 Poster: A snowHead
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I got my last pair of ski boots just over 3 years ago and have skied 120+ days in them since. They're feeling a bit loose and I've improved a lot in the last 3 years so fancy some new boots. I have Atomic women's M90s and want want something closer fitting and probably a bit stiffer. I know the best boots for me are the ones that fit best etc. etc. but looking at the boot selection in the shops closest to me there doesn't seem to be many women's boots that are stiffer than what I have? I'm 5'9 and usually ski men's skis, should I be looking at men's boots too or does stiffness not really matter!
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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lynseyf, I would say for that amount of skiing per year it's worth looking a bit further afield to get a better choice 
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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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lynseyf, Where are you based ?
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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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I'm in Edinburgh, the problem with travelling further to get boots is going back to get them modified if needed. If I was going somewhere for a 2 week holiday I would get them in resort but I do most of my skiing in Scotland and may not get away for very long at all this year. I also really like the idea of buying boots somewhere I can go back to for adjustments as I feel it's unlikely I'll get a really good fitting boot in one visit.
I don't have a problem getting men's boots, I've just always been put in women's boots and just really wondering if I should gently suggest this to the fitter when I go looking for new boots. I'm sure when I bought my last boots they were pretty middle of the range but looking about this year very few places seem to stock much stiffer than 90-100 flex in women's boots?
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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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lange make a 100 flex 100mm lasted performance womens boot, and on the "shared last" Rossignol make the 97mm version in a 110 flex (the electra pro) other than that there are a number of unisex race/freeride style boots in the 110-120 flex
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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lynseyf, will you not be looking for something with a bit of forgiveness, hike mode, for skinning etc.
I'm in the same place as you at the moment, and funnily enough looking to replace my M90s!
I spoke to Alain Baxter and he said he has good relations with most of the manufacturers out there so can get pretty much any boot you like then get it fitted properly. £60/hour fitting plus boot cost on top.
2 Imex Business Centre,
7 Craig Leith Road,
Stirling,
FK7 7WU
+44 (0) 1786 448 335
boots@alainbaxter.co.uk
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| lynseyf wrote: |
Why is it buying new skis is so much fun but buying new boots is such a pain in the @rse
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two reasons...
• It's important.
• It's portrayed as a black art by some that only 2 people in the whole world are capable of mastering.
CEM recommended Alain to me and also a girl by the name of Karla at Craigdon in Perth.
I've since been back through to EB at Xscape a few times and have been chatting to a lad there that seems to know his stuff. Tall, pleasant guy, can't remember his name right now.
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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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lynseyf, perth would be the direction i would head
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| shoogly wrote: |
I've since been back through to EB at Xscape a few times and have been chatting to a lad there that seems to know his stuff. Tall, pleasant guy, can't remember his name right now. |
Yeah I spoke to a ginger guy called Sandy a few years ago but it was right at the end of the season and they didn't have much left, he's since fitted a friend and she was pretty happy.
Just looking a bit more and some shops don't stock men's boots below a 26, for instance Craigdon, so if I go there then they're definitely going to put me in a women's boot.
Appreciate the advise CEM thanks 
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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this is the bit that gets me, small sizes in mens boots, so many shops start as you say at 26.0 if i can get it in a 24 we get it in a 24 and nearly always sell out of every one...maybe it is just because nobody else bothers to stock them, i don't know
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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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I agree Colin. We sell loads of mens boots in 24 and 25. Also several size 34! It does seem that many shops sell ladies at 23-26 and mens 26-30.
I get many ladies in an old 26 or 27 mens boots. They have been told that ladies boots "don't come in that size." I understand some boots don't go down to 22, however we manage to sell out each season.
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this is the fundamental concern I have with bootfitting - i dont want the best fit for my foot from a limited stock on whatever day i wander in, i want the best fit for my foot. (fair enough, that logic does not transfer well to the reality of me having bought boots online and fit myself  ). So a service where I can advise/discuss perhaps ahead of time some basics and then have the fitter find the best possible fit, would be, IMO, worth a good-sized premium. For example, if I say I'd like the best fit ntn (telemark) boot I can get, here's my size/weight/style and previous preferences etc., would I be able to get tried with every model available (perhaps pre-filtered slightly based on the pre-discussion)?
Maybe I am demanding too much so flame away if you want, but a service like that would take me offline and into the shop everytime, happily spending a premium for the service, and maybe even a deposit to offset any mutant-hoofed time-wasters or whatever.
Perhaps the challenge with such a service would lie more with manufacturer's willingness/supply/reliability than with the shoers?
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You know it makes sense.
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lynseyf, I have the similar issue from a male perspective. I ended up in a 24.5 fitted by CEM after a season of flopping around in a 25.5 from EB Glasgow but Bicester is far away from Edinburgh. My wife had the same experience with Blues. EB do seem to stock more smaller sizes in men's boots than most others though. Michael in Aviemore is supposed to be good. As you are in Edinburgh it would be worth a chat with Kevin at Snowsport Services on Broughton Road. He doesn't have big stock but he's from a racing background, so wouldn't give you a "recreational" fit, and is very helpful. I get my skis serviced there. Footworks in Edinburgh don't seem to have a big stock either but used to do Lange race boots including junior ones. What size of boot are you ?
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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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barry, not sure what exactly you are looking for, it sounds like it is as you say "too much", but most shops carry ranges from different manufacturers in various models, from that you discuss your needs and select boots
a boot fitter is no different, if we do not have the best product for the customer then we will suggest they get whatever boot it may be for another source, it is simply not feasible to carry very model from every supplier, our range of 40 + boots is based on shapes and flexes based on the most common things we see and a few less common
maybe i am alone or in a minority that doesn't just sell a boot for the sake of selling a boot
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