New Boots for Happy Feet!

After a long day cruising the powder like I’ve been having lately, I’m happy that my feet don’t spend the rest of the evening recovering from being jammed into ski boots. A common cry from skiers, and one that is easy to remedy – get boots that fit properly! This, I can attest, can be easier said than done.

When I moved back to Vermont this year and unpacked my ski stuff, I decided that much of my equipment needed an upgrade. My coat was no longer waterproof, my threadbare socks were looking neither “smart” nor woolly, and my ski boots no longer had their former vice-like grip on my toes. So I went shopping (woohoo!), but it was with some sadness that I realized it was finally time to graduate to adult ski boots. Because I’m a grown-up now, with a grown-up job! Well, sort of.

As I soon discovered, shopping for ski boots on your own is a daunting task. There are an incredible number of makers and fits, and you have to consider your own skiing ability, style and goals. Being an indecisive person, this soon became a stressful project and I needed some expert advice.

Luckily for me, these experts reside at First Run Ski Shop, just a few steps from my office, and I went in to ask their advice. Though a quick glance at First Run’s boot wall did little to reassure me, boot guru Tom Kajah told me not to worry. Turns out that from their wide variety of boots, there are really only a few that suit my fickle feet.

“A lot of people can be intimidated when they walk in, but we can really narrow this down to just 5 or 6 pairs. We think about each person’s unique foot shape, skiing ability and how they want to ski when picking out boot options," Tom told me.

A couple of pairs of boots and some tired feet later, I had found a pair that was comfortable and would let me charge down the hill. And if those new boots start rubbing in all the wrong places, I’ll just head back to First Run for all the molding, grinding, shaping and heating needed. That’s the beauty of having a ski shop in sliding distance of the lifts!
See you on the hill (with my shiny new boots)!
Meryl

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