 Poster: A snowHead
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Hi guys,
I've had a look at quite a few threads, including the sticky about buying ski boots and am aware of the constant debates about whether to buy in UK or at resort, but I still don't know what to do!
I 'd like to get my own boots this season. I've got 4 weeks skiing experience, I'm a nervous intermediate, fine on blues and most reds until they get a bit icy/slushy/bumpy etc! I've never had any major problems with rental boots, although I have a feeling that until you get a properly fitted pair of boots you don't know what is wrong with wrongly fitted boots!
Anyway I'm going to Lech for a week in Jan and then Whistler for 10 days in Feb so could buy at either of those resorts, but I would like to go to a recommended boot fitter.
The other option is to visit CEM, I live in Surrey so I'm not that near, but could make a special visit if needed, I'm also going to the Birmingham ski show and I think CEM is going to be there but not sure if he'll be doing boot fitting and whether it is a good idea to buy ski boots at a ski show!
Any advice anyone?
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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nikweston, welcome
PM him... go to send/read messages on the link under the  logo above.
You'll have more time in his shop, for sure... I am not sure what his stock is so best to ask him the best way to go about this
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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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nikweston, welcome to snowHeads
If you have tons of dosh - Strolz are in Lech. but that may be a bit too much for you at your stage.
There are dozens of opinions about this - I am in the "buy-in-resort" camp now - unless you can get to someone really good like CEM over here.
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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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Welcome... If you can see our friend CEM do it as he does a great job, but there are other options.
Personally i would sort my boots out in advance, know that they are comfortable, pack them in a bit by wearing them indoors and have a ready made excuse to go to the dry slope or snowdome, and, not have the hassle in resort. At the end of the day in the unlikely event that CEM's boots cause you a little trouble when you are in resort you can always have them looked at and fettled there. Why kill a few hours of your hols and then have very tight boots for the first week.
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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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nikweston, hello. I'm in the 'buy in resort if you can' camp; if not, you need a top notch fitter. CEM gets rave reviews, and I have been happy with Profeet on the King's Road. Both will sell you the right boots and make sure that they fit your feet like a glove. The advantage of buying in resort is that you can spend your evenings in the boot shop with a good book getting the fitting tweaked.
My OL has a pair of Strolz boots, and although it's early days, the signs are excellent. I wouldn't rule them out, since you're going to Lech; they won't cost you much if anything more than a decent pair of boots bought here or in resort and a separate fitting at a decent UK fitters (which is what I did).
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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nikweston, if you're based in Surrey you could try profeet in London http://www.profeet.co.uk/ski_index.asp - my OH had very problematic feet and they sorted out his boots just great. This involved a few return visits to them to iron out little niggles. Others on snowHeads have also had good reports of them.
I would also do as skimottaret suggests, personally 
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i have used both CEM and Profeet and would recommend either very highly.. If profeet ask for Jimmy Bell or Hamish
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I would add Michelle's name to the Profeet list; it's Michelle.
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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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nikweston, I haven't been to Profeet but it'd be difficult to do better than to go see CEM, and I'd imagine not much more troublesome to get to him than Profeet unless you work in London already.
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Trouble is...'buy in resort' does not automatically guarantee quality fit. There are muppets there too. Whether in resort or not go to someone that people recommend. CEM is very highly regarded by many a Snowhead.
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but that may be a bit too much for you at your stage.
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Ah interesting. A well fitting boot is vitally important at any stage, I think.
good luck 
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Thanks for the advice everyone, you are right, there isn't much difference in going to Bicester or London, Bicester is about an hour and half from me, so not that far, and I hear there is a lovely outlet village!
It sounds like visiting CEM is the best option then, does no one have any reccommendations for boot fitters in Lech or Whistler? I've heard about Strolz but would be worried about the price, but might be worth looking into if it would work out the same as seeing a bootfitter and buying boots in UK
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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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nikweston, I wouldn't bother with Strolz, unless specifically advised. Seeing as you've previously coped with rental boots, you should be a straightforward fit. CEM is the man to see for sure. He's away for about 10 days, but worth seeing him sooner, rather than later, for the best choice of equipment available, before it sells out for this season.
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| skimottaret wrote: |
| i have used both CEM and Profeet and would recommend either very highly.. If profeet ask for Jimmy Bell or Hamish |
Is Hamish still at Profeet? I thought He'd moved on. 
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You know it makes sense.
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Spyderman, could be, do you know where he went? Jimmy was still there a few months ago when i had my tele boots done...
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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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skimottaret, Not sure, they came up in conversation over many beers, I might be talking total twaddle about his departure, but something seems to stick about him going. Where to, can't remember.
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Poster: A snowHead
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Spyderman, from what i heard recently Hamish was concentrating on development and letting his guys do the fitting....I don't know the ins and outs but just what i heard
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