Bootfitting at the showSome folk will say you can't get a decent bootfit at a show because of the pressure to rush the job, but we had a very different experience. 
It started off with Elaine, Fall-Line's marketeer, making the point that after not getting to the slopes for a couple of seasns thanks to an expanding family, she'd like to speak to someone about new boots ready for Easter.
Not a bad idea, since the old ones were fitted abroad, were too big and caused pressure on her shins and rubbing. Dropping onto the rather fancy Atomic stand for a first look around saw a recommendation to head over to the Ellis Brigham stand to look at the Hawx Women's range. 
Dave Casey, on a trip south from Ellis Brigham's Castlefield store in Manchester, wasn't falling for the first boot we suggested and took his time to carry out a foot check. picked out the Salomon Idol 8 and Hawx 80W and carried out a full shell check using Salomon's Idol 8. The effort he went to was thorough; I was watching from the sidelines and there weren't any shortcuts. A proper footbed went into the liner because Dave reckoned Elaine has a very flexible foot which needs the extra stability.
The Idol went on, and there were a whole series of questions about any pressure areas, how well the foot was held and what the flex felt like. Because Elaine hasn't worn a ski boot for a couple of years, she needed a few minutes to get used to having them on. This is where a bit of time in the boot is really appreciated and it's where a show can be a bit of a nightmare. There was plenty of space to wait, and during the time Dave sorted out the Hawx with a footbed. Elaine found the Hawx a more natural fit for her foot, and eventually settled on the flex of the Hawx 100w - a bit stiffer than the Idol 8 and Hawx 80.
Everyone was getting the same level of service. Dave and the other fitters' experience sped up the process by getting the right boot almost instantly. Ski shows are high pressure environments and have to be balanced between making the expensive floorspace pay for itself and getting the right boots for the customer. I was impressed.
The same level of expertise will be at the NEC next weekend.
Posted by Dickie Fincher - Sun, 24/10/2010 - 2:53pm
Some folk will say you can't get a decent bootfit at a show because of the pressure to rush the job, but we had a very different experience.
It started off with Elaine, Fall-Line's marketeer, making the point that after not getting to the slopes for a couple of seasns thanks to an expanding family, she'd like to speak to someone about new boots ready for Easter.
Not a bad idea, since the old ones were fitted abroad, were too big and caused pressure on her shins and rubbing. Dropping onto the rather fancy Atomic stand for a first look around saw a recommendation to head over to the Ellis Brigham stand to look at the Hawx Women's range.
Dave Casey, on a trip south from Ellis Brigham's Castlefield store in Manchester, wasn't falling for the first boot we suggested and took his time to carry out a foot check. picked out the Salomon Idol 8 and Hawx 80W and carried out a full shell check using Salomon's Idol 8. The effort he went to was thorough; I was watching from the sidelines and there weren't any shortcuts. A proper footbed went into the liner because Dave reckoned Elaine has a very flexible foot which needs the extra stability.
The Idol went on, and there were a whole series of questions about any pressure areas, how well the foot was held and what the flex felt like. Because Elaine hasn't worn a ski boot for a couple of years, she needed a few minutes to get used to having them on. This is where a bit of time in the boot is really appreciated and it's where a show can be a bit of a nightmare. There was plenty of space to wait, and during the time Dave sorted out the Hawx with a footbed. Elaine found the Hawx a more natural fit for her foot, and eventually settled on the flex of the Hawx 100w - a bit stiffer than the Idol 8 and Hawx 80.
Everyone was getting the same level of service. Dave and the other fitters' experience sped up the process by getting the right boot almost instantly. Ski shows are high pressure environments and have to be balanced between making the expensive floorspace pay for itself and getting the right boots for the customer. I was impressed.
The same level of expertise will be at the NEC next weekend.