J2Ski Forum Posts and Replies by SwingBeep

100 days is a fair bit of use, so the liners will be getting tired. If you have to walk a bit to get to the lifts then the soles might have worn beyond the safe limit (<18mm measured >32 mm back from the front of the toe lug), so I would check them before buying new liners.



It sounds to me that your feet are not the same size, which is not uncommon and that your previous fitters might have sold you boots that were sized to fit your larger foot. It's better to get a pair that are the right size for the smaller foot and have the other one stretched / ground out to fit.

If I lived in your neck of the woods I would go and see Lou Rosenfeld in Calgary.

Before a ski resort can open after snowfall the skiable area has to be secured by the pisteurs in accordance with the Plan d'Intervention et de Déclenchement des Avalanches (PIDA). This is a legally binding document that details precisely what has to be done and who has to do it. This is the one for Courchevel http://www.mairie-courchevel.com/download/SECOURS/am-9.pdf It takes as long as it takes.
The work is pretty dangerous, every season there are a few fatal accidents, to say that they couldn't be bothered to make a decent effort is quite offensive. Would you like to do it?

The charges don't always go off, would you like to retrieve one and defuse it? All for €2000 a month.

If you look on the Val Thorens web cams you will see that there's hardly any snow, so they haven't been able to put the piste markers out yet. There is no way they could get all the necessary work done in order to open on Saturday as the snow isn't expected to arrive until Friday.

La Plagne is the most visited ski resort in the world, it's pretty busy all season. As with any other resort they open the runs as soon as it's safe to do so. At this time of year there is no profit to be made as most of the skiers are season pass holders, some places even offer free ski passes.

There are a few other things you could try, but if you've already tried an X shaped pad then it must be pretty loose.

Stick a chevron shaped piece of EVA foam to the back of the liner above the calcaneus.

Add a shim to the top of the boot board to reduce the volume a bit.

Get some Nordica heel retainers.

Or some of Ezeefit ankle booties.

Have you tried taking them back to the shop?

It's impossible for someone to know their ski boot size, the sizing is very inconsistent, not only does it vary from make to make but also from model to model. There can be up to a 7mm difference (nearly a full size) in the internal length between the boots in a manufactures range.

It's essential to get the fit around the ankle right, if they don't fit well in this area there is very little that can be done.



The manufactures don't give any sizing info for this area, so it has to be checked visually. If the boots are a bit too narrow or short it's easy to make them a bit bigger, but if they are too big the only solution is a new pair.

Wearing them around the house is a waste of time, if they are comfy indoors they are probably too big. After a short time the liner will 'pack out' and the boots will feel sloppy.

Lots of skiers seem to confuse comfort with fit, an ill fitting boot might well be comfortable, but it won't perform anywhere near as well as a well fitting boot, which will also be comfortable.

As I said above there's a lot more to boot fitting than most people realise.

In resort ski boot fitting is very hit and miss. There are a few very good boot fitters who work in ski resorts, but most of the people selling boots in resort shops haven't got a clue. Make sure that the fitter measures your foot using a Brannock device and checks that the shells are the right size and shape for your feet by taking the inner boots out and getting you to put your bare feet in them. If they don't you're in the wrong shop.

Dave Mac, those Nordica Gran Tour S RTL rear entry boots you bought in Germany are very soft (flex index 50) for a bloke of your size. There is a real danger that your ankle joint will rotate beyond it's safe limit before the binding releases, in which case it will break. You initially said you wanted to buy a pair for your wife because she had difficulty closing the clips on other boots, if you had mentioned that you were also going to buy a pair I would have strongly recommended that you didn't.

There's a lot more to boot fitting than most people realise, fit is only one aspect.

Ski Heil! -)

The plan was to build a 6 seater high speed chair lift from the Vallaccia to Monte della Neve in time for the coming season.

During the summer an environmentalist group took the authorities to the administrative court in Milan claiming that they shouldn't have given planning permission for it as it's located in a Site of Community Importance (SCI) and is therefore protected under the EU Habitats Directive, so construction had to be suspended. An appeal by the lift company against the suspension was due to be heard on 5th November, but has been adjourned until February because of a procedural issue, so the lift can't be completed in time for this season.

So far they've only managed to complete the foundations http://www.funivie.org/cantieri/thumbnails.php?album=385

You need to fit them to all 4 wheels, don't be tempted to skimp and buy cheap no name brand ones as they're usually hopeless. Every year the Austrian, German and Swiss motoring organisations test winter tyres, here are the results of the 2015 tests http://www.tyrereviews.co.uk/Article/2015-ADAC-Winter-Tyre-Test-205-55-R16.htm Before you set off have your antifreeze checked to see if it's good for -30°C and get some screen wash that's also good for -30°C.

There are problems with winter diesel in France when it gets really cold, as in the UK the additives in it only stop it from freezing down to -15°C so if it's very cold it will freeze. You can get additives that lower the freezing point to -30°C, but they have to be added before it freezes.

As you're going to be out here for 3 months you will likely have to dig your car out at some point so a shovel will be useful, a plastic one won't damage the car as much as a metal one if it slips, you will also need some chains or snow socks as it's compulsory to fit them when the blue snow chain sign is displayed unless a sign with the words "pneus neige admis" is also displayed in which case you can proceed using winter tyres only.

Due to all the salt and grit they apply to the roads and footpaths your car will get filthy, inside and out, some rubber mats will stop most of what you carry in on your shoes getting ground into the carpets.

If you take the bus you will have to change in Chamonix. You could also take the train, its 40 min from Les Houches to Argentiere plus a 10 min walk to the Grand Montets lift station. If you are taking your car you will need winter tyres, chains, and a shovel etc.

What are you going to do about accommodation? Presumably you will look for a seasonal let, as well as checking estate agents and small ads check if the Mairie has a list of available properties for rent http://www.chamonix.fr/index.php/transports-urbanisme-logement/logement/115-petites-annonces-logement.html Facebook groups also list flats to rent https://www.facebook.com/groups/chamonix.skibums/?fref=ts

If you want to learn French Chamonix is probably not the place to go, unless you plan to take lessons. About 10% of the resident population is British and hoards of British tourists descend on it in winter so English is widely spoken, it's the Blackpool of the Alps. http://www.courrierinternational.com/article/2004/01/29/avalanche-d-anglais-a-chamonix