Custom fitted boots....but on a budget!

Sorry guys, I didn't mean to start a thread that would cause any heated debate or controvosy! I appreciate all the opinions and advice given and have taken it onboard.

I guess I've struggled with the concept of how important it is to have boots expert fitted based on the experiences of hire shops in resort where you get no time and even less help and advice!!! I've always skiied OK with these hired boots, but as said earlier have had to ramp the catches up to the tightest possible over the course of teh day to get some sort of control over my ski's :lol:

I've decided to get a pair of boots from Ellis Brigham, spending plenty of time with them to get the right boot, and ski in them as supplied by EB for the next trip. After spending a week in them I'll decide whether to go for custom footbeds for the next trip or keep them as they are.

This saves a bit of cash on the initial outlay and gives me the opportunity to really take note of issues with the boots while skiing with them.

Thanks again for all the advice, it's much appreciated.

Yeh good choice I guess. Ask if they still replace if em (well 80% of value back) if you are not happy with less than 2 weeks of skiing in them.

Trencher wrote:I just wanted add one more point here. That is that many people ski on a shoe string. They never can afford ski boots at retail prices, yet alone boot fitting services. For these people some opinions and info on what to look for in boots and how to get the best out of them is helpful. It helps if you are prepared to do some research and make some mistakes (part of the learning experience).

By all means if you have the money to spend, buying boots from a good boot fitter is the best way to go. If you have problem feet, a boot fitter may be essential. If you are totally non technical and mondo point sounds like something to do with knitting, you should see a boot fitter. But with some application and some knowledge it is possible to have a good boot experience, buying old stock boots from ebay.

The single most common problem people have with ski boots is packing in. So for those people who can't enjoy the services of a boot fitter, I would still say that after learning about the shell test, the advice that the boots should feel exceptionally snug initially would benefit most people in that situation. If I tend to exaggerate the snugness required, it is because most people underestimate packing in until they have felt its effects or even having done a shell test, don't think it's right.

Of course there are many other things that a boot fitter does besides getting the size right. Some of these can be accomplished by the amateur at home. But I don't think that people should not ski because they have a limited budget and are put off by thinking you have to have boots fitted.

Trencher

Sorry cem, as extremely useful as you have been on the PM to me, I think Trencher is absolutely spot on here.
People will always try to do things on a budget. I will be the first to admit that I spend hours on the net looking for the best deals to ski where I want to ski. I spend time in TK Maxx looking for branded quality gear at a third of the price so I can look good and be well equipped. I also bought a £500 pair of skis for £180 because they were the right pair of skis for me at a fantastic price. AND I bought my ski boots for 149 euros because they felt like they fitted perfectly, they were a bargain, they were from a well reputed manufacturer (Atomic), they were the right colours, they came with free Thermic heater packs and batteries, and because I knew I would not get anything close to such a good deal in the UK. In hindsight, I would have benefitted from some professional advice, a custom fitting and probably a different size boot or a different lining, but AT THE TIME these were the right thing for me to buy. I am sure loads of other people have done similar things.
Its only now that I find they dont fit me anymore that it becomes an issue. Was 149 euros good value for 6 weeks of skiing out of them? I dont know. Can I get more time out of them with insoles, foam packing, linings etc? I dont know. But please dont pooh pooh the suggestion that people will try and do things on a budget or snatch up what appears to be a bargain. I am sure you will say in the grand scheme of things that a £300 pair of boots with a custom fitting at another £75 or so would be a wise investment. Sadly, no one informed me of that at the time, and to be honest, I didnt have that kind of money to spend on a pair of boots.

So, there you go. I guess there is no right and wrong, just opinions, possibly influenced by experience and also peoples professions.

how many times have people said on this forum that boots are the most important part of skiing???

I may be a newbie to the sport and, yes, I've only used my custom fitted boots once before the dreaded accident [quite cheap too I'll have you know :D] but it was the best day of skiing I've ever had, the boots were an extension of the ski/my legs as opposed to a middle man. there's no comparison.

anyone that can do it themselves - good on you! not something I'd want to try though

i cant see why there is such polarisation here ..does it matter where you get your boots from ...yes you will might get a proper fit buying a boot from a place that fits them but you might not be able to afford it so what then ...ski in bare feet...really its just a matter of caveat emptor...I was in the footwear trade for 25 years so I know what people will wear (especially women)and it made me cringe The main thing is that before you buy do the research ...have your feet measured and find out how wide the boots are and if they match your feet ....Your feet wont adjust to them and they don't stretch and Superduke_Chris if you need a custom footbed its more important than buying a more expensive boot as it will adjust and correct the way the whole foot and ankle is positioned

I just don't know how I got through 40 years of skiing without a boot technician! And how is it possible that Trencher, as we have all seen on the videos, can put the turns together so superbly, when he is clearly hampered by sloppy boots?

Having said that, were I to be in the market for new boots, I am fairly certain, that I would go for a fitting. The saving in carpet squares alone would justify.

cem wrote:i am not saying people have to spend a fortune on boots, just get in the correct size and shape for the foot, you got to remember that over in the USA you guys pay a hell of a lot more for boots than we do in the UK and Europe last time i looked at the price of boots in the US i was able to get a pair back home at full price for less than they were being sold in a 30% off sale in a USA ski area store

Actually we pay pay on average about 30% less than UK prices (even at todays exchange rate 1.60/1.00). On US ebay, the prices can be Ridiculousely cheap

cem, I hope you stay with us. I'm sure you have much to contribute and much to profit by. It is very hard to be at odds with someone on a forum and keep your cool, especially if you are an expert. Many can't and that's everyone's loss.

Trencher

Trencher, no offence meant, i may even stick around for a while )

the pricing thing intriques me!!

you recon on 30% less, on e bay or similar i can see that but in a regular store that seems a bit out

just looked at a couple of prices.... lange FR80 exclusive sells over here for between £200 and £220 the $ price is $399 at 1.6$ to the £ even at the high price over here it is still $352

this one is a last years boot but i remember the prices the salomon falcon 10 sold in the US for $639 over here it was £270 thats around $432 at 1.6 to the £

anyway i think this can be summed up pretty easily

will most people benifit from a custom fit YES
does everyone need a custom fit NO
can you get a bargain in ski boots YES BUT you need to know what you are looking for how to shell size it and understand that i may need work to be as good as you hope

Tony, you got a good deal on your boots, not disputing that,you have had a good few weeks out of them for the money.... if prehaps they were a couple of sizes smaller and fitted well it would have been a really great deal and we wouldn't be discussing them until they fell to pieces.... the main problem is education, it is really easy to sell a big boot as it feels really comfortable when you put it on, like a nice big soft armchair, the correct boot would feel closer to the bucket seat in the race car firmer but still comfortable

to simplify the job of the botfitter a bit look at it this way, nothing we do is rocket science, just learning shape and function, square pegs go into square holes and round pegs go into round holes

we then fill the gaps and try to make the whole unit [foot and boot] function as one without causing excessive pressure or pain.

the biggest problem i see is where a store has put someoen in a boot a size [or two] too big...why does it happen, because[sure i have said this before] the liner is short for the shell and needs to be worn in a bit, if you clip the boot correctly then the foot will pull back into the correct position in the boot, the padding will warm up and within 10 minutes or so the boot will feel really snug but not uncomfortable, if the comumer is not educated to the fact that their toes will hit the front of the boot when they put it on then the first thing that goes through your mind is that the boot is too small and it gets rejected even before it has be clipped up
the reason people get problems in correctly sized boots is that the fitter /or the consumer have not considered the shape of the toebox of the boot the shape is as important as the size, anyway enough tech talk it is far too early