Poster: A snowHead
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I'm looking at my options for the coming boot purchase I will make at the start of the season and currently am looking at http://www.strolz.at/english/gesamt.htm
The bumf on their web site sounds first class.
If anyone on here has any first hand experience with this company would be very grateful for your opinion on the finished product.
Cheers,
Chris
N.B. Please don't blame me if the music on that linky starts to annoy you
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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rockyrobin, Does look reasonably impressive, Don't rate their taste in music though
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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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IMHO, the most important consideration is how they feel on your feet - and you won't get that from any website. Don't go to your boot fitter with too many fixed ideas up front - a good fitter will recommend boots that fit you well, rather than a particular make.
Of course, all bumph on websites makes the manufacturer's equipment sound first class.
Can't comment on the particular boots you ask about - other than the music's crap .
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You were wearing a new pair of boots on Monday night, what was wrong with them ?
I know a couple of people who have Strolz boots, one got them after an achilles tendon injury.
What exactly are you looking for in a boot ?
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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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rockyrobin, I have been using a pair of Strolz boots for the last four years. Can only recommend. I went through the whole Strolz boot fitting show in their home shop in Lech. Go there in the morning. Get your feet measured. Have a schnapps. Go skiing all day while someone slaves away at creating the perfect fit for you foot. Go back at four o'clock by which time your boots have been custom made for you and you get subjected to foam fitting agony washed down with more schnapps...
Great. I couldn't have handled it without the alcohol.
The boots are in fact different. Can't explain exactly how, but they just seem to fit like a glove, and they do improve your skiing enjoyment, if nothing else.
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Mike Lawrie, Your description sounds just like what i'm looking for. Hope you don't mind me asking but how much did they cost you all in?
Did you buy the boots with the flex damper on the back?
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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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rockyrobin, couldn't agree with you more regarding buying boot which felt a bit tight. A good fitter will make allowances and explain what they're doing.
For reference, I bought my current boots in Snow & Rock Portsmouth. The young lady who attended to me spent a good deal of time before she recommended a boot. When she did, I was encouraged to walk about the shop for an hour or so for my initial comments. The boots were then adjusted and I spent a couple of hours in them. I then took them to the Southampton dry ski slope for a couple of hours and took them back for fine adjustment - all at no extra charge and without losing any time in the Alps.
I know it's fashionable to knock Ski & Rock, but they're damned good at their job - and worth paying the extra for.
All IMHO, of course
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Alastair, Thanks for telling me about your experience at S&R. I know someone else who bought a pair of Lange boots from them last year and they rated them too, though that was at Sheffield.
I think S&R and probably EB get their new stock some time in October. I'll have to go and have a sniff round their new boots and do some serious trying on and then walk away and have a good think about which will be the best way to get myself sorted.
The only thing that worries me about the larger stores is that they always seem to be busy during the season and have seemed to be rushed to keep on top of the demand for their service. Perhaps if they were to sell all year round some people like me would sort their boots during the summer giving them time to get them tweaked before they go abroad during the season.
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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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rockyrobin, the answer is to turn up at quiet times - like Thursday afternoon. The best test you can do is to go straight to an artificial slope with the boots you want to try - and then reconsider!!!!!
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Alastair, You have a point about going at quiet times. I'll make sure to ring before going in future to ask when's best to go or try to make an appointment.
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You know it makes sense.
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rockyrobin, For low volume feet, I would think you have a few more options than just Strolz. I had the impression that they were higher
than average volume shells, but I have never tried a pair.
I don't think I would buy boots in the UK, the near-race category is new this season and I would not expect the shops to have much experience
in fitting them. I can recommend Precision in Val d'Isere, I think beanie1 mentioned that she got her boots at Footworks in Chamonix. I don't
know the equivalent places to go in Austria.
The idea behind race or near-race boots is that the shells are made of softer plastic that can be stretched more than once. The stiffness comes
from making the shell thicker. The inner boot is much thinner than a recreational boot, but that means that it doesn't pack down. I have got over
200 days on mine and they still fit as well as when I got them. My feet are easy to fit though, I only needed two small spots stretching on my
left one, nothing on the right.
I wouldn't worry too much about softening either of the boots you are considering. Most people who ski at your standard are usually looking for
a stiffer boot. The real race Nordica boots are rated at 150 or 160.
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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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rockyrobin, in fact I don't know how much they cost! My wife bought them for me as a Christmas present, so I wasn't allowed to look at the price tags!
I'm not sure whether you intend to get the boots in Lech or not. I would not necessarily recommend getting them elsewhere, if only for the simple reason that if you get them in Lech you can use them the next day and can go straight back to the shop to get the fit changed if for whatever reason it isn't perfect.
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Poster: A snowHead
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rockyrobin, An instructor from Lech was on the Warren Smith course I attended in July last year. She said they were £400 then. Still, with all the problems you've had probably well worth it.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Alastair wrote: |
I know it's fashionable to knock Ski & Rock, but they're damned good at their job - and worth paying the extra for |
Extra for what exactly?
S&R recommended totally the wrong boot for me, as did EB. IMO, for a UK supplier Profeet just can't be beaten.
Last edited by Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person on Wed 24-08-05 13:33; edited 1 time in total
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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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RockyRobin,
Strolz boots are around 550 Euro (ca 375 GBP).
With ski boots the most important thing is fit. I have a pair of Strolz boots and they are very good.
Saying that I'm told (by experienced boot fitters) there are better boot shells on the market and if they fit they would be better and possibly cheaper. If none of the good 'off the shelf boots' fit then Strolz is more than likely your best choice. (You can just buy the strolz inner shoe)
Alber Sport in St Anton are fantastic boot fitters and also offer/fit Strolz boots. They will check your feet and put you in the best shell / liner for your feet be it Strolz or another boot / liner (the Strolz liner can be used with other boots).
http://www.sport-alber.com/
Go to them early on in the week so you have enough time to try the boot on the snow and they have enough time to make any boot modifcations.
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I've always been quite impressed by the ski tech (for boot fitting and doing stuff with various skis of mine) at S&R in Covent Garden. I guess it all comes down to the individual.
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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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rockyrobin, Have you looked at the Daleboot ? www.dalebootusa.com it's also now stocked by Lockwoods.
I was interested myself but couldn't find much information other than their client testimonials.
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I know most people have had great experience with Strolz boots. However this is not universal, I never seem to have to much luck with boots; but the Strolz boots I bought were undoubtedly the worst I have had. I used them for two years the first year I had them they were not to bad but not perfect. The second year I had the worst blisters I have ever had by the end of the second week on them I was having to anaesthetise my feet literally in order to ski. The buckles were not quite right on them either.
Following this I have had a pair of Lange boots which have been reasonable and improved once I took out the Strolz supplied Conformables or equivalent and used the manufactureres own footbeds.
I do not think you should neccesarily avoid Strolz as I know that most people who have used them have been very happy with them. Just be aware that they don't necessarily work for everyone.
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For a long time I've struggled to find a pair of ski boots that worked for me (high volume, very wide but quite short feet) and was beginning to think that Strolz might be the answer, despite the fact that I'd have to make a long-distance trip to one of their outlets plus the cost of the boots themselves). However, I thought I would give it one more try with a good bootfitter before going for such an expensive option, and visited Profeet. I was delighted with the service I got, and finally have a pair of boots that I'm happy with. No more crippling pain, great support and retention all round and a more natural stance because of the work done on correcting me alignment. Perhaps before you try Strolz a visit to a first class bootfitter might be worth trying?
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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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parlor,
Quote: |
2) have severe feet disfiguration
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Would you mind not talking about my wife like that
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parlor, my feet are not disfigured. They may not smell all that great, but that doesn't count as disfigurement. As far as the cost is concerned: get someone else to pay for them. What worked for me can work for you as well. As far as the fashion statement is concerned: like my Jamaican friend used to say, you wan get stoned or you wan smoke tobacco man? In other words I couldn't give a f* what the boots look like, it's whether I can still walk after a day on the Arlberg that counts
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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hell my wife buys me new zippies just in case they smell
i think we have a friend in common, want to buy some SX92s?
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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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After years of skiing in many different boots that never could be adequately modified to fit my wide, high arched, bunioned feet I went into Alber Sports in St. Anton last February and got fitted for Strolz boots. They are by far the best match for my feet that I have ever had. I thought about the price and finally realized that a painless fit where my feet weren't being boot banged would be worth it. They are stiff to get on, but once on, they fit like a glove and form a great connection to the ski.
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You know it makes sense.
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parlor, SX92s? No thanks.
narrow gauge, stiff to get on is an understatement. My daily boot attachment procedure entails a lot of cursing and swearing on my part. Sounds like I'm giving birth in fact. But once they are on the pain is quickly forgotten. Same goes for getting them off again in the evening.
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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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Poster: A snowHead
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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erica2004,
Difficult to take them back to Lech when you are sking in Canada. I have actually been back to the Arlberg a couple of times since then but lugging along an extra set of boots when my Langes work tolerably well just aint worth it.
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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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I have a pair of Strolz, the fit of the liner is perfect and very comfortable no heel movement foot is stable in the boot I had to have a small adjustment done after couple of years to allow more room for some toes, but the shell I would not buy again at least the current design, I have smashed the front buckles up and replaced them too many times now I do not bother with the buckles I ski with them not working properly. Next pair of boots I will get a good shell and have a Strolz liner fitted to the new shells, also the wire style of buckle is usless if you ever have not sitting properly and by accident you tighten the buckle you bend the wire and it is real problem to try and fix by hand.
Cheers
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