Buying ski boots

[Eilyv]

I'm going to Soll, Austria in January and want to buy a pair of ski boots. Is it worth waiting til I get there or do places in Ireland offer the same range and offers? If so, where in Ireland could I try (Cork)?

[phil]

Hi Eilyv,

There are many reasons NOT to buy in Ireland or Cork for that matter.
1) The lack of selection
2) The lack of trained staff to fit them on you
3) The lack of competition and hence higher prices.

I would wait until you are in Soll and pick up some there. You could try Great Outdoors in Cork, they might have a few, but besides that I think you will have problems.

I also wouldn't recommend buying off Ebay or internet shops as ski boots should be fitted by a professional. This will insure that they don't hurt your feet (more than they should).

[pete railing]

I would 2nd what Phil said. In fact I would be stronger against it. Wait until you are at the slopes to buy your boots. Make sure you get good ski socks too, football ones won't swing it.

pete

[guidon]

On my holidays in Val Thorens there was plenty of places selling the boots, at much better prices than Ireland. They were selling both at the skihire and at other shops too. I don't think you will have a problem finding boots once you are on site.

[imported_admin]

my mom boughts some stuff on ebay last year and she was pretty happy. There is alos a website, www.blue-tomato.at that sells gear, which is a little more expensive but better quality.

Good luck getting any decent ski gear in Cork, or Ireland for that matter. Maybe I'm wrong, but the shops at the resort would have 20 times better gear. And as someone mentioned, they *need* to be fitted properly !

[xcountry]

I bought mine on ebay and I was happy enough. I saved at least €50 on them as far as I can make out. I had boots before so I just went for the same size.

[off-piste]

I tried ebay and I got crap, the boots were too awkward and they didn't fit right. getting gear online is no easy science. Sizes vary alot from manufacturer to manufacturer.

[raul]

I wouldn't advise anyone to buy ski gear over the internet and specially ski boots. You HAVE TO try them and to get the feel of them before buying – don’t forget: you’re gambling with your legs there and YES Europe is far better for buying boots than Ireland.

[ClaireBear]

I would agree with Raul.

I would also suggest that you buy NEW boots rather than saving a few €'s on 2nd hand shoes. After you've fitted your boots, they mould and form around your feet. This is one of the reasons you should buy as opposed to renting boots. Remember your boots are an investment that should last you at least 5 years or more ! You should calculate that when you are thinking that boots are expensive.

[Neiltoo]

I should first of all point out that I sell ski boots in Ireland:) so you can consider me biased if you wish but I will try and explain why I think the way I do.
If you plan to buy boots abroad you should consider the following:

If you have a problem with the boots will you be returning to the same resort in the future? If not what will you do?

Make sure that the person selling the boots is an experienced boot fitter; you would think that this is more likely to be the case in a ski resort than in Ireland but my experience suggests otherwise. (I worked in ski resorts in France, Switzerland and Canada for 14 years and have seen many complete novices fitting boots) - Ski resort staff are often seasonal workers who will do and say anything to get a job!

Make sure that you know what you are buying and what they should cost - We have many customers who come to us with boots bought abroad - often they are inappropriate (wrong size, bad choice of make for shape of foot or model for ski ability) or 2 or 3 seasons old yet sold at current prices.
This is not true of all shops but some retailers know that after the week they will never see you again and they take the chance to get rid of old stock.

So, I wouldnt say dont buy abroad, but you do need to be careful. If you do plan to buy in Resort buy the boots on your first day so that at least you have the rest of your holiday to discover any problems and get them sorted.
This applies to wherever you buy - be completely honest about your ski ability, you wont get relevant advice if you dont. Expect the sales person to ask you about what you ski, how you ski and how hard etc. If they dont, how can they work out what boot is best for you?

As said above I would strongly agree that you should not buy ski boots on-line. Its completely hit and miss.

See our selection of ski boots here (http://www.macski.com/Categories.aspx?CategoryID=120&PartnerID=63)

[off-piste]

Good advice Neiltoo.

Since I started skiing, the first equipment I bought was boots. It was something about putting you feet into something else that other people have probably sweated into. And what is great that they can possibly last a fair few years. And opposed to skis where you need to get them waxed and repaired. At least with rental skis, they repair them, but sometimes it can take a bit longer to get used to.

[osulljp]

Hi everyone,

First post here.

At the end of my very first holiday a few years ago I asked my ski instructor for advice on what I should buy. His advice made sense to me and still does.....

Don't buy skis...the technology is rapidly improving and you can rent new models each year. Besides you wont have to carry them on to flights etc. And you can get powder skis or piste skis or blades or whatever you want to get on any partcular day.

Don't buy boots until you have been skiing at least 4 week. You need stiffer boots as you improve and will not get enough use in the early stages before you have to change to stiffer boots. And don't try to learn in boots that are too stiff..that doesn't work out well.

Anyway, after about 6 weeks of skiing I bought boots that I anticipate will do me for 10 or 12 holidays, maybe more (I go twice a year). I realised that it would cost more here than abroad but I wanted to be able to go back to the shop if I needed adjustment or had any problems. Having researched a bit I understood the importance of good boot-fitting and that’s where I came across Macski. I'm in Dublin and they are in Belfast so I rang them and they were more than happy to talk to me on the phone and explained in detail what they would do, when best to visit etc.

The upshot was that the missus and I had a shopping day in Belfast and both got fitted for boots at Macski. We went the whole hog and got custom insoles. The whole process took 2 hours. I ended up in boot a full 1.5 mondo sizes smaller than I had been given on every occasion I rented a boot. Needless to say, the difference it made to my skiing was huge. That said, it took 2 trips to break them in fully, but now they fit like a glove. Similar story with my wife. OK , I could have saved a few bob in a resort, but if I spread the extra cost over, say, 10 ski trips, its nothing per trip. I would not hesitate going back there next time I buy.

If you are going to buy boots abroad, buy them first day or early in the trip. Also the best value is late in the season when the shops are clearing their stock. The value then can be incredible.

I have no association with Macski BTW but was impressed with the guys, so glad to let people know of my experience.

John

[paul]

Welcome to the board John ! Thanks for the tip.

[Skyhawk]

Is there anyway that a ski boot can be adjusted so that its flex is increased i.e. make the boot softer?
I have a pair of Salomon Performa 6 boots, however, they are extremely stiff and hence restrict my ankle movement, they would probably be more suited to an expert skier.

[ClaireBear]

Is there anyway that a ski boot can be adjusted so that its flex is increased i.e. make the boot softer?
I have a pair of Salomon Performa 6 boots, however, they are extremely stiff and hence restrict my ankle movement, they would probably be more suited to an expert skier.
I don't think so Skyhawk. Maybe you can find a manual on the internet for them. As your skiing skills increase they do recommend more firmer boots. Your feet/ankles should be pretty fixed in a boot, so that you have a better sense of control.

[Skyhawk]

Thanks CB, I have got used to them at last and I'm very happy with them now. For some reason that are far more stiffer than most recreational boots....

[eyebeefree]

Hi, I've just joined this forum, but would like to add this. I got ski boots fitted 8 years ago, with custom insoles. These were bought at the resort and I had to do a lot of fitting in different shops until I found the right ones. After a few seasons of comfort I find that the boots have become loose and I need to find a cheap way to restore the 'tightness' which gives me control on the slopes? Is the only way to replace the insoles and liners? Any advice?.

[guidon]

yes you can buy insoles and liners, I would have a look online, like on ebay to get things like this. In the mean time you can think of maybe wearing an extra layer of socks and that should do the trick. I am suprised that they would become loose over time, are you on the last setting for the clips on the boots ?