Should I bring my gear from home?
This is one of our most commonly asked questions – should I bring my gear from home or should I wait until I get to Whistler?
Perhaps you've seen a great deal in your local ski or snowboard store. Or you already have some gear that was perfect for you last trip when you skied in the Southern Hemisphere or Europe. Or maybe you suspect that the in-resort prices will be higher than anywhere else. You are making a significant investment in yourself with your trip to Whistler, so we strongly recommend getting the right gear to make the most of it! To do this we advise you to make your purchases here in Whistler. There are a lot of reasons for this, including making sure you have the right tools for the program you’re completing (our in-resort experts are on hand to help you out!), being able to trial equipment before you buy, and having easy access to the place you bought the boots / skis / board from if they need adjusting.
Over the years, we’ve learnt a lot about success. What it takes. What it looks like. What it feels like. In this post, we’re sharing what we've learned about the right fitting boots and how they impact your success. (For ski recommendations, see our Pros 2017/18 best picks here).
Your success is the main reason. For a good portion of this coming season, you'll be pushing your limits and perhaps pursuing your goals and dreams to be an instructor. You'll be on your skis or board and in your boots for many hours here on Whistler Blackcomb ((Yay – #1 ranked ski resort 3rd year in a row!). Without a doubt there are no shortcuts when it comes to boots. Have you ever had sore or aching feet, cold feet, numbness, or worst of all, blisters or sore shins from your boots? Or maybe you've found that your comfortable new boots need to be tightened a lot after the first week of wearing them? Then you know how this can impact both your performance and fun. You want to love the boots you are in this year!
Selecting boots is more involved than selecting skis or boards. That’s because everybody’s foot is different and everyone needs something a bit different from their boot. Once you start looking at properly at boots, (past the colours and styles!) you will see there are different widths, volumes, purposes and designs. For that reason, we have our very own resident ski boot fitting pro, Barry Allison of Skiconnexions to help you out. He’s also one of our top dogs on the hill as a Level 4 Instructor, so he knows exactly what you are experiencing!
With over twenty years of skiing and boot fitting expertise, Barry will get you into the right boot. His promise. 😉 He’ll assess your foot, help you select the boot that will fit it best, then build you a great footbed and customize your shells if necessary (BTW – it's almost always necessary!) When you’re done with the fitting process, these boots will be YOUR boots. You will guard them with your life, take them as carry-on luggage, be so dependant on them that you might forget your phone when you leave the house but not your boots! We are super happy/stoked that you chose to ski/ride with us this season. To get yourself on the right track right out of the gate, please book your boot fitting appointments, starting November 10th, via info@skiconnexions.com.
Leave a Reply
Want to join the discussion?Feel free to contribute!