ski boot fitting shops

Hello. Just registered but have been enjoying the site for a while. I'm quite new to skiing but considering buying some ski boots. I have three options in terms of local(ish) shops and I wonder if you have any experience of the boot fitting service in any of them. The shops are...

Team Ski in Dorchester
Snow and Rock in Bristol
Ellis Brgiham in Bristol

Any specific experiences would be very welcome.

Many thanks

See my post - ski boots for a high instep - I went to Ellis Brigham at the Snowdome, had my feet measured and the way I stand/walk looked at, and a lot of time spent looking at my feet. By far the best ski boot fitting ever - Lockwoods of Leamington have given up on me twice over the course of 18 years!

At the end of the day you work hard for your ski holiday, therefore you want comfortable boots - days spent going to and from a hire shop, cut into your skiing time and uncomfortable feet are a nightmare, whether they are cold, rubbing or numb!

Happy feet means happy skiing!

Thanks for the reply dgou.

Having read a number of threads re boot fitting (including your very useful one) and having seen how many badly fitted ski boots are for sale on EBay it seems to me that boot fitting is a bit hit and miss and seems to rely on the skill/knowledge/time that a specific individual has. If I'm going to invest in a pair of boots I'm hoping to have more 'hit' than 'miss' and so wonder if anyone has any experience of fitters/fittered at my local shops mentioned.

I should perhaps add that I haven't had any problmes with previous hire boots but with the exchange rate as it is and my continued interest in skiing it is now more economic to buy a pair of boots.

I have been skiing for 30 years and used to by boots from similar shops to those that you quote BUT for the last 15 yrs i always buy in the resort.

two reasons.. you can always hire boots to see if you like them, and when you have bought them you can always go back to the shop and get them adjusted

i was in le bettex [megeve] a couple of years ago and tried 5 new pairs of boots in about an hour - this allowed me to go up the bubble and ski down to the shop - i got the best pair of salomons ever

best of luck

Thanks ddubbin for the good advice. I can see the benefits of buying from the resort in terms of trying them and having them adjusted. I do wonder though, as a UK citizen, with the current exchange rate about the 'value' of buying in Euros. One for me to think over and thanks to both you and dgou for sharing your experiences!

I read a lot of these posts last year as I was in same situation. ie. needing ski boots. Two or three posts recommended 3 particular shops. 1) in Chamonix, 2) scotland and 3) Leamington Spa, which is just down the road from me but only hour and half from Bristol. I CANNOT RECOMMEND IT ENOUGH. The problem with buying in the resort is that you can't take them back, or discuss it AFTEr the holiday. Yes, it's ok for that one holiday but not if you need to have alterations done thereafter. I'd recommend going to Leamington Spa, where they spent over 2 hours fitting me the 'right' boot, properly. It's called..Lockwoods. Fantastic. My boots were a dream.

FBS wrote:Hello. Just registered but have been enjoying the site for a while. I'm quite new to skiing but considering buying some ski boots. I have three options in terms of local(ish) shops and I wonder if you have any experience of the boot fitting service in any of them. The shops are...

Team Ski in Dorchester
Snow and Rock in Bristol
Ellis Brgiham in Bristol

Any specific experiences would be very welcome.

Many thanks

Suggest that you visit a good bootfitter, as opposed to a ski shop which sells boots. There are some good fitters working in shops around the country, but they all seem to know each other (and each others' work).
Ellis B's used to have a talented fitter in Bristol, but he'd moved on last time I came to buy boots there.
I have seen the results of ski boot fitting at S&R Bristol,I can't recommend them, but who knows what next winter will bring with the next batch of Kiwi's doing a season in Europe :wink:

Ryan - Ellis Brigham - Tamworth Snowdome - Jobs a good 'un!!!