Ok, so against my better judgement I took one of the wifes pair of ski's to Peter Glenn's to get the bindings adjusted for the winter. I walk into the shop with the ski's and one boot. The guy looks at me and tells me he needs both boots in order to set the bindings. I guess I must have looked stunned, because the rest of the families ski's are at the other shop in Richmond getting the exact same work done with just one boot (like I said I never go to Peter Glenn's, but I was on that side of town for business, and thought I give them a try). When I finally snapped out of my state of shock, I told him that was ok, and started to leave. He got kinda pissed, so I told him that I live almost 45 minutes away and wasn't going to come back later with the other boot. So, I swung by The Ski Center on the way home, and dropped off her Atomic's (we now have 7 pairs there)!

So, my question is, who is correct? The shop that says there is a left and a right ski, and you need both boots to set the bindings, or the shop that says that it doesn't matter anymore?

Hmm.. Good question. I've had skis (or is it the bindings on them? can't remember at the moment...) that are labeled differently so you can tell which one is right and which one is left, but I've often been given the advice to alternate the right and left (e.g., between morning and afternoon) to keep them "balanced" or evenly worn.

How many people are consistent about which ski they put on which foot?

There are no left and right skis unless the skis are asymmetrical or you bevel your inside and outside edges differently. Perhaps, to precisely safety test the bindings it may be desirable to use the left and right boots, as the boots may not have exactly the same dimensions. However, if that were the case I would get new boots. Many years ago I worked in a shop and if you had one or both boots I would safety test the bindings because at the recreational level it should not make a significant difference.

My newest pair of skis came back from the shop with an "L" on one and a "R" on the other. Although I didn't think it was a big deal I still put them on the corresponding boot. Guess it is just the OCD in me???

With the shaped ski it really shouldn't matter which is left or right. I know that racers will set their bindings or shim on the binding so it does matter for them, but for 90% of skiers it's right or the other right and it doesn't matter. Back in the day, prior to shaped ski technology, we would switch skis to the opposite foot if conditions became "fast." We tended to skid tails more, and the outside edge was of concern. Anymore, when fast snow occurs, I'd rather practice my sipping and swilling instead.

I kind of respect the OCD at Peter Glenn. Even if they only eyeball the other boot for sole and lug wear, that is doing the customer a service.

Out of curiosity, what machine are they using? Is it a Wintersteiger Speedtronic?

He said nothing about boot wear (I never even brought the boot into the building). The boots are my wifes and last years model (about 6 days on them). He said that he needed both in order to calibrate each binding, one for the left foot and one for the right. When I seemed puzzled, he told me this is how it is always done! Which really confused me cause I had not heard of it since the advent of shaped ski's back in the mid to late 90's.

Aren't you worried about her tips crossing?

Have a look at the way this machine is set up:
http://www.wintersteiger.com/E/sp_content_speed.html

With the torquing arms pushing against the side of the boot, and digital (oooooh!) readout and recording of release values (for both bindings and both boots).

I can easily see how someone who was trained on this style of machine would

a) be trained to test bindings using both boots

b) firmly believe in the training in spite of your arguments or other shops' practice.

c) be supported by the shop owner in that belief

I guess I'm in the same confused state. I bought new boots at Ski Center. When I took my skis in to set the bindings, one of the skis came back marked "left ski". I could see this if one of the skis had some canting done, but nothing's been done to the ski. Both skis and boots are brand new, so wear is not a factor. Does it really matter? I guess I'll leave the "left ski" sticker on till we have snow and I can test it out.

Steve

I bought a pair of skis at Ski Center's ski swap last year. They were used, and had originally been purchased from a ski shop in Minnesota (as evidenced by the "right ski" sticker that bore the name of the shop). After leaving the skis at Ski Center to have the bindings adjusted for me, they were returned with a "left ski" Ski Center sticker. So now, I've got a "left ski" and a "right ski" sticker on my skis (one per ski... it would be funny if they'd both gone on the same one).

This leads me to believe that although the left/right distinction might be useful in some instances, it's more likely that the sticker's main purpose is advertising the shop it comes from.


aaron

I have been skiing for 38 years and always have several release check done each year. To this day I would say it is a rarity if the skis do no come back with a R and L, or at least one on one ski. I can understand both trains of thought. If the boot soles are identical and if the bindings are identical...notice I did not say new or used, then using just one boot should surfice. But used boots and binding present a different situation....one binding might be within specks but with a weakened spring...or a boot could be slightly deformed yet the binding on one of the skis can be adjusted to minimize the impact.
And I would suspect that the liability insurance policies of the various shops might also come into play.
The Colonel