Ultimately it comes down to performance expectations regarding how much you want to invest and the path you take. There's no substitute for a professional boot fitter. Everyone can also benefit from custom footbeds and booster straps instead of stock footbeds and powerstraps.
IMO the best there is, is Paul Richelson at Richelson's Feet First. I've used other well respected fitters such as Shon at The Boot Pro at Okemo and Benny Wax at Inner Bootworks in Stowe. No one I've found is as detail oriented as Paul.
http://www.richelsonsfeetfirst.com/
He's a Pedorthist. Doesn't run a ski shop. He's a professional footwear fitter and has US Ski team members as his clients as well as professional runners.
His process is totally unique. There's more to ski boots than just BSL, Last and Flex. You can't read that information on a webpage and ascertain how a boot will truly fit. It's really more about volume across multiple measurement points.
What he does is spend about an hour evaluating your feet and how you walk. He measures last not just at the forefoot, but also the mid-foot and heel. He measures your instep height. He measures leg circumference immediately above your ankle, at the mid-calf and at the cuff.
He then matches all of your measurements to a database he maintains of about 8-10 yearly models per major brand of ski boots. Each summer he has all the manufacturers send him boots and he takes the exact same measurements inside the ski boots as he takes of his clients feet.
Then it's just a matter of taking your feet measurements and finding the closest matched ski boots. He gives you a list of 6-8 boots closest to your personal foot anatomy. You go try and buy your boots elsewhere whether online or at a ski shop. You bring your boots back to him and he dials them in.
Paul's process plus custom foot beds runs about $325. Totally worth it IMO. Based upon my terrain preferences and performance expectations, Paul had me pick up boots not one size down from street shoes, but two sizes. Many professional racers actually go down three sizes. I asked him specifically for prior year models so I could save money buying them online. Picked up the prior year Rossignol Alltrack Pro 130 for $300. So, I'm into the boots for $625. Seems pretty fair to me for the most important piece of your equipment.
The boots hurt like a MFer the first ten days out. I had to go back twice to have him blow the shells out a little bit here and a little bit there. But, once he fine tuned them, they fit like a pair of latex gloves. Absolutely zero slop anywhere.
The investment of $625 moving forward takes on a different ownership thought process as well. The foot beds were $125. The expected life is about 500 days. A ski boot shell has a life expectancy of about 250 days and a liner about 125. Given I ski about 30 days a year, that means after year 4 I'll just buy new liners. Probably pay $175 or so. Year 8, replace the shells which will also include new liners at say $300 again. Year 12 replace the liners again for $175. Throw in a few refitting and shell work charges at $100 each.
So, I'm at $625+$175+$300+$175+$300 for a total of $1575
Compare that with spending $300 every 3 years just buying boots off the shelf. Why 3 years? Poorly fitting boots will have their liners break down in about 100 days for an aggressive skier. Slop contributes to liners breaking down more rapidly. So, under that model I'd spend $1600 skiing in boots that don't fit as well contributing to worse performance. i.e. spend more money than the "expensive" custom experience for lesser skiing satisfaction.
If Central NH is convenient to you, visit Richelson's. He has offices in Plymouth and Bow.
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