Best place to buy ski boots a skis

[bmt216a]

Hello,
Getting back into my skiing. Think I might as well buy some skis and boots rather renting every time I go away. Planning to get measured up in snow and rock but where and when would be best to buy?

Thanks

[Mothersruin]

https://www.solutions4feet.com/

[chemistry]

Agreed; I got mine from there and the service was excellent. Went back a year later to get the top buckle relocated and it was all done free of charge.

[Marcellus]

You won't regret a trip to Bicester, probably the best reputation in the UK for boot fitting.

[OliilO]

Boots from a good boot fitter. Where are you in the country?

I'd probably order skis online from ekosport or snowleader. There are usually some good offers towards the end of the season. Both of those provided a binding mounting service and both were bang on when I received the skis.

[ntiz]

Ski Bartlett are probably the most knowledgeable people in the country. Can't comment for normal boots but always had great fitted boots for my racing.

https://www.skibartlett.com

[mustdash]

Solutions4feet are ok if you like being served by the most miserable bloke on the planet!

I listened to others talk about his reputation and went there to get some boots fitted after skiing in badly fitting boots for a couple of years. He fitted me with a set of boots and sent me on my way. 10 days later I was back as the boots were like torture devices. He did some more work on the shell and sent me away again. A week later (after trying them out in the Snowdome) I had to go back to him as they were still crippling me (having to take them off half way down a run type crippling!). He said there was nothing else he could do and that perhaps skiing wasn't for me. Refused a refund on a set of boots used twice that he hadn't fitted correctly.

2 weeks later I went to ProFeet in London who told me the boots S4F had fitted me were a size too small and far too narrow for my foot! I spent half a day with them being fitted for yet another set of boots. A week later I went to Canada for a season. Didn't have any issues with the boots fitted by ProFeet at all and got my instructors qualifications.

Would I use S4F again? Not a chance!

[chandrew]

Personally, unless you're going to use them frequently, I wouldn't bother with buying skis.

I live in a resort and ski on 2 different pairs of skis depending on the snow conditions. Most of the time I'm on a pair of Stockli Scale Betas which are a good all-round all mountain skis. They're a bit more piste orientated than some all mountain skis but can handle some trips into the powder and are good fun when the pistes are churned up.

I also ski some Stockli FIS slalom skis which are amazing fun when it's hard or icy. If I'm on these I will go and seek out the steepest, iciest black run and launch myself straight down. It'll probably take me 4 or 5 minutes to get my breath back after a run. Truthfully I can manage 2 hours max on these but I'm in the position to do that before starting work.

For the days when there is deep powder I could see myself renting some freeride skis but I would need to be taking some lessons, not just how to ski them but also in things like avalanche survival (and getting the necessary kit). However, the number of days so far this season when this has been possible has been relatively small (some were closed due to the avalanche risk). Even living in a resort I imagine renting these.

If I was going just a few times a year I'd plan to rent when I got to the resort based on the conditions. The other advantage is that you can usually swap skis during the week to try something new. Oh, and you don't need to worry about servicing.

[gl20]

Everything said by the previous poster. I started skiing in 83, go every year, albeit just one or two weeks. Had boots most of my ski 'career' but just don't think it's worth getting skis for all the reasons said above.

Quality of hire equipment has come on so far now and it would take years for a purchase pair of skis to pay for themselves (even excluding service and carriage) v rent unless you're doing a season.

[JungleMonkey]

Oxfam in a posh areas, once the season is over. That's if their shops survive the current crisis.

[oddman]

Had a week out with some mates in lat Jan

I took Easyjet and all gear (even boots) in hand luggage

Mate took skis - £75 carriage - plus he's got the cost/time of a service

Me £50 hire not too bad Elan 'free ride' ski

For touring we drive and I take my own skis. I've bought a pair of Black Crows Camox Freebirds this year and they are fantastic. Snow's been good but they are so forgiving and playful everything felt effortless. Anyone wanting a do anything go anywhere ski should check them (or the non touring Camoxs) out