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Snowboarding Boots

 Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
Hi everyone, I'm new to the sport and would like to know where the best place is to buy boots from is? I've seen in Decathlon that they sell some but very limited styles....I don't want to buy online so can anyone recommend any shops nearby...I live in Kent...anyone know of any shops in London or Kent?

Thanks
Jode!
Little Angel
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 Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
I went to Edge2edge in Crawley for the first time on Saturday, they have some boots but the best place i have been so far for selection is BBC in Milton Keynes, its quite a way but its a good excuse to get to the snow if you arent going away soon Smile
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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?
Snow and Rock at London Bridge? My wife got her coat there. She looked on their website and told them what ones she wanted to try on and what sizes. Fair play to them, they got them in and she picked the one she liked best.

Make sure you try on a few pairs of Salomon SB boots. I love my F20s.
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 You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
Whitelines ran an article on boot fitting and recommended S&R in London, not sure it was the one in London Bridge though. I believe all S&R's offer a full fitting service.

Boots are the most important thing in your kit so make sure you try loads of pairs on and when you find one you like, get them heat-moulded (assuming it is possible) and they will fit you like a glove.

Also, check out this thread http://snowheads.com/ski-forum/viewtopic.php?t=37508
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 Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Brill - thanks to all of you for your replies. Do you think it's worth me buying them before I go? It's my first time snowboarding and am not sure what's best. I've got them on hire with the rest of the equipment, but is it worth buying my boots now? Or for next year's hol?
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 You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
Jode_123, I would rent the 1st time, you don't know if you are going to like it yet and 2nd hand boots are harder to shift !
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 Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Monetary-wise, you may be better hiring (most entry level boots are around £100). Comfort-wise, you may be better buying as it would be a shame if your 1st boarding experience was tarnished by badly fitting, painful boots.
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 After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
Jode_123, you can get last season's boots from places like www.e-depot.co.uk or www.filarinskis.co.uk for a lot less than £100 but by doing that you're taking away the facility to try them on and get the right fit - it's guesswork. I bought my own boots for my first trip (a pair of Burton Motos) off the internet and it was nice to have my own gear but in typical Burton fashion, they fell to piece during the second week. The fit was okay mind you, but I made the mistake of following the old adage that you must buy a size bigger than your nornmal shoe. I'm a size11 and bought a 12 and had to wear three pair of socks to get the right fit. The Ride boots that I got as a replacement are an 11 and are perfect - I didn't try before I bought though.

Hiring a full set of gear will be £150 for a good set-up as opposed to £350 to buy a good but basic set-up. Mind you, buying means it's yours forever, you know what you're getting and can get used to it much better but you have to suffer the consequences if you trash gear, which is inevitable at some point.
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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.
Definately try them on - try lots on in a good shop because all the makers fit differnt foot shapes so you need to find the ones for you - salomon are deinately good but you do need to make sure they fit well - heat moulding is definately worth geting if offered and you might also want to think about footbeds too depending on your foot shape - a good boot fitter will help here.

S&R in convent garden might be an option, TSA (in ellis bingham) in covent garden probably better, also Urban Chaos in Covent garden too - small independent shop. as others have said, boots are the most important bit of kit to get right - so worth trying on lots and getting good advice rathe rthan trying to save a few quid IMO. Bad boots can seriously ruin your holiday!!!
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 Ski the Net with snowHeads
Ski the Net with snowHeads
Specialman, thanks for you comments, I had a snowboarding lesson a few weeks back but found that I had to go a size bigger than my normal shoe size because I couldn't get the damn boot on Smile Hire of boots/board/helmet/bindings are all part of the package deal I've booked myself on (along with lessons and lift pass) - the whole holiday I've paid under £500 for accommodation/flights/food/drinks plus the tutition and equipment hire - can't go wrong really. So either way I've paid for the equipment.

I think DebbiDoesSnow, is right, I'll probably come back and buy some once I know I'd like to keep doing snowboarding otherwise it's another expense (just had to buy all my ski wear).

Thanks lib-banana, think I'll ask the other half if he'll take me to Covent Garden Laughing I'm only going for a week, are you serious when you say wearing bad boots will ruin my holiday? I'm not expecting the boots to be great out there but I've got my thick ski socks so thought that would be ok?
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 snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
Jode_123, thin socks, snug boots. Thick socks to compensate for loose boots will be uncomfortable.

Snowboarding boots are pretty uncomfortable anyway. I got some derision recently for suggesting they were no more comfy than ski boots, but I stand by the exact wording of that sentiment having now used three different rental pairs. I'd far rather wear my ski boots, actually.
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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.
As you have paid for the hire then dont bother buying boots till you know you want to continue. My girlfriend and i did our first week last year. My hire boots fit perfectly and i wore them all the time without feeling it. Hers were very uncomfortable and hurt her feet so she went back to the hire shop and changed them for a different brand which fit much better. Then, if you decide you are going to continue but arent going again till next year, head off to BBC at the end of the season and get some new 08/09 boots at discount prices ready for next year Smile
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 So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
paulio, you obviously have had the wrong type of boots !! Mine are like a pair of slippers
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 You know it makes sense.
You know it makes sense.
Quote:

are you serious when you say wearing bad boots will ruin my holiday?


They certainly can! but the key thing is to make sure when you get fitted up at the hire shop that they fit properly- your toes should just touch the ends of the boots when you stand normally but not when you crouch in the boarding position - and don't overtighten the boots - thats the commenest cause of foot pain- as someone else said - thin socks are actually better - if you have a tkmaxx near you then see if you can find some proper snowboard socks there - should only be around 6 or 7 quid in tkmaxx.

if you find you have uncomfortable boots after the first day then go back and hassle the hire shop for another pair - don't just put up with bad boots as they certainly won't help!

As to boots gernally, I agree with Debbie, my boots fit like a glove and are comfy all day long - this year I have added footbeds too which makes them even better! Very Happy
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 Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Hi - thanks guys.

naryn, you're right - it's all paid for, we'll stick with them. Like you said, if they aren't comfy then we'll get different sizes/make etc.

What are the prices in BBC like? Do they have a website so I can have a browse?

We bought some socks - from tkmaxx and from freespirit - the long thick seamless ones....are these the ones we need? They are really comfy and cosy.
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 Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
Another thing to add, until you know what a boot feels like when your boarding, its hard to recognise what a good fit is. So I would definitaly try rental boots for the 1st time. And as lib-banana says, if they aren't comfortable you go back and you try a different size / brand until you get a fit thats comfortable for you when your riding.

Some say that heel lift is bad, but for others its not so until you know your own riding style I would just wait and see Razz
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 Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Jode_123, BBC are very good, but they are not cheap. http://www.bucksboarding.co.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?
DebbiDoesSnow, are there all different ones? I went snowboarding a few years back for a few lessons and found the boots really comfy - went again a few months back and the pair I had on were so difficult to get on!!! I felt like I was flying when I first put them on as my heel was lifted. It took me a while to get used to these and I had to go a size bigger - are there different kinds of boots then?
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 You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
Jode_123, yep, wide fitting, slim fitting, stiff, soft and then there are differences within those categories between manufacturers too. I must of tried on every boot in TSA before I found 'the one'. I ended up with a boot a size bigger (which is normal I found out) and was actually the brand I had said I wasnt going to buy ! and I absolutely love them! So basicaly you need to start with an open mind and not be set on brand or design, until you know what works for you.

Comfort 1st, Style 2nd (unless your Stab and then it needs to be gold )
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 Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Jeeeez - didn't realise how much there was too a pair of boots Very Happy thanks for your help - I was just about to buy a pair I had seen, without looking around for researching different styles just because I liked them, thought a boot was a boot Very Happy good job I didn't buy them!
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