Yet another noob asking questions about which boots and skis to buy (or should I just rent?)

[Mendieta]

1. If the boot felt good, is that good enough to start with?
2. Are those skis in fact too long for me, or fine?
3. Is it simply not wise to buy any gear at this point, but instead just rent?

So, let's recap the great advice you've got so far.

1. Typically, with 5 days of skiing in your history, if they feel good they are bad
2. They seems a bit too long right now. Shorter skis are easier to turn, longer skis are more stable at speed (and you don't need any speed)
3. I know you got to this answer already, but yeah, in these first ski days, where you are improving exponentially, better rent for a bit.

I was in your boots not long ago.(see the sticky post up top). I think you got super solid suggestions for things . Let me add a couple things you can do know, even while you are renting, and will help a lot IMHO:

• Get good, thin, ski socks (I use euro socks). Rationale: you can get a great, thin sock, and fit into a smaller boot.
• Listen at the rental place! They typically, surprisingly, do a good job at asking you to push into the shin, and then asses if they fit snug. As you rest on your shins, the heel will be placed properly in the back (heel pocket) and that's when you asses.
• Use the flexibility of renting skis, and start 10cm or so under your head, if not 15. Say, 160-165cm. Go longer as and when you need it.

Some more info that might help: you won't believe how much you will learn in your first 20/25 ski days. Especially if you can work with an instructor, even group lessons. The earlier you get lessons, the fewer things you will need to relearn later on. And you'll progress much faster, especially as you move to parallel skiing, which you need.

Finally, to your other question, the boot price. Typically, shops will charge you full price for a boot-fitted boot. Most boots can be bought a couple hundred bucks lower online. What you are paying for, in a good place, is for the time the boot-fitter will spend with you,looking not just at the sizing, but also your alignment. We are not perfectly symmetrical, and most people benefit from adjustment that only a trained technician can do. They will also "punch some areas" if you have pain points, after skiing a few times on a tight boot. On he bright side, like @Philpug explained here, higher flex boots are higher quality and price. You will need an "intermediate" boot, with lower flex than the max for your weight, but definitely less expensive than the top of the line.

Cheer up, go out there and make some turns. Nothing's more fun than sliding on snow!

 

[Pat AKA mustski]

I would rent the rest of this season and then prioritize boots next fall. I am following my own advice and finishing out the season on my current too soft, not quite right boots and buying new ones in fall

 

[RelaxedNinja]

Ok, so I'm leaning towards renting. I'll go back to Mt. Everest tomorrow and see if there is a proper boot fitter there to assist, and also see if they have enough inventory left to give me any real options. If not, I'll rent from them.

I spoke to someone on the phone at Ski Barn in Wayne (not Greg, but someone called "Jonesy") at length today...he confirmed that they didn't have much left to try on, so I won't bother going there just yet.

 

[newboots]

Ok, so I'm leaning towards renting. I'll go back to Mt. Everest tomorrow and see if there is a proper boot fitter there to assist, and also see if they have enough inventory left to give me any real options. If not, I'll rent from them.

I spoke to someone on the phone at Ski Barn in Wayne (not Greg, but someone called "Jonesy") at length today...he confirmed that they didn't have much left to try on, so I won't bother going there just yet.

Call Mt. Everest first. Try making an appointment - that's the way it's done.

 

[raytseng]

All the above advice is good; However you do need to consider the prices and that $183 price is very attractively priced considering you already tried them on and they seem to fit you and supply chain issues.

If really the "throwaway" pair of boots is at the $183 price; new boots that "fit" is not a bad option. If you are still on the fence this what you'd expect for season lease pricing for the boots for 1 year anyway.

So, If you are considering 2 options between renting skis+boots every time; or buying $183 boots:

Even if you get 10days on the boots before you outgrow them skills wise, that is break even point vs renting boots + time saved fitting and getting unknown boots each time.

A lot depend if you know the rental shop you go to has good boots in inventory to rent you; so you won't be SOL. If the rental boots are crappier than the $183 boots, you need to get the $183 boots.
If every time you rent you get different boots, you run the risk that one trip the "better fitting" rental boots aren't avail, or fit so poorly that they cause cramps or pain, so you end up ruining a ski day due to having to quit from pain after a couple hours. Avoiding that is worth more than eating the $183.

So I'm actually on team buy the $183 boots vs renting every time.


Or if this is for next year, the alt option is consider a seasonlease next year and see if you can get a deal on that. But same story: you need to ensure the boots you get in that lease fit you well enough that you can ski a full day in them without pain, even if you're on a budget and these are stepping stone gear that you will throw away.

Again, this is advice only between the options of buying $183 boots vs renting boots every time. (skis you rent btw)

The more expensive and challenger step-up option is you get better fitted and higher perf. boots that are not throwaways. But you are looking more in the at least $400 and likely much higher in price range to consider. The saving grace is you are an adult, so I assume your feet won't be changing. So once you make this leap and investment; you should be good to go for a lot of days in your upcoming skiing journey.

 

[RelaxedNinja]

Call Mt. Everest first. Try making an appointment - that's the way it's done.

Called. They told me it wasn't necessary.

 

[locknload]

Lots of great advice and seems to be supporting the main theme of the investment in boots that fit your feet correctly and support where you want go in the sport. This is THE investment. We all quibble about skis, but any good skier could grab something off the rack and make it work fine even if it wasn't their preference. I was the stubborn type who tried to fit myself multiple times with on-line purchases...all in service of a "deal". Stupid me. Once I finally realized that I didn't know what I was doing and got into boots that fit me and had them tweaked just the way I needed..it was a total game changer. NO shin-bang, no beat up toes and incredible energy transfer from feet to skis. Do it right..its worth it.

 

[johnnyvw]

Called. They told me it wasn't necessary.

Probably not very busy at this point in the season...it's 68 degrees out here at the southern edge of the Poconos...

 

[Henry]

Rule of thumb--if the boots are comfy in the shop, they're too big. Too big boots will never be right.

We all have various lumps & bumps on our feet. Expect these to be tight spots when you try the boots one. If the boots are the right general shape for your feet, the fitter will heat and press out the tight spots.

"see if they have enough inventory left to give me any real options" But, you won't know. They might bring out, say, 3 possibilities, and maybe none are right for you. Wait for the September sales to buy. They'll have new stock plus left overs, and they have good pricing to generate cash in this shoulder season, the end of summer and not yet the start of winter.