Ski boot fitting in Snow and Rock/Other

Mmmm_Lemony

I am wondering if anyone has used this service before and if they are happy with the results so far?

I've been skiing for about 5 years and due to my unusual hobbit feet and massive low calf muscles have decided to invest in a pair boots instead of the messy routine of renting which has taken up to 2 hours finding the right boot.

I was in 53 degrees north in blanchardstown recently and when the guy measured my feet he picked out a boot that was way too small in my opinion. He said I should be wearing an 8/8.5 instead of a 9.5/10 and although his explanations made sense, my gut feeling was that what I was comfortable with is more important than what the standard technical procedure dictates I should be wearing, I also got measured in Snow and Rock and I was told the same, although I didn't really have time to try on different boots...And I may not be much of a skier, but one thing I do have alot of experience in is trying on boots!!!

I was also there with my brother in law who has worked as a ski and snowboard instructor and he completely disagreed with alot of what the guy was saying. I've searched the net on how to get the proper fit but alot of it is conflicting.

I had originally planned to try a model in the shop, then buy the model that worked best online, and get it heat moulded somewhere, with a proper instep.

It is a recession after all and I don't want to end up forking out 350+ for a pair of boots that end up killing me after a couple of tough runs...But have no problem paying this much if they really are worth the money and help me advance to the next level...

So my original question, Snow and Rock fitting, trustworthy and reliable or no...?

Mmmm_Lemony

Also, im looking for a very stiff boot as im trying to progress a bit...


(bump)

olaola

I'd wait until you go skiing next and buy them in the resort. Not only will you get a more experienced fitter, but you'll be able to bring them back if they don't suit you.

Random1

i was extremely happy with the service in Snow&R (Dundrum). measured my feet, looked at the width & shape of my feet/arches etc and recommended 3 boots which would suit. all 3 fitted nicely but went for the snuggest fit. also decided to get the moulded insole. the guy in the shop really knew what he was talking about & spent over an hour with me. excellent customer service imo.

and as for gettin the boots at the resort, i would much rather gettin them here as it will be such a pain having to go do it when you get there!

robinph

I'd recommend getting them in resort as well, although make sure that you allow for loosing some of your skiing time. The advantage of getting them in resort is that the shops will likely have a bigger range and then you can actually go and ski in the boots straight away afterwards and so go directly back to the shop and get it sorted if there is any problems with them. Depending on when in the season you go you may find some great bargains out there as well.

Griff77

I bought this year in the ski resort and I would highly reccomend doing it this way. I had to call back twice for some minor adjustments that needed fixing. Granted I lost a couple of hours to the boot fitters but the difference in my skiing after I got the correct boots snuggly fitted and adjusted was unreal. They did all the measuring etc and pulled out a large number of boots for me to try on.

Also if you wear rental boots the first day and go out with an instructor you can ask them what range of flex would suit your style and level of skiing. They will also give you a great reccomendation as to who's the best boot fitter in town as the instructors are the ones in their boots all season.

sheesh

Hi if you can get Neil (big tall bald scotish guy) in the great outdoors to do it for you you should be ok. (I used to work there) he knows his stuff and has been doing it for years.

Mmmm_Lemony

I'm leaning towards going to go the resort route, even though it will cut into my time on the slopes, as the price will be alot cheaper and the range alot bigger.

Thanks.

bonkey

Mmmm_Lemony wrote: »

I was in 53 degrees north in blanchardstown recently and when the guy measured my feet he picked out a boot that was way too small in my opinion. He said I should be wearing an 8/8.5 instead of a 9.5/10 and although his explanations made sense, my gut feeling was that what I was comfortable with is more important than what the standard technical procedure dictates I should be wearing,

I'm not going to comment on the service, but I think I understand where the difference comes in here.

I have short, wide, high feet. For most ski-boots that are the correct length for my feet, I can't even get my foot into them, because of my high instep. Of those that I can get into, I can feel that the front of my foot is being squeezed before I even do the front clips on the boot....I'd be crippled after wearing them for even 5 or 10 mins.

So, while I should have a 26.5 (ski boot size here in Switzerland), my first boots were 28.5...because they were the smallest I could find that were comfortable.

Here's the thing though...with boots two sizes too big, I would find that my feet could "slip" perhaps a half-centimetre inside the boot. That mightn't sound like much, but if it happens at speed, or in soft conditions, you're pretty-much guaranteed to go down. It also meant that sometimes I'd be skiing, and have to stop and force my foot back to the correct position so that I could ski properly.

Now...given a choice between this and "crippled after 10 minutes", its a no-brainer...I'll take the bigger boots every time.

Anyway...I forgot all about this until I broke my skis. While trying out retals to figure what I wanted to buy, I also rented some boots, and was surprised when the guy gave me a pair of 27s which fit. So I decided to go buy new boots before I got new skis.

I was even more surprised when I went to one shop and they gave me a pair of 26.5s which also fit. I had tried every other shop in Bern, with no joy....but when I explained my foot shape to this guy, he said "lets try this one...if you don't fit into it, I have nothing to offer you". It fit. I tried the next one he suggested...didn't fit. He then told me that he could say with certainty that I wouldn't fit into any of the other boots he had in the shop.

Having taken them out for a test-run, I can honestly say that they are light years better than my oversized boots. The whole foot-slipping thing is gone, and the transfer of power and control from my legs to my skis is vastly better.

So my original question, Snow and Rock fitting, trustworthy and reliable or no...?

No-one can fit your boots without your feedback. If the boot isn't comforable, its wrong....and no-one in the shop can tell you if its comfortable or not.

If you know what the problem with your foot-size is, then a good fitter shouldn't need you to try every boot in the shop. If they can't find one that is high/wide enough in 2 or 3, then it suggests that they don't know the boots that they're selling you....or they are trying to "move up" through the widths, rather than "move down" from the biggest. Tell them to start with the biggest volume (highest & widest) in the correct foot size.