Tiny little feet: searching for 22.5s

[jumperlass]

Have you heard about Plattekill? It's only open Fri-Sun. But doesn't get lift lines like the mountains closer to NYC/NJ.

I've heard of Plattekill but haven't been there. (Sorry for the super late reply.) It's 2-3 hours away but do-able for a weekend day, yeah. It does look a little bigger than our local hill (Greek Peak). My older kiddo has the day off school tomorrow, so I'd thought about trying to take him somewhere for spring skiing....but I don't have the day off work, so even if I swing a half-day, we will probably stay super-local.

I visited a ski shop in Syracuse this week. Discovered that 23.5 is my real size--which opens up more options--and that my current boots don't fit just because they're entirely worn out. (The guy I talked to was polite, but his look of suppressed horror suggests that my boot situation is dire. Bright side: when I've replaced them, I bet I get a lot better pretty quickly!) They only had 3 pair of 23.5 boots, though, and he suggested two of them as options. The Dalbello felt good--stiff and supportive--for the first five minutes, and okay for the next ten, but were actively uncomfortable by the time I'd sat or clomped around the store for 20 minutes. The Tecnica Mach Sport HV were less stiff--flex of 75--but only marginally uncomfortable. None of the weird foot numbness that I dealt with last year when trying to cinch things tight in the wrong places, to make up for looseness elsewhere in the boot. I could buy those. I didn't, though, because I have read a million of the super helpful posts here about what bootfitting is like. My experience was basically, walk in, step stockinged feet on a measuring device, accept the two pairs John brings from the back, and wear one on each foot for twenty minutes.

So I need advice! Do I buy the new pair of boots--a drastic improvement over my ancient Tecnicas that were probably rental boots in a prior life--for ~$250? Or does someone know a bootfitter in the central NY region? I gather there are folks I could go to in the Philadelphia region, or in Vermont. But honestly, the value of being able to go back and have things adjusted repeatedly is a lot lower if I have to drive 3-4 hours each way to do it. Or do I just say, "hang it all, I'll go to the ski swap in the fall and hope someone there will let me try on their boots and hang out in them for 20 minutes before I decide if I want to buy them!"? I haven't been to a ski swap before. I don't really know the etiquette.

 

[newboots]

Wow, this all gets harder when the bootfitter is far away!

I wouldn’t buy boots at the swap - so hard to figure out the fit with everything laying around, no bootfitter, etc.

If you buy the Tecnicas but have no real bootfitter to work on them, you’re kind of stuck with how they are out of the box. Some people fit well into a boot out of the box; many don’t. Of course, it’s the folks with Problem Feet that write about bad-boot experiences here!

It would be good to know if the shop will take them back if they don’t work. But they only have 3 boots in your size! Oh dear!

The boot fitting experience really does involve “go ski on them and come back and tell me how they feel.”

This post is probably no help at all, so I will stop typing and let someone who knows post a response!

 

[newboots]

I haven’t been to Plattekill but rumor has it that it’s quite challenging, but has a lovely old-fashioned vibe.

 

[Iwannaski]

Did you ask what happens if you take them out and they’re not right?

 

[jumperlass]

Did you ask what happens if you take them out and they’re not right?

I didn't. I ought to have! The guy I was talking with was super nice and was willing to look at my gear and say, basically, 'your skis are fine (you'd appreciate an upgrade, but those are fine casual skis) but OMFG replace your boots' in less direct language. But he also said that he expects to be told to start packing away the winter gear this weekend and switch over to mountain biking, etc. I didn't think of taking the boots for a run this weekend and then coming back as an option.

 

[brooksnow]

Did you try on the boots with a good fitting footbed? You really won't know how the boots fit without one.

 

[jumperlass]

I haven’t been to Plattekill but rumor has it that it’s quite challenging, but has a lovely old-fashioned vibe.

I looked at their trail map. They have a larger change in elevation than our home hill and seem to have proportionally fewer green/blue runs. I suspect the kids and I might enjoy them some weekend.

 

[jumperlass]

Did you try on the boots with a good fitting footbed? You really won't know how the boots fit without one.

He pulled the boots out of the box, pulled down the tongue, and helped me slip my foot in. Had me bang my heel against the seating platform to seat my foot in the back of the boot, and started buckling. Whatever was in the boot is what I got to try on. I did notice that I'd need some insert for arch support, because that was definitely lacking.

 

[vickie]

I expect someone can identify a bootfitter in NY. Give it a minute before plunking down the $250.

The problem with boots at ski swaps is you may not know the age or what modifications have been made to them.

 

[Iwannaski]

So, if you’re not going to get out in them, I would wait until fresh inventory is in in late summer/early fall. And that gives you time to find the best fitter in your area. (From another person in need of boots... who obsessively researched the boot people in her area since January)

Our local shop actually told me to sit tight until fresh inventory was available.

 

[marzNC]

I haven’t been to Plattekill but rumor has it that it’s quite challenging, but has a lovely old-fashioned vibe.

While Plattekill is a favorite of advanced skiers in the region because there are bumps left on more than one run, the blues and greens are quite nice. They run from the top on the two sides of the ski area, with the black and double-black terrain in the middle. The difference is that most of the snow is natural. That means a different feel completely from trails that are mostly manmade snow. I thoroughly enjoyed the day when I checked it out during late season several years ago.

The other feature of Plattekill that is fun for advanced skiers is that several trails provide essentially 1000 ft of vertical with very little runout.

 

[SMichael08]

He pulled the boots out of the box, pulled down the tongue, and helped me slip my foot in. Had me bang my heel against the seating platform to seat my foot in the back of the boot, and started buckling. Whatever was in the boot is what I got to try on. I did notice that I'd need some insert for arch support, because that was definitely lacking.

Did he also shell fit you? Meaning did he take out the liner and have you put your foot in the actual shell of the boot and then check to see how much space you had between your foot and the shell? I don't know a ton about boots, just my own recent search for tiny boots, but I've learned enough to say that if he didn't do that much, I might question how quality of a fitting you really got.

 

[Jilly]

He pulled the boots out of the box, pulled down the tongue, and helped me slip my foot in. Had me bang my heel against the seating platform to seat my foot in the back of the boot, and started buckling. Whatever was in the boot is what I got to try on. I did notice that I'd need some insert for arch support, because that was definitely lacking.

Run, run away. No shell fit, he didn't even pull the liner and match the existing footbed to your feet for length....There are others...just where.

 

[marzNC]

@jumperlass : got a couple of boot fitter suggestions for you from the regional ski forum that covers skiing in NY. Best to at least call soon. They will be shifting over to bikes within a few weeks.

Cayuga Ski and Cycle in Ithaca, ask for Jeff or make an appointment online
Ski Company in Dewitt, ask for Jim Longo (not sure if still there)

I don't think buying boots at a ski swap for an adult is a good idea. Can work out for a growing kid, but they won't be using the boots for long and don't usually need customization. I stopped by the big swap in Syracuse when my daughter was in school in Lake Placid. Some bargains to be had for skis, but overall I wasn't that excited about what was available.

 

[MontanaMom]

Great news! This boot fitter is awesome. He ordered two sizes of boots for me, fit me to them etc. Turns out I AM a 22.5. Plenty of room there, surprisingly! Got a real pair of ski socks, and some new plate on my bindings.

Apparently my skis are only set at a 6 currently but should be closer to 7.5 for my skill level but he was worried since they were so low before that I might hurt myself so didn't go up with them. Not 100% sure what he was referencing bit I know they haven't been adjusted in 3 years since I started skiing.

Can't wait to ski tomorrow! I hope it is good and I like the boots!!

He said I need a boot dryer. Is this true?

 

[Pequenita]

Apparently my skis are only set at a 6 currently but should be closer to 7.5 for my skill level but he was worried since they were so low before that I might hurt myself so didn't go up with them. Not 100% sure what he was referencing bit I know they haven't been adjusted in 3 years since I started skiing.

He is referring to a standard number related to the release of your bindings if you’re in a twisting fall (DIN). The number is based on your boot sole length (shorter lengths correlate to higher DIN), weight/height (heavier = higher DIN), and how aggressively you ski (more aggressive = higher DIN).

I view boot dryers as a personal thing. If you sweat a lot in your boots, or ski in wet conditions, or otherwise get moisture in your boots, then they make a lot of sense.

Have fun tomorrow!

 

[scandium]

Great news! This boot fitter is awesome. He ordered two sizes of boots for me, fit me to them etc. Turns out I AM a 22.5. Plenty of room there, surprisingly! Got a real pair of ski socks, and some new plate on my bindings.

Apparently my skis are only set at a 6 currently but should be closer to 7.5 for my skill level but he was worried since they were so low before that I might hurt myself so didn't go up with them. Not 100% sure what he was referencing bit I know they haven't been adjusted in 3 years since I started skiing.

Can't wait to ski tomorrow! I hope it is good and I like the boots!!

He said I need a boot dryer. Is this true?

That'll be your DIN setting. Higher DIN means you need more force to "pop out" of your bindings, so it generally goes up the heavier and more aggressive/forceful you get as a skiier.

 

[Jilly]

Boot dryer...he's just trying to up his sale. I just take the boots apart every night and they dry. Put the liner back in, in the morning. When I take my liner out there is water on the top near the toes. That is not going to dry with a boot dryer pumping warm air in the inside. The shell will trap it and it won't dry.

 

[jumperlass]

Did he also shell fit you? Meaning did he take out the liner and have you put your foot in the actual shell of the boot and then check to see how much space you had between your foot and the shell? I don't know a ton about boots, just my own recent search for tiny boots, but I've learned enough to say that if he didn't do that much, I might question how quality of a fitting you really got.

No.

 

[jumperlass]

@jumperlass : got a couple of boot fitter suggestions for you from the regional ski forum that covers skiing in NY. Best to at least call soon. They will be shifting over to bikes within a few weeks.

Cayuga Ski and Cycle in Ithaca, ask for Jeff or make an appointment online
Ski Company in Dewitt, ask for Jim Longo (not sure if still there)

I can try the place in Ithaca. Thanks so much! The experience I described, though, was at the Ski Company in Dewitt. Maybe with John instead of Jim, but same place.