Tag Archive for: America’s Best Bootfitters.com

Jon Weisberg

Short Swings!

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I don’t know how it happened, but between last season and this one I lost my custom foot beds. They were made about 15 years ago when I purchased my first Surefoot customized boots and, like the boots, they were pricey. Those beds stayed with me over the course of three or four subsequent boots. Then they were gone.   

Foot beds can improve ski performance by stabilizing the feet in a way that helps maximize the ski boot’s primary role: transferring energy from body to skis. That, admittedly, is a gross oversimplification. There are master boot fitters with medical-grade knowledge of foot anatomy, especially as it relates to skiing. I plan to solicit an article or two from one of these experts about the intricacies of creating an effective foot bed.

Brannock Device

But this week I needed new foot beds and visited the Dale Boot store in Salt Lake City to have them made. The whole process took about 20 minutes. The fitter started by measuring my feet with an old-fashioned Brannock, the same device that fascinated me as a kid in my grandfather’s shoe store in Schenectady, NY.  Next, I placed my feet in a Masterfit machine that took an impression of the contours of my foot soles. He then placed Masterfit foot beds in the machine where they took on the shape of the bottoms of my feet. That was followed by cooling the beds with cold packs and trimming some excess material before placing them in the boots. 

Patrick, the boot fitter, clearly knows his stuff and approaches his job with the same quiet pride I’ve noticed among other boot fitters. Boot fitting is a craft in which many of its practitioners appropriately treat it as a profession. He attends educational workshops including Masterfit University and related courses. He mentioned the pleasure he gets sharing war stories about helping all kinds of people with and without foot problems to get the most out of their boots.

Quality ski and boot shops provide boot fitting as a service built into the boot’s cost.  Getting foot beds customized (typically a $100 – $200 add-on) or purchasing boots with the help of a professional boot fitter is clearly a smart step to greater comfort and performance. A resource for well-trained boot fitters is America’s Best Bootfitters.com.

A few months ago, Jackson Hogen of RealSkiers.com, suggested rewarding the work of these pros with a gratuity. Given the critical service provided by fitters like Patrick, I could not agree more. 

Fire Claims Aussie Ski Resort; Others Threatened

Australia’s devastating fires destroyed Selwyn Snow Resort, the country’s most northerly ski area. The New South Wales resort employed 60 during the season.  Falls Creek and Mt. Hotham  in Victoria are being evacuated. 

Bait and Switch at Northstar?

Two older skiers are suing Vail Resorts for breach of contract and fraud. The essence of their complaint is that Vail, which owns, Northstar Resort (CA), sold non-refundable season passes before announcing a parking fee. According to the claimants, the cost of parking will add thousands of dollars to their cost of skiing at Northstar. Each is seeking free parking and $200,000+ in damages.

Good News For Taos Skiers

Taos Air is now servicing the Carlsbad-San Diego and Hawthorne-Los Angeles airports, starting at $125, one way. The service is available Thursdays, Saturdays, Sundays, and holiday Mondays through March 29. The airline started last season with daily direct flights to Taos from Dallas Love Field and Austin-Bergstrom International. The airstrip is 30 minutes from Taos Ski Valley.

Tree Well Safety

Courtesy Ski California

Suffocating in deep snow is a concern for many Western skiers. Evergreen branches capture snow, cusing deep pits to form around the tree’s base. Skiers falling into these “tree wells” are subject to breathing in powder snow. The problem is exacerbated by landing head-down or injury. It’s extremely difficult to get out, even with help from others. I had the experience years ago catskiing in the Canadian Selkirks. Fortunately, the well wasn’t too deep and the person I was with got me out quickly. Fifteen tree well deaths have occurred in California since 2001, the most in the nation. Tree well safety advice is available from Ski California, the state’s ski area trade group. Click here for more.

Winter PrideFest Jan 30 – Feb 2

Winter PrideFest, the multi-event weekend celebrating diversity and inclusivity of the LGBTQ+ community and its allies, will hold its third annual gathering January 30 – February 2 in Bend, OR and Mt. Bachelor. Activities include  skiing, snowboarding, snowshoeing, ice skating, panel discussions, and evening social functions. For information or to register, click here.

Senior Deals at Belleayre

Belleayre, the venerable Catskills ski area north of New York City has great deals for senior skiers during the second week of January, February and March. Skiers and boarders who are 65 or older get a lift ticket for $10, when they go with anyone with a paid lift ticket, and they can purchase coffee for $1 and breakfast sandwiches for $2.

Happy 80th Harriet!

Harriet Wallis, a prolific contributor to this publication, celebrated her 80th birthday at Alta earlier this week. What a silly helmet cover!!!

Alta Old Timer Celebrated in New Video

Lloyd Johnson moved to Utah for work in 1973, having never skied before. One Sunday, after an Alta church service, a friend convinced him to give skiing a shot. Now, at age 87 and almost five decades later, Lloyd is still making beautiful tele-turns at Alta,  His kids and grandkids follow his tracks. This short video tells his story, one that reflects the lives and loves of many dedicated skiers.

 

Jon Weisberg

APEX Boots: Simplicity. Comfort. Performance.

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If there’s a skiers’ Hell, its boot room will be full.

Many of you have written to complain that your boots don’t provide good support; they’re too cold; you have to tighten them until your feet go numb. They have you thinking about ending your skiing careers. 

There’s no other piece of equipment that stimulates as much discomfort and emotion.

For those of you who suffer, I have these words of advice: either seek out a professional bootfitter or try Apex. 

Really good boot fitters can be found in some ski shops, not all. Some are more skilled than others, and finding a good one can be hit or miss. America’s Best Bootfitters.com lists those who have gone through an important training certification program.

Fantastic Experience!

But many of you have problem feet that even the most skilled bootfitter won’t be able to help. Fortunately, I’m not among your ranks. But I am curious. So, last season I spent time skiing the Apex boot. A fantastic experience!

Apex Boots

The Apex system is a hybrid of a soft and comfortable walkable boot and a stiff open chassis. You slip the soft boot on with ease – even on cold days – and turn a knob that controls a thin cable snugging the boot to the contours of your foot. Walk from the lot or around the lodge with these super-comfortable boots. When it’s time to ski, step into the chassis, close the three buckles, and step into your bindings. It’s as simple and as comfortable as that.

I skied them in the Rockies and in the Alps, and they did what any well-fitting boot should do. They transferred my movements to my skis, provided proper and comfortable support, and kept my feet comfy, even on some brutally cold mornings.  I used the Anterro model  ($899), which is Apex’s top of the line Big Mountain edition.  It’s available in a women’s model (Antero-S; $799), as well. The other two choices are the Crestone (All Mountain; $749) and the Blanca (Ladies All Mountain; $649).

Different Look

Since they’re different looking, they serve as an ice-breaker, which got me into a variety of conversations. I ran into people who were aware of Apex but skeptical about them. Understandable, but not fair. The boot skis very nicely (and COMFORTABLY). A few fellow riders knew some Apex converts and reported they were pleased. After I wrote a brief article about the boots (That was before I skied them), several Apex owners wrote in to report how much they love them. A few outliers emailed admonishments that I should know better. I’d refer them as well as anyone interested in how other skiers respond to Apex to the user reviews on the Apex website. People with all kinds of foot conditions explain how Apex resolved them.

My only criticism is that it took a while to get accustomed to managing the two components. But, really, not that long.

Bottom Line

Here’s the bottom line: If you want a solution for uncomfortable or underperforming conventional ski boots, invest in a pair of Apex boots. You can get them fitted in ski shops stocking the boot. Or you can purchase them directly through the manufacturer’s website. I spoke to one of the Apex executives while preparing this article. Readers ordering the boot directly (Discount code SENIOR3000) will get free shipping in the lower 48, a ski boot bag from Kulkea (value: $149.95), and free demos for friends and family through 2020 at Apex’s demo center in Golden, Colorado. The offer is good through November 30.