[Closed] The STW Ski and Snowboard thread - 2011/2 Edition

take Profeet off the list of good bootfitters.

Sounds like you didn't have a very good experience with them which i'm surprised at because mine was a god send and the best money Ive ever put towards skiing. I have weird shaped feet and was in a lot of pain with my boots before going there.

Did you buy your boots from there or just try and get the ones you had properly fitted?

Also who worked with you? I had Michelle, small dark haired girl. Very good.

JustAnotherLogin - Member
Any thoughts on these boots? Overkill for a piste rider? Marketing BS?

As said above, don't buy boots based on the marketing, buy boots that fit you - and that doesn;t means boots that feel comfortable! Go see a reasonable bootfitter and listen to what they say. A good bootfitter will send you away without boots if he doesn;t have something in stock that will fit your foot - a bad bootfitter will just sell you whatever yo say feels ok.

Where are you based? Then we can recommend someone to see

I'm London. I will naturally check fit. It's like bike helmets, some I can't wear at all.

Italy= best food and hot chocolate but I'm going to Andorra for my second time. A long transfer but nice cruising slopes for the wife and spa to keep her happy while I get in a few more runs.

Did you buy your boots from there or just try and get the ones you had properly fitted?

Also who worked with you? I had Michelle, small dark haired girl. Very good.

Booght the boots there and custom insoles.

It might have been her as the description sounds right. She used to work at Snow and Rock at Chertsey as she fitted some Langes there for my wife, and a year or so later I go to Profeet and get her again - obviously just after her training.

I questioned her about the heels of the insoles not reaching the back of my foot but she reckoned it was fine - but it clearly was not. Maybe it was a learning mistake, but the refusal of Hamish to address a clear problem means I won't ever let a recommendation for them go unchallenged 🙂

In Tahoe they fixed my problem with the heel cup with the simple trick of putting my bare foot with lipstick on into the boot and making me lean side to side to find the contact points, and then gradually dremelling off the offending protusion (from the boot, not my heel).

Michelle, however, seemed a bit flumoxed by it.

Worst thing was all my mates got perfectly fitting boots in Tahoe from some expert bootfitters, and all for a lot less money than I paid trying to support our local expertise!

CFH - We're off the Serre Che in March, save some snow for us please? Oh and don't eat all the cake.

🙂 Been before? Or would you like some tips? I have plenty!

JAL, my tip for boots would be Snow and Rock Kensington. Make sure you get either Neil, Amy or Chris. All three are very, very good. Amy did a fit for a friend the other day and she was superb, as are the boots. (If you want, you could try ringing around to see where either Rick or Rob are, the training team. Both great guys, and both superb fitters. IIRC, Rob is in Covent Garden on some saturdays. )

ip the top of the boot forward and your prssure moves forward.

Spoilers between the calf are popular after-market accessories amonst racers. The trainer that asked me to chock my sons boots got as high as 27th in the world ranking when racing - he drills and rivets his own boots in a forward position. Even rivited the boots still flex enough for him (he's not heavy BTW). Riviting might be a bit extreme for most STWers but a calf spoiler may be just what they need.

As for rolling your ankle, you're pulling my leg right? Piste boots have canting to adjust the angle but almost no sideways flex. The manufacturers do their utmost to eliminate that as any sideways flex at the ankle means that under high load in tight tiurns you will not be able to hold the ski at the optimum angle.

Thats nice. I'm not being disagreeable, I'm just passing on my experience as a instructor trainer. Canting is there to adjust for your normal biomechanics, to get the boot flat. You might even need to cant bindings gently. You turn a ski through pressure, not by turning your foot. You get pressure on the inside (or outside) edge by effectively rolling your ankle in the boot, of course the part I assumed people would get was that as the boot is a close fit this translates to a pressure transfer sideways and forwards as the process of ankle movement will naturally load your weight forward.
I know all about calf spoilers etc and have done a reasonable amount of GS and slalom racing inc WC forerunning in both hemispheres. If you watch people, and i mean general population of 'advanced' skiers. There is a natural point at which if you push them forward they actually fight it and move the pressure back, it's very interesting. Racers can defintely get away with more aggresive forward cuffangles as they don't spend most of their time meandering around and they also rely on having very little flexion in the cuff of the boot. For most people i would not put them in that position and/or use a cuff spolier. I would however teach them to use their ankles. All told a well fitted boot, as in the right shell shape for your foot, and a decent footbed with good posting will improve most recreational skiers technical skills.

Been before? Or would you like some tips? I have plenty!

awful pinging 'button' lift

The one in Villeneuve? Yes. It is.

I'd imagine the restaurant in question was at the top of the Frejus bubble. If so, it is indeed awful!

TurnerGuy

Sounds like you had a bad experience there alright. Maybe she was fresh out of training. I have very odd shaped feet though and it was a total improvement for me. I bought my ski boots in italy and a boot fiting process was pretty much non existant where i got mine. I was just told to try on a few and go for which ones felt the best.. so needless to say I ended up having problems with them.
The prices there in Profeet don't seem bad compared to here in Whistler anyway!

I agree it was poor form for them not to help you out afterwards or get back to you. I'd still go there again after my experience with them!

Also I presume you mean Tahoe in US??

Also I presume you mean Tahoe in US??

yep.

The bootfitter (Brent) my mates went to was also fitting boots to a local who was a USAF pilot and had lots the front half of his foot in an airplane crash.

Brent had made the front half of a foot out of wood and hollowed it out so it fit snug against the guys foot stump. He then cut a boot in half, put the wooden foot into it, and fused it back together so the pilots bad foot would be supported.

As the pilot was a local he was a back country skier, so it needed to be a good job.

Another fitter was fitting a lady who had had her foot sown back on after a car crash.

Brent had made the front half of a foot out of wood and hollowed it out so it fit snug against the guys foot stump. He then cut a boot in half, put the wooden foot into it, and fused it back together so the pilots bad foot would be supported.

Awesome!

Well, varying levels of snow reports are predicting varying levels of snow for the weekend and next week. So, here's the question - Which is the most reliable online forecast for Serre Che?

Germknoddel

Just got back from a week's snowboarding in Bansko (Bulgaria). Ridiculously cheap, decent hotel and good quality, if a little limited, boarding. Can definitely recommend if you want a MUCH cheaper option to the Alps, although if apres and luxury are your thing, this ain't for you - this is Eastern Europe and things are basic to say the least. Nor is it for the piste-bashers. But we went for the express purpose of honing skills and gaining confidence on steeper sections/ going faster and for this the place was perfect. 7 weeks and 4 days to go until we next hit the slopes in Passo Tonale!!!

The OH all but agreed to booking our 2nd trip of the season, likely to be Kitzbuhel. It being our 2nd trip this one is based pretty much on price, so we have a shortlist of Kitzbuhel or Soldeu (we've found places with free kids places which makes a hell of a difference!). We've skied the Granvallira before and loved it, but I'm really keen on going somewhere new - it's really hard to beat Austria.

being our 2nd trip this one is based pretty much on price

Having got the lowdown from jamiep of this parish I am now seriously considering a sneaky 2nd lads-only trip to Jasna (Slovakia).

And I have wife approval!! 😀

(though I'm not proud of how I earned it... those images will haunt me for long time to come...)

Hello, first post on this great thread though have been reading forever! Going to 3 Valleys on Saturday - can't wait and BBC thinks that the snow'll be starting again on Thursday - woop 😀 😀

Add Kassspatzl to the list of Austrian delicacies - it's like Macaroni cheese on steroids, lovely stuff. A bit of leberknodelsuppe always goes down well too.

One thing to bear in mind should you visit Austria and go to a sauna/steam-room - nakedness is strictly enforced!

I just have a big fondness for Austria - lived there as a kid for a year when I learned to ski and I just love the way they have a proper mountain culture where are the kids learn from about 3 etc. And they do seem to take a lot more pride in the mountain restaurants than in France. They are generally massive rednecks though - there's a lot of awful awful ooompah folk music jazzed up with dance beats. 'Tis quite funny though.

GrahamS - I've been to Jasna, I didn't find it that great tbh but it was lashing it down with rain when we were there. People who had been there a week or two earlier said it was awesome when there was lots of powder though. And beer/hotdogs etc by the ski runs are very reasonable indeed.

Welcome, Shifter!

I'm off next week as well, and all the forecasts I can find have snow for Friday/Saturday of this week, and then more from Wednesday of next!

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GrahamS - I've been to Jasna, I didn't find it that great tbh but it was lashing it down with rain when we were there.

Yeah that would put a (literal) dampener on things. 🙁

jamiep has been 5 times and kindly showed me his holiday photos. They were enough to convince me. 😀

Careful what you wish for CFH, given very recent history, that snow Friday/Saturday could impede your progress in to resort or bring lockdown in it!

Good point, Hammerite!

Been speaking to a couple of folks out there, and they reckon it'll only be about 5-10 inches at most, so unlikely to shut things down. The main road from Turin to Briancon/Serre Che, through Montgenevre and Claviere way is usually pretty reliable. Coming over the Lautaret way is the more likely to be shut down.

But yes, fingers crossed....! 🙂

Thanks for the welcome 🙂
Did someone say oompah? Was in Serre Chev last year, saw a great oompah band on the Friday up the mountain at Serre Ratier. Cafe du Soliel I think it was. Great spot for sunny lunch.

A quick chorus of "Anton aus Tyrol" anyone...

I think DJ Otzi is actually from St Johann where I went. Amazing.

5-10cm (of snow :wink:) should do very nicely indeed then CFH.

Serre Ratier. Cafe du Soliel I think it was. Great spot for sunny lunch.

And MAHOOOSIVE pizzas!

However, my choice is the Bercail, at Aravet. No oompah band has been spotted there as yet. Thankfully!

Oh, and surely we can hijack this somehow!

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/snowandski/9020275/Live-webchat-ski-and-snow-holidays.html

Seriously tempted by [url= http://www.igluski.com/verbier/chalet-hotel-de-verbier_p924?holidayid=43797330&referrersiteid=340&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=16_jan_12_ingflash_&utm_source=igluski ]this Verbier Chalet deal[/url]. Only drawback is Birmingham departure.

Should I hang on and wait for something even better nearer the time (10th March)?

Any feedback re Verbier appreciated.

Cheers

Woody - I think that's an Inghams property, if so check out the same place on the Inghams website directly, you'll probably find a flight somewhere more convenient for you.

I know what you mean about holding on for last minute, I never can, get too excited looking at deals!

Cheers, you're right. £513 from Newcastle.

Good deal I think but the mate I'm going with is keener to wait and he's probably right. It'll let us see where the best snow is too the longer we leave it 🙂

I went with Inghams at Christmas to Cervinia. Thought they were excellent all round really, especially the food at our hotel (Inghams employed staff).

Verbier is a great resort, one of my favourites, for anyone from intermediate upwards, although it is wallet lightening. That hotel is very central, near where I have stayed, you can walk to the lifts or get the bus if hung over.

Can I jsut give a big "WOOO!" to the folks at Crystal? Just had a voicemail from the in resort rep (Who sounded lovely!) to see if I had any questions before heading out there, feel free to call etc.

Really impressive little service touch there!

I did wonder about 'in resort' prices in Verbier after a [b]very[/b] expensive trip to St Moritz a few years ago! Looks good though.

Verbier is ace - some brilliant terrain with easily accessible backcountry provided you're happy to hike and know what you're doing. I'd go back in a flash, rode some real memorable stuff there.

Can't comment on the resort itself - only went there once for a pizza. I daresay its not the cheapest if you're doing the full chalet/apres ski type thing. I'm a total cheapskate and HATE wasting an hour by stopping for lunch (baguette and cheese on the chairlift type of guy) so tend to avoid cafes on the mountain.

When I went, we stayed in a cute wee house just above Nendaz (nearest village on the Mont Fort side) owned by former Swiss world cup skier Steve Locher. It was his dad (Alain) that handled all the rental stuff, the house had loads of mementoes from his career, it was ace.

Sounds brilliant 2tyred.

Not too worried about mountain eats as I'll wager I'm more of a cheapskate than you (Aberdonian 8) ) but while I don't mind paying a bit extra for a decent chalet/hotel, at my age I need it, I do resent being financially raped when I fancy a few beers.

I do resent being financially raped when I fancy a few beers.

Might not be the place for you, there are some cheaper places but its also hosts hedge fund managers who spray magnums of vintage champagne over night clubs. My guess is it is easier to find the cheaper places in Verbier than St Moritz but they are still not cheap.

Maybe you should be looking at Jasna too Woody?

60p a pint sounds much more Aberdonian-friendly 😀

Worth considering but as it's my only trip this year I want to make as certain as I can that it will be a good one and I know very little about it .,,,,.....but 60p a pint <Homer voice>.hmmmm beer

Definitely want to go high and as I've skied loads in Tignes/Val d'Isere and Val Thorens/Courcheval I fancy a change.

Also first hol in 6 years where I'll be skiing rather than boarding 😀

Another one turns to the good side of the force! 🙂

Another one turns back to the wrong side of the force 😉

This place is very different from French ski forums. I don't think I've ever seen the price of beer in bars mentioned let alone head the list of important things to consider when deciding where to go! Just how much do STWers drink?

22 days up the hill so far his year and I haven't bought a single drink in a bar. We've got through a few bottles of Champagne, Bordeaux and Jurançon in our flats though.

Jurançon

When I lived in Pau I used to knock around with a guy called Pierre whose dad owned a vineyard in Jurançon.

And yes, it's about the skiing not the drinking. I can get leathered at home. Then again, I can get leathered on two pints now so I can still afford to do it in a ski resort 😀

I hope you've kept in touch so he can send you a case now and then.

This place is very different from French ski forums. I don't think I've ever seen the price of beer in bars mentioned let alone head the list of important things to consider when deciding where to go! Just how much do STWers drink?

22 days up the hill so far his year and I haven't bought a single drink in a bar. We've got through a few bottles of Champagne, Bordeaux and Jurançon in our flats though.

Some trips are more about spending every possible minute skiing/boarding - the last one I did was a much more sociable one. I was with my gf and another beginner and we had a very relaxed time with lots of stops, as much about soaking up the views and atmosphere as the boarding, which was also awesome btw. It's not so much being able to drink loads for me - we didn't at all - it's just nice to have some proper warm hospitality and not to feel like people are out to rip you off at every turn.

Sampling local food and drink is a really fun part of a holiday for me - this being STW though of course anything less than 8 hours a day of hard skiing makes you a wuss. What's the ski equivalent of a rigid singlespeed? Telemark?

let alone head the list of important things to consider when deciding where to go! Just how much do STWers drink?

On holiday? Not unusual to have 4 or 5 pints in a day,I'd say.
More on a night out.

It's mainly a [i]cost of living[/i] indicator though isn't it?
We usually have lunch and sometimes evening meals out. Cheap beer usually equates to cheap food costs.