Related link: how we test
Boots are a strange animal. People in the ski community who have access to lots of equipment think little of jumping on a dozen or more different pairs of skis each season, but most never do it without their personal boots. Even the most experienced skiers rarely update their boots more than every couple of seasons.
That’s why when it comes to testing, we liberally stock our team with those who know ski boots most intimately: the master boot fitters from America’s Best Boot Fitters shops who fit and customize thousands of pairs each year. Our team leaders are from MasterFit University, the official training center for ski & snowboard bootfitting. They, along with our other master boot fitters, probably ski in more different boots in a single season than anybody in the snow world. That gives them a unique and broad perspective on what works and why.
To this core we add a group of certified ski instructors and coaches who have the keen eye and sense of skiing to pinpoint how a boot affects technique. Some of our testers are members of both groups, teaching skiing by day and boot fitting in the evenings.
Combined, our testers have more than 750 years of on-snow experience. Here’s a look at our 2005 team:
Daphne Amory 39, PSIA Level III instructor, professional wine consultant
Heather Atwell 32, PSIA Level III instructor, Director of Public Affairs & Programs, Vermont Ski Areas Assn.
Miguel Azcarate 46, Owner/master bootfitter, Mud Sweat & Gears, Ellicottville, NY; Level III coach; Director, Holiday Valley, NY Training Center
Nick Blaylock 27, Master bootfitter, Green Mt. Orthotic Labs @ First Run Ski Shop, Stratton Mt., VT; MasterFit University instructor; PSIA Level III ski instructor
Jeff Bokum 32, Certified Pedorthist/Master bootfitter, S&W Sports, Concord, NH; MasterFit University instructor; Professional firefighter/EMT, Portsmouth, New Hampshire
Kathy Brennan 43, PSIA Level III instructor Loon, NH; PSIA Examiner Training Squad; Computer consultant
Steve Cohen 50, Ski Press boot test program director, veteran ski writer, co-founder MasterFit University
Bettina Davis 26, sales associate, Northern Ski Works, Killington, VT; former collegiate ski racer and instructor
Chip Dwyer 50, Master bootfitter, Northern Ski Works, Killington, VT, USSA Level I coach; PSIA Level III instructor
Mark Elling 36, Author of The All-Mountain Skier: The Way to Expert Skiing (McGraw Hill); MasterFit University instructor; Master bootfitter, Mt. Bachelor Ski & Sport, Mt. Bachelor, OR; certified backcountry ski guide
Sarah Emberley, 24, USSA Level I ski coach, Bretton Woods, NH; former collegiate ski racer, Ithaca (NY) College
Mike Evans 46, PSIA Level III instructor/race coach, Mt. Bachelor, OR
Tom Favro 47, Master bootfitter, Northern Ski Works, Killington, VT; former ski rep and college ski coach
Tom Gabrielse 55, Owner/master bootfitter, Snowcrest Ski & Snowboard Center (shop with indoor ski deck for instruction), Crestwood, IL; PSIA Level III instructor
Bill Haight 40, Certified Pedorthist/master bootfitter, Green Mountain Orthotics Lab @ First Run Ski Shop, Stratton Mt., VT
Sandi Hamm 55, Master bootfitter, Green Mountain Orthotics Lab @ First Run Ski Shop, Stratton Mt., VT
Greg Hoffmann 50, Certified Pedorthist/owner Green Mountain Orthotics Lab @ First Run Ski Shop, Stratton Mt., VT; MasterFit University senior instructor; PSIA Level III instructor
Keith Holmquist 51, Co-owner/master bootfitter Pro Ski & Ride, Hunter, NY; former ski manufacturer’s sales rep
Peter Palmer 63, PSIA Examiner, Cardenali Ski Camps coach
Randy Pickard 55, Owner, Issaquah Ski & Cycle, Issaquah, WA; PSIA Level III instructor
Greg Pier 51, Owner/master bootfitter, Heino’s Ski & Cycle Shop, Pequannock, NJ; USSA level I coach
Cam Powell, 42, Alpine boot business manager, Sporting Life, Toronto, ON; bootfitter for Canadian Alpine Ski Team; CSIA Level III instructor
Jeff Rich 49, Ski Press boot test technical director; Certified Pedorthist/owner U.S. Orthotic Center, New York City; MasterFit University co-founder
Jim Robertson 42, Regional manager/master bootfitter, Peter Glenn Shops, Essex, VT
Paige Rogers 36, Ski instructor, Mt. Sunapee, NH
Isabelle Sauvageau 36, Ski Press director of distribution and special events; ski instructor, Tremblant, QC.
Chris Slade 46, Master bootfitter, Northern Ski Works, Killington, VT; Resort Sports Network TV show host
Eric Stamp 48, Level III instructor, Killington, VT; master bootfitter, Northern Ski Works, Killington, VT
Jamie Stratton 22, Race coach, Pat’s Peak, NH; bootfitter/sales associate S&W Sports, Concord, NH
James “Willy” Wilbur, 43, Certified Pedorthist, master bootfitter Ski Barn, Paramus, NJ
