Poster: A snowHead
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Now I've booked my ski holiday for next year (only one year to wait) I am thinking about equipment - I last skiied 10 years ago (hence the excitement ) and have a pair of Salomon SX92s up in the loft (probably need to check them that they haven't been damaged) which I got 15 years ago. They suited me fine but I have no idea if boots have moved on loads from then or are they still ok. Basically do I bother taking them with me or do I hire in the resort or buy a new pair if there are any decent sales? The hire boots last time I went were pretty awful. Any thoughts? Thanks in advance
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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I had hire boots last week in Italy having found out the hard way that my new Nordica boots were absolute agony when it came to trying to ski in them. I tried on a few to find a pair that were reasonably comfortable (not that ski boots can ever be described as comfortable!). The hire shop I used had loads of different makes and sizes and were very helpful. I ended up with a Dolomite pair which suited me fine for the week and even had lovely purple bits on the clips. If I could find anywhere that sold them cheaply I'd probably buy a pair!
I would say the biggest change in ski boots over the years has been that they're nearly all front fastening/entry now. I had an old pair of rear entry Nordicas that I'd had for 14 years and was still using them last season when the clip finally broke. To be honest I find them a lot easier to get on and off than the newer front fastening ones but I assume there's a reason that the rear entry ones don't seem to be available any more...
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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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queen bodecia wrote: |
...not that ski boots can ever be described as comfortable! |
You really need to get yourself to a good bootfitter.
Ski boots can be comfortable.
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I fail to see how the equivalent of a plaster cast on each foot can be comfortable!
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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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hire boots are never as good as a proper fitted pair. However some shops carry a wide range of makes so you should find something try until you get a good fit.
I read about a shop in canada who put zipfit liners in their hire boots.
Its not worth buying for a one off. but if you get back into it its the only way. I got a proper fitting pair this year my skiing improved more than i could have hoped for.
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kapow, my kids have had their own boots for a few years principally for dry-slope racing but also for snow. Last year we were only going for a week and they've both dumped dendix so we hired them boots from the place we usually rent skis. They both knew what was comfortable and what wasn't and knew that getting it right would make the difference between a happy holiday and misery. Both were delighted with their boots, in fact wanted to buy them.
Goes to show that if you know what you want and don't accept pain you can get satisfaction from rental boots.
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i've had quite differing experience with rental boots.
For me most were ok.
however a day at glenshee made med decide to get my own kit. their boots were as good as hush puppies..
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kapow wrote: |
Now I've booked my ski holiday for next year (only one year to wait) I am thinking about equipment - I last skiied 10 years ago (hence the excitement ) and have a pair of Salomon SX92s up in the loft (probably need to check them that they haven't been damaged) which I got 15 years ago. They suited me fine but I have no idea if boots have moved on loads from then or are they still ok. Basically do I bother taking them with me or do I hire in the resort or buy a new pair if there are any decent sales? The hire boots last time I went were pretty awful. Any thoughts? Thanks in advance |
As is with most things, it depends on the attitude of the rental shop. Some will be of the attitude that you are only there for a week so it doesnt really matter, some will give you boots which are simply too big in the hope that it keeps you away from the door until your holiday is over. In my shop we try to do the job as best you can with a rental product, 1) we stock boots in different widths, 2) we fit our rental boot with Sidas (rental) footbeds which are better than the standard beds, 3) within certain boundaries we will make efforts to make reversable modifications to the boot to effect a better fit (cant stretch or grind a rental boot). For all the greater part of our business comes from rental, I will say that if the skier is 1) a regular skier or 2) demands a fair degree of performance from their boots or 3) has alignment or other serious fit issues, then the best option is to buy AND HAVE PROPERLY FITTED boots that you can get used to and rely on.
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