Boot modifying

Hello all,

I've only been skiing about 5times. Before my last trip I arranged in advance to go to a boot fitter (UK) to buy boots and have them fitted to me. The best way to describe the experience would be horrifying. I was sent back out of the shop with the resounding statement "no boots will ever fit you, you need to take up snowmobiles not skiing". I was GUTTED as I had a £3k holiday due a couple months later and no boots and nothing fitted.
Anyway, bought some second hand boots as close as what I could get to fit and went skiing - not exactly a perfect fit but I struggled through.

So, do we know any boot fitters that know what they are talking about AND will actually be prepared to modify boots for me?
Failing that, if my legs are too extreme - as per what I was told - anyone any sound tips on diy mods? In a 'relaxed' position my knees are around 7" in front of my toes on the skiis.

I'm 6'2" with short legs, 30" inside leg, 14st. 17.5" calfs. "Extreme hyper mobile" ankles (6" gap from floor to underside of ball of foot). Very bow'ed lower legs.

I live in Banbury. I wish not to deal with the boot fitter that I had that appointment with, I found the whole experience offensive and embarrassing.

Cheers.

That's astonishing.

If you managed to "struggle through" as you put it, then you're clearly capable of getting on skis so I'm sure someone should be able to help you out.

Was the boot-fitter local to you? There is one in that area but I've never heard anything other than good things about him (Private Message me if you'd prefer).

If the fitter was the one I'm thinking of who is local to you, I'd be very shocked...

As you are in Banbury, hope it wasn't that local as the guys I dealt with in Bicester were totally professional and my boots fit perfectly and did a small alteration after 1st trip to perfect them.

My calves are about 16.5/17 inches and small ankles, bit knocked kneed if anything but got a pair which after 10 years skiing truly fit.

Which is my problem. Regarded by all and sundry as a god in the industry. So where do I turn now? I went to EB in MK, they were great (superb customer service and friendliness) but only had limited ability and confessed when things got too tricky had always pushed customers to where I had just been.

My biggest problem is with my chronic forward lean I'm burning calories just looking at my boots let alone trying to stand or ski in them. I ran this year with a heart rate monitor (I do a lot of cycling so slightly warrants buying such a toy) and it was astonishing the calories I was burning.

My legs are odd though. So it's not a slur as such for the fitter. But I'm beyond what they can do. The advice was to come back after I have 15years experience then I can have 130flex boot modded to fit. But they were not inclined to fit a novice with 130flex therefore nothing can be done. Almost catch22. "Take up snowmobiles" was the parting words.

Cheers.

Ok, I'm in no way an expert or qualified to advise, but that sounds like you need a full "bio-mechanical assessment" - so more than just "boot fitting".

I'd suggest giving Profeet (Fulham) a quick call and have a chat with one of their people; I've no direct experience but have heard good things about them and I know they do various "gait analysis" and similar for runners as well as skiers.

Thank you. That's perfect. :) I'll give that a try. The 2nd hand boots I bought didn't cost the earth and were chosen upon info from my previous attempt. If they can mod then brilliant. If I need to buy a new pair from them then I'll have to negotiate that with the wife. ;)

Good luck - let us all know how you get on. Biomechanical analysis sounds sensible - I had it for my very flat feet/rolling gait and it worked wonders.