Advice for a Beginner retuning from Alpe D'Huez

A snowHead

Hi All

Been monitoring the site for sometime to get advice and tips on the world of skiing.

I'm just back from my first ski trip in Alpe D'Huez, (17-24th December) and absolutely loved it. The experienced guys I went away with said the snow and powder was absolutely fantastic.

Needless to say I had an immense time and absolutely loved every minute. I was comfortable with all the greens, blues and reds (not record breaking descent speeds but rarely stacked it) and even attempted a black on the last day, albeit rather gingerly. Also done a fair bit of off piste as the conditions were so good. A few spectacular spills, but I survived to tell the tale.

Now, the one thing that really spoilt the experience was the ski boots. I changed four times and couldn't find a comfortable pair all week and this really ruined what was a great experience. I have size 7 but fairly wide feet and absolutely monster calve muscles. I feel like all the boots I tried really hampered my progress and felt my legs fatigued (unusual as I'm a distance runner, footballer and cycle about 60km each week) way too early because of this (have a couple of lovely scars now where the boots cut in). I did try loosening the top buckle on the boots but I felt this impacted on the control I had. I want to progress and go again, so should I invest in a pair of custom boots from a fitter? My mates I skied with think this is a bit excessive and I'm only a beginner.

Also, I want to go away again mid/end of March. Any suggestions on a good resort for that time of year that won't be too expensive?

Thanks in advance and happy holidays.

A snowHead

Boosterfaceman, Welcome to Snowheads.

It sounds like you are hooked, so ignore your mates, a properly fitted pair of boots are your first priority if you're going to continue. It sounds like you have problem feet, so you will benefit greatly with a good fitting boot. You'll get many recommendations about boot fitters here, so where are you based, so we can make local recommendations?

And welcome to this expensive and compulsive hobby.

Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?

Yep - properly fitting boots are a must. Some can get away with renatls, others (like me) need a bit of fettling to get a good fit. I don't need to loosen mine for lunch they're so comfy.

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geepee, yep, absolutely hooked. Couldn't have asked for a better week away. Some of the more experienced guys were gutted that most of the black runs were closed, but I had an immense time and skied in just about every type of weather and lucky enough to get a bluebird on the last day too.

I certainly have issues with my feet regardless of sport so was half expecting this after a week in ski boots. I'm based in London. Any advice would be appreciated. It's certainly a sport I'd want to do at least twice a year so I feel the investment is justified.

I also want to do some lessons to continue my progress. Is Hemel the best place to do this?

Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.

Thanks, martinm. I was literally loosening mine at every given opportunity. The other guys didn't seem to have this issue, so I figured this may be the way forward for me.

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Boosterfaceman, Contact Profeet in London. Talk to a fitter, take their advice. Go soon Very Happy

Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...

Boosterfaceman, welcome to snowHeads!

There's one place in central London which is consistently recommended for bootfitting on the forum and that's profeet, in Fulham: http://www.profeet.co.uk/
If you're prepared to go slightly out of London, the most oft-recommended bootfitter is Colin (CEM on the forum) in Bicester: http://www.solutions4feet.com/

Personally I've had footbeds made at profeet and bought new boots/liners (in which I wear the profeet footbeds) from solutions4feet, and was very happy with the service in both places.

And yes, Hemel is a great place to have ski lessons, I go there regularly from South London. Along with quite a few other snowHeads, I have lessons with Inside Out - http://www.insideoutskiing.com/. The instructors Rob and Scott are, respectively, rob@rar and skimottaret on this forum.

After all it is free

Cheers for all the advice.

It seems CEM comes highly recommended. I will also check out insideoutskiing in the new year and arrange some tuition through them.

Boosterfaceman, Go to Profeet ask for Hamish very highly suggested

*Ski* the Net with snowHeads

If you plan on going skiing again then your should definitely get your own boots, your mates obviously aren't as hooked as you are. Ski boots are cheap in comparison to a ski holiday and will make it much more enjoyable. I know plenty of 1 week skiers who have bought there own boots.

As for lessons,

If you want to have a week to yourself (no lessons) and your not yet confident to ski on your own or with friends then you should get lessons at hemel, or just go for more practice.
But if you plan on getting lessons when abroad I wouldn't bother with the Hemel lessons as they look rather expensive for a small slope and not a lot of skiing time, compared to when abroad

Now somewhere to go

Late season you will probably want to go somewhere high for good snow, Or don't book anywhere and about late February to mid march see what resorts are still doing good for snow and try and book a late deal

The past 2 seasons I have ended up in Soldeu, Andorra at the end of March, Its not very high but booked late, there was plenty of snow (full resort open), sunshine everyday and got a very good deal.

Hope I helped

snowHeads are a friendly bunch.

Boosterfaceman, yes, get your boots done. I only have experience of CEM - very good. As for your next holiday, if budget is key, have a look at the holidays provided through Action Outdoors at the UCPA centres in France. End of March is a brilliant time to go - and you should be able to get the lot, including tuition, gear, full board etc for around £650.

UCPA tuition is very good - if you want to progress really quickly would recommend at least half day tuition all week, if not full time.

snow reports

Boosterfaceman, welcome to Snow Heads snowHead

My husband had a similar problem a few years ago (wide feet and huge calf muscles due to running) - any hire boots crippled him and even his own rashly-purchased-and-not-properly-fitted boots did the same and ended up on Ebay (sold for 95% of what he'd paid for them, but they did only have 3 hours of wear.....) He really was spending our ski holidays listening to his iPod and drinking coffee.

Anyway, he went to the other boot fitter who is oft-recommended on here, at Rivington Alpine in the North West, and has now had two largely-pain free ski holidays in properly fitted Atomic boots which accommodate his large feet and calves and are as comfy as ski boots will ever be. The fitting takes a good few hours and you may even need to return to the fitter for a little boot-tweaking, once you've skied in them, but it's worth it. When you've done that, get some lessons in a fridge Very Happy

Boosterfaceman, I am envious of you - all the fun and excitement of learning to ski and discovering the mountains lying ahead of you. snowHead

(yes buy boots, but you knew that already I think)

You know it makes sense.

Again guys, fantastic advice. I've had a sneak peak at action-outdoors and prices seem great for what they offer.

I'm going to get some boots fitted at the end of January then start looking at some last minute deals. You SH's have confirmed what I thought I already knew. I think my friends see it as a massive unnecessary outlay but if it helps to improve my experience for seasons to come, then I'm happy with the outlay as I figure they'll pay for themselves after a few trips of not renting and buying huge supplies of ibuprofen.

Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:

Ok, I'm gonna go against the grain a little. Your right, your own fitted boot sounds like it will help with your foot/calf pain issues...but don't rush and buy the first thing that feels better! Visit a few shops (snow & rock, Ellis Brigham and your local independent) and try a few on (the boot fitter will start to make adjustments to give you that dream fit...but thats because he wants you to buy them there and then), then when you've found the shop that had the best selection that felt good (hopoefully your independent shop but if it is S & R go back there) head back for a full fitting.

I'm a boarder so can't comment on price brackets, brands, etc but if you could put up with rentals for the other holiday/long weekend you'll find the prices will tumble down towards the end of the season. If you were to book a holiday for 1st week in April (commonly looked upon as the start of the close down of the season) a lot of shops in resort will be desperate to get rid of there stock, they don't get any trade off skiers once the snow's gone...you can't ride a mountain bike in ski boots!!!

Research, research, research!!!

A snowHead

Oh and I love AdH and have friends out there for the season, they said pre-season was good but a bit off perfect.

You will have better days with better pistes, deeper powder and bluer skies...enjoy!

A snowHead

Boosterfaceman, Your mates are talking out of their bum holes to be fair, I can't put a price on properly fitted and thus comfortable boots. If you're trying to save some £'s for your hols I'd maybe try a few at somewhere like Ellis Brigham then see if you can get them cheaper online and get custom footbeds. I picked my girlfriend up a pair of Atomics that were £280 in Snow and Rock and got them brand spanking off eBay. But as a rule of thumb with custom beds you'll be looking at upwards of £300.

Skiing is different to any other sport in the terms of the muscles you use, being fit helps but the only way to get really ski fit is to ski-there are some specific exercises you can do that help but you have to do them in good time before a trip to make any odd-have a look on You Tube.

As for resorts flexibility is key. Don't get too carried away with the high altitude crew, if you can wait and be flexible this is the way to go if not even in late March I'd not be too worried in most places, theses resorts(low altitude) wouldn't be viable if they had turd skiing in late March and IME you get great conditions in March providing a good base was put down you will be fine, for example I've had better conditions in Saalback in May than I've had in Tignes.

My advice is to try Austria and introduce yourself to apres as it should be and some awesome sliding snowHead

Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?

if you are overtightening your boots to get pressure, it may also be your technique.
I found I tightened mine too much early on and even with new boots.
as my skiing has improved I've not had this problem.
however you sound as hooked as I was after my first trip. so if you can afford it, get some good tuition and a pair of boots. and get back out to the mountains this season Happy

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As said much earlier, consider not buying any boots until you visit CEM and he can see your feet and recommend a specific boot for your feet/leg shape. AFAIA, different brands fit very differently and if your foot/leg shape is suited to Atomic but you bought Technica, well that'd be a shame. Also 'high street' shops tend to sell boots that are too big and that'll hold you back from developing. If CEM has the right boot for you, that will be convenient and you can do everything there and then. If not, you will know Exactly what you are looking for including boot sole length and inner sole length to get them as cheap as poss to go back for the fitting another day. In the meantime he would probably do your footbed that day, so it wouldn't be a wasted visit.

Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.

Boosterfaceman, also if you are over tightening the boots, this in itself could be a sign of a bad fitting boot.

My experience was thus, found skiing when i met my wife, and was lucky that i got to borrow her dads gear for the first couple of trips.

Got my first pair of boots at a major retailer, and while I can honestly say they weren't uncomfortable, i found i got foot cramps while sitting on long chair lifts or long drag lifts. I also had issues when going relatively quickly on piste i found the ski's felt like they were flapping a bit laterally and ended up with toe cramps. I went to another big outfit to see if they could cure the problem, and they took a look and suggested custom footbeds, great i thought..... Honestly didnt make a jot of difference.

I bit the bullet last year from people i had read about and got my self booked in to a dedicated fitter to see if customer liners or some other magic would fix it. 5 minutes into the appointment the main issue ws diagnosed...

odd shaped feet? ( well yes but thats not the answer)
bad hip/kneee alignment? no, not particularly.

something else?

yep the shells were too wide and too long. I think i went from a 28.5 to a 26.5 and about 9mm narrower at front of foot. The new boots go on in the morning, have a warm up run, then are locked down and dont need to be adjusted for the rest of the day, gone is the lateral flapping, the foot cramps, the toe gripping. Transformed my confidence on the slopes and my skiing. Sure it wasn't the cheapest pair of boots ever but it was best money i have spent for skiing in my view.

Now i know that there have been improvements in the boot fitting at some of major retails shops, which is backed up reports on this forum, but I think the problem is with a number of people fitting boots, you need to make sure you get the person who people think is good at their job, if there is 1 person in a dedicated fitting shop then you chance of getting that person is guaranteed, if there is 1 good person in a shop of 5 fitters your odds go down a little.

just my short story.

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dude
get some boots and get them properly fitted
or switch to snowboarding
get lessons when on your ski trips
avoid the fridges unless you are rich, bored or fancy the instructors

ok bye

Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...

Well the good lady friend snowboards so there is going to have to be a compromise somewhere I guess! All my mates ski and she hasn't boarded for a while so I reckon she'll be the one to buckle.

Help!!

Advice for a Beginner retuning from Alpe D'Huez

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