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Boot fit rant...

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crzyskier311xxx
Posts: 515 - Karma: 12

Im just looking to see if anyone else out there is a boot fitter and gets the same BS from customers as I do......I live in Vegas so you have to understand my customers are weekend warriors with money.

Case 1: Nice skis.....lack good boots.

So I get customers comming in buying a $1000 pair of skis, and they bring in their 1980s salomon rear entry piece of shit that BARELY passes testing.  God I try so hard to tell them to get new boots but they are rediculous!

Case 2: Boot fitting women

Ive actually had a customer say that it is sexist to have seperate men/women boots!  And i don't mean to call women out cuz I have had easy boot fits for women, but for some reason boot fitting women is nearly impossible to make them happy.  Its worse if their husband/bf is there cuz they think they know EVERYTHING about boot fitting.....god i fucking hate the husband/bf....

Case 3: Buyers guide enthusiest/bigger sized boot

I hate buyers guides SO MUCH.....customers come in with the buyers guide and ask you to grab that boot, then when it doesnt fit their foot shape they freak out and still want the boot but in a bigger size.....o and "can I get a bigger size?" You sized at that boot size you fuck, you need either a different style of boot or an orthodic!

Those are a few of my rants, anyone got any other boot fit rants?  Also, for some strange reason Salomons seem to ALWAYS fit Asians, that phenomenom has boggled my mind lol.

Oct 30 2008 3:19PM
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skisquaw@420
Posts: 1802 - Karma: 13
the worst is when you try to explain to women that their calf is lower, then the look at you and say "so, you mean i have fat legs?"

my favorite, however, is the ex-racer who comes in and buy boots 3 sizes too small, saying "Oh, yea, they'll pack out." then they come in that night in tears
Oct 30 2008 3:26PM
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crzyskier311xxx
Posts: 515 - Karma: 12

Ive found the best approach to the calf problem is to tell them that they design the boot since men and women have different leg structures.....but they still usually think im saying they are fat lol...

The other thing to go along with ex-racer is the guy who comes in saying "oh yeah I used to be sponsered and on my college ski team....i havent skied in 20 years though"

I actually had some guy tell me he was in the winter olympics for some year that there was NO WINTER OLYMPICS!

Oct 30 2008 3:30PM
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ShadyHillGroup
Posts: 2881 - Karma: 213
Azns normally have wide feet, salomon makes wide boots there ya go. Im not a boot fitter, but im a little bit of a shop rap, in a good way of course. The best thing i've heard is a lady ask for only royal blue boots because thats the only color that would match her pants. Oh and someone who i dont think had ever been on snow before asked why he couldnt use snowboard boots with skis, they looked alot more comfortable
Oct 30 2008 3:30PM
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crzyskier311xxx
Posts: 515 - Karma: 12
The snowboard boot thing pisses me off sooo much!  Ya I get the color match thing too, I had  A GUY looking to match his boots with his fucking skis!!!!
Oct 30 2008 3:32PM
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skisquaw@420
Posts: 1802 - Karma: 13
thats fuckin great!

one time, a middle age woman bought some boots from my buddy chris out at squaw, then came back in a few hours latter saying they are uncomfortable. when he sat her down and went to buckle them, she said, "stop, why are you doing that?" when he asked her if she had been skiing in them unbuckled, she said "skiing? no, i've been shopping in the village." wish i was there for that one
Oct 30 2008 3:38PM
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crzyskier311xxx
Posts: 515 - Karma: 12
WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOW
Oct 30 2008 3:39PM
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Reed.
Posts: 4489 - Karma: 272
Ive seen texans try to put rental boots on with their shoes still on.

A friend who's an instructor once had a couple complaining about their feet on the gondola.  The dude said his right foot was waaayyy too tight, and the woman said her right foot was way too loose...  Yup, you guessed it, they had each others boots on.
Oct 30 2008 4:17PM
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Malcolm
Posts: 15949 - Karma: 9,431
haha what a great thread. i want to read more of these
Oct 30 2008 4:35PM
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TimmyK
Posts: 779 - Karma: 15
 WOW!  I've been fitting for awhile and again wow i've never heard stuff this bad.  always problems with men and women bout the color.  worst i ever had was i fitted some guy that never rode before came in for snowboard boots measured him did a good foot eval put a pair of 32's on him and he immediatly started whinning bout how they hurt his feet and then almost crying bout not being able to feel his feet, started yelling "get them off, get them off, i can't feel my feet!"  I do however work at a very reputable shop for bootfitting so that may help, but with that we also get a lot of people needing refit, which means tons of mods.
Oct 30 2008 5:43PM
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crzyskier311xxx
Posts: 515 - Karma: 12

Like i said I live in Vegas so we dont have your normal skier comming in.....

I had one couple come in and the woman LOVED the boot I got for her, THEN the husband came in and wanted a discount.......for a new boot....

SO I told em Id ask a manager and he told me to tell the manager his wife was wearing a tube top.....

REALLY?  YOUR GONNA BRIBE A MANAGER FOR A DISCOUNT BY TELLIN HIM YOUR WIFE HAS A TUBE TOP ON???

Oct 31 2008 1:17AM
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Trojan~Man
Posts: 1996 - Karma: 1,357
oh wow i didnt think other people could relate with me!!! fuking WORST is when they get the buyers guide in and thre like but waht about this one the tester liked and i was comfortable..lady its a fuking JUNIOR BOOT!!!
Oct 31 2008 1:34AM
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MrYeates
Posts: 1710 - Karma: 91
hahaha
good thread


Oct 31 2008 3:44AM
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LC.
Posts: 5952 - Karma: 2,423
This is all part of the job. If you're prosessional and explain things properly to people they realise you know what you're talking about and listen to you.
Oct 31 2008 4:51AM
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Luc.
Posts: 7540 - Karma: 59
my biggest problem is convincing grown men and women that its OK AND PROPER for their toe to be touching the front of the boot.

also, when i tell them i am putting them in a boot that is either 1 or 2 sizes smaller than their shoe, they freak out.

the worst is when i have them in a proper size of a boot...shell test, cm behind the heel, DIME, width...a mil or two on each side, DIME, volume test...looking good DIME.
then i put the boot on, their toe goes right to the front of the boot like it has to, since they havnt even flexed to bring their heel into the heel pocket, and they tell me the boot is to small...NO IT ISNT U FUCK YOU JUST DONT KNOW HOW A BOOT SHOULD FIT.

but like it has been said...as a professional its your job to stay calm and stick to your guns that this is a proper fit, this boot is made for them, and you will sell em a footbed before they are at the register.
Oct 31 2008 10:09AM
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uni-corn
Posts: 13846 - Karma: 651
That is why when i am fitting boots, i put a footbed in one of the boots, and leave the normal footbed in the other. They ask why the one with the Superfeet in it fits better, and BAM. Footbed sold.
Oct 31 2008 10:52AM
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crzyskier311xxx
Posts: 515 - Karma: 12

Ya a few years ago I realized thats the best way to do it with most of these idiots, but heavens for bids they have to spend an extra $35 for their boot to fit properly!

Thank god for superfeet, I have custom footbeds in my boots and they really do make all the difference.

Anyone on here have Surefoot liners/insoles?  I always see them comming through my shop

Oct 31 2008 11:00AM
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Luc.
Posts: 7540 - Karma: 59
ya that is a mint way to sell one. i am a health science major too so i can explain to them why their feet hurt which makes them say 'ooooo well that makes sense'


Oct 31 2008 11:00AM
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Reaps
Posts: 590 - Karma: 24
Worked on me. I found some old Head MOJO boots, half price, but didnt fit too well under my arch, The boot-fitter put in a foot-bed and wow, fit soo much better, sold the boot and the foot-bed!
Oct 31 2008 3:10PM
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TheQuailman
Posts: 7381 - Karma: 144

I know bootfitters on here always complain about customers but I've had some pretty bad bootfitters too.  Like I'll go into a shop and say I am an expert skier who skis 95% park and I want a park boot because previously I have hurt my toe/shin/foot in the boot while overshooting or undershooting.  And the shop guy will try to talk to me about how a 16 year old should not be buying boots and certainly not park boots.  Then I tell the guy I can afford them and I ski multiple times every week so I will get the use out of them.  Then he measures my foot length and brings out the ONLY park boot model they have.  Neither of the boots feel correct, the buckles are max'ed out and my toes are curled at the front of the boot and he does absolutly nothing.  Then he goes into telling me how nobody buys park boots and I should get seasonal rentals.  I didn't buy the boots. And also I asked the guy about some of the twin tips and he had no clue about any of them.  The shop I'm talking about is Ski Barn in Wayne NJ.  I think on weekends they have good bootfitters but this guy was just clueless. 

Oct 31 2008 3:39PM
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crzyskier311xxx
Posts: 515 - Karma: 12
Trust me man I work with some idiots who would sell ski boots to snowboarders lol, theres a lot of bad fitters out there as well as good ones, you just gotta find the good ones.
Oct 31 2008 6:21PM
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Fish_Sandwich.
Posts: 9108 - Karma: 16
I've had that happen.  I bought the boots though and it was fucked.  I had to go in after like 3 runs cause my feet hurt soooo bad, it was unbearable.  I figured he knew best, and the guy usually does but he didn't know shit about park boots.  He gave me a race fit and said it would pack out.  Needless to say I went back and told him what was up after 3 days of skiing in them and he said that he fucked up and I got a brand new pair of the boots in a little bigger size.  Problem solved, no hard feelings.
Oct 31 2008 6:26PM
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TimmyK
Posts: 779 - Karma: 15
those people are not bootfitters they are shoe salesmen calling them bootfitters discredits us all. 
Oct 31 2008 9:17PM
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LC.
Posts: 5952 - Karma: 2,423
1. Tell them it's going to feel too small at first.

2. Don't tell them what shoe size the boot that you're trying on is. Just say it's a 27/etc.

People are not "stupid" for not knowing how boots should fit, they just don't know. Yor major role as a boot fitter is giving customers the information they need to make an informed decision on what is the best boot for them.
Oct 31 2008 10:42PM
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Balto
Posts: 25985 - Karma: 4,398
these reasons are why i stick with ski choosing when i help out at my local shop
Oct 31 2008 10:51PM
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Mr.LemonPie
Posts: 4100 - Karma: 1,625
I have surefoot footbeds. They are sooo good. but I had a really dumb boot fitter at surefoot. I got my foot remeasured for the new footbeds for my new boot, the guy that did that was good, but he wasn't the person that put the frootbed in the boot, the guy that did, didn't take the original footbeds out, so I had two footbeds in one boot, hurt so bad...
Oct 31 2008 11:22PM
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yeahitsdave
Posts: 1315 - Karma: 10
fuck ski barn, i hate that place.

i had a girl try on every pair of boots we had that were silver or black in her size, mens and womens. she was adamant that she wouldnt buy boots unless they matched her skis and jacket. best fitting boot? nordica beast ladies, its blue. she REFUSED to buy it because of the color. she comes back in about a month later, exchanges the skis and jacket for other stuff that matched the boot. i was furious, bitch argues with me for 3 FUCKING HOURS that she loved her skis and had to have everything match and copped out and gave in when she thought i wasnt there.

and the whole time her whipped tool boyfriend sits there and takes whatever she says. she had no redeeming qualities, i dont understand people.
Nov 1 2008 1:04AM
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LC.
Posts: 5952 - Karma: 2,423
One of my shops in Whistler I was allowed to tell one customer per month to fuck off, straight up. Such a good rule.
Nov 1 2008 5:20AM
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KravtZ
Posts: 6637 - Karma: 2,629
haha wow that is amazing the look on teh customers face must be priceless
Nov 1 2008 3:47PM
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LC.
Posts: 5952 - Karma: 2,423
Yeah unfortunately I moved to a different branch pretty soon after he let me in on the rule. I've been trying to introduce it where I am now but my boss isn't into it.
Nov 1 2008 5:12PM
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Trojan~Man
Posts: 1996 - Karma: 1,357
ive got surefoot footbeds.SOOOO cumfy love them, by far the best out there. they even fixed my canting problem! :D
Nov 2 2008 12:38AM
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Luc.
Posts: 7540 - Karma: 59

i almost told a girl to fuck off yesterday...i had to hold myself back...

her son races...so i go into the fit measure feet, she said he has a 28.5...i am in no way going to give him anything bigger than a 28.5, the kid races so i can live with a 28.5 even though he should be in a 27.5, but he is 15 a lil growth room is chill for this kid.

she yells at me tellin me he needs a 30.5 cause a 28.5 is to small...

i literally stared at her...got up...and walked out of the boot fitting room. that one pissed me off for the rest of the day...especially after i had two PERFECT boot fits just prior. damn.

Nov 3 2008 2:08PM
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Klick_2_klaim
Posts: 3396 - Karma: 25
Someone callt he wambulance..
quit whining and do your fucking job.


Nov 3 2008 3:30PM
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k-rob
Posts: 14217 - Karma: 2,891
yeah i hear you, and anyone who thinks that having a difference between men/women boots is sexist, should be shot twice in the forehead, no questions asked.
Nov 3 2008 3:47PM
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Fish_Sandwich.
Posts: 9108 - Karma: 16
fuck that, save the extra bullet for the next customer, it's more cost effective, haha
Nov 3 2008 4:59PM
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Luc.
Posts: 7540 - Karma: 59
the point, dum-dum, is that people dont always LET you do your job...
Nov 3 2008 5:51PM
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skisquaw@420
Posts: 1802 - Karma: 13
people who are not bootfitters dont really understand this thread
Nov 3 2008 6:04PM
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SEABURN
Posts: 4859 - Karma: 2,751
have you ever had to deal with retarded customers? in any job?

you need to rant, ns is a good place for it...better here than have them run in because they forgot their keys WHILE you are ripping on them to the other shop rats... man, that was awkward.
Nov 3 2008 6:25PM
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Klick_2_klaim
Posts: 3396 - Karma: 25
Indeed I have, however, part of being a good boot fitter is being a good salesperson.
I boot fitted for 4.5 years, and never had a return. I had some very cuntish customers, but in the end they all got in the right boot. I SOLD the right boot... I didnt argue and complain and bitch and moan.

pussies.
Nov 3 2008 7:20PM
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Luc.
Posts: 7540 - Karma: 59
hahaha im startin to like you. (no homo)
Nov 3 2008 7:28PM
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