay.
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I'm glad someone mentioned Roces, but totally can't undertand the cost/effort comment. In my view, cost and effort are the two key reasons for buying them. The cost option is obvious, so I'll focus on the second, which is even more important.
We bought small Roces for son1 and some smaller unisize boots for son2. I was expecting the Roces boots to suck diabolically. I only bought them as an emergency boot to have available if we did last minute trip to Scotland. As everyone knows, hiring kit for a quick trip in Scotland is an utterly nightmarish experience and you need t be ready to go at a moments notice. I fully expected him to hate using them and we'd hire a pair in resort every time we headed to the Alps for a week. In the end they were fine, couldn't believe it. No complaints at all, he just used them.
Then we bought the medium/big size and he's still fine. We rewound the little ones down 3 sizes to they fit wean2 and he is also using them no problem.
We did last minute trips to Scotland at Christmas and New Year last year, and various trips the years before. It reduces the stress levels hugely. You go to the resort that has snow and looks good. You don't dick about hiring kit. You don't worry about the stupid cost of one days hire.
We also use the for Alps skiing. St Anton this year, Germany at Christmas, Dolomites last year and 3 years ago etc etc. Neither of them is a great skier, but they were happy on blacks, snow park, easy boxes and some good off piste in them.
I think we've had about 7 ski weeks out of them and maybe 7 weekends in total For a total price of around £100.
what's not to like?
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You know it makes sense.
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+1 for the adjustable boots. My daughter has been very happy in them, 2 seasons and counting despite growing like a weed. Having boots that she's happy in is important, it's not just adults that have unusual shaped feet and previously we've had difficulty with other boots so £25 on offer from sports direct was a no brainer.
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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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Having seen Roces in the flesh and wasn't overly impressed with the build quality so maybe not for the serious skiier, but apparently they stretch over 6 sizes.
Have bought some boots for ours but second hand and cheap so not fussed if only get the odd season out of them. Will flick them off with the skis when they get too small.
But really renting seems fine at that age, never had a complaint about any rental pair from either sprog (unlike many of the adults on this site  )
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Poster: A snowHead
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what's not to like?
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They do sound good. Still we have bought second hand conventional boots for £40 and got 7 weeks use out of them across two kids then sold them on for close to what we paid for them. I'm not saying that is a better approach but its a decent alternative.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Another +1 for Roces. Both mine have them and the elder is on her 2nd pair in the next size up.
One slight negative point to mention, the longer boot sole length in the size up (the size with the 3 clips) might be too long for non-rental bindings. I had to get her bindings remounted.
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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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No complaints from my 6yro about her roces, solid shell, gets bashed about a lot, only complaint was when she said they were too small, so extended them and she was happy again, this is her 2nd season in them, plenty of sessions at hemel with them and several trips to the mountains.
No idea how they'd do in race or freestyle, but certainly no issues for normal speeds on piste (which is usually straight lining knowing her).
For the price they can't be beaten, she also knows how they feel and the weight
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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While my kids feet were growing I used to buy ski boots on ebay, only picking up the bargains, then sell them when they'd been grown out of. If you're smart you only loose the cost of shipping.
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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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Thanks for replies, have rented for April & will look to get the Roces for next season. There does not seem to be to many retailers of these in UK, anyone got any names?
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Another +1 on roces, which you can get from amazon thus return easily. We found the sizing was slightly large, i.e. what roces call an 18.5 seemed more like a 19.
However, they are a relatively low cut and quite soft boot which for younger/lower level kids is great (they are really comfy) but as they get better they will start to outski them. My son's skiing improved significantly when, after about 4 weeks of skiing, we moved him to some Lange boots.
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@snowdave, That trough's up another issue. the youngest who will be getting these is currently size 21, so I am thinking by next season he will be up at the 22.5 starting point for the largest of the Roces but he is currently doing his level 7 on a UK dry slope, so with a lease 4 weeks a year of skiing, will his ability out grow the boot before his feet do, if that is the case then traditional boots might be the way.
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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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@Jonny996, at 4 weeks a year plus regular plastic that plenty of justification for his own full-spec boot. My 8yo* (who started with the smallest Roces) is now using 4-clip junior race boots (2nd/3rd hand) and 125cm slalom skis and rockets around the pistes.
*Although he keeps reminding us he's 9 in less than 2 weeks time.
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@Jonny996, I agree with RobW, on that much skiing you might as well spend £50-60 at Ekosport and get a 'normal' pair. I buy a little large and put a second, rigid, insole inside which takes up the slack of about half a size.
If you definitely want some mid size Roces I've got a little-used pair you can have for £20 + postage (or collect them from me in Cham).
Typically I get the Lange RSJ 50/60/65 for <£60/pair brand new from Ekosport. Their stock levels vary, but keep an eye on the site and some will likely appear.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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You never really know how long they will last - I got my now 8 year old some skis and Lange boots in Ekosport shop on the way to Tignes for an October camp in 2014, well sized at the time. He was needing longer skis by the end of last season, but the boots actually lasted him this entire season as well.
Looking for the next size up for the past while, but no joy yet!
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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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If you are struggling with UK retail on Roces and are interested in ordering from the States a friend of mine has used this company and was happy with the result, and pricing seems pretty good too.
https://www.levelninesports.com/
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@Jonny996, if he is doing his L7 at Hillend he will probably want to graduate on to Super Racers on a Saturday morning so a more technical boot may be better.  I may have a pair of Rossignol Hero JR65 in a 22.5 becoming available. My son says his are getting a bit tight so I need to shell check him soon. The white isn't as white as it once was but all the buckles are perfect and the liner is in very good condition.
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You know it makes sense.
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@Gaza, Thanks Gaza, keep me informed, I am away on Friday so will see what the hire shop give him. FYI Decathlon are doing good deals on the Rossignol Hero at the moment if you are looking for new ones, these were some of the ones I was thinking for him
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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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@Jonny996, the boots Decathlon are selling are the Hero J4 which is a softer boot than the Hero JR 65. Depending on what you plan for your 8 year old they may well work for a season although the website is only showing larger size availability.
I'm tempted to go for the same boots again as they seem to be comfortable and my son hasn't complained (until this weekend) about having sore feet.
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