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December, 2024

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List of good boot fitters.

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tomPietrowski
Posts: 7223 - Karma: 18,103
So we see a lot here people asking for advice on boots but more often then not the best respomse we can offer is go see a good fitter. But how do you know who is actually good and who is just in it for the money.

I would like like to compile a list of currently working fitters who people have had great succsess with. Ideally we can create a list which can help people locate te best fitter in their area easier.

If you have had good experiences post them up. I will update this thread with names and locations. You can give bad experiences too as obviously these can be useful but I don't think it's right to hav a list of bad fitters.

So to start off I will do the uk an whistler as these are the areas I know.


UK

Julian Thorpe
head of podietry for sidas uk.

Jules is one of the best fitters in the world. He is a qualified podiatrist and knows more about feet and boots then anyone I know. He does not fit often these days but you will catch him at the London ski show and if you contact his clinic you may convince him to work with you.

Eddie Thelwell
castleford Ellis Brigham.

I worked with eddie for a few years at cas. He is an ex pro and has a lot of knowledge. If you are in the north go see him.



Canada -west

Tom Pietrowski
whistler

i have worked as a fitter for over a decade now. I specialize in custom foot beds toachieve the best fit possible And minimize the amount of shell and liner work required. I have worked with some of the top pros but I'm more then happy to help anyone with issues they have. I enjoy a challenge and enjoy helping people get back to skiing who have had potentially skiing ending injuries.

Ernie (I'll have to cheack his last name)
salomon store whistler.

I worked with ernie for a for a few seasons and he is an awsome fitter. He is an olde dude by don't let that put you off he knows his stuff. His footbeds are good and he knows his boots. has some awsome stories too.


Well that is my start. I would love you guys to post up fitters who have gone above and beyond. I'll edit this post to update with more people.

Hopefully this this can become an awsome resource.
Aug 12 2014 3:30AM
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Ankilla
Posts: 506 - Karma: 2,378
i have full tilts. I don't need a boot fitter
Aug 12 2014 12:53PM
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skier58284
Posts: 1705 - Karma: 5,366
I got my boots at Deep Powder House at Alta. I don't remember the guy's name, but just go in and ask to talk to their bootfitter. Great place to get boots, the guy knows his stuff.
Aug 12 2014 3:45PM
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ZachAndCheese
Posts: 816 - Karma: 5,116
If you're stuck in Massachusetts go to Wachusett's Mtnside Ski and Ride. Great service, low costs and an experienced team of professionals that will get you get you a pro level set up.
Aug 12 2014 6:00PM
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G_Wink
Posts: 67 - Karma: 76
U.S. - California has loads of options for Bootfitters, as a Professional Bootfitter myself I would recommend these shops


California Ski Company Berkeley

Start Haus in Truckee

Tahoe Sports ltd. in South Lake


I am not an employee and never have been an employee at any of the shops mentioned just fyi
Aug 12 2014 6:47PM
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No.Quarter
Posts: 5257 - Karma: 16,965
Larry's boot fitting in Boulder, CO is supposed to be really good

The Custom Foot in South Denver is where I got fitted and they were great
Aug 12 2014 6:57PM
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forrest.baker.52
Posts: 54 - Karma: 70
Will from Evo (Seattle) is a great boot fitter. He's a year around guy too so it doesn't matter what time of year you go he'll be there to help you out.
Aug 12 2014 8:00PM
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50Kal
Posts: 2835 - Karma: 5,534
Bloomington, Minnesota. Pierce skate and ski. A ski race store but their knowledge and experience of boots is phenomenal.
I can't recommend Dave Hinz enough. He is without a doubt the best bootfitter in Minnesota if not entire mid-west. You can't really find a more devoted group of ski techs/fitters in Minnesota.
Aug 12 2014 8:30PM
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Al.Capone
Posts: 661 - Karma: 2,779
Inkline in Salt Lake, those guys know their stuff. Also Pep Fujas gets fitted at Sports Den so I'm willing to bet they also have their stuff in order.
Aug 12 2014 9:44PM
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tomPietrowski
Posts: 7223 - Karma: 18,103
Nice Gus I'll do a littl research into the suggestions an edit the op. Come them coming guy if you have had good experiences.
Aug 12 2014 11:40PM
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last_tango
Posts: 2635 - Karma: 2,665
Al.CaponeInkline in Salt Lake, those guys know their stuff. Also Pep Fujas gets fitted at Sports Den so I'm willing to bet they also have their stuff in order.

+1 for inkline. They also have the power with second tracks to find you used boots so they can fit you with boots on a budget.

I didn't get a full 100% fit due to being on a budget and having feet that are really challanging to fit but its damn close. They were however the first people to look at my feet and made me aware to seek medical help which i will be doing the 20th.
Aug 13 2014 12:32AM
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rozboon
Posts: 1642 - Karma: 868
Clinton @ Board Factory, Wellington, New Zealand

Takeshi @ BONTAK, Hirafu, Hokkaido Japan
Aug 13 2014 12:50AM
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miroz
Posts: 10333 - Karma: 3,945
If you're in CT or Southern New England and you need boots, Alpine Haus of Wethersfield, CT is really good. They've earned some awards for their quality bootfitting. If you buy boots from them, they'll make all necessary adjustments (blow outs, pads) free, and have all the add ons you could want (instaprints, intuitions, etc).

All the employees are awesome, but Dusty is the master.
Aug 13 2014 12:50AM
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tomPietrowski
Posts: 7223 - Karma: 18,103
last_tango+1 for inkline. They also have the power with second tracks to find you used boots so they can fit you with boots on a budget.

I didn't get a full 100% fit due to being on a budget and having feet that are really challanging to fit but its damn close. They were however the first people to look at my feet and made me aware to seek medical help which i will be doing the 20th.


Out of interest what did they advise you to get medical advice regarding?
Aug 13 2014 12:56AM
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last_tango
Posts: 2635 - Karma: 2,665
tomPietrowskiOut of interest what did they advise you to get medical advice regarding?


Pretty extream pronation which leads me to rolling my ankles on the daily with hiking around while being a zip line guide. I also have flat flimsy feet.They assumed i wore orthodics when i went in to see them. I have minor pain in my lower back and knees but i just assumed it was just myself working hard which i now belive is related to having shitty feet and ankles.
Aug 13 2014 1:23AM
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tomPietrowski
Posts: 7223 - Karma: 18,103
last_tangoPretty extream pronation which leads me to rolling my ankles on the daily with hiking around while being a zip line guide. I also have flat flimsy feet.They assumed i wore orthodics when i went in to see them. I have minor pain in my lower back and knees but i just assumed it was just myself working hard which i now belive is related to having shitty feet and ankles.


Did they not offer to produce any footbeds to help you ? That is the kind of service I would expect from top fitters. Sending you off to see a podiatrist is rather a cop out. Thanks for the input to the thread.
Aug 13 2014 1:39AM
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KyleA
Posts: 865 - Karma: 510
tomPietrowskiDid they not offer to produce any footbeds to help you ? That is the kind of service I would expect from top fitters. Sending you off to see a podiatrist is rather a cop out. Thanks for the input to the thread.


OC at Inkline is definitely one of the best in the business. I'm sure he suggested footbeds and did not "cop out" at all.
Aug 13 2014 1:46AM
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last_tango
Posts: 2635 - Karma: 2,665
tomPietrowskiDid they not offer to produce any footbeds to help you ? That is the kind of service I would expect from top fitters. Sending you off to see a podiatrist is rather a cop out. Thanks for the input to the thread.


They were thinking my health insurance could possibly cover my footbeds at the doctor compared to them. They did offer to make me some footbeds for everyday use but they knew i was pretty damn broke and i was struggling to pay them.
Aug 13 2014 1:47AM
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Nillion
Posts: 35 - Karma: 50
50KalBloomington, Minnesota. Pierce skate and ski. A ski race store but their knowledge and experience of boots is phenomenal.
I can't recommend Dave Hinz enough. He is without a doubt the best bootfitter in Minnesota if not entire mid-west. You can't really find a more devoted group of ski techs/fitters in Minnesota.


Is Dave the bigger, somewhat short guy?

Regardless, I've had fantastic service at Pierce also. I wouldn't hesitate to recommend them fully.
Aug 13 2014 2:06AM
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tomPietrowski
Posts: 7223 - Karma: 18,103
last_tangoThey were thinking my health insurance could possibly cover my footbeds at the doctor compared to them. They did offer to make me some footbeds for everyday use but they knew i was pretty damn broke and i was struggling to pay them.


Ok well that's good then. It always annoys me when a fitter sends a customer off to a podiatrist to get footbeds for boots. Orthotics from a podiatrist will be quite differnt from those you need for a ski boot. But so long as they were offering to help that is good. For others here though if you can always try to get a boot fitter to make the footbeds as they should know better the requirments for skiing.
Aug 13 2014 3:23AM
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onenerdykid
Posts: 6713 - Karma: 11,465
Some good recommendations for Northern Vermont:

Skirack in Burlington
Inner Boot Works in Stowe
Race Stock Sports in Waterbury
Alpine Options at Sugarbush
Aug 13 2014 5:59AM
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S.J.W
Posts: 7609 - Karma: 31,170
Best boot fitters in Toronto?
Aug 13 2014 8:18AM
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Ali_Dibden
Posts: 1966 - Karma: 1,688
UK again but the guys down at Ski Bartlett seem to know whats up when it comes to boots.

Also not sure what they are like in the rest of the country but Snow + Rock did a good job for me down in Portsmouth.
Aug 13 2014 9:55AM
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broto
Posts: 9039 - Karma: 25,664
Someone should map all these out
Aug 13 2014 10:38AM
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Twig
Posts: 6430 - Karma: 60,415
NUSSC_FreestyleUK again but the guys down at Ski Bartlett seem to know whats up when it comes to boots.


Ski Bartlett have fantastic boot fitters.
Aug 13 2014 11:15AM
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50Kal
Posts: 2835 - Karma: 5,534
NillionIs Dave the bigger, somewhat short guy?

Regardless, I've had fantastic service at Pierce also. I wouldn't hesitate to recommend them fully.


Dave is average height, in his 50's, kinda of skinny. Pierce skate and ski has a nifty employee profile page. Here's a link to it. You need to scroll down on it to see them all.
http://www.pierceskateandski.com/staff_ski
Aug 13 2014 12:50PM
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baked
Posts: 56 - Karma: 99
If your in Revelstoke, head to either Skookum cycle and ski or Valhalla pure sports. they are both located on meckenzie ave and in my opinion the guy at Valhalla was just a bit more knowledgeable.

If your in Banff, head to abominablesports, Soul ski and bike, Abominable sports or monod sports. there is also ultimate sports.
Aug 13 2014 12:50PM
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*DUMBCAN*
Posts: 2447 - Karma: 5,628
NUSSC_FreestyleUK again but the guys down at Ski Bartlett seem to know whats up when it comes to boots.

Also not sure what they are like in the rest of the country but Snow + Rock did a good job for me down in Portsmouth.


S+R are 90% clueless. Getting a good fitter is pure luck, they take in staff based more on retail experience than knowledge and very few will get any real experience before they leave.

Marco at Rinskis near Chichester does mine now, he's an experienced Italian but he knows his shit better than Steve (the shops owner). Not sure if he's still there, since I moved to Sheffield I haven't been down much.
Aug 13 2014 1:00PM
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tomPietrowski
Posts: 7223 - Karma: 18,103
TwigSki Bartlett have fantastic boot fitters.


They have some I fitters but not good. I have worked with a few of there senior fitters an tey would not be my first choice. Snow and rock tend to fit big too I have found.
Aug 13 2014 1:07PM
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CBishop
Posts: 135 - Karma: 64
JakeSmithLarry's boot fitting in Boulder, CO is supposed to be really good

The Custom Foot in South Denver is where I got fitted and they were great


Ill vouch for the Custom Foot. Lee (the owner) is really knowledgeable and friendly there.
Aug 13 2014 5:33PM
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Al.Capone
Posts: 661 - Karma: 2,779
http://m.inklinefootscience.com
Aug 13 2014 6:50PM
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tomPietrowski
Posts: 7223 - Karma: 18,103
there is some great info in tho thread. I think what I may do is make a new thread with all this info in ine post so it's a little easier to go through. Hopefully that thread can get stickied. If anyone else knows some good fitters keep them coming.
Aug 13 2014 8:46PM
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G_Wink
Posts: 67 - Karma: 76
brotoSomeone should map all these out



Bootfitters.com has something similar already in the works, at the moment it only shows Masterfit University members
Aug 13 2014 11:11PM
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tomPietrowski
Posts: 7223 - Karma: 18,103
G_WinkBootfitters.com has something similar already in the works, at the moment it only shows Masterfit University members


Personally I'm not really a fab of things like tHat. There is a similar program in the uk and all it shows is which shops have paid to be in the program and does not give a real idea of if a shop is good. Boot fitters.com may be differnt but I think an unbiased list like we have here will always be a better option.
Aug 13 2014 11:33PM
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G_Wink
Posts: 67 - Karma: 76
tomPietrowskiPersonally I'm not really a fab of things like tHat. There is a similar program in the uk and all it shows is which shops have paid to be in the program and does not give a real idea of if a shop is good. Boot fitters.com may be differnt but I think an unbiased list like we have here will always be a better option.



I agree, but it is a resource option. I feel like there needs to be a website or area which fitters can individually register, get reviewed and keep a profile of the work they have performed over the years.
Aug 14 2014 1:52AM
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-SnowSnoli-
Posts: 756 - Karma: 1,703
Sole in chamonix do some great work

And I go to on the mountain sports shop in Nendaz Switzerland. 2 dedicated boot fitters both know what they are talking about and 100% honest
Aug 14 2014 1:54AM
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tomPietrowski
Posts: 7223 - Karma: 18,103
G_WinkI agree, but it is a resource option. I feel like there needs to be a website or area which fitters can individually register, get reviewed and keep a profile of the work they have performed over the years.


Personally I think a forum like this where users can give reviews is a better option. if a customer independently reviews me and says in good it's much better I think then if I register with some website. But I have got some ideas for a site for this coming winter that hopefully newschoolers may find pretty useful.
Aug 14 2014 2:53AM
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tomPietrowski
Posts: 7223 - Karma: 18,103
-SnowSnoli-Sole in chamonix do some great work

And I go to on the mountain sports shop in Nendaz Switzerland. 2 dedicated boot fitters both know what they are talking about and 100% honest


Is julien (I can't remember his last name) still working at sole or is he else where. I rate that guy.
Aug 14 2014 2:56AM
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haggis_hunter
Posts: 399 - Karma: 207
Blues the ski shop in Edinburgh have a great rep. Solutions for feet in Biscter nr Oxford is the one I have had recommended to me more than any other.
Aug 14 2014 4:43AM
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tomPietrowski
Posts: 7223 - Karma: 18,103
Any other suggestions?
Aug 15 2014 2:27PM
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JibbaTheHutt
Posts: 2132 - Karma: 1,597
*DUMBCAN*S+R are 90% clueless. Getting a good fitter is pure luck, they take in staff based more on retail experience than knowledge and very few will get any real experience before they leave.

Marco at Rinskis near Chichester does mine now, he's an experienced Italian but he knows his shit better than Steve (the shops owner). Not sure if he's still there, since I moved to Sheffield I haven't been down much.



ashamed to say that having worked for some time at a branch of snow and rock, i have seen some boots that have come back incredibly poorly fitted. I think the issue is, because its such a big business (controls something like 48% of british snowsport sales) it is run as a multi million pound business, not a ski shop. As a result, head office only see it as economically viable to give equipment supervisors formal training, they are then expected to pass on 100% of that training which inevitably doesn't happen.

as you said there are people there who are taken on because of retail knowledge, or because they happen to have skied for a few years, in reality these people posses very little knowledge as to how a ski boot should correctly fit so will very often size a boot up because its more likely to feel comfortable.

that being said, there are defiantly 1 or 2 guys who id feel more than comfortable being fitted by in the store i worked in, and I'm sure its the same in most stores.
Oct 19 2014 3:47PM
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tomPietrowski
Posts: 7223 - Karma: 18,103
JibbaTheHuttashamed to say that having worked for some time at a branch of snow and rock, i have seen some boots that have come back incredibly poorly fitted. I think the issue is, because its such a big business (controls something like 48% of british snowsport sales) it is run as a multi million pound business, not a ski shop. As a result, head office only see it as economically viable to give equipment supervisors formal training, they are then expected to pass on 100% of that training which inevitably doesn't happen.

as you said there are people there who are taken on because of retail knowledge, or because they happen to have skied for a few years, in reality these people posses very little knowledge as to how a ski boot should correctly fit so will very often size a boot up because its more likely to feel comfortable.

that being said, there are defiantly 1 or 2 guys who id feel more than comfortable being fitted by in the store i worked in, and I'm sure its the same in most stores.

I don't see why it's unreasonable for the department manager to train the staff. This is how it works in most places I have worked. Obviously the manager or supervisor should b the most experienced so passing I knowledge to his or he staff is all part of building a good team and building a good department. The problem more comes from arrogance in my experience. Often people who have done it for a while are not willing to take part in training as they think they know it all. One shop for example in the uk turned down training from sidas because tey considered them selves experts already. If you had seen some of the work coming out of that particular shop you would be shocked.

But like any larger business there are of course exceptions and there are shops that are doing things well. In general this is because they have a good manager so to put down an entire company based on some bad shops is stupid. But it does sometimes mean you have to do a bit more research to see which branches are doing things well.
Oct 19 2014 3:55PM
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zahava
Posts: 7791 - Karma: 12,039
ChubbyBoyBest boot fitters in Toronto?


Are few and far between, avoid sporting life, sign of the skier and skis and bikes are good though.
Oct 19 2014 9:41PM
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cydwhit
Posts: 5075 - Karma: 43,049
Threads, some day I will get up to whistler and get all the way fitted
Oct 19 2014 9:54PM
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TheBiggestHuck
Posts: 5 - Karma: 11
I am going to throw out Superior Ski and Bootfitting because I work there and because Steve Bagley has worked in the industry longer than anybody else (Not guaranteed but it has been 35+ years). The shop is at Snowbird which is great because you get boots, you ski in them and then we correct any remaining issues. The focus of what we do comes down to balancing the foot inside the boot and working from there. O'Connor the owner of Inkline worked for Steve for many years and is a great boot fitter because of it.
Nov 12 2014 12:28AM
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Jere_miah
Posts: 11 - Karma: 18
Keith at The Pro Ski and Ride in hunter ny
Nov 13 2014 4:43PM
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a_burger
Posts: 5242 - Karma: 20,819
never had a problem at ski fanatics in campton nh, I don't remember the bootfitters name so maybe someone could help me out with that. They have great deals for repeat customers too.
Nov 13 2014 5:43PM
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.MASSHOLE.
Posts: 7495 - Karma: 11,561
Gerhart and the crew at Ski Stop in Westwood MA do a fantastic job. Both are Masterfit certified and do a great job of fitting boots and providing orthotics for skiing and regular everyday footwear.

Additionally, Marc Stewart at Windham Mountain does a fantastic job as well and is one of the few fitters I know that does ZipFit liners.
Nov 27 2014 5:12PM
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onenerdykid
Posts: 6713 - Karma: 11,465
.MASSHOLE.Gerhart and the crew at Ski Stop in Westwood MA do a fantastic job. Both are Masterfit certified and do a great job of fitting boots and providing orthotics for skiing and regular everyday footwear.


Gerhard and the team at Ski Stop do awesome work. Anyone in that area should make the trip to see them for sure. They converted an old house into a shop and the boot-fitting area is one of the rooms upstairs. It's a really funny/one-of-a-kind setup
Nov 28 2014 4:09AM
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Rparr
Posts: 5631 - Karma: 46,929
Anybody know of any good bootfitters in Ohio? Probably a stretch but I figured I'd try
Nov 29 2014 1:05AM
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