UKC

Hi, I'm gonna get some ski boots and I vaguely remember someone reccommending a brill shop in Yorkshire.
Is BackcountryUK the one or Glide+slide.

Any other reccomended shops? I'm based in Sheffield.

What I'm after is really expert advice and fitting.
thanks

In reply to Dan Arkle:

Not been but I have used this lot online many times, http://www.lockwoods.com/

or go on holiday and go to Aviemore or Breamar. lots of shops

In reply to Dan Arkle:

BackCountry

In reply to Dan Arkle:

Backcountry are great in my experience, especially for boot fitting. Check the have a good stock of boots in your size before you go. (They'll try you in different ones, until they find one that fits you best)

(Lockwoods have been getting a poor rep for bootfitting recently, no personal experience though so cannot confirm or otherwise)

In reply to Dan Arkle:

I hear they're both very good. I got mine from Backcountry and they've been a revelation - I used tho think that everybody undid the clips on their boots on every lift and took them off at lunchtime - now I can happily wear them all day and never feel a sausage.

In reply to Dan Arkle:

thanks all, very helpful.

In reply to Dan Arkle:

Hey Dan -not that I should recommend buying on line, esp boots which I wouldn't, but ski's and bindings take a look at Sport Conrad (or is it Conrad Sport?) they do really good deals and you are getting euro prices which are always cheaper on ski's in my experience... lots of last years lines etc...

In reply to Dan Arkle:

BackCountry - I bought my telemark gear from there a few years ago and was extremely satisfied with the service. Great breadth of knowledge. They almost won't allow you go until you are perfectly happy with your purchase. I think I was in there 1/2 an hour after closing time, bit like a pub lock-in ......but with gear!!

In reply to Dan Arkle:

Dan,

Backcountry (uk) is in Ilkley, Glide'n'slide are in Otley.
I've used both for different stuff, but I too would recommend the former for boot fitting.

PP.

In reply to Dan Arkle:

BAC in Elland?

http://bac-e.com/

They've been in business for years, friends have said they know their stuff with skiing.

In reply to Dan Arkle:

There was a long discussion about this on Snowheads. Me and one other person had had bad experiences at Backcountry, while a sea of other people leapt to their defense.

My advice would be to read up on some basics of bootfitting...

http://www.wildsnow.com/72/bootfitting-for-backcountry-skiing/

http://www.wildsnow.com/952/let-the-boot-fitting-commence-zzero-round-one/

If the sales assistant starts telling you something which sounds different to the above, walk out.

Lockwoods fitted my girlfriend's touring boots, and did a very good job. I was slightly surprised that they didn't try to persuade her to buy custom insoles, which is out of step with most good shops. Not sure if this is a policy at Lockwoods, or if they simply looked at her feet and decided that the good quality BD insoles that came with her boots would be sufficient for her.

In reply to Oceanic:

Maybe they didn't have her size of insoles to sell her !

I think simple hearing someone - who is generally assumed to be a good boot fitter - express a different opinion to the norm - then simply saying actually I've changed my mind, putting your socks on and leaving its a bit harsh !

Everyones feet are different - thats why people advise going to see an experienced fitter. Simply reading up on the tinter web about a subject then discarding what you are told by someone who works in that field - as you prefer the generalised online opinion is rather rash in my view.

How many people have read up about an illness online - come to the conclusion they have several terminal illness's - then gone to the GP and told they have a minor virus !!!! Good old tinter web heh

In reply to Dan Arkle:

Best advice I could give though is to go on a ski holiday to Chamonix. Book a boot fitting appoint at Sole for the first day of your trip.

Steve from Sole wrote on Snowheads that when he worked in the UK, he had to fit people in boots that were too big, because he feared spoiling their holiday by sending them away with boots that were too small. He said that now he works in resort, he puts people in boots the right size, because he knows that if he has miscalculated and gone too small he can sort the boots out for them.

In reply to Henry Iddon:




Scarpa say that the maximum gap when shell fitting should be 30mm. If said 'bootfitter' gives advice that is the complete opposite of this, I think it's entirely reasonable to walk out. But hey, It's your £300, you should spend it how you like.

In reply to Oceanic:

I'm really surprised that Backcountry gave dodgy advice - when I had mine fitted he had a little stick that's 30mm wide and he checked various shells to see which had the right gap - which is why I don't have the Garmont boots I originally liked the look of as the gap was too big.

I know there's at least a couple of fitters there so maybe you got the drunk one?

In reply to andy:
Yes I'm with you Andy - I had excellent service at Backcountry regarding my touring boots, and seem to recall a measuring stick being involved as well.

Yes I've heard good things about Sole in Chamonix, and if your a regular visitor great. Personally I'd like to set off on a trip with everything boxed off and not rely on getting kitted out in resort, although my alpine boots were fitted in Lech - a pair of Strolz by Frank their top tech.

I note that Glide + Slide now supply Strolz alpine boots - so can only assume they give avery good service as well.

In reply to andy:
Like I said in my original reply. When this was discussed on Snowheads there were two of us complaining about BCUK and a sea of people saying that they are great.

My issue with the 30mm fit stick was that the bloke was saying that 30mm represented the minimum shell gap, while Scarpa say that 30mm is the maximum shell gap ( http://blog.scarpa.com/shell-fitting-ski-boots-the-essential-first-step-in-... ).

(Caveat, obviously shell gap is just one aspect of boot fitting, not the whole picture).

In reply to Oceanic:

yes I saw the thread on Snowheads too. My experience at BCUK was that the heel stick test gave the MAXIMUM, rather than minimum shell size. I can only guess that your experience may have been due to temporary on inexperienced staff being drafted in during a very busy time

In reply to kevin stephens:

It was a member of staff who at the time was listed on their website as a full time, regular member of staff. But it was over a year ago, so if he's ammended his ways then I wish them good luck.