Buying boots - Advice needed PLEASE!

The best shoe is a comfortable shoe. I once forgot mine and rented a pair of old worn out terribly smelly rear entry boots in Engelberg, they fitted like a glove and gave me the best skiing day I would have bought them from the rental shop if it wasn't for the awful smell.

I am past your age comfort comes first don't buy boots now get some more ski experience. No one at après is looking "down" on you not even the ladies. Just make sure the boots don't smell.

Happy skiing.

Silver flora.
I'm not sure why you're concerned with which boot is more comfortable to walk with.
But as you've mentioned the 2 different boots, its worth pointing out that atomic boots generally suit people with wider feet. Both myself and my wife had atomics and changed to salomons as they fit our feet better. We were given poor advice in resort initially with the atomics.
The most important thing to assist you progress is skiing with someone who is very good and experienced so you can learn and copy their stance, or take lessons to help with this.
Having comfortable boots with the right flex for your ability is very important, but it won't change your technique alone.

All the major manufacturers make boots in different widths. There are variations in the shape of the last which might make one manufacturer a better fit than another.

Thank you all so much fopr the advice.

I've decided on the basis of what you have all told me to buy the boots I feel most comfortable in, and which without all the conflicting "guff" the fitters tell me, I would instinctively buy.

This will be the Atomic in the larger size -

Ally - the two different sizes recommended to me were for exactly the same boot at two different shops.

Thanks again - I'm looking forward to the holiday!

SF

silverflora wrote:

This will be the Atomic in the larger size -

Ally - the two different sizes recommended to me were for exactly the same boot at two different shops.



SF

Hi Silverflora,
All I can say is that one of the bootfitters didn't know his/her job :shock:

But of course I don't know which one is right!

However, the general advice is to go for the smallest boot, as long as it's not so tight it hurts your feet, because they will become 'baggier' as you ski in them.

I have a narrow foot and the Atomic Hawx 90 fits me fine :)

Best of luck with whichever boot you buy, and I hope have a great holiday!

Did the boot fitters use a Brannock device to measure your feet, did they do a shell check, how much space was there between your heel and the shell, and did the fitters measure the range of motion in your ankle? This might be the reason why you are not bending your knees enough and are leaning back too far.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=0tz9BzXMzp4&list=PLj093vcOwkcfs4iNAOkaLpvgKFItJ4MrA

The first column in the diagram below shows a skier with (A1) optimal setup, (B1) boots too upright, and (C1) too much forward lean. All three skiers are balanced over the middle of their feet (note the dotted line through their centre of mass), but skiers B1 and C1 must adopt less than functional stances to compensate for their boot setup. The second and third columns show how skier B cannot flex deeply without falling over backward (B3), while skier C cannot extend fully without falling forward (C2). Only skier A can flex and extend through his full range without losing balance.



Unfortunately this is only part of the puzzle, as Trencher said boot board and binding ramp also have to be taken into account.

Many skiers also lack sufficient range of ankle flexion (dorsiflexion) to use a boot with a lot of forward lean, and attempting to do so can cause excessive pronation (collapsing arch), which affects edging movements and knee function, not to mention pain and foot problems.

Of course, none of this matters much if your boots don't fit snugly, or if they are very soft or overly stiff.

If you take the time and trouble to get your boots properly fitted and setup you'll be on your way to becoming a really good skier, nothing other than your own efforts can hold you back. Ignore these issues (as most people do) and you will find it very difficult to reach your full potential and no amount of expense on equipment or instruction will change that.

If only I'd have known all this 25 years ago.................................

SwingBeep wrote:

If only I'd have known all this 25 years ago.................................

Did anybody know all this 25 years ago?

Ditto Ally G, I have the Atomic Hawx 90 women's boot, very scrawny ankles and narrow feet. I think the statement that Atomic boots are wider could be a bit misleading!