 Poster: A snowHead
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At the end of every ski holiday my wife says "I really should buy some boots for next year". Never do, and we end up in the hire shop.
This year will make the effort.
Any recommendations for women's boots for an intermediate skier who sticks mainly to blues and the odd red on sunny days, and the bar when the weather is poor, and never really gets comfortable boots from a hire shop.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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chrisb, Go to the best boot fitter in the resort . Buy the boot's they recomend, if they feel good.
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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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You might think I am bound to disagree but this is my advice -
If you do not know what boots are right for you you will not have any idea as to who is the best boot fitter in resort.
In the UK you have a reasonable choice of excellent fitters. You will also have plenty of time to try on and test what you have purchased.
We would gladly help but to be honest you should be trying LD Mountain Center(Dean St I think). Just make sure you do the following -
Give yourself 2 hours or more to try a selection of boots instore (missing 2 hours or more in resort is madness - too much skiing and drinking to be done)
Expect the fitter to have a good look and feel of your feet.
Try not to get your heart set on the one's you like the look of.(obvious I know)
Try the boot with a good footbed - they do help give you a great platform for support
If you are successful and purchase ensure you have the option for a refund/exchange after trying them again at home
And this is my favorite tip - when you get home don't just sit around with your boots on as you will just end up hunting for a problem. Get the ironing done as this will mean standing up for a while with your mind hopefully diverted a little from the boots. If you are posh and have an ironing person then get a Wii and SSX Blur game and ski for a few hours.
If you identify small pressure points they should be able to make some adjustments to solve but also bear in mind that if you get cramp, is it your fitness or the boots.
So support your local business and if you would like any further advice let me know.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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chrisb, Your man has his point,
Posts: 19
chrisb, Go to the best boot fitter in the resort . Buy the boot's they recomend, if they feel good.
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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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Also just spotted CEM on here (I'm new)- he's a top bloke for boot fitting. If you have any complex issues he would be worth a visit.
But you should be OK - most people are if you go through the correct process.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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chrisb, Buy them in resort. If you have a problem you can go back to the shop and get them tweaked.
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Its Jonners, If people have a problem with there boots when do they get to sort them out? After a week of pain?
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Resort is the way forward. These days, every resort has at least 1 good Bootfitter, so no excuses getting the job half done away from the Snow and having to suffer until you can return home, or you could find the same fitter in resort and pay them to bail you out.
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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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and if there is a problem after the week you buy them??? what then, you live in the UK? being honest i have seen as many badly fitted resort boots as UK ones it is very much a case of who does the fitting and if you as a skier have any biomechanincal foot problems
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CEM, You must admit that you have more chance of finding out if you have a problem once you have skied on them for a day or two. And unless you live near an artificial slope the only time to find out if your boots are OK is on a ski trip.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Really helpful thoughts, thanks. I had not really thought of getting boots in a resort to be honest, and was going to go to LD Mountain on Dean St, although their stock levels can be small at times.
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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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chrisb, they used to have a great bootfitter, but I don't think he's there anymore, and not sure how good they are now. Where are you going for your next ski holiday?
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You know it makes sense.
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CEM, supposing one bought some boots from or through you, went off skiing, and then encountered a major problem when on the slopes: if one went to have some tweaking done at a local shop, would your warranty, or that of your colleagues who supplied the boots, then be vitiated? I guess that's the scenario that might worry me, painful boots that I had to live with throughout my holiday, because I couldn't allow anyone but you to get their mitts on them. And if there were such a major problem that one preferred to give back the boots and start again, is that possible through you? I bought my current boots at a Snow & Rock sale (I knew no better - hadn't come across sHs then!) and seem to remember that their T&Cs said you could give them back, even after skiing in them, if all was not well. In the event I was lucky, they've been fine - a bit too big perhaps (by all accounts certainly too big by your criteria!  ) but I have custom footbeds and that's helped.
Even with all I know through sHs now, I'm not looking forward to the faff of getting a new pair - Spyderman's blow by blow account on here of the process he went through, even with your delicious-sounding bacon butties, sounded pretty painful and time-consuming. Let's hope I don't need any for a while.
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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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Helen Beaumont, La Tania next season
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Poster: A snowHead
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Hurtle,
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Even with all I know through sHs now, I'm not looking forward to the faff of getting a new pair - Spyderman's blow by blow account on here of the process he went through, even with your delicious-sounding bacon butties, sounded pretty painful and time-consuming. Let's hope I don't need any for a while.
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spyderman has the most sensitive feet i have come across in a long time, he could tell you if you put a piece of tape under his insole and where it was, he was also looking for a precision fit from his boot probably more so than most people would want there were also production issues with the boots he had which led to some of the time taken to fit the boot, this has been resolved by head and he will be getting a new pair when they are in the country 
i would hope if a boot is fitted properly then MAJOR problems should not occur, when they do it is most often down to either lack of knowledge of the fitter, biomechanics of the skier, technique or something as simple as the way the boot was put on and clipped up or the thickness of sock used, now boots often need a minor tweak this happens however carefull the fitter is when fitting the boot in the first place where ever he/she is fitting them be it in the city or on the hill
i have no problem with someone else working on a pair of boots that we have supplied, however i would not expect to be liable for replacing a boot which had been butchered by another shop, if i had messed up [i am human] then we stand by our work, if a boot needs a stretch and shop X melts it then there is not a lot i can do, pretty much a case of being careful who you let work on the boot, as for the S&R boot fit guarantee, if thats what you want then fine i can offer that, read the small print it ain't as good as it sounds!...if on the other hand you are not willing to put a bit of time and effort into having boots fitted prehaps needing more than one visit then maybe just maybe i am not the guy to fit them for you
good luck 
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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So ..... resort-based fitters say you should buy in resort and UK-based fitters recommend purchase in the UK. Who could have predicted that? 
How many people really have serious problems with ski boots? I just bought mine from a random shop because they had a sale on, only adjustment I've ever made is to tighten the buckles as the lining packs out a bit.
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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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Lizzard, I have worked both in the Town fitting boots and in resort, i know which has offered me the best results, which is why i'm still in resort. 
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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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CEM,
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as for the S&R boot fit guarantee, if thats what you want then fine i can offer that, read the small print it ain't as good as it sounds!...if on the other hand you are not willing to put a bit of time and effort into having boots fitted prehaps needing more than one visit then maybe just maybe i am not the guy to fit them for you
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As I said, I don't need any boots at the moment - was just enquiring generally.
Lizzard, My experience, admittedly through sheer ignorance, is as yours, luckily - and that despite having fairly Princess and the Pea feet - except that I've had footbeds made in the last year, which have definitely improved my control.
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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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you know i don't really need to hang around here defending what i do, all i came in to do was to answer a question..... buy boots wherever the hell you want come see me or go see someone else, believe me, i do not care sure the business i get from snowheads is something but it is not the lifeblood of my business
with that i will say goodbye , i got better things to do with my time
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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CEM, I don't know what on earth I've done to cause such an outburst, if I caused it, but it was quite unintentional. The general questions I put to you seemed fairly apposite to the general tenor of the thread. Anyway, I apologise if I offended you. I'd never even heard of specialist bootfitters before I joined sHs and have learned a great deal about the subject, not least from you (and even more on stretching and strengthening exercises, for which I'm particularly grateful, as already acknowledged). I would certainly come to you for new boots - I'd rather have multiple visits in the UK than in resort, personally - but, by the sound of your other thread, you wouldn't have boots for my standard of skiing anyway, at least not yet.
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Hurtle, I decided to join Snowheads the other day to really put a UK retailers point of view across - I guess as fitters in the UK who invest heavily in equipment, training and also our many years of experience get a little sensitive at those who feel happy at spending money overseas. It's good to support both I guess and I can understand skis are easier to purchase in resort (if you know what your doing) but boots?? We opened our doors in Nov 06 and have sold @ 155 boots of which we have only refunded 1 pair. This pair was as always to someone I know and he refused to spend more than 10-15 mins trying them in store and never put them on again until taking his 2 young kids to ski school in resort.(bit stressfull) He only felt they were a bit too snug and changed to hire boots before going on the 1st lift.
I would obviously like to appeal to all Snowheads to support UK independent retailers where they can - if you don't they will disapeer as they have in the climbing world. Do you really want Sport Direct style ski stores as being the only choice.
Too many times already we have been approached by customers who have bought incorrectly off ebay and they expect us to sort their problems out for nothing. We do need to earn a living!
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Jonners, worry not, I wouldn't buy boots in a ski resort, or even more certainly, off eBay!  I have always bought boots in the UK, hitherto somewhat blindly, but in future - thanks in no small measure to CEM - with a bit more understanding.
However, I have bought skis in resort and probably would again, since - on the basis of my latest researches - I may well revert to Dynastar when it comes to replacing my current Heads, and so far as I can make out, Dynastars are a bit hard to come by in the UK.
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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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Well, I intend always to buy my boots in resort. Assuming I can find any which aren't floppy and covered in pink flowers, which appears to be what manufacturers assume women want. 
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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SMALLZOOKEEPER, also well argued. When I say I wouldn't buy in resort, it's principally because I wouldn't want to keep chasing back and forth for boot tweaking whilst on my hols. If remotely possible, I like to spend my holiday skiing, or otherwise having a good time, not in the ski shop! It's bad enough doing the ski testing, it is such a fag waiting in a queue in a ski shop every evening, to change the skis, discuss the possibilities yet again, etc etc. And, whilst I'm fine doing all that in French, there's no way I would purchase either skis or boots if I didn't speak the language of the salesperson.
I guess the main point is that, now - post snowHeads - I would only go to someone well recommended. If you were still selling and fitting boots in Chamonix, yes, OK, I might well buy boots from you, if I found myself there. But then, I like having cute people fondling my feet.
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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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OK, I only bought novice boots, but I went down the route of recommended company fairly close to home. I spent 3 hrs with them and then wore the boots around the home off and on for 3 weeks. There we no pressure points that needed fixing, but the local company was close enough had I have needed work, and would even have changed the boots after the first weeks skiing if necessary. At my level this seemed sufficient. Apart from one blister on the top of the foot in VT (on the 3rd week) - that may have been caused by a folded sock and a tight buckle, I've skied 3 weeks in them with no problems. CEM considers that the shell may be 1/2 size too big - he is no doubt right, but the boots are snug enough for me at the mo and comfy. I would consider a similar route to buying if I needed more advanced boots at any point.
I can see the points made about buying in resort and one day I may even pay SZK a visit and let him fondle my feet, but I'm with Hurtle on the time issue. 3 hours spent in a shop is half day out of a holiday which could be a 1/10th of it. It will probably be said that 1/10th of a holidy is worth expending so as not to spend the rest of the holiday in pain, but undoubtedly it is possible for most 'holiday makers' (folk like me) to buy a perfectly adequate boot in the UK and I guess there is nothing to stop punters from buying time on a dry slope or indoor centre to test said boots. Perhaps if you have difficult feet or need a more professional standard then the resort experience is worth considering, but I did OK with UK boots and expect that so did many others.
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You know it makes sense.
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there is nothing to stop punters from buying time on a dry slope or indoor centre to test said boots.
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When my OH bought boots in Filarinskis in Havant, a few years ago, we got a free voucher to try them out at the Southampton ski slope, before bringing them back for tweaking. His most recent pair we bought under the guidance of CEM, and we had one of them stretched locally, when there was still a slight pressure point on the ankle after some days skiing. The overall result - very satisfactory. I bought my current boots in-resort, at our local ski shop, largely because my old boots just sort of died, mid-season. However, it did take me some hours, over two visits, and I would certainly have resented that time out of a week's holiday. They got a bit sloppy after some months of use, and CEM fitted some padding to get a better grip round the ankles (indeed I have them on at this very minute, and they are wearing in nicely).
I don't think there is "an answer". There is more than one way of getting a good fitting pair of boots (or a bad fitting pair - and it's not necessarily easy for a stranger in a busy resort to find out just where "the best bootfitter" is). Also, some people just have more difficult feet than others. My son skis really well in whatever pair of boots he's been able to beg, borrow or steal. His last pair was one someone had left behind in a chalet he worked in in Val D'Isere! Other people faff around endlessly convinced that the right boots will turn them into Hermann Maier. (Having found the boots, they then faff round endlessly to find the right skis, of course!).
For most holiday skiers (even those of us who have very long ski holidays ) comfort is the key factor. If your boots don't quite give you maximum control down a tight mogul field, or a super fast slalom run, is that such a big problem?
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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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pam w, in fairness, even for intermediate, recreational skiers, I think there comes a point when comfort isn't enough, and you want a bit more control as well.
What's the rest of the outfit, apart from the ski boots? I may already have posted on here an account of the embarrassing occasion I was breaking in a new pair of hiking boots, whilst wandering around the house in my nightie, and had to open the door to the postman. He looked somewhat surprised.
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Poster: A snowHead
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Jonners, It's about quality quanitity. 15 pairs a month doesn't keep a business alive, if you're a specialist Bootfitting store. You don't need an hours WC experience to do that math.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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| Hurtle wrote: |
| I was breaking in a new pair of hiking boots, whilst wandering around the house in my nightie, and had to open the door to the postman. He looked somewhat surprised. |
Well, it it's good enough for Cherie ..
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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 feel the thread title could do with us bouncing this thread back on track. Women's ski boots, what are they?
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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, same as men's boots, except they have to match the outfit and the skis and, sometimes, have to accommodate big calves/lower legs. N'est-ce pas?
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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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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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All depends. Could be a high performance, super-fitting, advanced piece of kit to be taken off the moment the race finishes or something comfortable for a skier who
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sticks mainly to blues and the odd red on sunny days, and the bar when the weather is poor, and never really gets comfortable boots from a hire shop.
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For someone with short fat flat feet or long thin high arched ones or big fat calf muscles or legs like a piece of string or one foot a whole size longer than the other, a hammer toe and bunions. Or such shortened muscles from a life spent in stupid high heel shoes that any ski boot is likely to be uncomfortable...
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Spyderman, I didn't, for one moment, intend to imply any criticism of his dedication or his ability. As for your nature and indeed your feet....
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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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Personally, I would buy in the UK, UNLESS, I had my old boots with me and they were still skiable. I witnessed a friend of mine buying in resort and her holiday was totally ruined because of her new ski boots, to the point of being in tears, she lost out on her lessons and more than half of the holiday. I would rather buy them in the UK and break them in at home walking around the house doing my housework (laugh laugh), we don't ONLY ski in our boots, there is a considerable amount of walking to be done in them too, so I see no probs in this method . . . it worked for me anyway.
On the other foot , I see the reasoning for buying in resort especially if doing a season or permanently based there, and I know many people who have been happy doing this for 1 weeks holiday too. I would even pay for a flight to see SZK, or any other reputable fitter, if CEM wasn't available as my boots are the most important part of my skiing equipment.
My boots were fitted by SZK in the UK at Lockwoods, and I have had minor work and new linings all done by CEM and I am a very happy customer 
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FAQ
