Viewing 19 posts - 1 through 19 (of 19 total)
  • Ski Equipment in London
  • engineeringcowboy
    Free Member

    I’m looking to buy my own ski boots this year (probably skis too) and because I’m size 14 I don’t want to run the risk of trying to get them when I’m in the alps.

    SO where is the best place to go in London for stuff like that?

    neilnevill
    Free Member

    Covent garden has a cluster of the big outdoor shops, Ellis Brigham, snow and rock etc, take a look there.

    dashed
    Free Member

    Avoid the main chains – look on snowheads for bootfitter recommendations – there’s a few highly rated around Manchester (I can highly recommend Graham at Rivington Alpine but little help to you!) – sure there are some southern recommendations here too though: http://snowheads.com/ski-forum/viewtopic.php?t=68061

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    hs125
    Free Member

    A bit out of the way if you’re central, but http://www.skibartlett.com are a specialist shop in Hillingdon Heath. Not in a shopping area, one of those shops you would only go to for a specific reason. I’m not into skiing myself, but the shop has been there for decades so they must be doing something right.

    CaptainFlashheart
    Free Member

    Avoid the main chains

    No reason for that, really, is there?

    Especially given you then go on to;

    there’s a few highly rated around Manchester

    When the OP specifically asked about London. Manchester isn’t London, in case you hadn’t noticed. It’s rather a long way away.

    Chains can be very good, and indeed very bad. But then, that applies to independents as well. A few from me;
    JP at Snow and Rock Covent Garden (Assuming he’s still there!). Top man, great boot fitter.
    If you’re in the City, the chaps at S&R by Monument have always seemed very on the ball. Ditto High St Ken, but I’m not sure who’s running the boot pit there this year, as lots of people have moved around. So, in London, I’d say speak to JP if he’s there. If not, Joel, the store manager is a legend.

    Just outside town, the S&R at Chertsey is MASSIVE. Always good people there, especially Colin and Jonny. However, it gets rammed at weekends. Super busy.

    Colin at Solutions4Feet. A little bit out of town (Yes, I know what I said above, but it’s a hell of a lot closer than Manchester!), always comes very highly recommended. Only issue there may be getting some time to see him.

    Finally, ring in advance for a chat, given the size of your feet. Would be far better to see if you can get somewhere with a choice of three or four boots to start with, and your size means that many shops (And notably smaller independents) are unlikely to carry your size as a standard stock item.

    *Edit – Have also heard good things re Bartletts, but never been up that way myself.

    montarius
    Free Member

    Profeet in Fulham is very good, pricey though.
    As suggested above, avoid the chain stores named above (especially Covent Garden). I tried SnR & Ellis Brigham and rapidly realised it was a complete waste of time (inexperienced college kids who had no passion).

    Colin at Solutions4Feet is recommended but isnt very practical (hes always fully booked and not very close to London).

    I kinda depends on what your feet are like. If they are normal and are unlikely to require boot modifications, then you should be fine at any store. I have wide feet / narrow ankles so needed a specialist.

    dashed
    Free Member

    CaptainFlashheart – Member
    Avoid the main chains
    No reason for that, really, is there?

    Especially given you then go on to;
    there’s a few highly rated around Manchester

    Ah yes, the selective quote 🙄 I also went on to say that Manchester was little help to the OP. But thanks for highlighting that Manchester is a long way from London – I’d never realised 🙄

    I would NOT walk into a chain and try and get boots fitted – especially with size 14 feet. Different matter if you have a specific boot fitter recommended. I used to work in the ski industry for years and the general level of training the staff at Snow and Rock and Ellis Brigham (and many other ski shops for that matter) receive in boot fitting is woeful.

    engineeringcowboy
    Free Member

    The prob lem with the chains, and perhaps I have been too quick to dismiss them, is I ask for any size 14 boots and they just shrug and say that they don’t stock them and lose interest.

    I have booked an appointment with solutions4feet in January, so hopefully should get it sorted then

    Thanks for the advice

    CaptainFlashheart
    Free Member

    From my own experience in the ski industry, I beg to differ, but I suspect you are rather set in your opinion!

    My boots were fitted at S&R on High St Ken and are simply superb in terms of fit. As are Mrs CFH’s boots, fitted at the same place.

    rewski
    Free Member

    Where in the alps are you going? Can actually be cheaper on the mountain or just at the bottom, I drive to France and would stop at a decathlon or ski warehouse, you see loads just off the motorways. UK shops have just got new stock in so probably no bargains, Snow & Rock are good IME, especially with returns.

    Pretty sure the French have big feet too 🙂 I’d look at Salomon boots, I found Nordic too narrow for my clowns feet.

    engineeringcowboy
    Free Member

    Well, I’ve got 4 weeks booked next season, all in different resorts, which is another reason why I’m thinking of buying my own. If I buy skis it will probably work out cheaper overall, sepecially because I am driving…

    I always found the rental boots too narrow in one area, too loose in another meaning that another area took all the pressure.

    My own boots are the way to go. Can’t wait now.

    dashed
    Free Member

    CaptainFlashheart – Member
    From my own experience in the ski industry, I beg to differ, but I suspect you are rather set in your opinion!

    And you’re not set in yours??

    Yes, my experience of many chains and ski shops is that they provide their staff with minimal training in bootfitting – especially the weekend staff. I’m sure there are plenty, like yourself, who have good experiences but there are many more who haven’t. I struggle to find boots off the shelf and they always need work so perhaps my opinion is rather skewed by this and someone with a more “standard” foot (if such a thing exists) would have more chance of success at the likes of S&R etc.

    rewski
    Free Member

    Own boots are definitely the way to go, bought my salomons in formigal 10+ years ago for silly money, still going strong. I personally look forward to trying different skis each year. Used to love the old salomon crossmax but really like the new rossignols.

    SamB
    Free Member

    I had my boots fitted by S&R in Covent Garden a couple of years ago. Great service – the guy who fitted me was French and had skied for a long time, so I came away with a very comfy pair of boots.

    It might be worth just popping in tbh – you can always speak to someone and see if they come across as “experience and capable” or “disinterested college kids” 🙂

    bazzer
    Free Member

    Thing with boots is, you have to know what you want from them. Its not really just about them being comfy if you ski at any sort reasonable level.

    Its really not that hard to fit a set of boots that someone will walk out of the shop and think, these are comfy.

    Ski boots are often a compromise between performance and comfort. So you need first decide where along the scale you want to be.

    If you want a pair of boots to cruise around the piste and not undo them all day. You need something different to someone who wants to do mach 1 for 3 minutes and undo them on the lifts.

    You may be a Level 10 skier on there scale (what ever scale that is) but might want to spend your time in comfort even though you could do an Olympic downhill run at warp speed.

    So just make sure they ask you the right questions.

    beanum
    Full Member

    If for whatever reason you don’t find suitable boots in the UK in your timeframe, or even if you want a backup option you could try contacting Skimium

    IF they have a shop in the first resort you’re going to, you can pre-book a fitting online and you can specify any particular requirements beforehand via email. This is what I did before getting my boots fitted in Méribel last year and I was very impressed with the whole setup, I had a couple of email exchanges with the same person (in English) and the guy I was booked in to see was waiting for me at the time agreed.
    Bear in mind that I was buying in France because it’s cheaper than Switzerland. If I lived in the UK I would prefer to get it sorted before getting on the ‘plane..

    cbmotorsport
    Free Member

    Had a disastrous fitting from Ellis Brigham in Covent Garden a couple of years ago. Was sold boots that were about 2 sizes too small, but didn’t know it at the time. Was told they would break in. Went on holiday, had black toes after 1 morning, and went to a local shop to ask what they could do, they were gob smacked, we had to hire from them. Went back to Ellis Brigham, and had a different fitter, who measured me at a completely different size, and they’re now spot on. Luck of the draw I guess.

    Edited to Add: I should say that Ellis Brigham were superb when it came to sorting out the boots. They gave me a credit note and I went up to the Milton Keynes shop instead as they have a snow dome. Got refitted, and went straight out to test them in the dome – worth doing. Milton Keynes is 1hr on the train from London.

    FunkyDunc
    Free Member

    Its not really just about them being comfy if you ski at any sort reasonable level.

    No sorry your are very wrong there. For any type of skiing all boots should be comfortable, indeed even racing they should be comfortable. The only difference is with racing etc you can clamp up to get a perfect tight fit, which after too much time restricts blood flow, hence undoing clips, not because they do not fit you as you are implying.

    My advice to the OP would be go to whoever will let you try on as many different brands as you can.

    You will know when a boot feels comfy and when it doesnt. IMO to some degree ‘Boot Fitters’ are over hyped. They are just altering a boot to fit your foot because it is the only brand they sell, not finding a boot that fits you in the first place 😈

    IMO I would go to the big stores, and ask them to order in the size you need in as many different brands as you can. Then choose the one that fits your foot.

    bazzer
    Free Member

    FD I said its not “Just” about them being comfy.

    A pair of boots when done up cuts the blood supply off maybe comfy for a race run but would not be comfy for all day skiing. The fit for all day skiing is different to what you want for a full on race boot.

    Again its fit for purpose, the type of fit you want is dependent on what you use them for.

    Totally agree they have to fit though !!!

    I think I need a new pair this year really. Mine are knackered but comfy all day. I know that I would ski better in a new pair though. They have done, one full season (103 days on snow) and 4 years of probably 6+ weeks.

    So should probably replace them, but I am a skinflint 🙂

Viewing 19 posts - 1 through 19 (of 19 total)

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