A Story of Ski Boots
Skiing is a sport that requires a lot of gear. And it turns out, when your gear isn’t quite right, well then days on the mountain can be less than fun.
As the new year hit, I looked at my ski boots and thought, I’ve had these coming on eleven years – time to change them up.
I knew going in, that this was not quick visit to the store. Ski boots are finicky, hard to get your feet into even when you’ve had them ten years. They can hurt, they can pinch and create all sorts of agony. Hence, getting them right requires a serious investment of time. Two hours for the first boot fitting… Then a day on the mountain to “break them in”. Followed by subsequent boot fittings. It can take (no joke) an entire ski season to get your boots to feel “perfect”. And let’s be honest, it’s never perfect, more like “ya they feel pretty good”.
But, for some reason I was optimistic.
So optimistic in fact that when I went for my fitting and the boot fitter looked at my feet and went gosh golly gee you have a small narrow foot, hmmmmmm…. I wasn’t fazed. I was trusting. And once I had a boot that sort of fit (it was not perfect but I knew this was a journey), I gave away my old boots. No need for you anymore.
Cast forward six weeks and three subsequent visits to get my boots not to hurt that culminated with three guys staring at my feet, the boots, back to my feet, and finally looking at me sheepishly and saying “yup these are never going to work for you. Here is your money back”.
In one sense, hooray I guess…
Money was back in the bank. But I had no ski boots. And I’d spent almost eight weeks trying to get something to work that just didn’t. It was a fail.
I made my way to a grizzled boot fitter called Andre who wore finger toe shoes. Extra credibility points when you care so much about feet that you are up for that as a look. He stared at my what I now know is a “low volume foot” (human translation low volume = narrow), and said “I will have boots for you in November, (btw it’s March but no matter). If you can find the Nordica ProMachine, the Technica Mach 1 or Atomic Ultra in low volume 22’s just take the win. Try these three stores. They might have them.”
So I tried the stores. And by the third store, the guy behind the counter furiously typed low volume 22 into the computer, frowned for a good five minutes and then said “we have the atomics in a low volume 22 in the city”. Take the win. Off to the city I go.
A floppy haired 19 year old put them on my feet and asked “do they not suck?”.
They did not. They felt not too bad. Create a little space in the left one and I’ll be good. He did. I said a hooray, paid for them (now discounted as it is the end of the season – did I mention that already????) and headed on my way.
I will get three days in my new boots before the season is over. And oh yes, I should mention, the Atomics are the same boot I gave away in January. These are just the 2024 version. But it is the EXACT same boot.
So what is the learning on this one?
I knew that this was not a simple purchase. But I also assumed as I was willing to pay and spend the time that of course there would be a solution. And in ten years, technology is such that there must be a new secret fabulous boot that will change my life. Turns out, nope.
I almost gave up on the season because I didn’t have the right gear. And I wasn’t expecting it to be such a challenge. And, I had no Plan B.
Where have you left yourself open to risk by not having a plan B? What things do you think you understand so deeply that of course you don’t need to have a back up plan?
Through this process, which I get is a bit of a “champagne problem 😊” I felt caught off guard. And to be honest, a little silly. I missed ski days on the mountain with my family because I didn’t execute well. Not my favourite look.
But alas I learned. And I am keeping these boots for at least ten years at which point I will go back to Andre with his finger toe shoes and say “may I please have the Atomic Ultra low volume in a 22? 2034 edition obvs” 😊
