New here - getting into skiing again

Howdy,

i used to ski to a good level but other things came into my life so skiing was forgotten about. now we're going on my first ski holiday for about 13 years and i need to replace my old boots - my big toe rubs the inside of my old lange boots.

anyone know where i should be able to get hold of last years models at reduced prices and what's good for wide feet but thin(ish) ankles. I remember my lange boots used to have lots of room for my forefoot and toes, but i had problems with the ankles slipping. I like the look of Nordica and Salomon.

I'm in Edinburgh by the way, so anything close by would be good.

thanks for any help. :)

There are now many types of ski boots to choose from, soft shell, cruiser and race types. So, a bit of research and some thought as to the type of skiing you envisage doing will pay off.

Ebay is the best place for previous season boots. Problem is, that you can not try them on, and a good fit is essential. I have bought many boots from ebay, made some mistakes, but learned a lot about boots. It also gave me the chance to try different boots and sizes without commiting a fortune to a single pair.

Two things you can do to make the process easier are.
Know your true mondo size. This can be done by standing in a box with your heels against one side. draw around your toes and measure the overall lengths in centimetres. This allows for better comparison.
Try a lot of boots on in a ski store and then look on ebay.

Many boots come with thermofit liners now, which can fine tune the fit. If the whole foot part of the liner is thermofit you can pad out your toes a little when doing the forming, to give them some wiggle room. Be prepaed to do a little boot fitting yourself with foam and pads around the liner. Especially around the heel, if as you say you have smaller ankles.

Remember, liners pack in. So start out in very thin socks and after several uses, you'll be in thicker socks.

If all this sounds too much work, then a store with a good boot fitter is a must.

Hope this helps

Trencher

Best thing to do is to get down to a ski boot retailer and try on a few pairs. At the same time you should try some pre-moulded inner soles. Makes a huge difference. Been told that Head boots are a wide fit, and Lange's are one of the few makes to have not left my hobbit feet in agony!.

Hey shoogly,

Al's ski barn at www.untracked.com is known for having a good inventory of previous years' stock. I might recommend staying away from the race boots. They're not only more expensive, but will be uncomfortable - even with a custom footbed - as they are built for stiffness and rigidity. If you're willing to pay a bit more and know of a reliable shop, check them out - retailers almost aways have old stock, particularly boots, that they'll be trying to move.

Anyway, good luck with the search and welcome back to skiing.

I think the question was where to get ski boot in the UK. :wink:
Shipping might be a bit spendy from Al's ski barn to UK, but with the pound so strong it might be worth it.

Trencher