Protection for boots

Can I buy anything to protect my ski-boots from road surfaces

do you mean to protect the soles or something else?

Yep. Something to protect the soles whilst I trudge through car parks and the like.

There are sole protectors called Cat Tracks (or something similar)available. UK ski shops sell them. I used to use them, but always found it fiddly getting them on and off the soles. If your boots have replaceable heel and toe pieces, you may want to consider asking your boot seller to get you a replacement set.

What are you trying to protect them from though? The real problem that could arise is some wear at the toe and heel which is going to affect the way the binding releases. This can be compensated for by getting the bindings properly setup periodically.

More to the point, it actually takes quite a bit of wear to do that sort of damage. I'm not really sure a "normal" skier could do it in the lifetime of a boot which I'm assuming is typically not more than 6-10 weeks. If you're walking along roads, climbing over stuff and, I think the most wear, summer skiing and having to ride a few lifts and walk around you might get some wear.

I've had boots at 120-150 days use which have that damage but the point is they've been totally knackered at that point anyway.

As above, some boots you can get replacement toe and heel pieces for although I'm never sure how generally available these are. Some boots have interchangeable soles like my Endorphins as well.

As an aside, I think we've actually ended up with an awful standard for boot soles anyway. That a ski boot standard produced something that it's so awful and dangerous to walk around in is a poor outcome IMHO.

This is what I was thinking of.......

http://www.snowandrock.com/shop/activity/ski/accessories/tools_and_accessories/products/SEI0003.htm

They do work, and if you buy some, remember to take a waterproof bag to store them in whilst you ski, since they get grubby with the walking

Isn't that a bit like elephant repellent (below)? In what way do they work? I can see some wear and tear is prevented but would have definitely been a problem?

A guy's at the doctor's office in the waiting room. Occasionally he takes a small bottle out of his pocket and pours a small amount of liquid into his hand, and flings it a round the room as he yells something incomprehensible very loud. After several episodes of this people were starting to watch him and the receptionist says to the guy "Excuse me, sir, is everything all right?" The guy replies "Sure, I'm just keeping the elephants away", to which the receptionist replies, "But, there aren't any elephants around here." The guy looks up to her and says, "See, it works."

ise wrote:Isn't that a bit like elephant repellent (below)? In what way do they work? I can see some wear and tear is prevented but would have definitely been a problem?

Since you ask.....

They work by providing a temporary non slippery boot sole surface on which to walk.

They work by preventing endless amounts of grit and dirt from being ground into the sole of the boot chewing up the smooth plastic. That grit then being transferred onto the binding, also plastic, wrecking 2 smooth sufaces, which will create friction and slow down binding release.
No, I don't have any research papers showing the effects, it's OCS (just in case you wanted a linky)

Anyway, it's all right for you, your boots have replaceable soles