Acceptable ski boot fit on a (Yorkshire) budget

A snowHead

Hello all,

I'm skiing this year for the first time since I did a season in Tignes about 15 years ago. I know how important ski boot fit is, my last boots (Head Mojo) were perfect for me and I hung onto them after my season but never used them again. They ended up in the bin, they were old and didn't do well being stored in a damp garage.

I'm doing a week in Les Arcs in Feb and I'm loathe to rent boots. I have skis that I'm happy with that are set up for the sole on my previous boots so hopeful that the next boots will be within the correct range.

Is there a reliable way to self-fit or get yourself some relatively well fitting/not murderous boots on a budget? Current train of thought is to look for some lightly used Head boots and hope they have a similar last to my old boots and that they'll be a decent fit. I'll get a couple of indoor slope sessions in before I go to make sure I've not totally forgotten which way to point my skis.

Thanks - George.

A snowHead

what you suggest will get you as good a fit as rental boots.

Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?

And you'll need to get boots which will fit into your existing bindings, not the new sort.

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new sort are grip walk and only fit into grip walk bindings so won't fit existing bindings if more than a few years old

I was talking to someone in Val disere the other day...told me about half the rental fleet of boots and skis on Snowberry are not gripwalk.

It would be worth the OP checking with the rental shop that they have non grip walk boots and just go down that route

Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.

The age of the binding doesn't necessarily dictate whether it will take a Grip Walk boot or not – it depends.

@george_1, if you are someone who can wear boots straight out of the box without any remodelling, then rent some, you can always swap them if they don't work for you. If your boots are likely to require some work, then do yourself a favour and go and see a boot fitter. There are at least two in your vicinity – Glide and Slide, and Backcountry.

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@Scarlet, thanks for that. My feet are pretty bog standard thankfully, I didn't need anything particularly custom doing to my last boots, but potentially got lucky.

I've not thought about Glide n Slide for a long time, I'll head there and see what they have on the shelf.

My skis are regular bindings, not Gripwalk - so I'll look to make sure my boots are the same.

Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...

Decathlon worth a look for cheap boots if price > fit!

But you can do a shell test yourself and get an idea if the shell is about right I reckon, it’s if you need shell modifications and a custom foot bed where you need an expert…..but also how do you know what flex is best for you, stiffness of boot etc etc

After all it is free

@george_1, It doesn't cost anything extra to have the boots “fitted” there, just for extras like footbeds.

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@kitenski, It's been a LONG time since I've skied, but I had a pretty strong preference before and I know what I used to like. I'm going out on a limb and assuming I'll pick myself back up to a pretty solid standard pretty quickly and so will want something with a similar level of flex to my last boots. I'm going to try Decathlon and just bang a load of boots on and see how they feel and how they fit.

@stevew, good to know - thanks.

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@george_1, do you know if you are going to be skiing regularly again or might this be a bit of one off?

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@Layne, it'll be annual from here on out I think. Not regular by any stretch, but a couple of weeks a year is realistic.

@george_1, then I would eat beans on toast for a few weeks and get on down to Glide n Slide to get a good pair of custom fitted boots.

You know it makes sense.

@Layne, I'm eating beans on toast for a few weeks to get some cheap boots Laughing

I have a bike to sell, so post Xmas I may have a few spare quid to get some boots fitted. I'm hoping for the best, planning for the worst.

Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:

I believe G&S charge £149 fitting.

If you are on a restricted budget, have a look on Ebay for some with pre-gripwalk Heads or a shop selling old stock

A snowHead

So much has changed! Blow the budget on new properly fitted boots and rent skis in resort.
Not sure I'd trust a 15yr old plus set of bindings anyway tbh.

A snowHead

Try BACs I Elland, they usually have last years models for sale at half price

Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?

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@yorkshirelad, excellent shout. Looks like they stock HEAD stuff too so I'll pop over and see what they've got that might be able to be negotiated downwards.

@andy n netty, getting a pair bought is blowing the budget full stop Laughing

The skis are newer than my last season, gifted to me a few years ago before another trip that never went ahead. Got them set up then ended up storing them ready for whenever I could plan another trip. Happy with them as they are, much prefer having these to hiring and the cost saving is huge as I get free ski carriage on my flights through work.

Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.

I know everyone says get boots fitted but if you measure your feet properly (on paper against a wall or whatever and then work out the instep height by measuring over it (can't remember the exact method, you'll find it online)), then unless you have some kind of odd shaped feet you should be able to get a pretty good fit with a little research. I've done it a couple of times for myself and my partner. Of course, we may be wearing the wrong size boots but they feel good on, a world apart from the rentals we used for years. You can mold the inners using the rice method and even heat the shells in the oven if you like tinkering.

Yes, a pro-fit would probably be better but if you're tight, like a bit of DIY and you know what a millimeter is you should be fine.

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@B., this is my kind of answer and the kind of approach I hoped other people might have taken. It gives me an option to keep the budget down if I go down the retail route for sure.

Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...

@B., you'd like my wife. She seems to an aversion to me finding a tradesman recommended by friends telling them what I want, getting it done, paying them an appropriate amount for their services and enjoying the results in next to no time. My wife would rather spend lots of her precious free time learning to do something, that she will only do once or twice in her lifetime to get less than perfect/optimal results, with lots of stress in the process and saving a small amount of money.

Note: this is a bit of an exaggeration to make a point.

Note 2: Like a lot of things it comes down to if you are time or money rich and/or whether you can be arsed.

Note 3: Sometimes she's right but don't tell her I said that.

Toofy Grin

After all it is free

@B., @george_1,

Here ya go

http://youtube.com/v/V6_jzTsFRnM&ab_channel=PatriotFootbeds

http://youtube.com/v/1-uGZw9h7jk&ab_channel=PatriotFootbeds

http://youtube.com/v/Hsm1mbj8XHU&t=7s&ab_channel=PatriotFootbeds

http://youtube.com/v/LK7RW74UPTM&ab_channel=Eggcleaver

@Layne,
You forgot to mention all the tools she'd buy to use once, then use them for something inappropriate and ruin them. Does she know Mrs M ?

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I just like a project, so something simple like this and I'm always going to have a go.

For neurosurgery I'll enlist an expert but there's often a lot of joy in tinkering and making (with obvious exceptions beyond neurosurgery).

snowHeads are a friendly bunch.

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@george_1, if you have limited funds and easy feet - rent boots. The shop will have some boots to fit your skis. Ask them to check your bindings at the same time.

"I just like a project, so something simple like this and I'm always going to have a go."

Well thats your first failure.

You know it makes sense.

If anyone is bothered - I tried on a bunch of boots at my local Decathlon. They had a good selection of Salomon and their own brand, Wedze. The Salomon boots were a really nice fit. Regular last, size 28.5 - I spent about a month looking on ebay/facebook marketplace for a suitable new or nearly new pair until a set of Salomon X pro 90's came up pretty local. I went to try them on and they felt pretty good. Nice and tight in the heel, snug on the calf with a little room in the toe box. They'd only been skiied for a few days, so don't feel like the liners are packed down at all. Handed over £30 and left with my boots.

I'll give them a trial run at Snozone Castleford in the coming weeks and see how I get on with them over a few hours. If they feel alright, they'll get a proper run out to Les Deux Alpes in Feb/March.

I've also sold a spare pair of boots for £41 on eBay, they're a size bigger and I knew they'd never be right and only kept them because I'm a bit of a hoarder. That gives me £11 to have the new boots custom fitted if I need it Laughing

Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:

@george_1, Take a look at these bad boys ... https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/176182598625 wink

A snowHead

A bit like tyres on a motorcycle, some things are just worth investing in.

If the plan is two weeks a year on the snow, then custom boots would be my first port of call. I mean, if the budget is there to ski, getting the right equipment to maximise that activity is vital.

Great tyres, custom ski boots, quilted bog roll. Not luxuries; necessities.

A snowHead

@george_1, I reckon you've done well there, and the chances are your new £30 boots will be absolutely fine, and fit at least as well as those of the very many skiers who rent boots but nonetheless manage to enjoy their holidays!

Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?

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@Reezo, I agree - but the reality for me is a spare £1200, which has got to pay for everything. I work for an airline, so my flights and ski luggage were heavily discounted at £80 return. Sharing self catered accom with friends is about £500 for the week, transfers £60, airport parking £60, lift pass around £240, then food and drink for the week... There's just not the money for boots this year. Maybe next year or the year after if I can have some consistency.

I'd much sooner find some boots that were pretty close and I have an opportunity to test and fettle to get close to the right fit than risk some battered rental boots that are nowhere near.

Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.

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Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...

@Origen, the main issue imho with rental boots is they will put in you in one or two sizes too big.

Properly fitted rental boots are probably fine for people with normal feet, but the extra control you get with custom footbeds and snug boots isn’t to be sniffed at!

After all it is free

I’ve never thought about it this way but on a budget, would investing a few tenners in custom footbeds, taking them with you and renting boots work as a middle of the road solution? The footbeds weight next to nothing, take no space etc. so easy to take with you. But they help to “fill in” the boot even if the boots are slightly too big and put your feet and legs in better position.

Just to be clear, I have no doubt that custom-fitted boots and the services of a good boot-fitter are ideal. Colin has had a few of our pounds in the past! But loads of people manage quite well without them, and I'm not keen on the tendency on Snowheads to suggest that custom boots are essential, or the top priority for people who are on a tight budget. I suspect that quite a few people out on the slopes are on boots rather bigger than a good bootfitter would advise for optimum performance.

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Before we bought boots I used to just take decent footbeds, not even custom ones, and use them in our rental boots. Companies like Sidas and Superfeet that do them. They seemed to help with comfort levels and was nice to at least have part of the inner not have seen 100 other feet before you. Depending how odd your feet are though, you may be better with custom ones. Since we started doing it none of us had any real issues with the rental boots.

We've now got our own, that weren't professionally fitted and bought on sale, that are so much more comfortable, even though they feel snugger. I suspect they do usually size you up as it probably feels a lot more comfortable when you stick them on in the shop. Good thing about the footbeds, custom or not, is that you can swop them into your own boots if you do eventually buy some so no money lost.

Help!!

Acceptable ski boot fit on a (Yorkshire) budget

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