Wide boots

[glen]

does anyone know of any good intermediate to expert boot which is suited for slightly wider feet than normal, my feet usually get crushed with rental boots. Also would anyone recommend buying boots blind from america?

[The Frog]

Would never recommend buying boots blind from anywhere. If you get sore feet you really need to have boots properly fitted if you want to stop the soreness. It's worth the time to get it done.

[Bear]

I have extremly wide feet and was professionally fitted into Atomic boots. If you have even slightly abnormal feet it pays big time to get professionally fitted for boots.

[The Frog]

Ofcourse getting new boots is expensive but how much do you rate comfort? If you get them fitted properly they should last for years.

[Paul Oberin]

I assume you are talking ski boots rather than snowboard boots, if so boots can be stretched to make them wider where required, this is quite a normal thing to do.
Most companies have a wide lasted boot in their range, other factors vary the fit such as instep height, how far the boot goes before it tapers in at the toe box, and ankle room, then there is the stiffness to suit your skiing style.
Getting the shell size right is most important, if this is not done you are asking for trouble right away.
As others have said, get them fitted right and you will have good boots for 150 to 200 days of skiing, get it done wrong and you will buy more boots every season or so and ski badly by comparrison until you get the right fit.
Shop on fit, not on price, brand or colour.

[WarrenG]

Speaking from experience i have several pairs of boots at home that were 'professionaly fitted' and still cained after a few hours skiing.

I ended up biting the bullet and getting Larry to fit me into a set of Strolz last year, OMG they are so far from anything i have ever skied in before. Can go all day, every day on a week long trip and never suffer foot pain (except maybe getting into them in the morning if they are cold haha). Seems to be totally without compromise, no sliding around, no numbness, no sore shins, no banging into the toe box and awesome edge control.

I have very, very wide feet and calfs though. Something to also remember is that as the shell gets blown out in the horizontal, it also becomes smaller in the vertical (i also have rather 'tall' (for lack of a better word) feet so this is an issue).

Best of luck with your boot shopping!!

[SnoWhite]

I wouldn't even dream of buying boots that weren't fitted by an experienced professional. And my foot isn't difficult to fit. My existing boots are probably nearing 200 days of skiing and it's time for new ones. Boots that fit you properly are an absolute must and regardless of what it costs, I sincerely doubt your will regret the dollars spent in the long run.

A friend who spent years in rental boots got her own a couple of years ago and the improvement in her skiing was dramatic. At the end of the day, they cost a lot of money. But they actually fit her properly, she skis better and more confidently and actually makes it through a whole day without having to take breaks because of sore feet. She now gets more runs in for her lift ticket dollars. The boots will last her for years and she is saving on rental costs. Also, because they are the correct boot for her foot, she won't be buying a new pair in a couple of years because her feet still hurt.

Her husband has difficult feet and a few years ago didn't take enough time and see an experienced boot fitter. He paid the price in both physical pain and the hip pocket when he forked out for a correctly fitted pair two years later.

When you're ready to get boots, make an appointment and make sure you have plenty of time. If you let us know your location people around here should be able to give you some recommendations on where to go and who to see. Personally, I'd want to be seeing an 'experienced' fitter, not just whoever is working in the store on that day.

[Jahoota]

boots is one item I would never ever ever buy on-line!

My last set I had fitted properly by a good ski boot fitter in sydney 9 years ago. I'm still using those boots and the extra cost all those years ago in getting properly fitted has more than paid for iteself. Its really worth the investment in time and funds IMHO.

[Altheau]

definatly take snoWhite's advice and make sure you make an appointment and see the better people in store. If you live in a city then they might even be open out of normal hours close to ski season and do their fitting then, much better as you get lots of attention and it is more relaxed as they are not as busy. The store that I went to even gave my bf a beverage to keep him amused while I had my boots fitted :giggle:

[Paul Oberin]

Speaking from experience i have several pairs of boots at home that were 'professionaly fitted' and still cained after a few hours skiing.
Seems to be totally without compromise, no sliding around, no numbness, no sore shins, no banging into the toe box and awesome edge control.
This tells me you didn't go to a very good boot fitter after all, if you had any of those problems in a boot fitted by a professional fitter.
Sore shins and banging in the toe box says you were fitted in a boot too big for your foot, numb toes indicate the same thing quite often as you are over tightening the buckles to take up space and this puts pressure on the Peroneal nerve sending your toes numb.
Of course foam boots take the skill out of boot fitting, so all those problems are gone.




I have very, very wide feet and calfs though. Something to also remember is that as the shell gets blown out in the horizontal, it also becomes smaller in the vertical (i also have rather 'tall' (for lack of a better word) feet so this is an issue).Not the case if done right at the right temperature.

"tall feet" most likely a "pes cavus" foot also requires a special foot bed, I hope you had that done by the right person otherwise pain will be ever present even in the right boot.

[The Frog]

glen, what area do you live in? so we can recommend a 'good experienced' fitter.

[WarrenG]

This tells me you didn't go to a very good boot fitter after all, if you had any of those problems in a boot fitted by a professional fitter.
Sore shins and banging in the toe box says you were fitted in a boot too big for your foot, numb toes indicate the same thing quite often as you are over tightening the buckles to take up space and this puts pressure on the Peroneal nerve sending your toes numb.
Of course foam boots take the skill out of boot fitting, so all those problems are gone.



Not the case if done right at the right temperature.

"tall feet" most likely a "pes cavus" foot also requires a special foot bed, I hope you had that done by the right person otherwise pain will be ever present even in the right boot.

The problems mentioned were evident in different boots, both purchased and hired. I did say i had several pairs at home gathering dust. The excuses by those that fit them were wide and varied, but all of them excuses (in one case i took them back atleast 5 times before i gave up).

Even @ Adler, Larry had a hard time with my fitting something about the 2nd biggest calfs he had fitted along with an insanely wide foot (i wear 4E shoes and most don't fit as my foot is wider than the sole). I was right on the limit of fitting into the Strolz at all.

As for taking the skill out of fitting, not really. There is still a great deal of work in the shell before the liner ever graces it.

With regard to the buckles, never do i over tighten them!!

All i can say, as per my first post and in answer to the original question was that i have never skied so well, or pain free as in the Strolz despite several attempts at 'professional boot fitting' and this is a fair statement based on my experience as a consumer. I am not naming names in a public forum, but PM me if you wanna know who fit what and what each of the specific problems were.

[Paul Oberin]

I fit boots and have for over 30 years, sure a shell has to be comfortable before it is foamed and sometimes the shell has to be worked to achieve this prior to foaming, but after that the foam takes up all the space and if the foot is aligned right and the shell is right, that is it.
Foam is no where near the hard work normal boot fitting is, I have sold Stroltz boots in the past and I still sell plenty of foam liners, I love them as I don't have to do very much compared to a normal fit, where shells and liners have to be modified, often more than once.

In the correct size boot you will not get shin bang or toes banging in the toe box, in the correct shape boot your toes won't go numb.

For those with plenty of money, you can't beat a foam boot for a good fit, even in a snowboard boot.

[Snowie Meli]

WarrenG, I 100% agree with everything you have said regarding the Strolz boots! They are the best boot ever! My feet are terrible, I can never wear for more than 5 minutes thongs, heels or any shoe that my orthotic's can't go into because the pain is just over bearing, so you can imagine the boot problems I've had in the past! I've had performance boots 'professionally fitted' and skiing in them was possibly one of the most painful things I've ever encountered, which is why I to bit the bullet (less than 1 year after purchasing new boots) and bought myself a pair of strolz from Larry adler and it was the best thing I ever did.

They make them perfect for you, and are happy to make free adjustments for the life of the boot. I will never try another boot again, strolz the whole way for me!

AND strolz boots aren’t just for those with terrible feet, my +1 has practically perfect feet, he didn’t even need a foot bed and he loves his strolz boots.

They are just worth every cent!

PM me if you want to know of a particular place to NEVER get boots fitted in Sydney. At the time I was naive about boot fitting, so I trusted the person fitting my boots who had years of experience fitting boots in Austria. I was fitted with boots 2 sizes too small, and when my bare foot was placed in the shell, both my toes and heels touched the ends, so you can imagine how ‘tight’ this was with a liner in. This was just ONE thing in a string of many! Anyway PM me if you want the details.

[Paul Oberin]

Backs up what I have been saying, fitting boots without a foam liner is hard work and requires a lot of skill, not many can get it right, and those that do get it right have to work hard.

It is so much easier to put people into a shell and take up the space with foam, very little skill required.

The basics are, if a foam boot like a Stroltz or any brand is comfortable before the foam goes in, why shouldn't it still be comfortable when the foam fills the gaps around your foot.
My only comment on the brand Stroltz is that the design of the shell is far behind other modern boots like Tecnica etc, but for the general skiing population they do the job, I would never buy a foam boot without a footbed, even if I thought I didn't need them, they can't be fitted later on in a foam.
Being in a boot where your foot is the same length as the inside of the shell would be very painful even while trying it on in the shop, I doubt any person would buy a boot like that from me, people should buy boots from shops that offer a fit guarantee, you don't waste money that way on bad fitting boots.

[Snowie Meli]

Pauls right, don't make the mistake I did. Make sure what ever boots you go with, that the place you buy from has a fit guarantee.

[glen]

glen, what area do you live in? so we can recommend a 'good experienced' fitter.

i live near hornsby.. from what i saw on the net, the store at west ryde looks decent

[karen97]

See John at Alpsport. He is very knowledgeable! Or you could go down to Wodonga to see Paul.

[Podlettte]

Or he could go to several other good fitters in Sydney.

[SnowFlake]

Yep when buying boots try on the shells then get a good liner with custom foam and footbed. Even 'blind testing' I have found over the years that Atomics are always my choice for fit and performance (eg even neat fit, flex, forward lean, canting etc) for my version of Aussie feet (shoes, what are they?) - there is a boot out there!

[Paul Oberin]

i live near hornsby.. from what i saw on the net, the store at west ryde looks decent
Do they offer a fit guarantee, if not go elsewhere, an decent fitter should be confident enough in their own abaility to offer this option.

[Snowie Meli]

Alp sport does NOT offer a fit guarantee.

[Xena]

I had my boots fitted professionally, so that step is vital - especially with foot issues.

I wear Atomic, as they have a wide toe box. My toes would get squished and cut off circulation.

[karen97]

Alp sport does NOT offer a fit guarantee.
wow! I didn't know that! I have bought snowboard and hiking boots from there. I am glad I never considered getting my ski boots from there

[SnoWhite]

A number of my Sydney friends have been to Jindabyne Sports for their boots and one of them to Larry Adler in Jindabyne. One of the pros for going somewhere down here is if you have problems or need things tweeked, you're not stuck with boot issues for your entire ski holiday.

[Snowie Meli]

Thats another fantastic point, when you need some small adjustments made in the middle of your ski holiday, you can just bring them down to jindy to get done. I know Larry Adler at jindy is awesome, and a lot of people I've spoken to give the thumbs up for boot fitting in Jindy sports to.

[Paul Oberin]

I hear there will be a new boot fitting shop at Perisher this winter, staffed and managed by Andy who was the fitter at Jindy sports.
I know Andy is an exceptional boot fitter.

[glen]

i guess i could wait till i go down for a ski. how would prices be early on in the season?

[Polaris]

i guess i could wait till i go down for a ski. how would prices be early on in the season?

Do not even think about buying boots on price.

[glen]

oh but im a poor uni student!:cry: every cent matters

[Paul Oberin]

One thing that is fairly consistant in the Australian industry, the best boot fitters don't discount their services, they don't have too and when you take into consideration the cost of the training and usually the result, the price is justified.
Boot fitters that are not confident in their own abilty do discount in order to make a sale, but then how good is the fit.

[John Deere]

oh but im a poor uni student!:cry: every cent matters


More reason to spend good dollars on boots.....bad boots will mean more time hurting and less time skiing, wasted ticket money if you ask me!

Go see John Morgan at STM in Bondi.....He is a genuine bloke, a master-fit trained fitter (like Paul) and I believe he offers a fit guarantee. Be warned, he is not cheap....expect a decent set of boots to set you back in the order of $600 or better (6 lift tickets!!)

Also, unless they are foamed (Strolz are not the only foam boots, just the most expensive), they wont be comfy straight away because the liners will need to pack out.....this process takes 5-10 days on snow, and can be painful, but worth it.

[glen]

how does these look? i've measured my foot and im pretty much exactly 26.5 long and 10.2 wide. hmmm

http://stmonline.com.au/product_info.php?cPath=17_12_26&products_id=2050

[SnoWhite]

Glen, what your foot measures means bugger all when it comes to fitting ski boots.

Do yourself a favour. Make an appointment to see an experienced, professional bootfitter who is going to give you a guaranteed fit.

However, if you are prepared to spend your money on something that may or may not fit, my money is on they won't and you'd be better off depositing the funds into my bank account and saving yourself some pain at the same time.

[John Deere]

That is John Morgans shop....go and see him, tell him upfront that you are a poor uni student and people from snowatch told you to come to him for boots.....I can't speak for him but from my dealings with him, he wont rip you off! If that boot is not right for you, he will tell you.

[spaz]

Every cent you spend on well fitting boots is worth not eating for a week! It is undeniably the most important factor in this sport. beg & borrow to get them perfect - once you ski in well fitting boots you'll wonder how you ever skied without them.

And your ability will double.

Sell your first born if you need to.

[Snowie Meli]

See a pro, you will save yourself so much in money and pain and all the rest of it. To get boot fitters to make adjustments on boots you didn’t buy from them costs a fortune, and when your feet are hurting and you can't ski anymore and the pain is killing you, then your probably going to go down to the nearest shop and beg for help, fork out the money just so you can keep skiing out your days (or weeks) lift pass. In the long run you may very well ruin your feet and hurt the bank account! Not worth it at all!

Ski boots are an "investment" an investment for your skiing ability, and investment for your feet and an investment for you skiing, because you will get more out of your tickets, because you will ski for longer and ski better for it!

Either invest your money properly, or hire.

[John Deere]

Hows your boot hunt going? Did u meet John Morgan?

[glen]

ahh i totally didnt see ur post till just now. i shall see john soonish. i may end up being a dusche and just seeing wat fits then going and buying it online.

[karen97]

If you do that you are more than a douche ;) I have no respect for anyone who does that!

[Paul Oberin]

Glen, if you post another link an overseas website that sells discounted boots I may have to ban you.

[Paul Oberin]

i shall see john soonish. i may end up being a dusche and just seeing wat fits then going and buying it online.
Firstly John Morgan reads most of what is posted on here about buying ski boots, most Sydney shops now charge a boot fitting fee simply because of people who do just what you are saying you may do.
Most importantly the suggestion of what boot he might fit you into may only fit if he does a certain amount of work on the boots, if you get them online unfitted they may be the wrong boot totally until you pay a boot fitter a small fortune to get the boots right for you, I know in the case at my shop, I fit boots much tighter than most other shops, and if I didn't do a certain amount of work on them before they leave the shop, they would be quite painful for most people.

[glen]

ah sigh, maybe i'll just hire boots

[John Deere]

Glen, bootfitters have to do lots of training, they also like to offer a boot fitting guarantee (if they are reputable), this all costs money. As does the time to fit them and make mods. With a foot like you have described, I doubt you will take an off the shelf boot. Most ski shop owners I know are not gazillionaires, people don't sell ski gear because it turns a huge profit, they do it cos they love the sport!

If you buy off the internet you risk wasting your money. I have bought 2 sets of boots at full aus retail that didn't fit, so the liklihood of failure from the internet is very high indeed.

Then there is the question of respect. If you show a boot fitter the respect of explaining your situation, I am sure that most of the guys mentioned here will try and help. I would be surprised if you went to John Morgan, explained that you were a poor uni student and needed some boots and he told you to shove off. He might say he can't help you, but he might say, look I have these three season old boots that would be ok, but at least you will know he is not trying to screw you.

My advice is to be honest with the fitter, and if there is no alternataive to you but buying off the internet (I very much doubt this is the ONLY alternative), at least show the fitter the respect of telling them that, they can then choose to charge you a nominal fee to tell you what fits or send you on your way, at least you can say you were honest and didn't do a dodgy on a guy that loves the sport.

Good luck mate, and remember, buying bad boots is like tearing up cash and throwing it down the drain...not just in the cost of the boots, but the cost of sitting in the mid station at Perisher whinging about sore feet whilst the lift ticket hours burn up and the accom/fuel money spent getting there.

[Podlettte]

I hear there will be a new boot fitting shop at Perisher this winter, staffed and managed by Andy who was the fitter at Jindy sports.
I know Andy is an exceptional boot fitter.

Peter, the guy who owns Jindy sports is recognised as a mean fitter... Andy used to work up at blue cow in the ski school and race department, he and his wife are phenomenal skiers!

[Podlettte]

oh and I agree with JD ^^

(what's the world coming to?)

Glen,

If you want to buy boots online and OS, then be prepared for them to not fit and be in the same world of hurt you are in now with hire boots.

If you do as JD has suggested and be open and honest with a fitter about your financial situation, poor uni student etc, you never know what they might have lying around hoping to be able to get out of stock.

It's worth trying so you don't end up with the same old problems you've been having and you might actually forget about your feet hurting and enjoy yourself all day skiing instead.

[Paul Oberin]

Peter, the guy who owns Jindy sports is recognised as a mean fitter... Andy used to work up at blue cow in the ski school and race department, he and his wife are phenomenal skiers!Peter Clarke was one of the original 12 Masterfit boot fitters in Australia, along with Simon Bright, Greta Bishop, Craig Steadman, Richard Mould and myself so I know he is also a good boot fitter as well as a really nice guy to go with it.
Peter and his family run a great tuning shop in Jindy also.

[John Deere]

It's worth trying so you don't end up with the same old problems you've been having and you might actually forget about your feet hurting and enjoy yourself all day skiing instead.

Get up early, ski hard all day, go home happy....thats what its all about when its on....sore feet is a bad excuse to sit in the pub...bad snow is an acceptable excuse. :tongue:

[Footpro]

Hi there. First post for Footpro and Paul, I hope you are well. Talking about the original 12 Masterfitters has a certain Jedi feel to it. Those early days of the MF program were good fun.

This thread has touched on some interesting issues, one of them being buying trends. No two feet are the same and based on that I expect modifying ski boots will still require good old customer service. Maybe bootfitters should charge even more for their time and increase the price of custom insoles / footbeds? That might be what ends up happening.

Anyway, I'm looking forward to more ski boot and foot related chats and contributing to Snowatch forums wherever its appropiate

[Paul Oberin]

Hi Simon, I see there is a very good clinic coming up for Sidas, I am hoping to attend if I can get away from the shop, it will be at Perisher when the snow is on the ground, I like the clinics Symon and Ian run.

[abominable]

So does anyone know who is fitting Strolz boots in Australia other than Larry Adler in Sydney and Jindabyne.

I will try to get my next set from the makers in Lech or Zurs, but just in case circumstances conspire against me like last time*, I need to know who fits them in Australia preferably in Victoria.

* Got helicoptered off the mountain (Albona) above Stuben having just made an appointment to be fitted in Lech the next day.:cry:
Fortunately Gebi did a great job :) ahead of my next trip, but he has retired now.

[Paul Oberin]

Georges at Buller.

[abominable]

Georges at Buller.

Thanks Paul.

[John Deere]

Strolz are exxy for what they are. Go and see a good fitter with a good range and get some real boots and a real price ;)

[Snowie Meli]

Strolz are good if you have super broken feet (like me) :)

[Paul Oberin]

Strolz are good if you have super broken feet (like me) :)Strolz shell and basic design are so old and function is poor for what you are paying, you would be much better off getting a modern shell like a Tecnica and have a foam liner put into that shell.
Better still get one of the new Zip fit cork liners rather than foam, the new cork liners will outlast a foam liner twice over and are way more comfortable, they are remouldable and can go from person to person or boot shell to boot shell, it is quite likely a cork liner could last the rest of your skiing life for most people.
Strolz are living in the past and need to bring their boots up to the modern age.