New Boots - Done right, where should I go?

[WJenness]

The quick and dirty: I want new, good boots... Something I can use for a few years... Something that fits right and will perform.... I'm okay spending some money, but not looking to break the bank.

My feet are horrible (I over pronate like crazy, they are fairly large - sz 13 or so, and just downright ugly)...

Who should I go see that isn't too far from me? Would I be better off getting something local or waiting until I'm up at Sunday River where I spend a majority of my ski days and hitting a shop up that way?

What say ye?

-w

 

[WWF-VT]

Might ask for a recommendation for good bootfitters at Sunday River. I am not sure who is good local to you in Chelmsford, MA.

 

[WJenness]

Might ask for a recommendation for good bootfitters at Sunday River. I am not sure who is good local to you in Chelmsford, MA.

I might add that I consider "local" to be anywhere within an hour drive time...

-w

 

[deadheadskier]

Near you?

Strands in Worcester has a decades long reputation of being a very good boot fitter.

 

[hammer]

Jeff Bokum has done boot work for a number of AZ members...I'm one of his happy customers.

http://www.profileorthoticcenter.com

 

[wa-loaf]

Jeff Bokum is in Concord and set up a place in Sunday River last year. I'd say he's your man.

 

[snowmonster]

Another vote for Jeff Bokum. I'm a satisfied customer.

 

[thetrailboss]

Another vote for Strand's. They did a great job for me in 2004 and they are really friendly and the prices are good. It is an interesting experience to visit the place.

 

[wa-loaf]

I actually have an appointment at WA next week. As much as I like Jeff, Concord to too out of the way for me. And since I'm at WA at least once a week in the winter I like that I can just pop into the shop and have things adjusted if I need it.

 

[Geoff]

I might add that I consider "local" to be anywhere within an hour drive time...

-w

If you have a real fit issue, you really want a boot fitter who is a certifed pedorthist. I'm not aware of any boot fitters in Massachusetts with that kind of training. Killington, Stratton (Green Mntn Orthotic Lab), Sugarbush, and Stowe are options in Vermont.

Here is the list of certified pedorthists in Vermont. Most of them are boot fitters:

Carol Beale, C.Ped., Killington, VT (Basin Ski Shop)
James Kenneth Bisbee, C.Ped., Stowe, VT
William Geoffrey Curley, C.Ped., Watsfield, VT
Raymond J. Garrett, C.Ped., Killington, VT (Basin Ski Shop)
David R. Goodspeed, C.Ped., Rutland, VT
William B. Haight, C.Ped., Andover, VT
Robert J. Hodge, C.Ped., West Rutland, VT
Ronald Alan Houser, C.Ped., Manchester Center, VT
Sara Beth LaBarre, C.Ped., Williston, VT
Mark McCarthy, C.Ped., Barre, VT
Ms. Margaret L. Mitchel, C.Ped., Stratton, VT
Raymond H. Rice, C.Ped., Killington, VT (Surefoot)
David J. Strousse, C.Ped., Woodstock, VT (Peak Performance)
Terrell T. Walton, C.Ped., Townshend, VT
VeBenjamin R. Wax, C.Ped., Stowe, VT

The certification organization has a search function so you can find boot fitters who have Certified Pedorthist training elsewhere.
http://www.cpeds.org

Here's another option. Richelson's Feet First that has a very good reputation as a boot fitter. Plymouth is more than an hour from Westford, MA but it's shorter than driving to Vermont.
Paul S. Richelson, C.Ped., Plymouth, NH

 

[roark]

I've used Jeff Bokum and been pleased. I need to schedule a visit soon. I've also heard very good things about Shon at The Boot Pro (Okemo access rd)

 

[wa-loaf]

If you have a real fit issue, you really want a boot fitter who is a certifed pedorthist. I'm not aware of any boot fitters in Massachusetts with that kind of training. Killington, Stratton (Green Mntn Orthotic Lab), Sugarbush, and Stowe are options in Vermont.

Here is the list of certified pedorthists in Vermont. Most of them are boot fitters:

Carol Beale, C.Ped., Killington, VT (Basin Ski Shop)
James Kenneth Bisbee, C.Ped., Stowe, VT
William Geoffrey Curley, C.Ped., Watsfield, VT
Raymond J. Garrett, C.Ped., Killington, VT (Basin Ski Shop)
David R. Goodspeed, C.Ped., Rutland, VT
William B. Haight, C.Ped., Andover, VT
Robert J. Hodge, C.Ped., West Rutland, VT
Ronald Alan Houser, C.Ped., Manchester Center, VT
Sara Beth LaBarre, C.Ped., Williston, VT
Mark McCarthy, C.Ped., Barre, VT
Ms. Margaret L. Mitchel, C.Ped., Stratton, VT
Raymond H. Rice, C.Ped., Killington, VT (Surefoot)
David J. Strousse, C.Ped., Woodstock, VT (Peak Performance)
Terrell T. Walton, C.Ped., Townshend, VT
VeBenjamin R. Wax, C.Ped., Stowe, VT

The certification organization has a search function so you can find boot fitters who have Certified Pedorthist training elsewhere.
http://www.cpeds.org

Here's another option. Richelson's Feet First that has a very good reputation as a boot fitter. Plymouth is more than an hour from Westford, MA but it's shorter than driving to Vermont.
Paul S. Richelson, C.Ped., Plymouth, NH

Jeff Bokum is a C.Ped. Concord is maybe 45 mins from Chelmford. Since Jeff has also set up shop in Sunday River and W skis there a lot. It seems like a no brainer.

 

[deadheadskier]

I've used Jeff Bokum and been pleased. I need to schedule a visit soon. I've also heard very good things about Shon at The Boot Pro (Okemo access rd)

Shon, formerly of Northern Ski Works? He fit all my boots growing up as a kid and is excellent.


On Geoff's list, Ben Wax in Stowe is fantastic as well; took care of my boots during my time in Stowe.

 

[deadheadskier]

Jeff Bokum is a C.Ped. Concord is maybe 45 mins from Chelmford. Since Jeff has also set up shop in Sunday River and W skis there a lot. It seems like a no brainer.

true, but he could check out some of the guys in VT and realize he's missing out on better mountains / snow

 

[roark]

Shon, formerly of Northern Ski Works? He fit all my boots growing up as a kid and is excellent.

The same. Has his own place now.

 

[wa-loaf]

true, but he could check out some of the guys in VT and realize he's missing out on better mountains / snow

I was sticking with the assumption he wanted something within an hour of home.

 

[deadheadskier]

The same. Has his own place now.

My family was introduced to Sean in a funny way. We had rented a place up on the Sachem trail for the winter. One night on our way back home from dinner, his car was in a ditch and my dad helped arrange to get him pulled out. He was just getting started with Northern back when they were in their old location in the strip mall across the access road. He hooked us up and had our family's business for the next 15-20 years we skied at Okemo.

 

[GrilledSteezeSandwich]

true, but he could check out some of the guys in VT and realize he's missing out on better mountains / snow

Good Point!!!!

 

[bigbog]

a Must Do on my calandar...

Pre-Thanksgiving Day appointments really catch fitters/pedorthists(sp?) at a good, less hectic time. It's the yearly checkup...for skeletal alignment, possibly new footbeds, for me= always good...legs/ankles/feet change... As you know...most all shops have their boots in by Columbus Day, sometimes a little earlier. Any shell work I've had done has worked out the best when done after I've skied in the new liners a bit, as Jeff will most likely have you do....fwiw. The boot board fitting is one thing, but I've always found that the extremeties are hard to clearly judge when you're dealing with a new, pristine liner.
$.01

 

[Geoff]

Pre-Thanksgiving Day appointments really catch fitters/pedorthists(sp?) at a good, less hectic time. It's the yearly checkup...for skeletal alignment, possibly new footbeds, for me= always good...legs/ankles/feet change... As you know...most all shops have their boots in by Columbus Day, sometimes a little earlier. Any shell work I've had done has worked out the best when done after I've skied in the new liners a bit, as Jeff will most likely have you do....fwiw. The boot board fitting is one thing, but I've always found that the extremeties are hard to clearly judge when you're dealing with a new, pristine liner.
$.01

I just throw money at the problem with fit. I've been on custom-injected liners for a decade. They're good for 300+ days so you end up saving money in the long run and have a far more precise fit. Even better, I don't have to ski in a boot a size too small to get that fit so I stopped getting black toe. I swap in replacement shells halfway through those 300 days.

I would never buy shells in the fall. Boot technology hasn't changed in many years so leftovers in the spring is the way to go. I'm usually skiing on shells that were 2 model years old when I bought them. The cosmetics change but the boot is otherwise identical. If you go with custom liners where you don't need to be so agressive with the sizing, you're more concerned with the flex pattern than getting a boot created with a last that most closely matches your foot.