Boot fitting in a world with covid-19

[Ski&ride]

I was tempted to start a thread......
Adapt or die

I think you should start that thread. We can share all the creative solution we see in that thread.

 

[Swiss Toni]

In talking to some Product Managers....there was a good amount of product already built but there will be a shortage and certainly no overages. Fortunately (depending on how you look at it) with this spring selling season being cut off, there will be some leftover boots to fill in.

Thanks for the response. I came across an interview (unfortunately in Italian) with Corrado Macciò general manager of Head Italy and president of the Italian ski pool that gives a bit of insight into the current situation https://www.sciaremag.it/attrezzaturasci/corrado-maccio-presidente-pool-e-il-futuro-del-mercato-sci/

Although most of the ski boots on sale today are made in eastern Europe many of the components are still made in northern Italy, the factories there have been closed since early March so deliveries may be delayed and some models / sizes that are only produced in small quantities might not get made.

I don’t think boot fitting is much of an issue. Here in Switzerland hairdressers have been allowed to reopen today, PPE must be worn and equipment, surfaces etc. disinfected. If that proves to be sufficient then boot fitters shouldn’t have a problem.

A much bigger problem is the reopening of the ski resorts themselves.

 

[Tricia]

Phil and I have been wondering how Masterfit University will be held, both in the volume of students allowed in a session and sharing space while learning to make footbeds and such.
Meanwhile, one of the owners of Masterfit has posted an article in an outdoor magazine about how he used his resources to import masks. (if this link doesn't take you directly to Steve's article, you can find it on page 22)

The Weekly - May 5, 2020 - 22

Experience our interactive, profoundly engaging digital publication!

www.nxtbook.com

 

[BillVT]

I know that by even posting is going to raise the hackles for many of this forum's subscribers, but here goes.

We at Dodge Ski Boots have successfully developed and use our exclusive 3D Fitting System so consumers can use their smartphone to scan their feet and, when completing a fitting questionnaire, get a free comprehensive Fitting Assessment. More information at https://dodgeskiboots.com/fit/ We use this system for all boot fitting, (even those who come into our factory fitting center for an in-person fitting). About two-thirds of our customers are people whom we've never met and use the system for remote fitting. (We have very satisfied customers from around the world.)

Is it perfect? No. But it has proven itself very effective and efficient. And, most of our customers tell us they have the best fit they've ever experienced.

If we need to adjust the fit (punches, padding, etc.) it's not a problem for customers to send back the boots for adjustments and we then turn them around and have them on the way back in a day or 2.

Does it totally replace in-person fitting? No. There will always be the skiers whose fitting needs demand in-person fitting. And, there will always be the customers who need/desire the in-person experience.

What about alignment? We supply each customer with comprehensive instructions to check their forward lean and lateral alignment so they can make those adjustments at home. In all but a very few cases, this is no problem.

BUT, our system is very effective at achieving a top-quality fit without the need for the person to be in our facility and may be an important part of the future for ski boot fitting for other brands.

Before condemning our system, we welcome anyone here to download the app and complete the Fitting Questionnaire so you can experience it yourself.

 

[markojp]

Honestly, I'm having a very hard time thinking my life (or infecting a family member) is worth someone's ski boot fit.

 

[James]

I don’t get the medical glove issue. There’s no point in wearing gloves unless you change them all the time or wash them. There could be a point to wearing loose gloves you can easily take off, so that then you have clean hands to do something else quickly.
But gloves offer basically no protection for the customer nor the bootfitter. If you’re less inclined to touch your face with gloves then maybe that's a benefit. Otherwise gloves are probably better at transferring the virus. But that’s a guess.

So customer - mask. Fitter - face shield plus mask is not a bad idea if you don’t wear glasses or even if you do. Washing or sanitizing of hands. Sanitizer is not better than soap, but no sink needed.

Shops would be wise to examine their ventilation. Many boot fitting areas are small and have dead air. This is not good. You just build up virus by people breathing. You could have an air cleaner with hepa filter. Possibly even uv light in the air system. By Sept we should have more of this figured out.
I think people would be willing to have it colder with moving air if explained.

Unfortunately, this is not going away. There’s simply nothing to make it a non issue other than a vaccine or about 1 million dead Americans to achieve herd immunity. (Based on 70% off 300million, .5% fatality. Kind of low but maybe we get better at treating)

But... herd immunity means nothing if you’ve never had it. If you’ve never had it and you deal with lots of people from all over, you’re at high risk.

 

[Tricia]

I don’t get the medical glove issue. There’s no point in wearing gloves unless you change them all the time or wash them. There could be a point to wearing loose gloves you can easily take off, so that then you have clean hands to do something else quickly.

That's just it, you'd have to change the gloves so often that you may be better off washing your hands all the time.

As a side note, I got takeout from our favorite mexican restaurant yesterday. The girl who was answering the phone, taking orders, running the cash register (including taking actual cash) was wearing gloves. She never changed them while I was waiting for my order. She was also loading paper bags with chips and putting the food containers together for us. There were 3 or 4 of us inside at any one time, with enough space to distance, but most places around here are bringing food to the curb. I was surprised that they had us come inside.
I was really surprised she was wearing gloves but not changing them, especially after taking cash from one customer and immediately going to get MY FOOD.

 

[Bootguy]

I have been thinking about this quite a bit( about 2 months), lots of sanitizing. We are fortunate that we only work by appointment and no walk ins. This allows us to control our environment a little better than most shops. Since all appointments are made via phone we can state the new guidelines we will be putting in place. To start with we only work 1 on 1(kind of the way it is now), no extra family or friends in the shop. Definitely no kids. Masks are an absolut, no exception. We have a bathroom before the entrance to the shop, so hands must be washed before entering. New socks only, no customer provided socks. Our hands will be sanitized as will customers feet.

fitting will go as follows:
the customer will not touch anything but the socks they put on. We always buckle boots anyway, no difference there. Footbeds are no different, customer touches nothing and all casting equipment and materials will have been sanitized prior to casting. Same deal with Balancing, When a customer buys a boot/footbed from us, they never touch the boot until they are walking out the door.

gloves are a waste, washing/sanitizing hands is the way to go, too much cross contamination as most people have no clue how to use them. False sense of security.

payment will be with a credit card machine that takes apple pay or they can insert the card themselves. Again, no contact.

skis that are brought in to have the delta checked will be handled with gloves, we do not adjust bindings.

After customer leaves, sanitize EVERYTHING. We only use medical grade Cavi Wipes(can‘t use bare hands for this).

repeat

we have just received a certificate of training from the Vermont occupational safety and health organization and will be strictly following all guidelines

 

[Ski&ride]

When a customer buys a boot/footbed from us, they never touch the boot until they are walking out the door.

What about customer who want to reuse their existing footbed?

 

[François Pugh]

Does it totally replace in-person fitting? No. There will always be the skiers whose fitting needs demand in-person fitting.

Can you recognize those people by the app's results?

 

[Bootguy]

What about customer who want to reuse their existing footbed?

I will sanitize it , and if it still matches their foot, re-use it

 

[BillVT]

Can you recognize those people by the app's results?

Most of the time, we can see this from the scan. But more often it is the qualitative information provided by the customer on the fitting questionnaire that lets us know. People who have had tough fits through their skiing life tend to know it.

 

[Tricia]

Well, @Greg Whitehouse and California Ski Co have produced a video on their current set up for bootfitting.

 

[LiquidFeet]

This has got to be the part that us troubling for bootfitters.
Dunno a way around the closeness at this point in the fitting process.

 

[James]

^ With masks that shouldn’t be too bad.

Air is really the big thing. You don’t want hours of dead air.

 

[markojp]

This has got to be the part that us troubling for bootfitters.
Dunno a way around the closeness at this point in the fitting process.
View attachment 104967

I'll wear a mask and face shield.

 

[Pequenita]

I'll wear a mask and face shield.

And bonus points if the fitting bench can be moved outside.

 

[markojp]

And bonus points if the fitting bench can be moved outside.

That would be logistically very difficult if not impossible unfortunately.

 

[crgildart]

Not as bad as the dentist office sitting there looking up with your mouth open. At least both fitter and client an wear masks during the process.

 

[James]

Not as bad as the dentist office sitting there looking up with your mouth open. At least both fitter and client an wear masks during the process.

For cleaning, my dentist stopped using the high pressure water jet. No swirling sink to rinse out in either. It’s a scrape and polish with the rotary tool. Then rinse out in the normal sink.