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Interesting phenomenon I have observed working in various ski shops over the last few years: every bootfitter seems to hate every other bootfitter and think that they are the only person that knows how to do it right.
This happens in many other industries, mechanics, sales, healthcare... you name it.
My opinion is that everyone thinks they are better than one another and like you said, thinks their way is the right way. Well, like the old saying goes, there is more than one way to skin a cat. I think people get stubborn and closed off to new ways and ideas, they get told they are good by others and it goes to their heads which leads to a form of arrogance. They might work at a shop that carries a higher end brand so they automatically think they are better, Ive seen it at lots of places. I just want a good fitting boot for a reasonable price.
I'm a boot fitter and frequently recommend other (good) boot fitters. So, no? But there are a lot of shitty boot fitters out there who don't know what they're talking about. I've worked with many of them
Young_pattyBoot fitters are the stray cats of skiing tbh. Like they’ll be super sweet and nice to you
But then the second they see another boot fitter it’s just an all out battle of ego and status.
Its a thing I've noticed in some other circles as well (aviation, vintage firearms). Many times, a discussion about something technical will turn into an intellectual dick swinging contest over who knows more.
While this is present in many industries, I think that bootfitting is especially testy because you never have an exact answer. Every foot is shaped differently and has a different medical history. People also want different things: some (honestly very few) skiers want high level performance at any cost, while most really want comfort. Plus, people get really sensitive and emotional about boot stuff, so this also heightens the intensity that a bootfitter has to work with on the daily. All of this combines to make bootfitting more of an art than a scientific technique, and allows fitters but mostly customers to bicker amongst themselves about random aspects of the trade, without ever really having any proof of anything. Until one has many years of experience at least.
mattytruWhile this is present in many industries, I think that bootfitting is especially testy because you never have an exact answer. Every foot is shaped differently and has a different medical history. People also want different things: some (honestly very few) skiers want high level performance at any cost, while most really want comfort. Plus, people get really sensitive and emotional about boot stuff, so this also heightens the intensity that a bootfitter has to work with on the daily. All of this combines to make bootfitting more of an art than a scientific technique, and allows fitters but mostly customers to bicker amongst themselves about random aspects of the trade, without ever really having any proof of anything. Until one has many years of experience at least.
In my experience a lot of bootfitters simply need to be told what your priorities are. I couldn't care less how good my boots perform if they are actively stopping me from skiing, and once I make that clear I get much better service
Boot fitted for about 7 seasons, and I’m pretty ok at skiing by most peoples standards.
I’d say the biggest reason is that if someone is going from one boot fitter to another, it’s because the first one screwed up, and now you have to clean up the mess. You don’t hear from the people whose bootfitter got it right the first time. Fixing a bad bootfit is way harder than doing it from scratch, so it’s easy to be like “why tf did they put this skinny foot in a 102last?!” When it could be something as reasonable as the shop being low on inventory and the customer insisting that they still wanted the boot.
Also, I’ve said this before, but the hardest thing about boot fitting is figuring out how the customer wants the boot to feel. You can legitimately put a customer in 3 different sizes depending on their ability, priorities, age, number of days a season, etc. So a customer may have told their first boot fitter that they’re a badass who wants a race fit, but they decline to mention that they only ski 2 days a year. So by the time they come to a second boot fitter, he’s just thinking “why the hell did he put this beater in such a tight boot?!” Some boot fitters try to inspire confidence in the customer by showing how much better they are, but that’s just bravado.
Also, the more time I spent boot fitting, the more I realized that there’s more than 1 way to skin a cat. The shop I worked at did things very differently than surefoot, but lots of people love surefoot. When surefoot screwed up, it was a bitch to fix. Also, when I first started I would try to make the race fit work for almost everyone, and by my last year I very rarely did. The biggest thing is getting the shell fit and flex right based on what the customer wants from a boot, and making a good footbed. There’s lots of other techniques and modifications, but the best advice I can give you is to just be honest with yourself and your bootfitter and trust them to put in the work. If you want a race fit, you should expect to be putting in some time, discomfort/pain, and shop time before it’ll actually feel ok.
ThaLoraxI'm a boot fitter and frequently recommend other (good) boot fitters. So, no? But there are a lot of shitty boot fitters out there who don't know what they're talking about. I've worked with many of them
Yeah I've definitely had a boot fitter tell me that they've got nothing that will work for my feet, then send me to a specific other shop that carries the brand they think I need and had an equally well-regarded boot fitter.
Yep. I do it all the time, and they send people to me too. It's mutually beneficial for us to not be dicks to each other. Idk why my above comment has so many down votes
paige.Yeah I've definitely had a boot fitter tell me that they've got nothing that will work for my feet, then send me to a specific other shop that carries the brand they think I need and had an equally well-regarded boot fitter.
Sometimes I pull up at rival ski shops, make them take out at least 11 pairs of boots amd then not buy any of them. I’m such a hater, I just can’t help myself sometimes.
KilaTsunamiSometimes I pull up at rival ski shops, make them take out at least 11 pairs of boots amd then not buy any of them. I’m such a hater, I just can’t help myself sometimes.
You claim to be a hater but I've been here since 6 AM this morning and haven't seen your face yet
oldmanskiThis happens in many other industries, mechanics, sales, healthcare... you name it.
My opinion is that everyone thinks they are better than one another and like you said, thinks their way is the right way. Well, like the old saying goes, there is more than one way to skin a cat. I think people get stubborn and closed off to new ways and ideas, they get told they are good by others and it goes to their heads which leads to a form of arrogance. They might work at a shop that carries a higher end brand so they automatically think they are better, Ive seen it at lots of places. I just want a good fitting boot for a reasonable price.
For sure. I've worked at a ton of different ski areas. 3/4 to maybe all do some weird thing that only they have figured out, even if it makes no sense, it's why they're better than everyone else.
Innovation is sweet, but you have to chuckle at the attitude sometimes. Some places its the most random ass backwards stuff too. Not worth the argument. Just congratulate them on being super smart and keep pushing snow.
soupDamn. Well played sir. So k2 is an improvement on the full tilt?
You're essentially getting the same boot and same liners, with parts that are more easily replaceable, plastic that molds and punches better, and easier customer service to get ahold of (when needed)
But it still needs to be appropriate for you foot, skill level, and style of skiing... and that's where boot fitters can get frustrated with insistent know-it-alls who don't in fact know-it-all
