Ski boots

Hi I'm looking to purchase my first set of ski boots, what should I be looking for in a pair and how long should a fitting take? Any advice would be appreciated

Steve

Hi Steve, Good shout buying your own boots. I would set aside 2+ hours for a good fitting. This would include any heat moulding and custom foot beds/insoles etc. One of the best things I have done, your boots are so important in assisting your progress as a skier. :wink: Your looking for support in a boot with limited movement apart from your toes. Your heel should be totally enveloped with no movement. They should become more comfortable with use. Hope this helps a bit.

Manston,
I wrote a whole report on buying my ski boots - but for some reason I can't paste the link in - so search under 'report on buying ski boots'.

Ally

Wow Ally thats a long report but excellant, I have been into a ski shop in Leeds and dont think im getting correct advice.

Basicaly they measured my foot brought out a couple of pairs of boots and I tried them on, the boots both pairs felt really good very snug and no massive movement although I could move my toes easily and there was maybe a little room to move my heel backwards.

They said if I bought them to take them home and to walk round in them (about 15 to 20 mins at a time) before returning to have them moulded, I have pretty standard feet even though a little small size 6 (laugh ) but they never suggested half of what you went through no machines weight balance etc

I would normally have accpeted what they told me and just bought them, but now am thinking I maybe need to try somewhere else first.

I have an Ellis Brigham nearby at Castleford Xscape so maybe I should try them first?

Steve

Manston,
The reason I went to an expert boot fitting place was because I didn't know anything about ski boots. It was all a great mystery to me.

I thought I had normal feet as well, and that the reason I was having difficulty pivoting my skis on moguls and narrow blue runs was just because I was a rubbish skier. It never occurred to me that perhaps there was something 'wrong' with my legs and feet which could be corrected with specially fitted ski boots.

I guess it depends how much money you want to spend, and whether you're curious to discover if you also have a problem like me. If you really do have 'normal' feet and legs then I guess you'd be alright with the insole that comes with the boot.

With my new boots I can now pivot my feet okay and ski moguls :D - so for me anyway it was well worth paying the extra for the special orthotic insole.

I don't think you're supposed to walk around in ski boots - they're not designed for that. Profeet say if you have to walk in them (like to the gondola) to loosen the clips a bit first. In order to wear them in you're supposed to stand in them with the clips done up as though you were ski-ing - knees and ankles bent with your shins against the front of the boot (Bandit's suggestion was doing the ironing like that!). Or, better still, ski in them on an easy run first or, like you said, a snow dome, and then do the ironing in them.

Also, you don't say what stage you are at in your ski-ing. As I discovered, ski boots have different flexes according to one's ability. So if you are a beginner or an early intermediate you might have to get new stiffer boots as you progress.

There are lots of other members on here who know far more than I do about ski boots - maybe one of them can help?

Ally

Buying ski boots from a chain store can be very good, or not so good. Either way you will pay at the till.

The boot that fits you properly is likely to feel too small when you 1st put it on. It's alsmost impossible to make a ski boot smaller, (if you buy one too big) but they can usually be adjusted to accommodate everyone's individual foot lumps and bumps. Ski boot liners settle and compact after about 5 weeks use, it's about this time when you find out if they fit.

There is now an association representing professional skiboot fitters in the UK.

http://www.skibootpro.co.uk/6.html

AllyG's boot fitters are represented on the list, and so is mine.

Rivington Alpine, also have a good reputation.

http://www.rivingtonalpine.co.uk/

bandit wrote:Ski boot liners settle and compact after about 5 weeks use, it's about this time when you find out if they fit.

So,
I have about another 3 years to find out whether my ski boots actually fit me or not? :wink:

It's just as well I have a life-time guarantee on them, then :D

Ally

Thanks for the advice it all comes in usefull.

Ally in terms of my skiing I would probably say im somewhere inbetween beginner and early intermediate, comfortable on most reds although I suppose that doesnt say how my skiing is just because I can get down, im still taking lesson's each time I go and this will be the fourth visit inside two years.

Steve