New boots

[tomfisch]

Thought I'd post something and not just lurk around anymore...

I've been skiing the same boots for the last 13-14 years: Salomon Sensifit, 65-70 flex. I've always heard other people talking about their shins getting sore because of the boots, and I guess I thought that my boots were great because I've never felt any of that. In fact, I've always been quite happy with my boots. Right up until this season. This has been my first season of doing some real pmts drilling and that has made it pretty clear that I need new boots, since my current ones provide no support whatsoever. Sometimes I would get too far forward and sometimes I would get too far back, but I would only notice this when the skis didn't do what I wanted them to do: the boots were just there, flexing along for the ride, not giving me any feedback or support. Plus I think they're too big: I can almost do the twist with my toes in there (maybe it's just the lining that has packed out).

Here's the issue: I'm in Denmark and it's hard for me to find boots here. If I'm lucky enough to find a ski shop that carry any of the pmts recommended boots, they don't have my size in stock. I have small feet and ankles. Almost freakishly small feet: maybe as small as a size 24. Left foot just a little wider than 100 mm, right foot just a little narrower than 100 mm. I'm 5'8 and weigh 143 lb. Is there a boot that would be more suitable for me than any of the others on the list? And can I rule out any of them? If I'm reasonably sure what I need, maybe I'll be able to get the shop to make a special order in my size.

[tomfisch]

Some additional information:

Neutral foot, with slight pronation when dorsiflexed (while standing/walking/running)
Small ankle and heel bone (in my old boots, I'm able to lift my heel no matter how hard I tighten the boots)
Neutral legs, not bowlegged or knock kneed
Short tibia (relative to the femur)

I'm trying to get a ski shop to order some Head Bouts (Not sure what models yet, probably Raptor 115 and 130, maybe B3 if available) in sizes 24 and 25. I've only tried on a Raptor 115 in a size 26, and of course that was way too big, but it also felt kind of to 'long'. Having short legs, is this something I should think about when trying on boots?

Hope you can help... !

[Erik]

I suggest you contact Portes du Ski in NL. They are PMTS-trained.

http://www.sneeuwsportleraar.nl/contact/

[DougD]

I suggest you contact Portes du Ski in NL. They are PMTS-trained.

http://www.sneeuwsportleraar.nl/contact/

+1

Choosing boots over the internet is a low probability gamble. Further, even if you luck into suitable ones, you won't get the alignment work that (IME) only a PMTS fitter provides.

Be prepared for BIG changes. A 65-70 flex boot would only be right for a small child. Ten years in those probably limited your progress and helped you rehearse many ineffective movements. Big changes ahead, but exciting and progressive ones. Good luck!

[tomfisch]

I definately don't intend to buy boots over the internet - but since all ski shops in Denmark are so tts oriented I need to ask elsewhere for advice. And yes, my gear has been holding me back - but not as much as those tail pushes and up movements that I've been doing the whole time. The funny thing is that I knew I was not getting it right because I wasn't making any progress no matter how hard I worked. So I searched the internet for clues to what I was missing. That's how I came across Harald and pmts: his skiing immediately caught my eye though I couldn't really tell why. But that didn't matter - I was hooked...

[ToddW]

+1 Jasper at Portes Du Ski is your best option in Europe. Jasper is a great guy and will get your boots set up right. I have skied with him several times and would definitely trust him to do my bootwork. Even if you buy boots elsewhere in consultation with Japser, consider having him do the final setup and alignment.