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 Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
hello peeps going to verbier in a week. got probs as in my boots are size 27.5 mono(uk9) and im a size 7 trainer when buying them i never realised how inportant the fit was, The guy never told me the size of boot when i was buying it in a shop at st anton last year.i used it for a week ok but now ive read a few articals on the net....i come to the conlusion they r too big,,,,
the top of my foot has alot of room to move,,,,,whats the best boots to buy for a intermediate to advandce skier for skiing around mountains hitting odd bumps....
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 Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
jim9t, the best boot is one that fits and it sounds as if you've got boots that'll never fit. For a size 7 I'd expect you to fit a 25.5 or 26. I have a 26.5 boot and I'm size 8 in Uk sizes, 41/42 in European. Take your boots back to the retailer and complain.
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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?
yeah i was in st anton when i brought them...im a size 7 ski boots are 27.5 and u think there to big .....my brother has 26s and i can get in them....im an average skier cant do moguls yet but cant wait to give it ago
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 You need to Login to know who's really who.
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jim9t,simple fit test.Put the boots on and stand straight.Your toes should just touch the end of the boot.Lean forward and your toes should come away(just)At the back of the boot,your ankles should be held firm.A loose fit will mean your foot will wash around and you will have poor control of skis/edges.Take no notice of your brothers boots,the fit will vary from make to make.
Sorry mate,only two choices.Go to St Anton and chuck them at the bloke who stiffed you;or chuck em in the bin!!
Mind you,you could try your luck in Verbier.If they are in excellent condition someone might just give you a trade in?Try it.Best of luck snowHead
PS.Just make sure you use a decent boot fitter next time;and be honest about your ability.
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 Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
It might be a good idea to rent boots for a few days at least. Rental boots are not always great, but they should give you an idea of size and whether you need wide, narrow, etc, etc.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
jim9t, a couple of things. First your size 7 is only an approximate guideline to ski boot size which depends upon the Last used my the manufacturer, and which varies according to length, width, instep depth, heel size etc.

For example I am a size 7-7.5, 41-42 and take a 26.5 Nordica boot and a Rossi 27.

Any decent bootfitter will first of all measure your feet and this will immediately short-list what boots they stock which will potentially fit you. I agree with what snowskisnow, says on fitting.

After fitting if the boot is a bit tight in places don't worry. This is commonplace. You just may have a few nobbly bit here and there on your feet. The shop will be able to flex the boots slightly to relieve "hotspots".

As a matter of interest which shop did you buy your boots from in St Anton. I am a part-time resident there and am interested to know if there is a shop I should not recommend.
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 Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Can I ask what make you bought? as the Salomon X wave 10's I have the shells are rated 26-27.5 the only difference is the liner. I started with the 27.5 liner but soon changed to the 26. I was lucky to find someone who was selling his X wave 10's with 26 liners so we did a liner swap, I gave him 10 chf and bought him a beer. Blush
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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!
yeah the shop was inter sport i think in st anton
im going to buy new boots as i have some spare cash....all the nice looking boots r for experts..i like the salomon pro modal sc space frames seen here http://www.salomonski.com/uk/product.asp?sex=1&seg=2&gam=8&pro=782633 but can a boot be to good for a skier if so how and y i can get down slopes fast and nicely apart from the moguls...b honest to what u think and give me some ideas pls to wot would suit me........
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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.
jim9t, one of the thjim9t, things a good boot fitter will check is your abillity and the kind of skiing you prefer.

As snowskisnow says it is important to be honest at this point. They should also check how much you can flex the boot. They should do this by standing you in a ski and getting you to flex forward. This is an indication of whether the boot is too stiff or not stiff enough for you.
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 Ski the Net with snowHeads
Ski the Net with snowHeads
jim9t, A few bits of advice but sorry no specific boot recommendation

First thing any shop should do selling boots is get the shell size right, new liners are pretty squidgy (technical term) and take a while to settle down. they should pull the liner out and get you to put your foot in the shell and check the clearance, with toes just touching the front of the boot you should have 1/2 to 1 inch between heel and shell. If there's too much room there's very little can be done to make a shell smaller. Tight spots on the other hand can be stretched and the the whole shell can even be heated to ease the shape a little. If they just say "try these on and walk around" just walk out, its too important a purchase to get wrong.
Best to keep an open mind on exact choice of boot and decide during fitting process. The best boots are the ones that fit right, no point saying you want Salomon widgits because you read a good review and like the colour if they don't match your foot shape.
Remember you're not buying a pair of slippers, its technical footwear that can can make or ruin a very expensive holiday.
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 snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
B00thy wrote:

As snowskisnow says it is important to be honest at this point. They should also check how much you can flex the boot. They should do this by standing you in a ski and getting you to flex forward. This is an indication of whether the boot is too stiff or not stiff enough for you.


B00thy, let us say that a desirable goal is to eliminate tip lead of the inside ski when skiing ice and thereby make turn transitions easier. Now, that would require the ability to flex both boots an equal distance with the majority of body weight centered on one foot or the other.

Agreed, it is important to be honest at this point, but how much of that is self-honesty? Obviously it is no good to flex a boot in a ski shop by throwing the upper body weight forward or by putting most of the body weight on it, as that is not even remotely how one wants to ski.

How likely is a shop clerk to spot and correct this mistake? Does having the boot in the ski help or hide this error?
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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.
jim9t, there are some good gear shops in Verbier so you should have no problem finding a place that will sort you out with new boots.

If you want custom-fit then go to Mountain Air or Surefoot in Verbier, both give first class service. These two only sell boots with custom liners - expect to add £100 to £150 to the basic cost of the boot, but believe me it's more than worth it. I paid CHF690 all in at Mountain Air. In terms of comfort and the difference it's made to my skiing it's the best money I've ever spent on gear. If you don't want to pay for a custom job then there are plenty of other stores in Verbier so shop around.

What Rich says above is spot-on advice. Whether you go off-the-shelf or custom, first forget ALL your own preferences about brands and ignore what the boot looks like - go with the one that the fitter suggests will give the best fit and will suit your skiing best. A good fitter should first look at your bare feet and will look at how you stand from all angles. Then they'll check the shell size with your bare foot in the boot and the liner pulled out. If they don't do that first then go somewhere else.

Ski boot sizes versus shoes sizes can be very variable. I'm a UK size 8 shoe, my old Lange boots were size 26.5, my new Dalbellos with a custom liner have dropped me down to a 25.0 shell and they are much more comfortable...go figure. I needed all my bindings remounting, the shells were so much smaller Shocked

good luck and enjoy Verbier snowHead
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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
thanx all for all the help ...........cheers
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 You know it makes sense.
You know it makes sense.
Hmmm. comprex, I agree with most of what you say. However, on the point of demonstrating flex I have to stand by what I said earlier. A decent boot fitter will clearly be aware of whether you are throwing your weight to achieve boot flex.

Does is have to be actually in the ski. Perhaps not.

I can't see the point you're making in your first paragraph. Of course you need to flex both boots.

Perhaps I didn't makemy point very well. Let's say that the final choice comes down to two boots one stiffer than the other. Even though the customer's ability level may point to the stiffer of the two it may be that the boot is too stiff for them. Thus the less stiff boot is more appropriate. QED. The reverse is also true.
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 Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
B00thy wrote:

I can't see the point you're making in your first paragraph. Of course you need to flex both boots.


B00thy, I was trying to emphasise that the customer must be able to flex both boots while staying centered in them front-to-back and while having some major fraction of body weight on one foot and not the other. This is not a task of trivial skill even for moderately stiff boots. Ever notice that all shop flexion occurs with the 2 hip angles exactly the same?

The first paragraph was an attempt to translate the geometry I speak of to a real skiing situation.

For the sake of discussion, consider a shop that would request an (intermediate to advanced) customer to flex the boots with one foot on a low step, with the boots in a device similar to a Spruce Mountain Riser, without a ski, so that the customer is effectively on a narrower balance point (sweet spot) than his own foot length and one hip is more open than the other.

Would this help the customer decide for themselves and lessen the burden on shop clerks? (Actually, I am also thinking of macho hard-headed "I need a race boot " types who wouldn't listen to a good bootfitter even were they fortunate enough to find one).
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 Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
Splosh !! (I've now fallen in with your thinking and I agree)
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 Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Madeye-Smiley

Apologies for being a pest.

I continued thinking about this as I was trying to teach a lady cyclist to skate this weekend. Her hips were so stiff and her back was so straight that she would almost collapse backward trying to bend her knees AND stay balanced. She literally could not flex _forward_ without her shoulders moving also, even in street shoes. Further, athletic as she was, there was quite some bubbling anger there at this seemingly impossible task. Mid-40's, bikes some 5000km a year.

Shocked
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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?
jim9t,

Quote:

all the nice looking boots r for experts


DON'T buy a boot because it looks good.

DO buy a boot because it's (i) a good fit and (ii) it'll be appropriate for your current and prospective level of skiing.

DO make sure you get a good bootfitter, who will want to know about your general level of ability, the sort of terrain you prefer, the frequency with which you ski, and the rate at which you hope to improve. A high-end race boot will simply be no use for an intermediate skier.

Additionally, a good bootfitter will offer an aftersales service that includes customising the boot for you bothe before (alignment/footbeds etc) and after you've skied on it for a day or so: this is really important, and the best reason for buying your boots in a resort: you can report back on any glitches and get them sorted out.

rich and johnnyrotten are dead right. Comfort in a boot means comfort in a ski. If a boot feels comfortable just standing around in a shop, then it's probably too big. Your toes should feel sqashed up against the front of the boot, until you click into a binding (and again, a good bootfitter will have you do this).

If you get a good fitter (and try and get a personal recommendation, maybe from an instructor - they live in their boots) then DO listen to his/her advice: they know what they're talking about.
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It may be worth a visit to Chamonix from Verbier, around an hour in a car.

We just got some new boots for my wife last week.

What was amazing was that if you or they decide a custom liner is the right solution for you, then they knock off the cost of the standard liner from your purchase price! Every pair of boots has a price with/out standard liner.


Unlike Precision ski in Val D'Isere who charged me full whack for my boots and then the cost of a custom liner on top!

IF you do decide to drive to Cham, make sure you pre-book an appointment. We used Steve, and UK guy who has been there 5 years, well recommended.

cheers

Greg
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 Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Intersport are just a big sports chain, in my experience they don't have boot fitters just boot sellers. They even managed to mess up my first pair of Strolz boots so I went to the Strolz head office in Lech and Strolz sorted everything out.

Good boot fitting shop in St Anton = Alber Sport http://www.sport-alber.com/
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 You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
There is a specialist boot shop in St Anton too. Can't remember the name but as you walk down the main street it's a small shop on the right hand side.

Also, the Jennewein shop has a system and computer machine thingy which makes a model of your feet en route to an alledged perfect fit. Haven't been through the process myself but I understand it's fantastic (and works)
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