Winter at Sandpoint Sports

With snow comes the joy of skiing and snowboarding. But a great day on the mountain can quickly turn into a nightmare with boots that fail to fit correctly or poorly tuned gear. We all want to avoid impediments and negative variables that might be created by our gear, so we can focus on improving our technique to get the most out of our skiing and snowboarding experience.

With that in mind, your first priority should be a professional boot fitting followed by properly tuned skis and snowboards.

Boot Fitting

Most people don't even realize when they need to have work done on their boots. But ask yourself, "Do my feet move around in my boots, or otherwise hurt when I ski?"
If you answered "yes" to either question, we can help alleviate your pain and make you feel at one with your boots.

What is involved with a custom boot fit?

1. Evaluation. The process of custom boot fitting begins by our asking you a number of questions and an examination of your feet to determine the best fit for your particular situation. The examination includes measuring your arches and sizing you foot while you are standing and then while seated, since foot length can increase by as much as one full size when you arch collapses under body weight. Finally, we shell size you to ensure that when your liners pack out, the shell will still support your foot.
2. Fit. We test your feet in a variety of models -- and yes, they will feel tight. A good fit needs to be snug to be supportive, but not to the point of being painful or restrictive.
3. Time. A proper boot fit takes time. All of our boots feature heat moldable liners that will conform to your feet over time from body heat. A proper boot fitting takes time. Both time in the store as we match you to the right boot, and time with them on your feet letting your body heat mold the liners. You should plan to spend at least 15-20 minutes in the boot. Even after this short amount of time you will start to notice a difference in comfort as the boot begins to mold to your feet.
4. Final Adjustments. After you have worn your boots for awhile and have achieved an initial level of comfort, we can start to take the final steps to bring your boots to perfection. Everybody's feet are shaped differently. We all have unique issues including spurs, calluses and bunions, with varying tolerances needing to be allowed for a comfortable fit. Final adjustment can include any or all of the following:
   • Footbed. A custom footbed is often strongly suggested and in some cases may even be required to properly support your feet. In almost all cases, custom footbeds will greatly increase both comfort and performance.
   • Alignment. We may need to cant your boot soles or adjust your boot cuff to align your ankles with your knees and hipbones. This will provide you with a natural athletic stance to assist your carving ability.
   • Shell grind or punch. Hot spots in the boot, like those created by an ankle bone, can be shaped to your physical need by grinding or stretching the shell.
5. Guarantee. This is the most important part. When you buy a boot from us, we guarantee the fit for as long as you own the boot. All the work needed to make you comfortable and happy with your boots, is on us. How many other places are that confident in their boot fitting?

Ski/Snowboard Tuning

So you have properly fitted boots and you have skis or a snowboard that match your ability. You think you are now ready to hit the slopes, right? Wrong! You would not consider heading out on a road trip without getting your car tuned up would you? In the same manner, you should not hit the slopes before all of your equipment is properly tuned. To ensure the best possible day on the mountain, you should know your gear is safe and performing at its highest level.

Safety. First, your ski bindings should be adjusted and tested periodically by a trained technician to ensure safe operation. Ski bindings are a spring based system that loses its accuracy and ability to function over time as the springs collect dirt, corrode and lose their elasticity. The manner in which you maintain, store, and use your skis will determine just how long your equipment will last. Ski binding manufactures have determined torque release values based on a person's age, weight, height; boot sole length and skiing ability. Make sure your bindings are safe with regular professional inspections!

Tuning. Next, your skis or snowboard will perform at their best and last the longest when they have been properly tuned. When skis and boards get used, three things happen:

1. wax is scoured from the pores of the bases,
2. the bases and edges wear down, and
3. the beveled cutting edge becomes dull and ineffective.

Quite simply, skis and snowboards need to be flat for the bases and edges to work properly. They also need to have sharp, burr-free, and beveled edge. Skis and snowboards with these characteristics and a good wax will slide easy, hold their edges through tightly carved turns, and feel predictable and smooth ensuring you both the confidence and performance you desire.

At SANDPOINT SPORTS, we tune skis and snowboards starting with a stone grind to flatten and structure the ski/snowboard base. We then use hand tools to precisely bevel the base and side edges. (Other shops often perform this step with edge grinders that are not as accurate.) We finish the edges by honing with a diamond stone. Then we select wax that is appropriate for the current snow conditions and hand iron it into your freshly structured base. After it has cooled, we scrape and polish your base to perfection with a horse hair brush.

Should you have any particular desires, we are always happy to custom tune your skis and /snowboards to whatever angles you want and apply the wax of your choice.

Your gear will say "THANKS" and perform like never before, ensuring the best day on the slopes possible.

"Nobody is perfect - here Svein checks body alignment during a cant evaluation."

"A torque test simulates binding release."

"Hand tuning is the only way to accurately set bevels on your edges."