New Boots from HSS

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New Boots from HSS

Postby jbotti » Wed Mar 07, 2018 3:15 pm

Over the years I have made many trips to Dumont for boots, alignment, lessons, camps etc. but I haven't been there for boots in several years. This season I have been skiing in an old pair of white translucent Head Raptor 150 RD boots (several seasons ago equivalent of the Raptor B2). They are great boots. But when I was 12-15 lbs heavier I did quite a bit of grinding to them. Now that I am lighter my feet have shrunk and although this boot is still quite skiable (and way better than anything else I have sitting in my garage/closets etc), they are far from a perfect glove like fit. So I made the trek to Dumont (its not terrible from Norcal) and spent the day with Diana getting into new boots (Head Raptor B2's which we already knew were the right boots) and fixing an issue or two with my old white 150 RDs. I have had boot work done at a variety of places and I have gotten myself into new boots on occasion where I didn't want to make the trip to Dumont and I would ship my boots to HSS to have them put the correct alignment plates (and get the punching and grinding done at my local shop). This makes me very well versed in what level of knowledge and service one gets elsewhere. In my 6.5 hours at the HSS shop with Diana I was reminded of what a different level of knowledge, care and service that customers get at HSS. Diana spent 6.5 hours with dialing in my boots and she wasn't going to let me leave until they were perfect. You will never get this kind of time and focus anywhere, PERIOD. It just isn't cost effective for a ski shop to have anyone spend 6.5 hours on a pair of boots that they get $800 for, of which maybe $300 is profit and that's why it will never happen anywhere else. They will spend a couple of hours with you (maybe 3-4 including finding the right boot but never 6.5 hours on just bootwork), get you reasonably close and figure when you have problems you will be back. Even worse they will put you in a boot that won't cause you any pain because its a shell size too large.

Now I am the first to admit that getting a race plug dialed in requires a different level of attention and usually a lot more grinding and punching. But a true recreational non PMTS skier was there that day and getting a new pair of boots. And they easily spent 4 hours with her (maybe more because I left before she was done).

Lastly Diana is a great bootfitter and she does the best and most accurate grinds and punches I have ever had done. Walker is also a brilliant bootfitter and boot technician. He did some great work on my two pairs of boots increasing the Forward Lean.

I know its a broken record but I just wanted to again say that most are making a mistake not making the trek to get the full soup to nuts boot set up at HSS. (and yes I fully understand why its difficult or impossible for some to get there).

I am seriously pumped about my new boots. I have a perfect glove like fit which I haven't really had in 3 seasons (when I went into the Raptor RS 140 (when I was heavier).
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Re: New Boots from HSS

Postby ToddW » Wed Mar 07, 2018 6:14 pm

To echo what John said, I'm hopping on a plane at JFK in two days for bootfitting by the gurus at HSS. My old raptor b2 are due for replacement and they've got a new pair with my name on it.

I wouldn't think of getting it done anywhere else. They do beautiful boot work and remove material conservatively to ensure a performance fit. More importantly, no other place on earth makes beds and aligns boots with their level of mastery. Next week, they'll see me on snow and tweak the alignment based on my on-snow performance.

The crew at HSS is simply the best in the industry. There are plenty of shops in Vermont that fit boots, but it's a no-brainer for me to fly out to HSS instead. That ensures years of skiing pleasure on the new boots.
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Re: New Boots from HSS

Postby tigernbr » Wed Mar 07, 2018 6:53 pm

I spent about 3 hours with Diana the Sunday before the green/blue camp in February. I can’t agree enough with the fact that it is well worth the effort to go to HSS to buy your boots and get fitted. I took everyone’s advice and got the custom footbeds when Diana recommended them. For me, it didn’t stop there as Diana tweaked my alignment for a couple of days during camp before settling on the final canting. Absolutely amazing experience and I can’t wait for next year’s camp.
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Re: New Boots from HSS

Postby jbotti » Wed Mar 07, 2018 7:39 pm

Todd, good move on getting your new B2's because they are gone after this season. See my post:

viewtopic.php?f=2&t=5288
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Re: New Boots from HSS

Postby ToddW » Wed Mar 07, 2018 9:04 pm

That was close! I almost let it slide another season. After a bit of fitting, the B2 is a great match for my feet.
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Re: New Boots from HSS

Postby skiffie » Thu Mar 08, 2018 8:02 pm

[quote="jbotti"This makes me very well versed in what level of knowledge and service one gets elsewhere. In my 6.5 hours at the HSS shop with Diana I was reminded of what a different level of knowledge, care and service that customers get at HSS. Diana spent 6.5 hours with dialing in my boots and she wasn't going to let me leave until they were perfect. You will never get this kind of time and focus anywhere, PERIOD. It just isn't cost effective for a ski shop to have anyone spend 6.5 hours on a pair of boots that they get $800 for, of which maybe $300 is profit and that's why it will never happen anywhere else. They will spend a couple of hours with you (maybe 3-4 including finding the right boot but never 6.5 hours on just bootwork), get you reasonably close and figure when you have problems you will be back. Even worse they will put you in a boot that won't cause you any pain because its a shell size too large.[/quote]

Just wanted to second this - they spent 12 hours with me in total. 8-10 hours just in one day molding and setting the liner, then the rest during the camp days, gluing things to the outside of it and punching and grinding :lol: They are amazing! (that is, both the boots and HSS!)
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Re: New Boots from HSS

Postby jbotti » Sun Mar 25, 2018 7:27 pm

Have now skied in my new Head B2s the past 5 days. It is by far the best fitting boot I have ever been in. I have a super glove like fit and I can eat lunch indoors for 45 minutes and have my feet swell a little and not start to cramp. As well on two days we have had some warm temps which usually cause some discomfort for me as my feet will swell some. No issue. Got real cold this morning (10F). Added a little more tension to the ankle buckle and it was back to a glove like fit. It is amazing when the communication between skier and bootfitter is great and the bootfitter can then produce the desired result. What I said in the original post was about focus and care and hard work. At the end of the day it also needs to produce the desired result. Bingo!
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Re: New Boots from HSS

Postby Basil j » Mon Mar 26, 2018 9:27 am

Are you comfortable sharing what that all costed you? I'm thinking of flying out with my daughter to get new boots for myself and her, get the alignment done & foot beds. Will probably be Lange race boots for her (110 flex) and 130's for mys self if they stock them. If not no biggie.
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