Boot techs in Dillon?

[Fuller]

There should be a lot of them but I would like to get a recommendation from Pugski if I can.

My problem is that I changed boots from my old Tecnica Mach 1 110 MV to Tecnica Mach 1 120 LV last year. The fit felt great at first and my skiing was much better but after a couple of weeks I needed the sixth toe area enlarged. Not wanting to go back to a sloppy fit I asked my guy in Whitefish to just nudge them out a little bit which he did. But after 53 days and 1 million plus vertical feet I had managed to give myself permanent "tailor's bunions". I've elected to not do any surgery this year and I'll get cortisone shots before I head north in January to minimize the issue hopefully.

But that leaves me with either going back to my sloppy MV boots with new liners or radically blowing out the toe box of the LV boots. I'm quite concerned that I'm going to get to Whitefish on a planned 60 day trip and have to sit on the sideline with crippled feet. We have a few days in Dillon CO planned before we get there so I'd like to get the situation dealt with there if possible.

So best shop and person? We arrive late on Jan 7th so I'd like to be waiting on the doorstep bright and early on Wednesday Jan 8th if possible. A good cup of coffee would be appreciated as I will likely be delirious from the altitude by then. Or if the espresso machine is broken I'll pick some up for both of us.

This is hugely important for the future of my 2020 season so I need someone who knows how to solve problems!

... yes, it's all about me!

Thanks in advance,

Fuller

 

[Nancy Hummel]

Precision Ski in Frisco. I have not been there in quite some time but there used to be a coffee shop next door.

Jeff Bergeron is in Breckenridge.

 

[UGASkiDawg]

Chuck at Racers edge in Breck...thank me later.

 

[Doug Briggs]

All the guys at A Racer's Edge are really good. Chuck, Justin, Zach, Joe, Guy. They are a team so if your issue isn't in one person's wheelhouse, they'll consult each other to make sure they get it right.

Note Bene: I work at the shop as a ski tech. They do my boots, too.

 

[UGASkiDawg]

All the guys at A Racer's Edge are really good. Chuck, Justin, Zach, Joe, Guy. They are a team so if your issue isn't in one person's wheelhouse, they'll consult each other to make sure they get it right.

Note Bene: I work at the shop as a "master ski tech extraordinaire and all around good guy". They do my boots, too.

FIFY

 

[Uncle Louie]

Chuck at Racers edge in Breck...thank me later.

See post above.

No reason to look any further.

 

[Philpug]

Chuck at Racers edge in Breck...thank me later.

Bugs Bunny:
Would you like to thank me now or wait 'til you get home?

Daffy Duck:
thank him now! thank him now!

Bugs Bunny:
You keep outta this! He doesn't have to thankyou now!

Daffy Duck:
He does SO have to thank me now!

Daffy Duck:
I demand that you thank me now!

 

[Fuller]

Thank you!

 

[Uncle Louie]

It would be wise to make an appointment ahead of time.

You can find contact info for Chuck and the rest at www.aracersedge.com

You can find information on how to contact Jeff Burgeron at www.bootfixation.com

 

[ski otter 2]

Hi. I've had experience with a number of em in Dillon and in Denver area, including the others mentioned. My search of many years stopped at Chuck's Racer's Edge doorstep in Breck. (Been three times now, three boots just right.) Definitely call ASAP for an appointment: those guys can get busy for a reason, and you will probably need the "set aside" appointment, if nothing else, just so the time can be more laid back.

It's not all that often that to me one place is just so standout.

 

[Fuller]

Meeting with Chuck on 1/8/20, thanks again everybody!

 

[Fuller]

Well I guess I'm not meeting with Chuck, I texted him this afternoon driving down I-70 to just touch base and apparently he's in the hospital. Sorry to hear that and hope he's ok. I didn't read his reply until 5:30 but I called the shop to see what could be done. I wasn't too thrilled to hear that "they were all booked up for tomorrow" I said yeah, I'm one those bookings on the schedule and I made it a month and half ago so you'll need to come up with something. So I have an appointment with someone at 9:00 instead of Chuck at 8:00. Honestly, I had to get a bit assertive to get an acceptable response. It will probably work out well in the end but I'm surprised no one reached out to me when Chuck couldn't come to work. What would have happened if I had just showed up for my appointment? What happens to all his other clients who were scheduled this week? That kind of stuff is just basic blocking and tackling for any retail business.

I was feeling confident that I had set up the best chance for pain free skiing for the next 2 months and now I'm not so sure.

 

[TexasStout]

Well I guess I'm not meeting with Chuck, I texted him this afternoon driving down I-70 to just touch base and apparently he's in the hospital. Sorry to hear that and hope he's ok. I didn't read his reply until 5:30 but I called the shop to see what could be done. I wasn't too thrilled to hear that "they were all booked up for tomorrow" I said yeah, I'm one those bookings on the schedule and I made it a month and half ago so you'll need to come up with something. So I have an appointment with someone at 9:00 instead of Chuck at 8:00. Honestly, I had to get a bit assertive to get an acceptable response. It will probably work out well in the end but I'm surprised no one reached out to me when Chuck couldn't come to work. What would have happened if I had just showed up for my appointment? What happens to all his other clients who were scheduled this week? That kind of stuff is just basic blocking and tackling for any retail business.

I was feeling confident that I had set up the best chance for pain free skiing for the next 2 months and now I'm not so sure.

Wow, sorry to hear that about Chuck being in the hospital and about your difficulties with the appointment! I was fortunate in getting an appointment with Chuck this past Friday and the new boots worked fine for me on Sunday.
Hopefully, the bootfitter you get will be good too.

 

[Ken_R]

Well I guess I'm not meeting with Chuck, I texted him this afternoon driving down I-70 to just touch base and apparently he's in the hospital. Sorry to hear that and hope he's ok. I didn't read his reply until 5:30 but I called the shop to see what could be done. I wasn't too thrilled to hear that "they were all booked up for tomorrow" I said yeah, I'm one those bookings on the schedule and I made it a month and half ago so you'll need to come up with something. So I have an appointment with someone at 9:00 instead of Chuck at 8:00. Honestly, I had to get a bit assertive to get an acceptable response. It will probably work out well in the end but I'm surprised no one reached out to me when Chuck couldn't come to work. What would have happened if I had just showed up for my appointment? What happens to all his other clients who were scheduled this week? That kind of stuff is just basic blocking and tackling for any retail business.

I was feeling confident that I had set up the best chance for pain free skiing for the next 2 months and now I'm not so sure.

Any of the guys there will take care of you. Sit back, relax and have a large cup of coffee...

 

[cantunamunch]

Any of the guys there will take care of you. Sit back, relax and have a large cup of coffee...

At this point I think we're waiting for a results update...

 

[Mike Thomas]

Well I guess I'm not meeting with Chuck... apparently he's in the hospital. . I had to get a bit assertive to get an acceptable response... I made it a month and half ago so you'll need to come up with something. It will probably work out well in the end but I'm surprised no one reached out to me when Chuck couldn't come to work. What would have happened if I had just showed up for my appointment? What happens to all his other clients who were scheduled this week? That kind of stuff is just basic blocking and tackling for any retail business.

You sound fun.

 

[Fuller]

Well crisis averted. Brendan did an excellent job, I appreciated the fact that he didn't go right to the obvious fix and took the time to get basic measurements, make sure I was in the right boot, blow out the 6th toe areas on both boots to the point that they look like pregnant guppies and then follow up with cuff alignment.

I skied a bit at Loveland this afternoon and they felt OK but I may need a bit more room further up in the toe box.

As for me sounding fun, I am @Mike Thomas . I'm also now a satisfied customer because I generally work with people and allow them to do the right thing.

 

[Doug Briggs]

@Fuller , I'm glad it worked out for you.

 

[Fuller]

So here's an update on the update...

As I explained above, Brandon did a great job and I had worked myself into a minor hissy fit for for nothing, but at the time I really was afraid of not being able to ski at all and was fearful of having to wave goodby to my wife each morning as she headed up the mountain without me.

But from a more technical point of view I still had to go through additional mods in Whitefish and only just today do I feel like I have a boot that fits after 35 days this season.

Step 1: Last year after about 30 days the guys at Great Northern (Whitefish) punched out the 5th metatarsal area a wee bit but the damage was done and I never felt right until the season was long over.

Step 2: Brandon at A Racer's Edge did his mega punch to the 5th metatarsal that saved the new season. No more 6th toe bunion pain.

Step 3: Brandon did a follow up adjustment the next day to make room for my pinky toes which were now absorbing the pressure.

Step 4: After about 10 days in Whitefish I went back to Great Northern to get some additional room for my 4th and 5th toes.

Step 5: After skiing a day I'm back for more of the same. Marginal gains.

Step 6: Day 30, Back to Great Northern, the stress is starting to accumulate and I'm cutting my days short. We're still trying to make more room on the outside of my foot where the redness, swelling and pain are. I think at this point each heating episode is affecting the previous attempt but there's some marginal improvement. I'm getting discouraged about being able to finish my season here. Even my street shoes are killing me.

Step 7: Day 34, back to Great Northern but the guy I'm working with isn't there that day so I have to start the conversation over with a different guy. I try to give him an overview of all that has happened previously - he asks me to take my shoes off to see the shape of my foot. "It looks to me like the shell pretty much matches the shape of the outside of your foot (it did) but look at the inside, your big toe has a bump that isn't matched by the shell. How about we punch it out to keep your foot centered in the boot and it will relieve the little toe area too." Go for it, I said - what the hell...

I picked them up this morning and went straight up to the mountain to secure a parking spot. The minute I put my foot into the boot it felt better - a whole lot better, both feet! For the first time I didn't feel worse at the end of the day. I skied pain free and actually felt better balanced on the skis. If I can give my feet a break to let them calm down a bit I'll make it to the end.

So my takeaway from the experience is that it's not always sufficient to address the obvious issue. Feet are weird and you have to keep trying things until something works. I have the benefit of being able to ski every day - it might have taken years if I was a 10 day a year guy. Many thanks to Brandon at A Racer's edge in Breck and Tom / Ron at Great Northern in Whitefish.

 

[cantunamunch]

Good story.

Are your original footbeds still well bedded in the shell or have those been redone too?