 Poster: A snowHead
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Hi Snowheads,
After a family ski holiday in April I have absolutely caught the skiing bug and have spent as much time as possible in the Hemel centre since then. After a few hundred (maybe thousand) laps of the piste there I have become pretty solid and can bang out long and short turns pretty confidently now. I have been trying to push my skiing to the next level but I have noticed I am plagued by A-frame, where my knees are touching most of the time. I think this is down to the fact that I am very duck footed where my resting feet look like this: \_/ as opposed to the more conventional |_|. This means that when I place my feet parallel and squat my knees immediately collide and I believe this is contributing to my A-frame. I am wondering if there is any sort of ski boot that can out-toe a bit on the market and if I can get them for a reasonable price (broke student). If there isn't would a fitted boot help and where could I get some boots (with fitting) on a budget in the London area. In my head I am picturing they can maybe shave down some material next to the pinky toe and the inside part of the heel in order to help. My final question is could I bring these boots to the snow centre and attach them to their rental skis as I don't fancy trekking across London with some planks.
Thanks all.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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@1nf, I can completely identify with the problem, but I think in fact it comes down to technique and more lessons. I'd hazard a guess you are female (as am I)-if my feet are parallel my knees knock together. However, as you improve your technique and take lessons, you will ultimately learn how to reduce or get rid of the A frame-I've by no means perfected my technique but it can be done. Definitely buys ski boots and get them set up properly for you, though this is unlikely to mean the A frame disappears. Yes, you can have your own ski boots fitted to rental skis. Ultimately if there is anything else that is going wrong biomechanically you need an expert to cast their eye over your set up, but that may be some way down the road.
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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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Hi there and welcome to 
Some thoughts:
1. Are you male or female? If female, your physiology makes you more inclined to A Frame.
2. You need to determine whether this can be corrected through better technique; or whether physiology makes this impossible. If the latter...
3. Yes, a good Bootfitter can correct the problem with various solutions: https://www.solutions4feet.com/services/skier-alignment
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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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Hi,
I am male and have visited a physiotherapist about this issue. I was told it was the way my leg developed genetically and is something to do with my hips and tibia. I am not sure if it is something that can be corrected through technique as I have only ever had about 2 hours of lessons at the snow plough level (which was absolutely awful because as you can imagine snow plough doesn't come easily for me). After that I have taught myself through YouTube and "feeling" which is probably a recipe of disaster when it comes to bad habits. I think I will set some money aside and maybe invest in a Snow centre skills development lesson or one of the inside out ski lessons from here to get someone else's opinion. I definitely have a lot to learn and hopefully this is something I can fix with someone actually watching my skiing and giving tips as there is only so much you can do from a 1st person perspective (and leaving a gopro on the side of the slope). The duck footness also causes some other issues like resting on my outside edges which can make drag lifts an interesting experience... Any ideas how much a pair of boots + fitting would cost? I wouldn't mind if it's old stock from last season or a budget option as I can imagine it will always be better than the rental boot at the centre.
Thanks again.
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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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@1nf, A good instructor should be able to deduce whether this is a technique issue - so this might be the first thing to determine.
It is not a good idea to do most of your learning through YouTube. It is a good facility if you are already experienced and a gives good discussion points with an Instructor. It does not however give feedback and corrective measures....and can't determine which drills will be helpful for your particular issues.
Beginner boots are usually cheaper.....and charges will depend on how much work is needed.
IME. Putting in hours without Instruction just ingrains mistakes.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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@Old Fartbag, Thanks for the insight, I think I will have to book onto one of the lessons ASAP then, it's just a hard one to justify to the parents when one 2 hour lesson is more expensive than the entire months ski pass (which isn't cheap)  ...
I do think some progress can be made by reading and watching as I have gone from hockey stop parallel turns to carving in only a couple of months of visiting every other weekend but I totally understand how it could ingrain mistakes and could prove to be more of a detriment than a benefit to my future skiing. Although, I think most of the progress is down to just practice though and doing a mental analysis after each run on the drag lift back up: "I felt like I had a solid edge angle there, let's try and repeat that" or "I was back seat there, next run shift that weight forward".
Do you know of any boot fitters in London? Oxford is quite a journey for me.
Thanks again.
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I think my current boots were just under the £600 mark including fitting at Solutions4Feet. The previous ones were about half that from Snow & Rock, but I outgrew them quite quickly (in terms of ability) and there's the massive caveat that the S&R fitters can vary greatly, I got lucky that the girl was a keen skier and knew what she was doing.
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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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| SnoodyMcFlude wrote: |
| I think my current boots were just under the £600 mark including fitting at Solutions4Feet. The previous ones were about half that from Snow & Rock, but I outgrew them quite quickly (in terms of ability) and there's the massive caveat that the S&R fitters can vary greatly, I got lucky that the girl was a keen skier and knew what she was doing. |
Steep! I wouldn't even be considering boots but I should be receiving £350 from easyJet due to a 5 hour delay a few weeks ago so I decided I would set this aside for some boots, but now I think about it this could be better spent on lessons.
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I think that Ski Bartlett in Hillingdon have some boots in the £300 price range and may have something suitable. You do have to pay a charge up front for the fitting service but that is taken off the price if you buy.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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thread drift. How did you get £350 back from EJ? I was delayed for 5 hours in INN recently due to weather/ATC (they were a bit coy) - I filled in a form for a taxi home as it was v late and they told me to get lost.
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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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| Pili wrote: |
| thread drift. How did you get £350 back from EJ? I was delayed for 5 hours in INN recently due to weather/ATC (they were a bit coy) - I filled in a form for a taxi home as it was v late and they told me to get lost. |
It was DBV>LGW and the pilot told us the inbound leg was delayed due to technical issues and then we missed our slot. Under EC261 a 3+ hour delay between 1500km and 3500km entitles each passenger to 400 euros. We filled out the form and they approved it within the hour. Just waiting for the transfer to process now. Every cloud has a silver lining right?
EDIT: You wont get any comp for weather because it is extraordinary circumstances.
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thanks, I knew very vaguely about the rules, but just sent my taxi invoice in for much less. I was a bit miffed, as the pilot said it was weather over the alps so we missed our slot, they kept INN open after it usually closes (so no sleepover costs) and then my (yes very quick) claim rejection said it was ATC, which does not justify a "transfer" claim. But ATC is not quite the same thing as weather..... Sorry to drift as I said but I wonder if I should resubmit saying the explanations are a little shifty, so should I not be entitled instead to some (lesser) fixed compensation under the rules. I must say the EJ staff were excellent (they usually are on this route I do it quite often) and although the plane was full the passengers were rather civilised, and I was pleased to get home, so maybe just shut up.
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You know it makes sense.
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Stop stressing too much about the A frame even the best can do it
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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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@Pili, if the flight is eligible then I think you can get the base compensation plus costs incurred. For a BA flight I had cancelled coming back from the BB last year I got the 250 and they reimbursed my additional airport parking costs as well
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Poster: A snowHead
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| Old Fartbag wrote: |
@1nf, A good instructor should be able to deduce whether this is a technique issue - so this might be the first thing to determine.
It is not a good idea to do most of your learning through YouTube. It is a good facility if you are already experienced and a gives good discussion points with an Instructor. It does not however give feedback and corrective measures....and can't determine which drills will be helpful for your particular issues.
Beginner boots are usually cheaper.....and charges will depend on how much work is needed.
IME. Putting in hours without Instruction just ingrains mistakes. |
It's also not a good idea taking advice off Internet forums from people who spend six days a year on snow yet make out they're experts
Would you listen to someone who plays tennis less than one week out of 52
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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| Whitegoldsbrother wrote: |
| Old Fartbag wrote: |
@1nf, A good instructor should be able to deduce whether this is a technique issue - so this might be the first thing to determine.
It is not a good idea to do most of your learning through YouTube. It is a good facility if you are already experienced and a gives good discussion points with an Instructor. It does not however give feedback and corrective measures....and can't determine which drills will be helpful for your particular issues.
Beginner boots are usually cheaper.....and charges will depend on how much work is needed.
IME. Putting in hours without Instruction just ingrains mistakes. |
It's also not a good idea taking advice off Internet forums from people who spend six days a year on snow yet make out they're experts
Would you listen to someone who plays tennis less than one week out of 52 |
Advising someone to get lessons is hardly rocket science.
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