Ellis Brigham ski boot fitting

SB: "If they are comfortable in the shop they will very often be too big"

Couldn't agree more! If you boots of comfortable for the first few days then am afraid they are too big. The reality is boot fitting is an exercise in pain management. Then you need to tough it out for min 5 days before you start doing anything drastic like making more space.

One advantage of buying in your home country is that you can start to pack the liner out at home, although you will obviously look and feel ridiculous.

My boots are carpet slipper comfortable from day 1.

That said, I only ever buy single clip rear entry boots. There are shell micro adjustments, that allow for setting up the boot well, and then modifying as time goes on.

I have three pairs of single clip boots.

"single clip rear entry boots" old school. Still were good enough for the legends in the fist ski movies I watched so why not :-).

Am also sure that the benefits of a stiff ski boot are overhyped. Have only used my touring boots offpiste and can't say have ever noticed any difference despite being super light and missing a buckle.

In full expectation of pelter's heading my way, I am of the opinion that if a boot needs 'fitted' then unless you are a high end skier it is the wrong boot.
Boot fitters are selling snake oil!

Brucie wrote:In full expectation of pelter's heading my way, I am of the opinion that if a boot needs 'fitted' then unless you are a high end skier it is the wrong boot.
Boot fitters are selling snake oil!

Not pelters per se - I can see where you are coming from and kind of agree with the logic behind it but I'd say it all depends on your definition of "fitting" (which clearly will be different from one person to the next)

I think that a "fitter" explaining to a beginner that it will feel tight, it needs flexing to get your heel back in the pocket etc is definitely "fitting" and is important.

As for me - I spent my first few years skiing fastening my clips in the wrong order (simply went from toe to ankle as it seemed logical). A "fitter" got me to do them up properly and my need to take boots off every time I stopped for a drink/lunch etc went away.

Happily keep my boots on all day and night now (though physically getting them from one state to the other is the trick as I have no ankle flexibility at all - maybe I need DaveMac's rear entry boots!

I agree with your point Andy. What I mean is recreational skiers paying hundreds of pounds for custom made inners and shaved and blown shells. Comfort is more important then fit at that level(in my view).
Painful feet will deter new skiers and that can't be good.

Brucie wrote:I agree with your point Andy. What I mean is recreational skiers paying hundreds of pounds for custom made inners and shaved and blown shells. Comfort is more important then fit at that level(in my view).
Painful feet will deter new skiers and that can't be good.

Absolutely - fit, as in "boots that fit you" is of paramount importance but one can go too far. Comfort is king if you want to keep skiing as there's enough hurdles to overcome as a beginner without having sore feet!

My summer sport is golf and, whilst I like a bit of new kit as much as the next man, I'm astonished at the money people pay for infinitesimal gains. That said good golf sales people are like good ski sales people / fitters: they are enthusiasts first and commission hungry second (or more like eighth or ninth). I tried a new driver or 3 and the guy said "you're hitting them no better than your current one - spend half of the £350 on lessons to improve and bank the rest". When I DO want new kit I will return to him as I know he's not just trying to sell me what he has a promo on from the vendors that week

All that said my own boots are from Snow and Rock as there isn't much choice in Newcastle...

I used Rivington Alpine in Adlington, Chorley, really very happy pro fitter and good after care