 Poster: A snowHead
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Hi all,
Sorry if this repeats other threads, fairly new to posting and want some direct advice before I part with my cash!
I am looking to buy ski boots for me and my boyfriend and was looking for some pointers (sorry, have already searched high an low using the search button, but some more opinions would be useful). Any boot model recommendations would be appreciated.
Live in London so boot fitters near here would be ideal....I've heard of 'Foot works'...any experience of them? tho' hear a full fitting is expensive? Had some test from running at london marathon store - apparently i am an 'under-protonator' if that makes an sense!
I had some boots fitted at S&R a few years back - squeezed my toes to death ever time i have worn them and the fitter didn't seem to notice the structure of my feet - very narrow ankle, very wide ball of foot, and broke big toe! - hence my feet are usually in agony after an hour or so (due to toe crushing) and foot lifts from the heel quite a lot.
Is is worth buying in general - was going to buy some for boyfriend for birthday - if so what is a good price for a decent intermediate/early advanced boot.
Also, off to LDA in late April, would you recommend buying before or waiting till we are out there?
Thanx x
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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 have used Profeet in Putney and so far they have been good. Boot fitting is a complex procedure that often takes 1 main fitting with 2-3 more minor adjustment fittings to get 100% perfect. For this reason fitting in resort by experts is probably the best & quickest way of getting the perfect fit. Profeet do offer unlimited free boot tweaks but they are in London (few mountains close by) but theoretically by the end of a few ski trips the boots should fit snug.
If you have time I would advise going to Heieirling in Davos or a ZooKeeper i.e. possibly Footworks in Chamonix but if not Solutions 4 Feet in Bicester or Profeet in London.
I would never trust a specialized and skilled medical job to a chain store so for fitting avoid S&R.
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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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The wife and I have bought two pair of boots each so far. Just off the shelf. All are dead comfortable.
I would recommend owning your own boots. Just try them out until you find a pair you are comfortable with. Have the boot comfotable at the second notch of the buckle so that you can tighten it by another 2 to 3 notches plus a bit of screw thread if needed. If you are in agony after an hour then the boot is definitely unsuitable and too tight.
We have bought expensive pairs before and now think somewhere in the middle price range is the best. One can keep the boots as long as one wants but replacing them after a few years isn't a bad idea, as the heels do get worn out and have less grip while walking on snow.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Absolutely worth getting your own. There's a bootfitter in LDA highly recommended by easiski, an instructor there - and 1 of our group, achilles used him for adjustments in Jan and was v. impressed with the trouble he took. I know his name is Cedric, but don't know the name of the shop - but I'll ask the others when I see them at the MSB. The advantage to waiting till then is that you will be skiing on them every day and can return for adjustments when you need to. If I forget to come back to you with the shop name, please do PM me!
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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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thanx for the comments so far!
unfortunately just came back from lda (great place and great instructor - easiski!), so wont be around there this season again. Looking for something either in England or Val d'Isere.
have a pair of my own boots but my feet must have changed alot in the last 6 years! they were great for a while but not good now - think they were pretty cheap
What sort of Questions should i be asking the fitter? what sort of price should i be looking at?
thanks everyone!
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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KateF, Glad you had a good trip. A trip to Bicester is very much worth it, it's not a horrendous journey from london. Go and see CEM at www.solutions4feet.co.uk
Let him ask the questions, all you've got to do is answer them honestly. Price wise it's Boots, plus any footbed (up to about £100) and and any necessary work on the boots.
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Deffo buy tour own.
Certainly get them fitted by a reputable ski boot specialist.
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How long are you in Val D'Isere for? If more than a day or so, get them there at Precision ski, it means you can take them back for tweaks etc.
http://www.precision-ski.fr/
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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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I've used Profeet in Fulham (King's Road) to fit ski boots I already had . They're good, not cheap though, but once you've coughed up for the fitting, they'll keep at it until they're comfy without extra charge. They've got my boots A1 after 3 goes, although they were much, much better after the first go. My wife also used them, again with boots she aready had, and after 3 goes they still weren't right, but getting better (she bought herself a pair of Strolz boots in St Anton last month, so that's that, I hope). Whether the number of goes needed is fewer if you buy the boots from them, I don't know. I don't see why it should be. Profeet are very 'professional', give every impression that they know what they're doing and seem happy to spend a lot of time to get the fit right. I would especially recommend Michelle.
The trouble with fitting here is that you don't know if they're comfy until you use them. At Profeet, they'll do the tweaking they think necessary, fairly condervatively, but then you have to go and ski in them and see how they are, then if necessary, back to Profeet you go, so it can be a drawn out process, with possibly some uncomfortable skiing in the meantime. For that reason, unless you intend to spend time a dry slope (which would be worth the effort, I reckon) I'd consider buying and get them fitted in a resort, using a respectable boot fitter.
You asked about makes of boot. The important thing (pretty much the only thing) is to get boots which are comfy for your feet and skiing style/standard.
Last edited by Ski the Net with snowHeads  on Sun 9-03-08 20:18; edited 1 time in total
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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KateF, another recommendation for Profeet in Fulham. They video you on a skiing exercise machine and do a biomechanical analysis to get the correct canting and so forth on the boots. That made a big difference to my skiing a few years ago. I'm sure solutions4feet are just as good, but Fulham may be more convenient for you.
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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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KateF, would echo the comments above. Somebody who knows about boots, and feet, will have a look at your feet and ask a few questions and recommend a specific boot. Can't be done online, though!! My husband is another satisfied customer of CEM in Bicester - the mileage involved is just insignificant compared to getting the wrong boots.
As for price, I don't think anyone has answered; boots likely to be about £200. V expensive boots are likely to be stiffer, generally requiring much more skill and finesse to use them. All the bootfitters and instructors seem to agree that there are far more people in boots too stiff for them, than vice versa
One problem buying in resort is language - it's a "tweaky" sort of business and unless the fitter speaks your language well, or you speak his/hers, you might find it difficult.
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richmond, Profeet weren't expensive, £119 for the fitting including the footbed. Considering this takes atleast 1 hour to do and has unlimited free tweaks attached I find it cheap. This should be about skilled, knowledgable and professional service and considering the insole is £35-45 charging £80 for a pro medical service is far from expensive.
I think they are working on averages(i.e. most may only go once) but I am a firm believer in getting paid for your time and with my boots I have already had 2 sessions and you three, all for £80 .... seems mighty cheap to me!
The jury is still out as I have not yet skied after the second tweak but so far I am content.
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You know it makes sense.
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KateF, Go and see Sandrine at Precision in Val D.
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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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plectrum, no argument with that, but £119 seems like a lot of money (it is a lot of money), especially when you've already paid £££ for boots in the first place. For my £119, I've had a very chunky footbed and a bit of work on the inner and shell, and probably 2.5 hours of their time, and I can return indefinitely if there are problems. I'm very happy with them, the OL less so (but I expect that they would have sorted her boots out sooner or later).
I still reckon in resort fitting is the best option, if you can find someone good.
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Poster: A snowHead
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richmond, these guys are pro's and you have to pay them their worth! I am not sure what industry you are in but - the cost of the product ~ £40, they worked for 2.5 hours for a total of £80. £32 oer hour isn't expensive especially when comparing it to doctors, dentists, physios, radiologists etc etc or in other industries look at graphic designers, architects, lawyers.
It may be that a bootfitter is just seen as one step up from a saleman but considering the cause and effect I would rate their service as much much more than that.
I do fully agree that resort fitting with a reputable pro is the best of both worlds.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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| SMALLZOOKEEPER wrote: |
| KateF, Go and see Sandrine at Precision in Val D. |
Also it is worth pointing out that Precision is an industry partner with Profeet so that you can get fitted in London and have the boot adjusted for free at Precision in Val D.
I will stop now as i am beginning to seem like a shameless promoter!
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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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plectrum, I bet Sandrine loves that. 
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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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SMALLZOOKEEPER, 
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