A Visit to the Intersport ‘Boot Doctor’

14th February 2024 | Pip Martin, Chamonix

Last modified on February 16th, 2024

There’s a point in every skier’s life when it’s time to buy your own ski boots. For Pip Martin, the time had come to say goodbye to rental boots this winter.

For a beginner, I’d always recommend renting but, if you want to break free from the intermediate plateau, then having your own, custom fitted boots can make a huge difference to your ability to progress.

With our children now old enough to leave ‘home alone’, we plan to increase our time on the slopes together.

This winter we’ll manage two trips and, if all goes well (and the kids don’t destroy the house with parties), in the future it could be more.

So, with a long weekend to Chamonix planned for February and ski hire already booked with Intersport, I was excited to try out the boot fitting service at its Michel Croz store in the centre of this historic town as soon as we arrived.

Many people buy their boots in the UK but if there is a problem, they can not get adjusted.

With Intersport if alterations need to be made after a day on the slopes as they rub somewhere or are a bit tight, then you just go back to the shop.

I started with some window shopping of its current selection of boots.

I liked the look of the brilliant white Atomic Hawx Magna 95 with half a mind on how well it would go with my ski pants.

Boot fitting at Intersport. Image © Iain Martin

We parked that idea as expert boot fitter Pierre Lavalle joined us to take my foot measurements.

He started by checking the length, width and shape of my feet on a device resembling a slide rule, before adding a digital opinion to his analogue conclusions.

Boot fitting at Intersport. Image © Iain Martin

The Sidas ‘Footbox’ scan confirmed his conclusions in visual format: my right foot is longer than my left, while my left is wider than the right.

The Footbox also measures pressure exerted under the different parts of your feet.

This showed I have a very high arch, due to years of gymnastics when younger.

Boot fitting at Intersport. Image © Iain Martin

Pierre immediately picked out a pair of Salomon S/Pro Supra BOA 95 boots.

The BOA part of the name refers to a new form of cinch fit system for this winter.

It’s a simple way to do up boots, allowing even pressure across the foot.

Even though you have been able to use BOA on snowboard boots, cycling shoes or at the back of your ski helmet, this is the first time it’s been adapted for ski boots.

Pierre had selected a boot that was the right volume for my feet, taking into account length and width, but the additional payoff of the BOA system is that there’s no need to guess which setting the lower two buckles should be done up to: you just tighten until it feels right.

Boot fitting at Intersport. Image © Iain Martin

Even though the Salomon was a great fit, I gazed wistfully at the white Atomics. “Could we try them?” I asked.

“Bien sur,” Pierre replied immediately, “but they won’t be right for your feet.”

Of course, he was right.

And with the Atomics returned, we moved to the next stage of the boot fit: creating custom insoles so that my feet would find the right support on the sole as well as the right shell around it.

We chose Sidas insoles, which cost €99.

Boot fitting at Intersport. Image © Iain Martin

There are other options available for less than half the price but Pierre had been so accurate so far that we were more than happy to take his recommendation.

Pierre warmed up two squidgy blue plastic moulds that I had to keep my feet on for a few minutes to take the shape of my feet.

Boot fitting at Intersport. Image © Iain Martin

The footbeds were then placed on top of the now-warm moulds.

I stood for another five minutes as the heat gradually transformed them to follow the shape of my sole.

Boot fitting at Intersport. Image © Iain Martin

The results were remarkable.

The comparison with the standard insoles the boot was supplied with was dramatic, due to my extremely high arch, described by Pierre as something “I’ve never seen before.”