 Poster: A snowHead
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As you may have seen I'm new to skiing, but I have friends in Switzerland with children the same ages as mine, and can see many future winter holidays with them so I'm now considering buying gear rather than hiring at the resort. Particuarly for me as I won't outgrow it.
Ebay has loads of 2nd hand boots and sometimes skis What do I need to consider if I buy a pair (is it a good idea full stop) - sorry if some of these questions sound daft, but I'm new to this.
1. Do all boots have the same fittings.
2. If I get a pair will they fit the ski's that the resort will hire to me.
3. I know ski's have to be adjusted to my height and weight, do boots require considerations like these
4. I've got a very high instep and a wide foot will I find 2nd hand boots difficult to fit if I can't try them on, or will some styles be better than others in this respect.
5. What sort of boots should I look for in terms of description for a beginner who won't go very often
6. Would it matter, if they fitted, if the boots were advertised for experienced skiiers
What about skis, if I could get them - or would I be better off hiring ones already set up
1. Is the adjustment difficult - or would I be better off with hired ones that the shop would fit. If I had my own how do I know what to adjust and where and what settings to use - is it all standard or do every pair come with different settings?
2. Are they a problem to maintain
3. This year I'm sure I was hired shorter ski's that when I went some years ago, I think they were also 'cutting skis' what ever that means. I think they were easier for me, would I be able to buy skis like this
4. How do I know what length to buy - probably linked to 3 above.
Sorry if all this seems like water under the bridge to some of you, but hopefully there may be some of you that might understand my confusion and be able to help. I'm still at the stage of only having 3 one hour lessons under my belt, and am still quite nervous
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Megamum, Assuming that both skis and boots are alpine then they will fit together with some very basic adjustments. However, with that level of (in)experience i would be inclinded hire most of the kit, certainly skis anyway.
Boots, as you will no doubt be told are notoriously personal things and while you may get lucky and pick up a pair from eBay that fit the chances are they won't. Certainly as you mention you have "problem" feet i would avoid the eBay route. Hire boots can he a living hell, but unless you want to spend money on new boots from a good bootfitter then i would use them for the first few trips until you know you are hooked.
Ski's i would avoid buying - it is a bit of a pain moving them around, and also as a beginner you will learn at a rate that you will out ski your new skis fairly soon anyway. If you have friend in Switzerland then maybe buy a few seasons in when you know what kind of skiing you enjoy and can leave your gear there.
And yes, the skis will be shorter than before, skis have been getting shorther since the 80's when people used to ski on ridiculously long planks - shorter skis are easier to use and learn on so don't panic. 
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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OK, I'll preface this with a "Welcome to  " and...
Don't buy your boots on ebay!
| Megamum wrote: |
1. Do all boots have the same fittings. |
Um, yes, all alpine ski boots have the same type of toe and heel, but they may have different ways of being adjusted.
| Megamum wrote: |
| 2. If I get a pair will they fit the ski's that the resort will hire to me. |
Yes.
| Megamum wrote: |
| 3. I know ski's have to be adjusted to my height and weight, do boots require considerations like these |
No. Boots should be bought based on how well they fit you, and if they are appropriate for your level of skiing.
| Megamum wrote: |
| 4. I've got a very high instep and a wide foot will I find 2nd hand boots difficult to fit if I can't try them on, or will some styles be better than others in this respect. |
This is one of the reasons why you must try on boots, and get a bootfitter to help you.
| Megamum wrote: |
| 5. What sort of boots should I look for in terms of description for a beginner who won't go very often |
Um, a bootfitter can advise you best by looking at your feet, and talking to you.
| Megamum wrote: |
| 6. Would it matter, if they fitted, if the boots were advertised for experienced skiiers |
If you buy a boot that is well beyond your ability, they will make skiing more difficult for you and probably mean you won't improve as quickly.
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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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(apologies if the previous email seems a bit blunt, I'm not the best orator on 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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Megamum, Sorry, welcome to
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Don't buy second hand boots, especially without trying them on and particularly if you have funny feet. If your boots aren't comfortable you will be miserable. I'd buy some in resort next time you're there, and then you can try them out/take them back if necessary. Boots for beginners don't have to cost a fortune - my friend got a pair of Salomons in Alpe d'Huez for about £70, is very happy with them.
I'd agree with people above - not worth buying skis yet. Improve a bit and try different skis before you get involved in all that. Apart from anything else, you'll outgrow beginner skis quite quickly and not get good value out of them.
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Megamum,
Welcome to snowheads.
Buying boots from ebay is not a good bet because you will most likely end up with something that doesn't fit. I would only buy from ebay if I knew the boot fit my foot (e.g. replacement or back-up of my current boots with exact same model / size) As others have said a bootfitter is the way to go. A bootfitter to is a ski boot what a tailor is to a suit. A badly fitting pair of boots is much worse than a badly fitting suit though. A good pair of boots will probably cost you somewhere in the region of 250 GBP plus fitting, but the right pair of boots fitted properly will be worth every penny. High quality boots that are fitted correctly offer much better performance & comfort.
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Megamum, I don't imagine that there is much wrong with 2nd hand boots per se, but they need to fit you properly. I don't know what the chances are of picking up a boot that fits well without trying it on, but I doubt that they're very high. If you have probs with hire boots, you'll probably have probs with boots bought untried. If hire boots work for you, use them for a couple more years while keeping an eye open for a good deal from a reputable shop who'll (probably) ensure that they fit well.
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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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Megamum, welcome to s
Good advice as usual from Wear The Fox Hat.
I don't think I can stress highly enough how much your enjoyment of skiing could be ruined by ill-fitting boots. A new pair of entry-level boots do not have to be exorbitant but it might be wirse to hire kit (even including jacket and trousers) until you are convinced that this is something that you are going to continue.
My wife and I were both "sold" on skiing before we ever started and bought boots before our first holiday, and that was good for us but maybe not everybody.
Don't buy skis. Nearly all the skis on e-bay are either out of date or thrashed and as Lizzard says your needs a novice skier will change very rapidly.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Megamum, I would echo what has been said here. Boots were the first thing I bought when I started skiing, and a well-fitting pair of boots can really make your ski holiday a pleasant experience. However I wouldn't buy secondhand unless, for example, I were replacing the exact model and size I had before. Even then I'd think twice about it.
I would get new boots properly fitted. I would also not get boots for an advanced skier if you are a beginner. I have just moved from my beginner boots because I found that they had too much padding and also allowed too much movement of the foot for what I am doing now. However, my new boots are much less forgiving of sudden or large movements that you tend to make when you are learning. I think if I had them when I started I would have had more falls, and less confidence, and found progression harder.
With skis, I would not buy yet. You will progress fairly rapidly and so find that skis bought this year don't meet your needs next year. I would wait until you have either reached a standard that you are happy with, or have found a pair of skis you are happy with, or both, before buying. Bear in mind that skis you think are excellent now may seem a bit lifeless in a year or two's time. Hiring will give you the chance to be sure of the length you want, and the style of ski you want, before buying.
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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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Snowheads has harmony at last. 
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Yes SMALLZOOKEEPER, no dissent here (only decent descents hopefully).
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You know it makes sense.
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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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Ok folks this is all just what I need - good common sense advice based on experience - something I'm lacking in. So for a while yet I'll pocket my cash and hire boots and skis again this year and probably in 2008 as well. My Swiss friends took all our measurements and weights and gave them to the resort hire shop before we got there this February (its easier that way - I don't speak fluent German and its a tiny resort off the beaten track, thats ideal for kids, but they don't speak much English), so when we went in they had some skis and boots already sorted out for us to try on. They were also really friendly and when we decided to stay an extra day they threw this in for nothing. The boots that they sorted for me last year seemed OK, and those shorter skis were much easier than I had been given in Lenzerheide many years before. I made more progress this year after a break of 7 or 8 years than I'd ever made before. Probably a combination of new shorter skis and the odd private lesson with one of the resorts ski coaches. However, maybe the main reason is that the kids are old enough to learn (6 + 4) and I can't be in a situation where they arrive at the bottom of a slope and I'm no-where in sight. More about this in a different thread - I'll find the right place. Thanks everyone 
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Poster: A snowHead
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Good choice. Once you're hooked you'll be ready to splash out on a nice pair of new boots. Private lessons should be money very well spent at this stage. Enjoy your trip 
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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| Megamum wrote: |
| However, maybe the main reason is that the kids are old enough to learn (6 + 4) and I can't be in a situation where they arrive at the bottom of a slope and I'm no-where in sight. |
You'd better put the money you've saved on skis and boots towards a snowmobile, then; they'll be whizzing past oyou any minute now. It's extremely irritating.
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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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Well my 6 yr old girl did 3 days at ski school and could already move between simple slalom gates, so I think you could be right. Good job my mates can keep up with them, and they have 2 kids of their own, so in a couple of years the kids should be able to ski as a foursome and then it won't matter so much leaving mum half way up the mountain!
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