Where do you 'boot up'?

[kfan]

I like to boot up at the car when the weather permits. That way you can have your own selection of music playing (with consideration for others) while you lace up. However, with the weather recently, I've been taking shelter in the lodge.

 

[Stephen]

Often the lots are icy, snow covered or muddy. Walking from the lot can sometimes be tough with the boots on. In some cases the boots get dirty and gritty, it doesn't all come off when you walk over the snow. I don't want to risk it getting into my bindings.

Anyone ever try those covers that go over you boots? We sell them in our gear store:

http://cobrand.altrec.com/mpgate/Alpin4/shop/detail/12090/4

Anyone ever use anything like that?

Wow, now THERE'S a shameless plug! :wink:

Lodge.

 

[IndyJones]

I boot up at the car. That way I don't have to go back to it to put my stuff away.

 

[Starter Jackets Rule!]

In the lodge!
My feet thank me when I get thoes vices off my feet into somthing soft.
the only time I boot up at my truck is when I am riding the soft boots (snowboard)
Hard boot riding is done in the lodge too.

 

[CP]

Depends on where I'm skiing. In the parking lot at Stowe all through college. Come to think of it, at the car most of the time if the walk to the lifts isn't too bad. If I change in a lodge I worry about my bag getting lifted all day long.

The girlfriend's slopeside condo has solved all my problems The frigid weather this winter has prompted me to start using a hairdryer to get my boots to flex enough to be able to take them off, so the privacy of our living room is welcome (easy access to outlets, beer and the television).

 

[tirolerpeter]

Booting up

The lodge is the place to do the boots. I normally wear prescription bi-focal glasses (both clear and for sun) so I have to take the time to switch to my contacts anyway and the car is only a good place to remove, not insert them. I carry a nice bag that has a variety of gear in it so that I can adjust what I wear to the conditions and several different goggles for varying light conditions. I then leave the bag with those of other skiers. In decades of skiing I have never had anything stolen from a bag (did I just jinx it?). I have lost a set of poles to a thief but usually carry a spare set in the car anyway. My current poles look ancient, so they are not attractive to thieves.

 

[skimom]

In the lodge.

I will usually get dressed (well, finish getting dressed) car-side, then carry my gear to the lodge where I swap my slip on shoes for my boots.

At the end of the day, there's nothing like taking off your ski boots and putting on warm comfy shoes. If I leave them in the car they'd be cold .... plus changing into street shoes in the lodge makes it easy to walk on over to the apres-ski area

 

[andyzee]

When it comes to ski areas, call me a gypsy, I pretty much live out of my 4Runner. I found that at the lodge, you never know what the crowd or locker situation will be like, I boot up at the truck. I find that food at the lodge is expensive and usually not all that good, so I bring a cooler with stuff I like. Underneath my ski pants, I wear very lightweight sweats, so it's no problem changing after skiing. To make this change easier, I have ski pants and then after skiing pants, with a zipper all the way down the side, don't have to worry bout mud and this makes changing easier. And for the boots, I have a plastic tray in the back of the truck, so that I don't get mud and dirt in my truck.

 

[nancie2k]

i boot up at home, my husband drives, he boots up in the lot while i tighten the boots, take out the skis poles,etc get ready for the lift

 

[riverc0il]

i boot up at home, my husband drives, he boots up in the lot while i tighten the boots, take out the skis poles,etc get ready for the lift

you wear your ski boots during the drive to the ski area?? damn! might i inquire to the reason behind this? even the best fitted ski boots with custom foot beds don't compare to the comfort of a nice well worn pair of sneaks (or my preferred method of foot wear on long drives, socks!). just curious.

 

[tirolerpeter]

Booting up?

Uphillklimber..you hit the nail on the head: ..."Sweat avoidance is paramount." It never ceases to amaze me how bundled up so many skiers are. The worst feeling in the world to me is to hit the slopes soaked with perspiration and then spend the first hour or so trying to warm up! That is why I did the "kids dress first" drill when they were little. In fact, regardless of the air temps, I wear ski clothes that can be vented. My Shell has side and sleeve slits with zippers, and my powder suit zips down the front. After a serious run from the top (is it worth making any other kind?) I need to vent on the lift line (if there is one) and usually most of the ride up. If the temps and/or windchill are not less than 15 F. I have to make sure I can keep dry after a run. If I don't, I risk getting uncomfortably chilled. I always wear appropriate "wicking type" underwear to facilitate the process. Despite continuous efforts to stay hydrated during the day, I usually need to drink a liter of water as soon as I stop skiing and while dressing

 

[TeleGrrrl]

I'm a lodge person. I usually ski mid-week, so I don't have to worry about crowds. I like to sprawl out and get organized, maybe do a little yoga to loosen up. I really like having regular shoes to get back to the car too. Especially after a couple of apres-ski brews :beer: Although I must say, one of the perks of skiing in tele boots is that they come with a vibram sole 8)

 

[freeheelwilly]

i have a locker at the home mountain so i boot up in the locker room. when travelling, play it by ear but usually at car. havin' to go in to strange surroundings and get oriented takes too much time. IMHO, car is far better than lodge - just simplifies things.

 

[andyzee]

i have a locker at the home mountain so i boot up in the locker room. when travelling, play it by ear but usually at car. havin' to go in to strange surroundings and get oriented takes too much time. IMHO, car is far better than lodge - just simplifies things.

Never thought about it that way, but I have to agree. The strange surroundings part of it has a lot to do with my choice. It's a lot less time consuming preparing at the car.

 

[freeheelwilly]

the new lodge/disorienting thing is magnified the larger your group is. it's bad enough when it's just two of us. you get 4,5,6 or more people flailing around it's a full on clusterfuck. i figure it out on the way over by announcing that i'm booting at the car. those that, for reasons known only to them, prefer to wander around, wasting time in the lodge ("where's julie?" "i dunno, her and matt said they wanted to get a cup of coffee." "i thought matt forgot his hat and went to the car to get it" "he did but he couldn't find steve who has the keys so he's lookin' for him before he springs for a new one." "i've got an extra hat he can use" "cool! i'll go tell him - you guys wait here" "ok. if we're not here we went to get lift tickets so just wait and we'll be back. anybody see a bathroom?":roll: ) can meet up with me later. 9/10 times, it's the car for me.

 

[Talisman]

My preference is to boot up at the car so I can just ski back at the end of the day. Most ski lodges are crowded, smelly, things disappear and there are over priced items that tempt me.

I do have a few exceptions: at Cannon I always boot up if in the Tram base building, Magic has a huge lodge for the minmal number of people skiing there and for similar reasons Pico. By booting up at the car at many ski areas it opens up great alternative parking. I think of my Jeep as a mobile ski lodge!

 

[bvibert]

I'd rather boot up at the lodge so I don't get dirt in my boots from the parking lot. But if the lot is nice and snowy and I think the lodge will be too busy I'll just boot up at the car. I really hate trying to get organized in a busy lodge.

 

[Vortex]

It depends for me usually the lodge, unless its really warm or I sleep to late and park far from the lodge.

 

[jimme]

The car because of my never ending race to beat everyone to the lifts in the morning. 8) I figure I get at least one more chair ride by booting up at the car.* :wink: Any extra gear and lunches go with me in the backpack.

But there are a few times each season I like to take advantage of the comforts of getting ready in the lodge. Ususally a weekday, or Spring ski day.

* This is somewhat of a balancing act as I get out of the street shoes and into the ski boots outside the car.

Jimme

Late last season I got a camp stool that works great for booting up. The stool rather than a camp chair makes it extremely easy to boot up at the car. I've always found it to be too cramped getting boots on inside a car or SUV.

 

[thetrailboss]

I used to boot up in the parking lot and walk up, but the dirt, mud, and pavement is not good for your boots, so I usually find an isolated part of the lodge (usually second floor), set up "base camp," and head out.