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January, 2025

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Bootfitter Vail

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I_liketobutter
Posts: 2664 - Karma: 997
I'm in vail for the next few days and my boots fucking destroy my feet. Is there a reputable, not just your buddy, but a damn good bootfitter in vail?

Thanks
Mar 2 2014 11:12PM
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freeballer
Posts: 736 - Karma: 1,071
I think the boys at Surefoot are your best bet, but you might have to drop some coin.


Mar 3 2014 2:46PM
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brenker
Posts: 3188 - Karma: 72
Tom Haas at the Jeannie Thoren's Women's Ski Center in lionshead village. Yeah it is a women's specific ski shop, but Tom is one of the best custom bootfitters i've had the pleasure of working with (I worked in their shop last spring, mention Sean if you go in). They do excellent work for way less than surefoot and in many cases the custom fits end up working out better than surefoot products.
Mar 4 2014 8:39PM
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AJizzle
Posts: 1882 - Karma: 522
Not a fan of surefoot, I would look somewhere else OP.
Mar 4 2014 8:44PM
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brov1
Posts: 1826 - Karma: 8,838
sure foot is good for sizing but that is literally it, they put me in 2 bad boots that i was allowed to demo before i said fuck you and went to christy sports across the streets


Mar 4 2014 9:28PM
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.nasty
Posts: 10595 - Karma: 11,315
surefoot = sorefoot
Mar 4 2014 9:43PM
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brenker
Posts: 3188 - Karma: 72
I had a custom footbed last season from surefoot and it was such a piece of shit AND was $120 WITH a locals discount. Pretty much the biggest ripoff. I went back to my old Volcano/Sidas footbeds.
Mar 4 2014 9:51PM
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tomPietrowski
Posts: 7256 - Karma: 18,388
Never go to surefoot. They have some of the worst footbeds on the market and just fit big and fill with a foam injection liner. I would not really even call them boot fitters but that is maybe a bit harsh.
Mar 5 2014 3:41AM
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.nasty
Posts: 10595 - Karma: 11,315
Not harsh at all! They capitalize on the gaper who thinks the huge price is what they need to get good fitting boots haha
Mar 5 2014 10:19AM
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SNOWMAN17
Posts: 1797 - Karma: 54
gorsuch does great work
Mar 5 2014 10:46AM
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freeballer
Posts: 736 - Karma: 1,071
To each their own, i suppose.  i personally would never use any other footbed than Sorefoot. It's the exact bottom of your foot and CNC milled out to those exact dimensions.  i've had 3 pairs of boots from surefoot and each time they make me go smaller and smaller, so i haven't experienced having a big fit and filling it with foam. for your reference, i wear a 9.5 street shoe and am in a 25.0 ski boot.  that's pretty snug. 
Mar 5 2014 4:51PM
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artfullydodged
Posts: 8358 - Karma: 1,674
SBF will do you right.
Mar 6 2014 12:27AM
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tomPietrowski
Posts: 7256 - Karma: 18,388
Try a sidas footbed and you will never go back. The issue with sore foot is the way the machine reads you r feet. You need to be stood perfectly neutral or the footbed produced cAnt hope to support you in neutral. Unfortunately we had to replace more footbeds from surefoot then anywhere else.

And as for them recommending different size boots that sort of indicates they are not great. Your feet will not be shrinking so they must have fitted big initially.
Mar 6 2014 3:30AM
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freeballer
Posts: 736 - Karma: 1,071
The tech I use takes a lot of time to make sure I'm neutral before the machine reads my feet.  Maybe he's just better than the average tech. 

As for going smaller and smaller, that's not really an indication of fitting me too big initially, but rather me wanting a more racer, super tight fit the longer and better I've been skiing. 

I'm going to check out these Sidas footbeds though. 
Mar 6 2014 11:15AM
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I_liketobutter
Posts: 2664 - Karma: 997
went to christy sports at the base of vail village. guy named BC helped me out with just some quick grinding and remolding of my liner. didn't really want to rush into a purchase with only a few days left on the season. regardless, the guy was super knowledgeable, helpful, and seemed to really know his shit. had me try on about 6 diff boots to see what I should go towards when I actually do make a purchase while being fully aware I wouldn't be doing that till next fall. probably spent an hour and a half w me and didn't charge me a thing.

its awesome to go into a shop, have the guy actually care about what type of skier you are, your past, etc regardless of your money situation or what you're going to leave the shop with.
Mar 6 2014 11:58AM
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tomPietrowski
Posts: 7256 - Karma: 18,388
My point with the foot was more that you can't turkey get your foot into a dynamic neutral postion whilst it weighted. When you step on those sensors your heel and ball of foot will change shape by flattening. It's this that you can avoid with sidas and superfeet. Try out a sidas you really will not be disappointed.
Mar 6 2014 12:15PM
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freeballer
Posts: 736 - Karma: 1,071
When you ski, regardless of what type of footbed you have, you are putting your weight on your foot, which flattens it.  So I don't really see your point.  I'm standing when I ski.

I'm still gonna check out these Sidas though. 
Mar 6 2014 6:45PM
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tomPietrowski
Posts: 7256 - Karma: 18,388
Yeah that is true but it is better to get a mold when the foot is in an unweighted or semi weighted state. A foot will always flatten out under load but if you surport the foot when it is already flattened you are not really surportung it. If you start it unweighted and then allow it to flex into full weighted it gives a more dynamic feel. The more you can feel through your feet the better you will ski and it all comes down to balance, and to balance your foot must be able to flex and slightly move to bear weight. But all this means not much until you ski it. So if you can try it and enjoy your skiing.
Mar 6 2014 7:23PM
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