Results 1 to 20 of 20
-
02-11-2019, 11:45 PM #1
Honest question for bootfitters...
How many visits, punches, and punches-per-visit start to annoy you?
At what visit #/amount of punches does someone fill your shithead meter to the red zone?
Thought about and just sincerely curious about this.
Sent from my iPhone using TGR Forums
-
02-12-2019, 06:13 AM #2
I mean is it really the person fault if they have to keep going back?
-
02-12-2019, 08:52 AM #3
Probably depends on the person.
Doing lots of small, incremental tweaks because you want a perfect fit is almost certainly looked at differently than the gaper who just isn't tuned in to what's going on, and keeps returning for more work but can't accurately identify the problem that needs to be fixed.
-
02-12-2019, 08:59 AM #4Registered User
- Join Date
- Oct 2010
- Posts
- 1,747
I'd think a 6/12 pack would take care of most annoyances.
-
02-12-2019, 09:33 AM #5Registered User
- Join Date
- Jan 2019
- Location
- MI
- Posts
- 38
This, so much this. It all depends on the attitude and demeanor of the person. We have people who come in frequently for work (ie. multiple boots, small tweaks here and there), but they are never a bother. They usually bring beer, let us work, and have a good chat about skiing, sports, whatever. And has regular customers, they have in a way become friends with a lot of us. Key thing is to just let the boot fitter do their job. The most annoying people to work with, by far, are people who read it on the internet, and want to look over your shoulder the entire time. Point is, have a little faith, be a decent person, maybe bring some beer, and don't be the "well such and such forum says" guy, and you won't annoy the boot fitter at all. In the end they want you to be happy, and have the best fitting boot possible. So just let them work with you towards making that happen.
-
02-12-2019, 09:48 AM #6
-
02-12-2019, 09:57 AM #7
standard/average is 2 visits for new boots (some none, some 4)
annoying is the customer, not the number of visits (people can piss me off the first time, even without needed boot fitting)
I fire 1* customer a year usually (I'm really sorry that I can't seem to get the boot fit results you want, maybe going to see another store would be best for everyone, and see what ideas they can come up with)
-
02-12-2019, 02:13 PM #8Registered User
- Join Date
- Mar 2008
- Location
- northern BC
- Posts
- 31,056
If i bring in a boot I bought on the internet I assume its pay-as-you-go, but if I buy from a shop who is going to guaranty the fit its up to them to make it so or i would assume try a different boot or worst case scenario money back?
Lee Lau - xxx-er is the laziest Asian canuck I know
-
02-12-2019, 03:18 PM #9
-
02-12-2019, 03:38 PM #10
Yeah the thing is I actually wish they would go further sometime. I now am doing some of my own boot fitting because I can feel instantaneously if the boot has been punched enough.
-
02-12-2019, 11:22 PM #11
The only thing that irks me is when I do exactly what someone asks me to do and then they come back with a "new" issue that I find out was there all along but never communicated. There is a good chance the solution would be different from the original approach, this does nothing but waist everyones time. A lot of consumers assume most retailers are there to screw them over, a good boot fitter just wants to help you out so you can ski happier. Making money is nice but none of us are raking it in.
Communication is key with boot fitting. You can measure and obverse all day but everyone has different thresholds on what they can handle for compression. My left foot can't handle the same amount as my right even though they measure very similar. Everyone has their own idea of what racer fit, performance fit and comfort fit mean. Be realistic about your skill set and current gear. Generally speaking most things in life are a compromise, be truthful about where you sit on the scale of expectations from your boots. I've had a customer finally admit after multiple trips back that her boots actually are great all day while skiing but really suck to stand around in at the bar after skiing... Basically a good open dialog is the ticket to success, if that involves a 6 pack to get there you won't see me upset about it.a positive attitude will not solve all of your problems, but it may annoy enough people to make it worth the effort
Formerly Rludes025
-
02-13-2019, 01:41 AM #12Registered User
- Join Date
- Mar 2016
- Posts
- 293
I was fired by my local shop early this season. We spent a ton of time and work last season getting my boots comfortable, especially with my heel spurs. I brought food and beverages for everyone to share over the course of my visits. This season, something changed in my left foot (don't know what), and i started getting pain at the styloid. They were definitely not happy to see me again in the shop.
The way @mntlion phrased his customer break-up speech was amusingly similar to the spiel I got. Heh. Happy ending, though. Steve bagley at snowbird was able to sort out my left foot issues. The man knows his stuff.
Sent from my SM-G950U using Tapatalk
-
02-13-2019, 10:38 PM #13
Would love thoughts from bootfitters on skiing without a footboard but with a custom footbed...seems to give me a little more room and only drops my heel a little...planning to try this weekend
Sent from my iPhone using TGR Forums
-
02-13-2019, 11:10 PM #14
Can your boot board just be lowered to accommodate the room you need? The bottom of a boot is rarely flat, I worry that unequal pressure from below could cause issues not to mention the ramp angle likely being nonexistent.
I have a backwoods tinkerer that trust me to help help him out here and there... he has aluminum foil covered bubble wrap in place of his boot board... I would never recommend this but I would offend him If I told him it was a bad idea. Each case represents a different challenge and he is happy walking around in the woods where his fit is at so who am I to judge, my feet aren't in there.
I would need more information and see what the problem is to really affirm it but in general it's a really bad idea at worst and a bandaid at best.a positive attitude will not solve all of your problems, but it may annoy enough people to make it worth the effort
Formerly Rludes025
-
02-14-2019, 12:29 AM #15King potato
- Join Date
- Feb 2011
- Location
- BC
- Posts
- 1,947
-
02-14-2019, 10:51 AM #16
There's no real limit if I'm convinced you're in the right boot, the goal is attainable, and you'll ultimately get a better skiing boot because of it. That means you are willing to do the 40-50 hour break in period before telling me your feet are "falling asleep," the overall volume of the boot works or can be made to work, and you ski often enough and well enough to appreciate the effort.
Best to come in before Thanksgiving or on a quiet mid-week day if you need a bunch of boot work done, though. If you come in when I'm slammed expecting me to drop everything and dial in your 6 punches you may be disappointed.
The guy with a 25mm shell fit who insists I punch the toes of his new boots for length because they are killing him out of the box pisses me off, but I do it anyway to sell the boot.
-
02-14-2019, 11:35 AM #17Registered User
- Join Date
- Sep 2010
- Location
- SW CO
- Posts
- 5,600
This is why I buy boot from a shop that's going to do the work if it's at all possible.
I've had too many experiences bringing a boot to an aftermarket boot fitter who works out of his garage/basement. I always start with, "Is this the right boot for me" and inevitably, they say they can make it work. Or sometimes recommend a boot that I go buy for cheap somewhere else because they don't sell boots. But then, they get annoyed when I continue to have issues after several visits. So I've had much better luck buying a boot from a shop that they recommend and then getting it dialed in at that shop only.
Of course, I try to find out what the shop likes -- favorite pastries, beer, etc. And always pay in cash."Alpine rock and steep, deep powder are what I seek, and I will always find solace there." - Bean Bowers
photos
-
02-14-2019, 12:48 PM #18
It’s about mindset and attitude not number of visits; to a point. If you appreciate the bootfitter’s desire to help you get the right fit and avoid blaming them it will likely go a long way to keeping you on good terms. Understand it’s still a plastic boot in sub freezing temperatures wrapped around your foot tight enough to make 6 foot long pieces of wood do want you want on icy bumps. If you accept that boot fitting is neither magic, nor cheap, you won’t be disappointed.
It also helps if your bootfitter is able to build a taste for wine they shouldn’t be able to afford.
-
02-14-2019, 01:04 PM #19Registered User
- Join Date
- Mar 2008
- Location
- northern BC
- Posts
- 31,056
I would rather buy from the shop who is going to Guaranty a fit, becuz its in both our interest to get it right
the last boot I bought on-line, got lucky with the right shell just change the liner and ski them right out of the box
the boot before that I asked the guy (later I heard he was a bootfitting god) what would work for my foot and I was interested in trying on a Full Tilt? He said forget Full Tilt it won't work for your foot and i don't really have anything except this Dalebllo I could order, so I guess i got fired before I could even become a problem
went to another Dalbello dealer and he had " the boot "Lee Lau - xxx-er is the laziest Asian canuck I know
-
02-15-2019, 09:32 AM #20
Probably because they have so much beer given as tips. Seriously. Last time I went to see Hal at Northern Ski Works at Killington [shameless plug], he almost sighed at the sight of my gift of a six, and said, one more for the pile. I glanced in the back room, and he could have a pretty sweet party if he wanted to.
Bookmarks