Trip to local store for ski boot

[snoroqc]

My girlfriend would like news skis. I said, your should replace your boots first. Let do some shell fitting in your actual boots. Is foot is 23 of the boots is 24,5 ! 1 inches behind is heel.....Ichhh The only place in town is a big-box store.
So the guy mesure her foot (not both). He said... well you are 23, Let try a 24. They dont have anything to mesure the Width. He show her a boot: try this one. He dont ask is level, dont look at her feets, dont ask about where she is skiing,, NOTHING
Me: What is the width of the boots ?
Clerk ''It's standard width''.
Me spotting another boot : look this boot is 100''.
Clerk: no.. 100 is the flex...
Me: no last mean Width...
I did some shell fitting myself and the clerk looked at me like an alian.
Clerk: you should try the liner alone instead of the shell...
I was prepared to non professionnal bootfitter but not that level of mediocrity. Everyone will buy boots too big.
Judge me but I bought three boots online low volume 23.5 and will prey for a good fittings....

 

[Philpug]

My girlfriend would like news skis. I said, your should replace your boots first. Let do some shell fitting in your actual boots. Is foot is 23 of the boots is 24,5 ! 1 inches behind is heel.....Ichhh The only place in town is a big-box store.
So the guy mesure her foot (not both). He said... well you are 23, Let try a 24. They dont have anything to mesure the Width. He show her a boot: try this one. He dont ask is level, dont look at her feets, dont ask about where she is skiing,, NOTHING
Me: What is the width of the boots ?
Clerk ''It's standard width''.
Me spotting another boot : look this boot is 100''.
Clerk: no.. 100 is the flex...
Me: no last mean Width...
I did some shell fitting myself and the clerk looked at me like an alian.
Clerk: you should try the liner alone instead of the shell...
I was prepared to non professionnal bootfitter but not that level of mediocrity. Everyone will buy boots too big.
Judge me but I bought three boots online low volume 23.5 and will prey for a good fittings....

This is what 75+ percentage of the consumers have to deal with.

 

[cantunamunch]

I was prepared to non professionnal bootfitter but not that level of mediocrity. Everyone will buy boots too big.
Judge me but I bought three boots online low volume 23.5 and will prey for a good fittings....

IME, the only shops in QC that routinely go above that level of mediocrity are the ones that deal with race teams.

I don't know if that's cause or effect or vague correlation, but, seriously, look for a race team shop even if you need a non-race fit.

 

[snoroqc]

This is what 75+ percentage of the consumers have to deal with.

My girlfriend have very small feet (arch, width, etc) and finally the Dalbello was 101. 24,5 boots 101 width (totaly ridiculous for her).
She asked how you know that I need low volume boot ? I respond if you dont need low volume boot, who need them ?
The second problem is low volume boots equal often higher flex number.

 

[AtleB]

My girlfriend have very small feet (arch, width, etc) and finally the Dalbello was 101. 24,5 boots 101 width (totaly ridiculous for her).
She asked how you know that I need low volume boot ? I respond if you dont need low volume boot, who need them ?
The second problem is low volume boots equal often higher flex number.

Boots can be made softer.

 

[LiquidFeet]

IME, the only shops in QC that routinely go above that level of mediocrity are the ones that deal with race teams.

I don't know if that's cause or effect or vague correlation, but, seriously, look for a race team shop even if you need a non-race fit.

Everyone, always, should look for a race team shop when buying boots. The shop's website will make this clear as it will highlight its race department. Call ahead to make an appointment with the bootfitter that services those racers. There are good bootfitters out there that don't work on racers' boots, but you never know if you've been lucky enough to have stumbled upon one unless you go to the trouble of making sure.

 

[Philpug]

The second problem is low volume boots equal often higher flex number.

We are seeing more an more lower flex low volume options. As far as making a stiffer boot softer, there is only so much really that can be done, you cannot make a 120 a 80 or a 90. But that stiffer boot will be built better, a better liner, screwed on hardware vs. rivets ect.

 

[Philpug]

Everyone, always, should look for a race team shop when buying boots.

I am always afraid of statements like this. It is abolutely not the case. there are very good quality shops that while they do race fits it is not the focus. I have seen far too many cases where someone has come from a "Race Team Shop" that have been over booted in flex and fit.

 

[pete]

One would think they'd have minimal training ...

but knew once I saw a girl with a bare foot smaller than mine, liking and likely buying a boots too big for me .....

 

[Tony Storaro]

Clerk: you should try the liner alone instead of the shell...

oh boy....

 

[Uncle-A]

oh boy....

That is not as bad as you might think. Showing the customer how the foot should sit in the liner is an education device that can prevent them from purchasing a boot that is too large.

 

[Tony Storaro]

That is not as bad as you might think. Showing the customer how the foot should sit in the liner is an education device that can prevent them from purchasing a boot that is too large.

99.99% of the customers who have no idea how a ski boot should fit properly will always go for what they feel comfy in the shop.
Which is 1 or 2 sizes bigger than they actually need.

 

[Uncle-A]

Big box sports stores do train their help, but just like anything else you have good students and poor students. If you have to shop at one of the big box sports stores try not to find the kid that is only there to have a part time job. Try and find one of the more seasoned sales person. You will probably have a better chance of getting a good fit.

 

[Uncle-A]

99.99% of the customers who have no idea how a ski boot should fit properly will always go for what they feel comfy in the shop.
Which is 1 or 2 sizes bigger than they actually need.

99.99 seems too high my best guess is about 75%

 

[gwasson]

That is not as bad as you might think. Showing the customer how the foot should sit in the liner is an education device that can prevent them from purchasing a boot that is too large.

You should listen to the Blister podcast with @onenerdykid . He says there is no reason to try on a liner outside of the shell. The shell makes the foot sit properly in the liner.

 

[Doug Briggs]

99.99 seems too high my best guess is about 75%

I'd go 90 - 95% given the number of adjust and tests/remounts I do for our new boot customers that go down a full shell size if not more!

 

[Philpug]

That is not as bad as you might think. Showing the customer how the foot should sit in the liner is an education device that can prevent them from purchasing a boot that is too large.

Yes it is. the heel cannot get into the heel pocket. If you are looking for a more accuate visual, take out the stock footbed and put it up against the foot (not stand on it). it should match the foot length well. Explain this came out of the liner, the liner came out of the shell. Like the Russian stacking dolls, all the pieces should work together.
Now, when you put the boot on, the boot WILL feel too short because you are coming in straight and the boot is angled forward, once we get you flexed into the boot, the heel will go into the pocket and the toes will go from being against the front to slightly away or just touching it.

 

[Jilly]

@snoroqc - let me contact my instructor friend at MSA. She'll know where to go for boots. You went to Sport Expert at the base of MSA by chance?

 

[Uncle-A]

You should listen to the Blister podcast with @onenerdykid . He says there is no reason to try on a liner outside of the shell. The shell makes the foot sit properly in the liner.

It is a teaching tool for the customer. When a customer puts their foot in a shell you can not see exactly the location of the toe, it mat be touching the front of the shell but it may not. It maybe just as valuable to use the shell floor board if the boot has one because it can be removed and the fitter can see the customers foot on top of the floor board.

Fitting a ski boot is as much about educating the customer as it is about making the sale.

 

[Uncle-A]

Yes it is. the heel cannot get into the heel pocket. If you are looking for a more accuate visual, take out the stock footbed and put it up against the foot (not stand on it). it should match the foot length well. Explain this came out of the liner, the liner came out of the shell. Like the Russian stacking dolls, all the pieces should work together.
Now, when you put the boot on, the boot WILL feel too short because you are coming in straight and the boot is angled forward, once we get you flexed into the boot, the heel will go into the pocket and the toes will go from being against the front to slightly away or just touching it.

It is a little extra work but if done right you can get the heel back in to the heel cup, and the customer gets to see the location of the foot in the liner.