Hello from a beginner - and boot question

Hi all,

I have been reading this forum for about 2 weeks now, and thanks to all as it has been very useful and informative. I hope some one out there, with more experience could give me a little advice...

I have just been on my very first ever ski holiday (to La Plagne at Xmas) and loved it! So much so that I am booking another holiday for a week at Easter.

I would like though, to have my own boots.

I am aware that boots need to be fitted, research needs to be done etc etc.
I have been advised though, to wait for the end of season sales, which presumably, will not start untill after my skiing trip beginning of April.

I really did not enjoy the hire boots, and expect to ski every year now (my other sport is mountain biking so skiing fits in well to my year!!), so really would like my own boots before the next trip, but niether do I want to miss out on any potential bargins.
so, the question..... where, and when, and how... is the best way to get myself kitted out with some boots?
and how would I test them to make sure they are ok?

Thanks all for reading my long post!!

Jasmin

Great that you are so commited. So I will let you into a secret. Chances are the first boots you buy will not satisfy you through next season, because you won't know what you really want in a boot - performance or fit wise. So definitely do not go out and spend 400 pounds or even 200 pounds on a boot you may not like after a couple of weeks of skiing.

If you M.bike, you understand sports gear and how hard it is to get right. Imagine if your M.bike had to fit you like a ski boot - perfectly and then you you had to decide soft tail/hard tail, wheels, tyres, etc after your first week MBing. Chances are you won't get it right first time and it is ridiculas to spend so much money on skiing in the next few years, in boots you consider yourself stuck with because you paid a lot for them.

Do some research, especially on sizing, buy some lightly used boots, be prepared to trade them in a few times. When you really know what you want, go out spend some serious money on boots, fitting, etc.

I should add, it depends on how much you like to muck around with gear. I like to mess around and try as many things as possible, others don't.

Trencher

Hi!

Welcome to the world of skiing - it's very addictive and lucky you going twice in a season!

If you visit one of the many Snow & Rock stores in London you will get excellent advice - they will fit you out with some beginner boots to suit you and make you walk around the store for half an hour looking like an idiot, but the best advice I have been given about boots is to actually ski in them - Milton Keynes have an indoor ski slope as you might know - worth doing before you spend a week in them - S&R will also 'buy back' your boots for a percentage of what you paid for them if you aren't happy.

I also where my boots around the house for half an hour or so a day so they 'mould' more to my feet.

Pop into a store though - they are all very helpful (and I used to work for them :D

Happy skiing!

H

Hi Jazzmaster, I agree that you should wait a bit until you know what you really want and until you reach your cruise level.
However, boots are the most personnal things and are (for me) the most important. Everybody already experience a whole day of pain and suffering, and it's awfull !
I would advise that during your next trip you go in your favorite hire shop and try different brands and style every day ! You'll drive the salesman crazy but you'll experience all type of boots and find yours ! Enjoy !

Thanks all for your replies - they have been very useful, if slightly contradictory!! And of course, I have more questions...

1. Trencher, when you say get some lightly used, do you mean second hand?

Whereas I would buy a secondhand bike, after trying it out, I worry a bit about 2nd hand footwear. I have problems with both my knees ( torn cartlidges) and have to always be careful about my feet. Wouldn't secondhand ski boots already be moulded to someone elses feet - or is there a secret place to get good quality second hand boots from !!? (where where where?!!)

2. Helens, thanks also for your comments. I have already been to Snow and Rock and tried 4 or 5 boots, all round the £200 mark. The assistant was really helpful, but I am reluctant to just part with £200. How do I know they are not selling me ones they can't get rid of as they can probably see me coming?

With a bike, I can ride around on it before buying but Milton Keynes is a bit pricey for me just to use to try out some boots, especially if they cannot be exhanged at cost price.

In your experience, do Snow and Rock ever put ski boots in a sale?
If so, which month, and do they usually have much stock left by then?

3. Snowgirl, it is interesting what you say about hire boots.
Do most hire shops have currently available boots for hire? And can I change them just like that or will it cost me more each change? I just presumed that hire boots were all old and tatty with no lining and impossible to open or close clips (like mine were!!).

4. Will my feet/ski style etc really change that much in one season that I will notice a wrong type of boot? because I really like the idea of having my own boots before my next trip - I just want it to be a bargin aswell....

again, sorry for the long post...

Jasmin

Ebay is the best place to look. There are a lot of boots that have hardly been used for the reasons I mentioned above. Thermo fitting liners can be molded several times. As I said, this is not the route to take if you don't like messing around with gear. It is a great way to learn about boots, esp. if you have a dry/indoor slope to try them out. once you know what you want, ebay has a lot of new boots from previous seasons.

I had a meniscus tear cut out a few years ago. I was snowboarding six days after the op, but don't think I could have skied the rest of that season. Snowboarding is very easy on the knees because your legs support each other in a very solid triangle with the board. The most helpful thing for me in recovering, was inline skating. While a lot of sports are good for your quads and therefor good for your knees, inline skating's lateral movements and balance requirements are perfect physio and also low impact.

Good luck with the knees

trencher

.

I got my boots about 8 years ago from a shop in Montchavin (La Plagne).

They're not flash or expensive boots, but i've been using them for at least a weeks skiing per year for the past 8 years and they're great!

I like my boots to be nice and tight, so they're size 7, whereas my shoe size is an 8 or 9. They're a bugger to get on, but my feet slide slightly backwards in the boot as I start moving, so it ends up being comfy and I also have good control :D

Personally i'd recommend to get them at the resort you're travelling to. Often the shop-owner will let you try-before-you-buy if you're hiring other equipment from there etc.

I'm not contradicting other peoples' advice, just giving you my experiences!

Joe :)

Trencher is right - eBay is the place if you want to try various boots for v little - we kitted our three children out as their feet grew and usually ended up reselling on the site at a profit! Make sure however that you know what you are buying or you could end up with junk - don't consider anything that's been worn more than a few weeks - and may the saits preserve you from any boot described as "rear entry"