 Poster: A snowHead
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The wife and I went to visit CEM at Solutions4Feet.co.uk today. Her fitting went just fine, she has a lovely pair of boots that she seems very happy with. I on the other hand had issues...at least four or five times while we were in the shop I caught Colin staring incredulously at my feet, and it sounded like he was muttering "how does he ski at all??!?!" under his breath 
Colin started by taking a very precise set of measurements. By precise, I mean that at one point he pulled out a digital calliper! He was very professional and you could clearly see the years of experience in practise. After measuring up, it turns out that my right foot is two full sizes larger than my left. Further, my left foot is significantly wider than my right. Compound that with the fact that apparently I have less ankle flexibility than a marble statue, and apparently I'm "a challenge".
At that point Colin picks up the phone to a friend of his, James at Outdoor Traders in Abingdon. He repeats my ungainly numbers over the phone and James agrees to fit me in this afternoon. Clearly he was doing Colin a favour, as they were very busy when we got there and he actually turned down a fitting for another customer while I was there, saying that there's no way he could fit it in, so I'm most grateful to Colin.
James was superb - we went through a very detailed set of questions, very medical and professional. He clearly knows a lot about bone structure, muscles, how legs work and the science of skiing. James took his own measurements, many more of them including circumference of various sections and exact angles of how far my ankles flex (4 degrees on the left and 5 degrees on the right if you're interested.) He also went around marking up my feet in permanent marker(!). It was quite amazing - after measuring and examining, he asked me a couple of questions which floored me - for example, "do you find it easier to turn right than left?". The answer is yes - indeed I can provide video evidence that every single time I fall over on the snow, it's when performing a left turn. He also asked whether I have serious pain in my thighs when I ski - again the answer is yes. Quite incredible considering he's never actually seen me on the snow!
We talked about various options (including maybe buying different sized boots for left and right, which he didn't recommend and I didn't like the idea of - I'd really have a left and a right ski!). In the end we went for the only thing that is really likely to work - a Daleboot VFF Pro. It's a huge amount of money (£600, plus probably £100 more for a special raised insole to help with my ankle angle), but if it means I can ski comfortably and better, I'll be happy. I'm really hoping that they'll be ready for our session with Inside Out Skiing in two weeks time - James is going to ask them to try and get the boots done by then, and we have a provisional appointment on the Saturday.
All in all, a good (if expensive) day, very impressed with Colin for sending me elsewhere rather than just selling me boots to make a profit, and very impressed with James' technical competence. A bit depressed that I'm a deformed mutant, but I guess it could be worse...
-simon
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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same thing happened to a friend of mine, who has always had big problems with boots, weeping with pain (and she's not a wimp). Her Daleboots were delivered and fitted very shortly before they came out to stay with me for a week. The first day they were quite sore but she diagnosed too-tight socks (very expensive ones bought at Abingdon) which were cramping her toes a bit. Next day, with thinner socks, was much better and by the end of the week she was feeling fine in them. Her only concern was that they were really quite hard to do up, even with the v thin socks, and were on their very loosest setting, so no scope to loosen them a bit - I think she will probably go back to see if anything could be done about that. A bit odd, really, as she's not overweight/doesn;t have fat cankles.
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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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Two... very professionals working to one end....your satisfaction!
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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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Szymon, sounds very similar to my sister in law's experience of CEM and Outdoor Traders last month. I'm really hoping that she has comfortable boots and enjoys our Easter trip otherwise my brother in law has invested a significant amount of cash to aid getting more skiing for no reason 
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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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Szymon, and that's why the man has our respect and our business . . . even if I never get a pie and always told to cut my nails and 3 soddin' parking tickets 
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Masque, Ha, when I went to get my boots at CEM's I ended up with a parking ticket as well
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| stiv24 wrote: |
| Masque, Ha, when I went to get my boots at CEM's I ended up with a parking ticket as well |
There's a Pay and Display car park very near to CEM's place, usually with available spaces, so parking shouldn't be a problem...
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Alastair Pink, It depends on how long you stay 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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| Szymon wrote: |
"do you find it easier to turn right than left?". The answer is yes - indeed I can provide video evidence that every single time I fall over on the snow, it's when performing a left turn. He also asked whether I have serious pain in my thighs when I ski - again the answer is yes. Quite incredible considering he's never actually seen me on the snow!
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Although, I think most people have one easier turning side than the other and it isn't stretching the bounds of credulity to think that many, perhaps most, people might answer yes to having pain in their thighs when skiing.
As long as you like the boots, that's the important thing. Hope they help your asymmetrical turning and sore thighs.
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| Masque wrote: |
| Alastair Pink, It depends on how long you stay there. |
There's a long stay right behind the place, just a walk through a little courtyard. Too late now though!
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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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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| emwmarine wrote: |
| Szymon wrote: |
"do you find it easier to turn right than left?". The answer is yes - indeed I can provide video evidence that every single time I fall over on the snow, it's when performing a left turn. He also asked whether I have serious pain in my thighs when I ski - again the answer is yes. Quite incredible considering he's never actually seen me on the snow!
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Although, I think most people have one easier turning side than the other and it isn't stretching the bounds of credulity to think that many, perhaps most, people might answer yes to having pain in their thighs when skiing.
As long as you like the boots, that's the important thing. Hope they help your asymmetrical turning and sore thighs. |
Wow, cynicsm on an Internet Forum, who'd have thought it 
The 'sore thighs' are pretty constant for me, from observation more than most others I've skiied with. The explanation I was given was that they're due to my lack of ankle flexibility - I end up putting much more on my thighs to get my knees bent than people who can flex their ankles normally. The solution is going to be footbeds that raise my heels up.
As for the turning...sure, he might have guessed and had a 50-50 chance on being right. In this instance I don't think he did - he was commenting on my stance and the dramatic difference in sizes of my feet meaning my left foot would be much more loose in a normal boot.
But hey, whatever you want to think is good
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Szymon,
Your right foot is 2 sizes larger than your left, how on earth do you manage to buy a pair of shoes never mind a pair of ski boots.
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You know it makes sense.
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Umm I buy the size of the big foot. Very few styles are comfortable...now I know why.
Actually I've always thought I was say half a size different...
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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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When he didn't have the right boots for me, I also was sent on to another fitter by Colin after a discussion by phone. Worked out well. Good troop, CEM.
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Poster: A snowHead
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I have Daleboot pros from James and love them. Absolutely love them. Well worth the money and even the 8 hour return trip! Thy have really made an impact on my skiing- even my husband says it's completely different. Can't recommend James enough.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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I have a pair of Daleboots Pro from James as well. Excellent service and product. My return trip took 30 hours.
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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 had new Salomon boots fitted by James this year and he immediatley diagnosed that I must have had thigh burn in the past from lack of ankle flex. Just back from a week of heavanly skiing in Morzine and not a tingle twinge of thigh burn with the new foots. Many, many thanks to James......
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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me = very jealous that you actually have bootfitters in your country. Here in Norway there is one store, and thats surefoot...would have much preferred to have the option of something else.
I have just returned from a week in Ischgl, and after the first full day, my thighs were killing me - and I'm by no means a weak guy, or a bad skiier. The stores in Ischgl were boot sellers - a big difference to what you described above.
Someone PLEASE send a bootfitter to open up here in Norway.
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