Report on buying my new ski boots

Ally, I was suggesting that the length might feel different, not that a bit of being able to lift your heel is to be expected. Heel lift can mean two things. A wedge under the heel, or room to move the heel up and down. I would be very concerned that could happen in a brand new pair of boots, before any packing in. The boots should feel tight all over, and especially feel that your heel is being held very firmly by the liner. In my experience, if you don't feel that, when the boots are new, you'll have problems later.

Thanks Trencher,
Well, maybe it's just as well that the boots have a comfort fit guarantee :D
As I said, I did most particularly ask about heel movement in these boots. It's sort of like I can squash the heel up and down, rather than lift it exactly.
I will see how I get on next time I'm in the snow dome, and other than that - they have an arrangement with a ski shop in Courchevel where one of their past employees works so that the Courchevel shop can adjust boots for them, and I will be in Courchevel again for my next main ski holiday.

I am hoping it is an odd feature of the boot - it is meant to have i-flex technology (whatever that means).

Ally

Ally, that is a super report on the boot buying process. Thank you.

Sorry if these scan pictures are a bit too large - I don't know how to make them smaller.

The first one is of my feet when I'm standing normally (not pretending to ski or anything). You can see that my right foot is twisted outwards and that most of the weight is on the ball of my foot.



The second one is of my feet after the technician had corrected my stance. My feet are now straight and the weight is distributed nearly evenly between my left and right feet.



The third one is from the brochure - I don't know if this is meant to show ideal stance and balance or not.

Thanks Ally - that's very informative. I must admit, when OH & I bought boots in Decathlon a few years ago it was much less technical. However, we spent so long in the store deliberating, they were ready to invite us to their Christmas party :mrgreen:

I'd love to have a proper boot fitting & expert advice - it would be really interesting to see what a difference it might make to my skiing. Let's face it, I need all the help I can get! Once you've worn your boots in a bit & had another ski in them it will be interesting to see how you feel about them.

I bet you keep looking at them & touching them don't you? :wink:

Blimey Ally I can smell those Plates from here :lol:

Salski wrote:Thanks Ally - that's very informative. I must admit, when OH & I bought boots in Decathlon a few years ago it was much less technical. However, we spent so long in the store deliberating, they were ready to invite us to their Christmas party :mrgreen:

I'd love to have a proper boot fitting & expert advice - it would be really interesting to see what a difference it might make to my skiing. Let's face it, I need all the help I can get! Once you've worn your boots in a bit & had another ski in them it will be interesting to see how you feel about them.

I bet you keep looking at them & touching them don't you? :wink:

Hi Salski,
I honestly think I'm more pleased with my trolley boot bag than with the new boots :wink:
I don't think the actual boot fitting was very technical - it was more the preparation of the insole that was technical.

In fact, I was very surprised that they didn't have something like a 'feeler gauge' to put down the back inside the boot behind my heel to check how much space there was (without the liner in). All he did was peer down the gap with a torch and estimate the size of the gap.

As far as I could see most of the actual boot fitting was done on how I felt while wearing the boot - he couldn't tell me which of the two different boots I was trying would be the best for me.

Of course, I don't know how many people would benefit from the specially made orthotic insole. I had wondered if there was something wrong with my right foot/leg because I know that I get uneven wear on the sole of my right welly boot, and I used to do a lot of horse riding and my right thigh would never grip as well as my left, and I can't balance nearly as well on one leg on my right as compared with my left.

So, I think it was worth paying the extra money to get myself properly balanced for ski-ing. I am hoping that it will make a big difference once I become adjusted to my new stance and ski-ing with squishy plums in my boots. In fact, I was wondering if it was worth getting special insoles for my wellies as well.

I will let everyone know how I get on with the boots next time I'm ski-ing, so they can judge if it might be worth them paying the extra money for the special boot fitting etc. next time they buy ski boots.

And Claire, I might be going back to Milton Keynes at the end of June - I will try to remember to say so in case you want to come as well :D

Ian - the scans are quite colourful aren't they?

Ally

Ooooh Ally you've got it in writing that you're normal!! :lol: