new boots

Oops! A couple days got away from me without posting - sorry about that.  We've been doing stuff, I promise.

Case in point:  H and I were 3+ years overdue to buy new ski boots so we recently found our way to the Sport Loft (4678 S. Highland Drive, Holladay).  It was purely by chance that we landed there - after an internet search for "Salt Lake City ski boot fitters" or somesuch - we're very glad we did.  It was quite an experience.  Neither of us has ever had custom boot fitting before and we didn't know what to expect.

Trying not to move during 

the vacuum process

What you get at the Sport Loft, which has been in business and run by the same family for 40 years, is the undivided attention of Earl and Jeremy Middlemiss, father and son, for three hours as they ask exhaustive questions about your skiing (current equipment, days on the hill, skill level, technique), measure your feet and observe your stance.  Then they try you in three or four different brands of ski boots, each time asking careful questions about the fit at multiple places on your feet.  When a boot is decided upon, the next step is to pad your feet, depending upon your physiology's idiosyncrasies, and then heat-mold the boot liners around your feet.  We each also got custom orthotics to correct our stances and, in my case, compensate for my fallen arches.  My new boots, Fischer Trinity 110s, went one step further and I had to stand motionless in a heat/vacuum contraption for fifteen minutes as the shell was customized to my feet.  H got to take his new Lange RX-130s home with him that night.  My boots had to cool and cure on a flat surface for 24 hours, so I didn't go back until the next day to try them on and get the bindings on both pairs of skis adjusted.

New boots!  So pretty!

Custom boot-fitting at the Sport Loft is not particularly cheap but the level of service you get is seemingly unprecedented.  Earl and Jeremy paid attention only to us for the duration of our fittings and took their time answering all our questions.  When I went back for my boots, Earl walked out to the car with me and insisted on carrying not only my boots for me, but also both pairs of my skis.  He even picked out new ski socks for me!  There was a ski instructor (19 years at Alta, this year at Canyons) in the shop finishing up his fitting when H and I showed up initially, and he told us that without a doubt, Earl and Jeremy are the best fitters anywhere.  H and I were certainly impressed with the personalized service we got and now, more than ever, we're excited to get on the hill and see what our new boots can do.