For nearly two decades, Solutions 4 Feet has been setting standards for ski boot fitting in the UK. Founded in 2005 to give skiers the best possible start on snow, the Bicester-based specialist has grown from a tiny store with just a handful of models to one of the most advanced boot workshops in Europe.
With a reputation built on expertise, precision, and a personalised approach, the team continues to help everyone from first-time holiday skiers to FIS-level athletes find the perfect fit. We caught up with shop owner and founder, Colin Martin, to hear more about their journey and what sets them apart.
Can you tell us a bit about Solutions 4 Feet and how it all started?
Solutions 4 Feet was set up in 2005 to give skiers the very best fitting ski boots. The business started after working several years in the ski industry for various retailers and seeing that there wasn’t really a proper boot shop in the south of the UK giving the service levels that skiers really wanted. We started in a small store and for the first 12 months didn’t even sell boots, we relied on people arriving with boots they had already purchased elsewhere or had to settle for what a local store had in stock.
Then we started with an offering of race boots and a total of 12 models of recreational boots so that we had the boots that the customers coming to us wanted. 20 years on we are in a store over double the size (next door to the original) with over 70 models of recreational ski boot and over 15 race specific boots for FIS level athletes - we're one of the best equipped boot workshops in Europe.
Where are you based and what’s good about this location?
We are based in the town centre of Bicester in Oxfordshire, in a little courtyard just off the main street, the location was chosen due to many factors including affordability and proximity to where I was living, but mainly the accessibility. We have three indoor snow centres within a one-hour drive, the M40 is only seven minutes from the shop and there are at least five trains an hour that pass through one of the two stations in Bicester from London Marylebone (two to Birmingham and the others to Oxford)
Can you introduce the team for this season?
This year we have a stable team, same as last season.
We have myself, a Board Certified Pedorthist who is responsible for running the business as well as staff training and quality along with fitting for our FIS level athletes, instructing for Masterfit University ski boot fitting courses, and being a founding board member of the Global Association of Professional Boot Fitters.
Our full-time boot fitter, Luke Sheehan, has worked in the ski industry now for five years starting at Snow and Rock, then doing two seasons at Profeet inLondon before moving to work for us in Bicester. This will be his second season with us.
We also have two “contract” boot fitters who work for us on a part time seasonal basis:
Alex Goldsmith has been fitting ski boots for over 20 years and worked in a number of different countries during that time. She is now a busy mum of two and has her own business providing custom insoles for all types of footwear alongside a couple of days a week working at Solutions 4Feet and some training work for Sidas.
And James Choularton. James has been in the ski industry for over 30 years, born in the UK but raised on the east coast of the USA he has held various boot fitting roles over the years along as being an instructor for Masterfit University and running his own business fitting insoles and supplying footwear for cyclists and walkers. James can be found in the winter months on a fitting bench at Solutions 4 Feet on a Saturday.
What’s your store’s approach to helping customers find what they need?
We are a full service store, the process starts with a biomechanical assessment and discussion about the needs of the skier. From there we direct the client towards the most suitable boot models before building a custom insole and doing any adjustment work to the boots. Every boot is set up individually to the clients biomechanics and whilst the assessment is the same for a one week a year intermediate skier to a national team athlete, the boot selection and fit is tailored to that individual.
What advice would you give to somebody looking to buy their first ski or snowboard setup?
Boots are singularly the most important piece of kit you will ever own, so don’t cut corners on the boots. Work with a fitter to understand what the differences in models are and to find the most appropriate boot for YOU.
Do you specialise in any particular products or services?
We sell boots and custom orthotic insoles (and a few odd accessories to go with the boots). The ability to fit, adapt and adjust boots is key to being able to offer the best option - without our full workshop this wouldn’t be possible.
What’s a typical day like at your store during the winter season?
I am in the office normally about 07.30 to deal with paperwork, book keeping and general business management, back to back appointments from 08.30 till 17.00 (ok we have a little gap in the middle for overrun and so that everyone can get indigestion grabbing a sandwich!). The phone is going constantly, the email's pinging, and then when the clients are gone I spend time answering emails and returning calls. The music is on and the vibe is pretty hectic but it's all under control.
How do you choose the products that you stock?
We select a combination of what has worked well for us in the past and what new innovative product is out there that we feel will work for our client base. The selection is constantly evolving.
What new gear are you most excited about this winter?
We've got Dual Boa boots starting to make headway into the range.
BOA has been an interesting development over the past few years, the system definitely wraps the foot better - so long as the is the right shape for the foot in the first place - but that's where we come in!
Do you have a personal favourite that you’ll be testing out?
Personal favourites are a dangerous thing for a boot fitter to hav - we have to be objective about fit. What fits me will most likely not work for a good chunk of my customers.
This year though, I will be skiing in both the Atomic Prime 130 Boa and the Fischer RC4 MV Pro with Zipfit, and I am looking forward to trying to get my foot into the new Salomon Alpha to test in January having seen the prototype this summer.
Are you running any events, demos, or trips for customers this season?
We were at the Ski Focus Summit in early September at Hemel Snow Centre and then we are attending the London Snow Show at Olympia in mid October with a small stand to talk all things boots.
What’s next for your store?
The most important thing is keep on keeping on. We are always looking at new product, new tech and how we refine the process, along with attending as much education as we can get. Maybe another full time fitter will be required in the next little while but who knows what the future will bring.
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