Newbie Ski Boot Advice
Discussion
I would echo what others are saying. Don't worry so much about what boot you buy, worry about who you are buying it from.
A good fitter who knows his/her stock is the key. Also a lot to be said for buying in in resort so you can take them back after a day of skiing for a fettle if needed. I bought my last set in a specialist boot shop in the US and had a couple of adjustments/trimmings and they are now amazing. If they fit well, you can wear them tight enough to give you much more control. Sometimes comfy can just mean big and overly padded and you loose feel.
Beware, cost can add up, especially if you get custom footbeds. But 5+ seasons later they'll still be paying for themselves in comfort and control.
A good fitter who knows his/her stock is the key. Also a lot to be said for buying in in resort so you can take them back after a day of skiing for a fettle if needed. I bought my last set in a specialist boot shop in the US and had a couple of adjustments/trimmings and they are now amazing. If they fit well, you can wear them tight enough to give you much more control. Sometimes comfy can just mean big and overly padded and you loose feel.
Beware, cost can add up, especially if you get custom footbeds. But 5+ seasons later they'll still be paying for themselves in comfort and control.
Thanks for the advice guys!
I think I'll try to get myself booked in either at Rivington, as recommended above, or have a trip down to Ellis Brigham in Manchester - does anyone have any experience (good or bad) with these guys?
I see the point people are making about the advantages of buying in a resort - i.e getting any adjustments made straight away, but the next trip I've got planned is over to Slovakia (we have Slovakian mates, and it's dirt cheap!) and I'm not sure what the shops will be like out there.....!
I guess it'll be a good idea to fit in a couple sessions at the snow-dome too once I'm all sorted to break the boots in and check the fit still feels good when I'm actually skiing!
I think I'll try to get myself booked in either at Rivington, as recommended above, or have a trip down to Ellis Brigham in Manchester - does anyone have any experience (good or bad) with these guys?
I see the point people are making about the advantages of buying in a resort - i.e getting any adjustments made straight away, but the next trip I've got planned is over to Slovakia (we have Slovakian mates, and it's dirt cheap!) and I'm not sure what the shops will be like out there.....!
I guess it'll be a good idea to fit in a couple sessions at the snow-dome too once I'm all sorted to break the boots in and check the fit still feels good when I'm actually skiing!
Rosscow said:
When I've flown with my boots I take them as my hand luggage. I can get other stuff in my boot bag as well so don't miss out on anything. Saves your luggage allowance!
I've actually seen people board a plane with ski boots on......
I do the same. They don't actually take up that much space either - I can get 6 pairs of ski socks, 2 hats and a snood inside my boots. Ski jacket and salopettes get stuffed in to my carry-on rucksack along with a book and Bob's your uncle.I've actually seen people board a plane with ski boots on......
51mon said:
Thanks for the advice guys!
have a trip down to Ellis Brigham in Manchester - does anyone have any experience (good or bad) with these guys?
I got my boots from the Ellis Brigham in Castlefield. Everyone was busy when I got there, so had to go back a couple of hours later. I'd highly recommend ringing first and booking an appointment. Rob, the guy who fitted them did a great job and even gave me contact details in case I needed to get any advice or needed to tweak the fitting. I think he was the store manager. My boots were custom blown to get the best fit. I even managed to haggle a couple of free ski bags out of him too (to be fair I'd just bought two pairs of skis, poles, my boots and some socks from him).have a trip down to Ellis Brigham in Manchester - does anyone have any experience (good or bad) with these guys?
Nimbus said:
bulldong said:
If I'm brutally honest, if you only do a week of skiing each year a) it's not worth the money and extra hassle of carrying kit around b) it's unlikely you will feel a difference between your own boots and a decent pair of rentals.
I disagree 
or maybe the times I've rented they've always been rubbish boots, or I've got bad feet If you are spending ~£1000 on a weeks holiday skiing, ( and by the time you've paid for accomodation/lessons/skis/lift pass etc you will be..), why take the chance that the rental boots you get may or may not be any good...
Sure you can take them back for a refit, after you've spent a day in pain....
But you are pretty much at the mercy of the rental shop, what they have there this season, what mood its fitter is in, ( lets face it if its 7pm in the evening and you are the 30th set he's 'fitted' on change over day, you think he really cares beyond 'can you do them up' ? Unless you are a young female of course...).
Really it depends on if you are going to keep skiing, and on your feet..
A decent set of boots will last 10+ seasons ( my first pair lasted 10 years and ~30 weeks skiing ) so long term its cheaper even at a week a year. ( you dont pay carriage on them )
A decently fitted set of beginner/intermediate boots, with footbeds should easily come in below £250..
As for carrying them around.. stick them in your suitcase, you wont even notice, no hassle whatsoever, you dont need to use a bootbag.
If you've std feet, and no issues then sure risk rental boots, they'll probably fit well enough...
But if you've got narrow/fat feet/ ankles/calves, or have problems with your instep/arches etc, then getting your own boots, and more importantly properly fitted ones with footbeds will make a big difference, at least to how comfotable you feel during and after the day.
I'd always recommend getting your boots, well ahead of a new shiny jacket / clothing / skis.
Best ~£250 you can spend in skiing I reckon
Boots are about £40 to hire for a week, or £250 to buy (or thereabouts).
So, that's £40 a week for hit and miss, maybe great, possibly awful.
Or, assuming you get a week a year for 8 years, £30 a week for something that's been professionally fitted to your feet, and you know precisely what you're putting on every year.
If you're even at all serious about skiing, buy boots. Get a jacket and stuff from TK Maxx, and some goggles off ebay, that stuff doesn't matter a bean.
Franz Klammer - My boyhood hero - said he could beat pretty much anybody down the hill on any pair of skis you gave him, but give him a bad pair of boots, and he couldn't beat anybody.
I treated myself to a pair of Daleboots last year. Looking forward to putting them on again in a few weeks!
This obviously won't help you now, but the best time to buy is at Easter when the season is ending. Some good deals to be had.
Definitely recommend an independent shop over a large chain. I got my boots from Filarinskis (were in Havant, Hampshire but now in Bosham, W.Sussex). Tried on every boot in the shop in my size, found the best fit, got footbeds made, boots blown etc. Excellent service. Got 30% off hardware discount for end of season, used them for 6 or so trips abroad so far, plus countless dry slope/indoor snowdome trips and they're still going strong (Salomon womens Evolution 8 I think they are..)
If you get the opportunity to get demo skis cheap, do it! I got a pair of ex-demo 151cm (i'm short) Salomon 1080 skis with bindings for £110, direct from Salomon. Then again I was working at a dry slope at the time, hence how I was offered the chance to buy
Back to boots - I've seen in some ski shops in France that you can buy the inners, and hire the shells once you get there? Saves luggage weight. Not sure how good this option is. Anyone tried it?
Definitely recommend an independent shop over a large chain. I got my boots from Filarinskis (were in Havant, Hampshire but now in Bosham, W.Sussex). Tried on every boot in the shop in my size, found the best fit, got footbeds made, boots blown etc. Excellent service. Got 30% off hardware discount for end of season, used them for 6 or so trips abroad so far, plus countless dry slope/indoor snowdome trips and they're still going strong (Salomon womens Evolution 8 I think they are..)
If you get the opportunity to get demo skis cheap, do it! I got a pair of ex-demo 151cm (i'm short) Salomon 1080 skis with bindings for £110, direct from Salomon. Then again I was working at a dry slope at the time, hence how I was offered the chance to buy
Back to boots - I've seen in some ski shops in France that you can buy the inners, and hire the shells once you get there? Saves luggage weight. Not sure how good this option is. Anyone tried it?
Edited by blueheron on Monday 29th October 12:08
Another vote for Graham at Rivington Alpine here... Proper enthusiast and a top bloke too. Went there when the OH and I were buying skis, we would have bought both pairs there but he couldn't get the ones I wanted so told me to get them online somewhere and to bring them in when picking up the OH's and he set the bindings up on both pairs for us.
Otherwise Ventura Ski (just off the East Lancs near St Helens) are good too, bought boots from them in the past and been impressed by the service.
Wherever you go, a decent boot fitter will spend time looking at your feet, ask you about your skiing and then tell you which boots you need
Oh and the difference between your own boots and hire ones is night and day, even if you don't struggle with blisters / sore feet from hire ones as properly fitted ones give so much more control over the skis. They're definitely worth having once you're hooked and know you're going to keep skiing - even at one week a yearish.
Otherwise Ventura Ski (just off the East Lancs near St Helens) are good too, bought boots from them in the past and been impressed by the service.
Wherever you go, a decent boot fitter will spend time looking at your feet, ask you about your skiing and then tell you which boots you need
Oh and the difference between your own boots and hire ones is night and day, even if you don't struggle with blisters / sore feet from hire ones as properly fitted ones give so much more control over the skis. They're definitely worth having once you're hooked and know you're going to keep skiing - even at one week a yearish.
Brilliant, thanks guys!
I'd pretty much made up my mind to get some anyway, just to take the worry out of not knowing if I'm going to get on with the gear the hire shops give me.
Good idea on taking a boot bag on as hand luggage too, two birds, one stone!
I'll set a side a day and get booked in at Rivington I reckon.
I'd pretty much made up my mind to get some anyway, just to take the worry out of not knowing if I'm going to get on with the gear the hire shops give me.
Good idea on taking a boot bag on as hand luggage too, two birds, one stone!
I'll set a side a day and get booked in at Rivington I reckon.
This could be an Internet urban myth but I've always gone with boots in checked luggage because I found stories online of people not being permitted to wear boots/take them in hand luggage, mainly on safety grounds (i.e. they could be used as weapon).
This sounds so stupid it can possibly be true...which these days when 11cc of liquid mark you out as a terrorist probably means it's (sometimes, randomly) true!
This sounds so stupid it can possibly be true...which these days when 11cc of liquid mark you out as a terrorist probably means it's (sometimes, randomly) true!
//j17 said:
This could be an Internet urban myth but I've always gone with boots in checked luggage because I found stories online of people not being permitted to wear boots/take them in hand luggage, mainly on safety grounds (i.e. they could be used as weapon).
This sounds so stupid it can possibly be true...which these days when 11cc of liquid mark you out as a terrorist probably means it's (sometimes, randomly) true!
does happen, tho seemingly randomly from day to day, and very much depends on which airport, and which time of the month/how grumpy the airport staff are..This sounds so stupid it can possibly be true...which these days when 11cc of liquid mark you out as a terrorist probably means it's (sometimes, randomly) true!
Funnily enough it most frequently occurs at French airports, eg Chambrey and Grenoble..
Plenty of stories on snowheads about this...
Rosscow said:
Interesting - I've always carried my boots on (in a boot bag) as my hand luggage with no issue.
I've not experienced it myself, but I have seen big signs at Chambrey and Grenoble saying no helmets or boots in hand luggage..Not sure whether they are put up by the check in agents ( eg Rynair or BMI Baby ), or by the airport.. or what happens when you get to the counter.... Been skiing in Italy the last 2 seasons tho, which is thoroughly civilised in comparison
I know it's perceived wisdom that you spend forever choosing your boots and paying a premium for fitting, but if you have normal feet (most people do), you can probably just buy your size and they'll be fine.
There are exceptions of course, but if the boots fit (your feet don't move around in them), chances are they'll be fine.
M
There are exceptions of course, but if the boots fit (your feet don't move around in them), chances are they'll be fine.
M
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