Time for new boots! How stiff a boot should I get for ski patrol?

Once you sign up to join the ski patrol you will find a sudden uncontrollable urge to acquire all new gear!

One thing I’ve been meaning to do for years is get a set of custom boots made with custom footbeds.

To do this you really need to go spend 2+ hours with a pro bootfitter.  My options were to drive to Footloose in Mammoth or visit Claude from Skinet Sports in Studio City, CA.  Claude has a good reputation and I found him on EpicSki with high regards and in an elite group of master boot fitters.

So I show up and it reminds me of the soup nazi episode in Seinfeld.  Don’t ask whats on the menu.  He just takes your socks off, stares at your feet, takes some measurements and then magically comes back with a boot that fits.  OK, there was a lot more to it than that but it certainly felt like that.

The prices were no more expensive than I would have paid anywhere else and I’m now sitting in a custom set of boots that are all dialed into my feet.  Man, why didn’t I do this years ago???

As for flex ratings, we had a big discussion about comfort versus performance.  I’ve never seen someone in rock hard race boots that really liked being in their boots all day.  On the contrary if they are comfortable you are leaving performance on the table.  In my case after much discussion I opted for a 110 flex rating performance boot.  Its like a goldilox boot. Not too hard, not too soft, just right.  I won’t know how I did until i spend a few days back to back in them but as for now, they are heavenly compared to the junk I was riding on that I thought fit me well but weren’t even close to fitting.

If you are anywhere in SoCal, Claude is worth the drive.  I love sites like Backcountry.com but boots are something you really need to buy in person with a pro.

http://www.skinetsports.com/