 Poster: A snowHead
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The ski industry has made significant advances in training the staff and dealing with technical data. Buy in resort. You wouldn't take your tomatoes to italy to cook a bolognaise, would you? Think about it. Your precious pound maybe worth less but you're bound by you bad decisions once there. Take some time. Speak to people that actively use the kit rather than some daft media review based on pleasing advertisers. Cynical, but unfortunately true.
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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: |
| The ski industry has made significant advances in training the staff and dealing with technical data. Buy in resort. You wouldn't take your tomatoes to italy to cook a bolognaise, would you? Think about it. Your precious pound maybe worth less but you're bound by you bad decisions once there. Take some time. Speak to people that actively use the kit rather than some daft media review based on pleasing advertisers. Cynical, but unfortunately true. |
None of the above means you should necessarily buy in resort, just that you should go to a specialist.
The tomato analogy is completely flawed because first they are perishable, and second you can buy breeds of tomatoes in Italy that aren't available in the UK.
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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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This presupposes that all ski shops in the UK are staffed by idiots who don't ski and that all ski shops in the French alps are staffed by 100% reliable people. I don't think so...
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SMALLZOOKEEPER, OK so you buy Boots in resort and you can't get them sorted within the period of time that you have in that resort, then what do you do? I'd much rather buy from a specialist near to my home.
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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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When I'm in resort, I'm there to ski not shop. But it is handy to have shops in resort if you happen to need something. I think there's a need both for local and resort shops and there are good and bad examples of both.
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For boots not bad advice, though of course there are UK based specialists who can make a decent fist of it.
For skis - if you can filter the marketing crap, have skied widely enough and demoed plenty of skis the only real benefit you get in resort is being able to demo (possibly) your ski in your chosen length. I've often noticed shops in Europe to be much more restricted in range - e.g. in France if you don't want Rossis, Sollys or Dynas + 1 of Head/Atomic/Volkl you might have a bit of a hunt.
Soft goods - who cares?
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fatbob, agreed.
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Hurtle, Ooops,there's a guy working in a ski shop somewhere in Essex that knows how to ski.
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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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SMALLZOOKEEPER, 
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Spyderman, How often do you notice that your ski boots hurt when you are at home? Buy your boots first day in resort, you then have six days skiing to sort them out.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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two completey different opinions...buy in resort /buy at home...... just buy your boots form a good fitter rather then a good salesman 
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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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CEM, Exactly my point, so buy in resort. 
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| clive5 wrote: |
| Spyderman, How often do you notice that your ski boots hurt when you are at home? Buy your boots first day in resort, you then have six days skiing to sort them out. |
Regularly, considering I've normally got them on 4 times a week all year around.
Six days is not enough to sort a pair of boots out properly for me, plus I don't want to spend my holiday in a ski shop with sore feet.
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You know it makes sense.
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Spyderman, So do you think that the average person on this site has there ski boots on four times a week? If six days of skiing is not enough for you to sort out your boots you are seeing a crap boot fitter.
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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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Spyderman, If you can't sort out your ski boots in six days how do you think you are going to do it within three hours at a boot fitting in the UK.
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Poster: A snowHead
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| clive5 wrote: |
| Spyderman, If you can't sort out your ski boots in six days how do you think you are going to do it within three hours at a boot fitting in the UK. |
He doesn't: see here.  Mind you, by all accounts, some of the six hours were probably spent consuming bacon butties.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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clive5, 
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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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clive5, You asked me a question directly.
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| Spyderman, How often do you notice that your ski boots hurt when you are at home? |
I answered your question specifically.
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Regularly, considering I've normally got them on 4 times a week all year around. |
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| Spyderman, So do you think that the average person on this site has there ski boots on four times a week? |
Of course not, but I do think that the active members of this Forum probably ski more than the average one week a year holiday skier.
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| If six days of skiing is not enough for you to sort out your boots you are seeing a crap boot fitter. |
I don't know whether I should answer that one myself, or leave it to CEM . Apart from being insulting, you have no idea as to what I require in a ski boot. 
My current pair have been worked on by what I believe to be two of the best boot fitters in the the UK and Chamonix, namely CEM & LARGEZOOKEEPER If you don't know their credentials, there are plenty of people, I'm sure would be pleased to tell you that they are indeed not 'Crap Boot Fitters' .
| Quote: |
| Spyderman, If you can't sort out your ski boots in six days how do you think you are going to do it within three hours at a boot fitting in the UK. |
Again you are directing your question at me. To achieve the level of fit that I have now has taken 20 hours. That's the initial fit, ski them, more work, etc. etc. That could not be done in a six day resort holiday, considering there's probably only 48 hours of ski time total in six days.
Do you really want to spend every night in the ski shop? What happens after the six days are up? Would you not want continuity of the specialist working to achieve a perfect fit? Would you wait till next year to have to return to the same resort, even though you really fancied going somewhere else, just to get further adjustments done?
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Spyderman, Sorry to be insulting just seems that you are a bit special? PS when do you spend 20 hours in the boot fitters? Is it before or after work ? Bet the boot fitter loves you. Ski boots cost About £250. 48 hours later you walk out the door thank God.
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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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clive5, didn't he mention that he has webbed feet with seven toes each and a dew claw?
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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| Hurtle wrote: |
| clive5 wrote: |
| Spyderman, If you can't sort out your ski boots in six days how do you think you are going to do it within three hours at a boot fitting in the UK. |
He doesn't: see here. Mind you, by all accounts, some of the six hours were probably spent consuming bacon butties. |
research trip on spdie's part, wanting to try a few things ....BTW i was working with about 6 other clients at the same time, spydie got about 10 ins attention every hour or so...but that was what he was looking to do
clive5 not sure to take you as uninformaed or just plain ignorant
most people FYI take a 1.5 -2 hout fitting and prehaps a tweak after skiing, spydie wanted a little more than that, he sits between sizes in some boots, we could go through the whole process that we did last time and put him in the same boot [the only reason they need replacing is that they were pre production and leak like a sieve] but we were looking at alternatives.
if a client needs 20 hours fitting it is normally down to a few foot issues, i have no problem spending that time occasionally if the client really needs it it is not 20 hours in a hit though it is a series of small adjustments not wanting to go too far with a stretch or grind at any one time
where do you get your boots fitted then, your fitter must be real good to solve every problem so well, do i know him
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They are indeed 'Not Crap Bootfitters', although i believe the work that finally got the boots to fit was done whilst you were on holiday in resort.
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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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Spyderman, Hark at you, who combs your hair when you are away?
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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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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Spyderman, seriously. I know CEM was being nice but have you got really messed up feet? 20 hours? Wow. I've served plenty of time as a boot fitter, both in resorts and SnR, I probably would have just taken a hammer and grinder to your boot than spend that much time tweaking your boots.
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parlor, 20 hours, all told probably, but I haven't been running a stopwatch. When I take in initial measurement, boot selection, footbed, heating, stretching, grinding of baseboards, riser plates, grinding of shell, then foam liners, attempts to waterproof them. It is 20 hours spread over a year, so not too terrible. I started with 7mm shell check for length and zero in places for the width, so a way closer fit than recreational, but that's what I wanted. I do have really sensitive feet though, CEM did a test and stuck a tiny piece of gaffer tape to the under side of the footbed, I could tell him exactly how big a bit and where it was, through a sock and cork footbed.
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You know it makes sense.
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The trouble with most resort bootfitters (not all) is they are either:
a) A local foreign type who knows their stuff but charges the earth
b) A 20 year old gap student, their only knowledge coming from a 3 day training session held in a bar pre-season. They live by a three finger shell check and pray to the 'Liner Gods' that the liner doesn't pack-out before the end of the punters holiday.
c) A self acclaimed Boot Fitting 'God' who has a number of footbed displayed in Franny D's 'Bag of horrors' in Veron.
d) Brilliant, yet snapped up by a manufacturers to work in R&D or Race Department
e) Tend sheep and cows during the summer.
f) Stonned and think too much.
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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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CEM, My boot fitter is Austrian Fifty years old and has been fitting boots since he was sixteen. I would say he has more ski boots under his belt than you? But then again Oxfordshire is the Centre of the Alps. so you could be the man to see.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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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'll trade insults with anyone. 
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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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| clive5 wrote: |
| Oxfordshire is the Centre of the Alps. |
Well....once you are familiar with the skills of the man who resides there....it could well be Along with a little shop in a Spa town in Warwickshire
Seriously,I can think of no good reason for purchasing in resort...apart from snapping up a mega super deal on a pair of boots you already 'know'...and how often is that going to happen  Here in the UK you can browse for as long as you like.You can discuss your requirements,go away and think on it,then go back for a further chat.Then you can have the fitting,discuss any concerns/adjustments and,hopefully,go away happy.Any problems,you can ring and arrange a re-visit.My view..I go to resort to ski,not ponce around having boots fitted,I've got all summer to do that And to even vaguely suggest that the UK lacks skilled boot fitters shows,IMHO,poor knowledge of what,and who,is available.
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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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| clive5 wrote: |
| Spyderman, Sorry to be insulting |
You seem to be making a habit of it.
Regarding the skills of CEM as a Boot Fitter, you are in a minority of one.
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logic would state there should be more skilled boot fitters in europe...there are more ski shops some of those stores will have good fitters, some like in some stores in the uk are just boot sellers
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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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There is a superb boot fitter in Chamonix.
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Spyderman, I know 8.
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