These Boots Were Made for Riding

When you're just starting out, just anything will do. And then it comes time when "just anything" won't do.

I have enjoyed having my own equipment this season. No need to stop by the rental shop. No need to put down a $300 deposit on my credit card (as if I would steal equipment, especially that which had been used by dozens of people.) No need to always adjust to slightly different gear.

But I decided that the boots I had bought, as a ski swap find, were simply too big. So I bought a new pair from my favorite shop.

I paid about $100 for the pair, but then dropped in another $30 for semi-custom insoles. That is, the sales girl took a pair of insoles off the rack, and then baked them in the oven for a while. Then she tore out the OEM insoles from the boots, dropped in the new insoles, and I had toasty toes for about 15 minutes as I walked around the shop, imprinting the shape of my foot into the renovated boots.

In yet another example of commerce-meets-recycling, I sold the old boots on eBay. They will serve someone else for a while, before being passed along again. Ultimately, they will be so worn out that they will be good only for walking in the snow or shoveling the driveway.

Meanwhile, I'm enjoying my new boots. Not as tight as I would like, but they tell me that I'm not skiing, so I don't need ski-tight boots. I may regret this, but I won't know for a while.