 Poster: A snowHead
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Having not been skiing for about eight years I've had to re-kit myself out a bit as most of my old stuff has been charity-shopped. I've now bought a new helmet, goggles and gloves and the last purchase for my upcoming trip (4th time skiing, just nudging intermediate level) is going to be my first pair of boots. I can't get clearance to spend £300-400 on new boots so i'm looking around for something cheaper and found these these HEAD Edge 70 boots at a bargain price at Decathlon. Has anyone had any experience of these boots in action or Decathlon's fitting service.
My only alternative to getting boots like this at this price level is to hire them when I get there. I'm assuming I'd better getting these (assuming they fit well) or similar as hire boots must surely be generic to accommodate all types of feet.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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| Quote: |
as hire boots must surely be generic to accommodate all types of feet.
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a decent hire shop will have a range of boots. And if they're not 100% at least you've not spent much for the week. If you have normal kind of feet and haven't had problems with hired boots in the past you might be better off waiting till you can go to a good bootfitter and get something that's really right for you.
Even at that very low price, you'd get four or five years hire, if you only go once a year. You might be wanting higher-end boots before then. 
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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'm sure they'd do you for your first trip. They would probably do you for your second. But unless you are really very small and light, they are going to be too soft for much beyond that. As you describe yourself as intermediate, I'd wager these are probably too soft for you already.
Where are you based? There's shops that keep secondhand boots in stock, and if you make it clear to them that budget is king, they'll try and do what they can for the money you've got. £100 would pick up a decent pair in the right size that are a reasonable fit for you.
The chances of this particular boot fitting you, without the assistance of any fitting tools (Decathlon have no facility for modifying boots or even making custom footbeds) seem pretty slim unless you have the most ordinary and average feet that there are. But if you had a store within a few miles, no harm in going and trying them out I suppose. Take someone who knows what they are doing.
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| Monium wrote: |
| Where are you based? There's shops that keep secondhand boots in stock, and if you make it clear to them that budget is king, they'll try and do what they can for the money you've got. £100 would pick up a decent pair in the right size that are a reasonable fit for you.. |
Where would one find such an emporium as this? I live in the Sw, Bath, but frequently travel up to the Midlands, Leicester, so would be interested in knowing of any good second hand suppliers of repute
TIA
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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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| Monium wrote: |
| I'm sure they'd do you for your first trip. They would probably do you for your second. But unless you are really very small and light, they are going to be too soft for much beyond that. As you describe yourself as intermediate, I'd wager these are probably too soft for you already. |
Also, what do you mean by soft?
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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| Ratae Corieltauvorum wrote: |
Also, what do you mean by soft? |
I'm learning about all this too, but my understanding is that the rigidity of the boot (called flex) is low, which means it won't transmit force to the skis as well as a more rigid boot. These boots are aimed at complete beginners.
tb
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i thought i'd posted but for some reason it didn't work.
yes, the flex index refers to how bendy (or soft) they are. my understanding is that you want good shin contact throughout a knee/ankle flex without it being sore. a flex index of 70 is right at the bendy end of the scale. depending on your height, weight, skiing ability and style you may well want something a little more rigid. a bootfitter would help you with this.
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| Ratae Corieltauvorum wrote: |
Where would one find such an emporium as this? I live in the Sw, Bath, but frequently travel up to the Midlands, Leicester, so would be interested in knowing of any good second hand suppliers of repute
TIA |
Just go to the Midlands by driving up the M4 and M40 - Ski Bartlett is just off M40 and has such a collection. I know this because I was there yesterday and they did. Plus some fairly useful boot chaps that will get you sorted.
There might be others, and people should be able to reccomend some options, but I've not been to those (largely, it seems because I don't live there)
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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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| Monium wrote: |
| I'm sure they'd do you for your first trip. They would probably do you for your second. But unless you are really very small and light, they are going to be too soft for much beyond that. As you describe yourself as intermediate, I'd wager these are probably too soft for you already. |
I've heard it said that a beginner/intermediate should go for a boot between 50-80 (?) in the flex range. I'm not sure at what point you go from beginner to intermediate but I have about 3-4 weeks piste time and can parallel turn (but by no means neatly or smoothly  ). Could be I'm still classed as a beginner. As for weight I'm packing around 14st @ 5' 11" so (ahem) I'm no lightweight.
The driving force behind this is to get better ski boots than the hired ones and cost wise (and at that sort of purchase price) it looks like it would only take two trips to pay for themselves.
On a technical level, is someone able to explain what makes these Rosignol boots that much better than the Head ones when they both have a flex rating of 70?
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SiPieFace, IMO, with your stats/level you should be in a 110-120 flex boot
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Hmm - My 70 flex Head 9's are very much adequate for me - 14st, 5'9", 30+ weeks skiing....Decathlon have no fitting service at all really though so I'd try barletts instead personally.
aj xx
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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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| Monium wrote: |
| Where are you based? There's shops that keep secondhand boots in stock, and if you make it clear to them that budget is king, they'll try and do what they can for the money you've got. £100 would pick up a decent pair in the right size that are a reasonable fit for you. |
I'm in Cheshire, North West. Would be obliged if anyone knew of a shop in the area that sells and can fit second hand boots.
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Rivington Alpine will refit 2nd hand boots. I don't think they sell them 2nd hand though.
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