I'm reviewing a particular service of Strand's. I went there specifically to get a pair of Strolz custom downhill ski boots. I was referred there by my brother, who had a pair fitted there about 12 years ago, and has raced in them every year. He absolutely loves them. The same fitter, Leif Mikkelsen, is still doing the fitting. He is probably the most experienced fitter you could find. He is also an owner, and it seems, the main problem solver for the shop. Contrary to a few reviews, I found it to be a very friendly shop. I do agree it is cluttered and old, but I liked the atmosphere. I was fitted very professionally, and the comfort of the boots, once finished, was outstanding. The process is well thought out, and, if you have trouble with finding comfortable boots, these are worth looking into. These are the type of boots you can really ski well in, and be comfortable, and warm! read more

The only ski shop in town and their prices show it, snow sports are expensive enough. They also don't carry synthetic core equipment, so if your favorite company only makes wood core skis then you're out of luck. This place is very much stuck in the past and the old way of doing things and isn't very progressive... think of your father's ski shop. 2 stars because they have a great selection of ski boots, over priced but good to at least go and try on and then go online and buy them. read more

Best ski shop around. These guys are the real deal. If you need good gear and want real advice, come here. Best tune up in town too

Bought ski boots for my daughter who has very flat feet. They were very helpful recognizing the need for support and going the extra mile to help correct with customized inserts. Have also purchased other ski equipment and have had great service. read more

I brought my daughter to Strand's to get her outfitted for the upcoming snowboard season. It was immediately apparent that Strand's puts customer service first. We dealt with the owner, I believe his name is Dave, and he could not have been more helpful. Not only did he give us some great advice on equipment, he also never tried to up-sell us anything. In fact, he gave us a deal on boots and bindings and saved us money! Strand's is a laid back, no pressure kind if place. It is nice to know the person helping you really knows what they are doing. I am all about supporting local businesses, and in this case it really paid off. I would gladly recommend Strand's to anyone and I would not consider going anywhere else for my winter sports needs. read more

Here, you will not find a kid who looks like he should be working at Abercrombie and Fitch telling you what equipment to buy. This is a real ski shop, and it's probably one of very few left in the country. Leif and Roy are experts when it comes to ski equipment and have been working with it their whole life. Leif is also one of the best, if not THE best boot fitter in the entire country. The whole staff there is very knowledgeable about all ski equipment, and I should also add that they are all really cool dudes who like to have a few drinks with you while you're there! This place is awesome, and I will never bring my equipment anywhere else. read more

After being greeted by the cashier and asked if we needed help. We told her we were just looking, it was obvious that is not allowed in this ski shop. Her reply was "well it's a ski shop what are you looking for? Skis, boards, clothing..you don't know what you want. Well what are you looking for?" After feeling hounded by this cashed, we just continued to ignore her and she just kept talking to another employee about us loudly. "They are in a ski shop and have no clue what they want...and on and on." No way to run a little ski shop with rude ignorant employees like her, she will do nothing but drive customers away. We took our business to the Sports Loft in Fitchburg and happy we did! read more

I love winter sports! I also know that winter sports are NOT cheap. However, I do find it to be very pricey when compared to other places. The staff is awesome! They know their stuff, and if you don't see it, they are usually willing to order it if they can. Been a customer for quite a while, and that will NOT change :) read more

There are not a lot of locally owned ski businesses in the area, so I really have tried to give Strand's a couple different chances. However, in my various experiences in the store, I have never been treated courteously. The first time I went, I was looking for some ski mittens. The man there tried his hardest to up-sell me and get me to also buy a helmet. I didn't end up purchasing there anyway, because their prices were so much higher than elsewhere. The second time I went, I wanted to get my skis tuned. When I called to ask about price, the man who answered the phone was extremely condescending and rude on the phone, and then again in person when I ended up bringing them in. Another time, my boot drier died, and I ended up at Strands because no other ski shop in the area carried the one I liked. I walked in and couldn't find them, so I asked a woman behind the desk if they had any. The woman didn't talk to me, in fact she barely looked up from what she was doing and pointed to the wall, and then made me wait to check out. The last time I went, my husband was looking for a new helmet, so we went in to compare prices. It took about 15 minutes to get someone in the EMPTY shop to acknowledge us and help us. Then, again, it was rude all around. They treated us like we had stupid questions and had no idea what we were talking about. The last straw? I called them recently to see if they could check my bindings, I was told absolutely not and the man then HUNG UP on me. There are an array of reasons to not shop at Strands. I just can't stand to be treated so disrespectfully when all I am trying to do is give them my business. I will gladly drive to Vermont to give their local ski shops my business from now on. read more

Strand's found a ski racing boot that properly fit my son, after he had pain from a new pair of race boots bought in NH. He couldn't ski with his race team because of the pain. Leif and Mark looked at the new boots we had and saw the boot cuff material was too stiff for his size, and the boot was one size too large. They tried five different race boots on him, until they found a pair that he could flex and that felt good (Dalbello Scorpion). They also took an off-the-shelf boot insole and heat molded it to his foot for the new boot. The whole process took over two hours, so plan for at least two hours when you go in for a boot fit. Try to go at a quieter time. We went on a Friday late afternoon but I would probably avoid mid-day Saturday for a boot fitting. I was impressed with the boot inventory they had, as pair after pair came out in my son's size. That said, great expertise in boot fitting isn't free. The boots were comparably priced to what you'd find elsewhere, but not discounted. Also, don't be turned off by the aged appearance of the shop, as knowledge, skill, and honesty is what you should come to Strand's for... but it does not look like a ski shop you would find at a fancy resort. Our older daughter still uses a pair of boots Strand's fitted her for over ten years ago when she was on a race team, and she says they still feel great. We also got a race helmet and helmet guard upstairs, and they had a good inventory in brands and sizes. We'll be back when anyone in the family needs new boots, skis or other gear! read more

Need boots? Ski packages for the kids? Tuning, boot fitting? Don't bother with Strands. I have tried to use the 'local guys' three times and am struck each visit by the rude, unprofessional manner of the sales clerks. In the late 80's and early 90's this was the place to go (loved that CB jacket!) but no longer worth my patronage. On our last ever visit this weekend, we witnessed the technician working on my daughters boots pourIng Jack Daniels into his coffee mug. Shocking and unacceptable. They may have good equipment, and know their stuff - but so do the guys at Competitive Edge or Hadley Bike and Ski. Instead of paying the uber high prices at Strands for little options and horrible customer service- spend a little more on gas and visit a place where they are actually pleased you walked through the door of their shop. read more

It's such a shame that such a longstanding business has such poor customer service. We walked in excited to check out some options for our kids and another pair for my husband and were immediately met by some incredibly rude employees. The entire experience was awful. We ended up only asking a few questions (because any more than that clearly would have irritated the guy helping us) and leaving empty handed. We were spoken to in a "how do you not know this?!?" attitude and everything we tried to talk about with the sales guy was met with attitude. We considered just walking out right away but tried to give the guy a chance. He somewhat warmed up toward the end of our conversation but I haven't felt that belittled in a long time. I bought my skis as a kid here and have stayed loyal to them my whole life but I'm done dealing with the terrible customer service. We will sadly be taking our business elsewhere! read more

I came to Strand ski shop to find and customize a new pair of ski boots. I am a lifelong skier and certified ski instructor, but because my foot shape is unusual I always have a tough time getting boots that fit right and still perform. The service I received at Strand was exceptional. It was clear to me that all the employees were experts in their field, and my shopping experience was more like a conservation than a sales pitch. Although the shop was very busy and I probably spent more than two hours there, I never felt pressured to make a decision or speed up the process. In the end my customized boots fit perfectly, and I will definitely be back to Strand's! read more

Outstanding ski shop. If you are looking for polished interiors and polite, pretty ass-kissing sales people, this may not be for you. But no BS, informed and knowledgeable staff with great pricing are here. The boot fitting is unmatched. I bought a pair of boots and skis last week skied them this weekend. I have never felt a better fit in my 40 years of skiing. Searched high and low for a better deal on the same equipment online after the purchase and none to be had. Most of the bad reviewers admitted to buying boots elsewhere and getting attitude for Strand's reluctance to service them. Really??? Top outfit in my book. read more

Just had a fantastic experience buying new skis and boots at Strands. We have purchased both used and new ski packages there and both times found they were working so hard to get us in the right boots for a price we were comfortable with. Admittedly, I had tried a much bigger store (which will remain nameless) earlier this year, and it was clear they couldn't compete with the Strands staff, selection or price. Thank you! read more

We went to Strands last night to pickup a ski package for a new skier. I was so impressed with the process I'm compelled to write this review. Strands was truly outstanding with customer service, expertise and inventory!! Cost was reasonable and consistent with most places. I've been skiing all my life and worked in a ski shop for a number of years so somewhat familiar with the process and I must say Strands was great. We worked with Scott on the boot fitting and he was extremely knowledgeable and took his time to ensure that we got the right boots and the right fit. In addition he was a pleasure to work with. I killed some time checking out alot of the cool stuff in the store and chatting with the owners. The owners and workers were all very cordial, polite and a wealth of knowledge. We left with an awesome boot and perfectly fitted. They had a great supply of boots and sizes as well as skies. We left very very happy and VERY impressed with Strands! Before Strand we went to another local ski shop to purchase a ski package. A salesmen in this shop showed this new skier a pair of skies that were WAY to tall for a new skier. It was obvious there was limited size selection but all he needed to do was say so. Next he brought out a pair of women boots with a 95 and then 90 flex rating! The boot was obviously meant for expert level and higher skier based on the stiffness/flex rating and the high boot design and in my opinion was far from appropriate for a new skier. I thought It was ridiculous but someone that didn't know the difference could be sold a package that was inappropriate for that level skier. read more

This is the ONLY place to buy ski boots. I bought a pair of boots there a few seasons back. As I used them I discovered that the fit was off a bit. I went back, they widened them, and now they fit perfectly! read more

Talk about rudeness and lack of welcoming customer service!! I have over 20 years of experience skiing and buying gear all around the world and I'll have to say Strands has been my worst experience. I've been there a few times and they have to understanding of being personable or welcoming. I went there a few weeks to mount new bindings on my skis and was turned down as 'they only mount bindings on equipment purchased at Strands'. I would be okay with that but he treated me like I was a complete idiot and how dare I purchase gear somewhere else. It would have been fine if he wasn't so arrogant. Catch more flies with honey.. I will never waist my time or money at Strands again! read more

Most rude and arrogant sales people I have ever dealt with. Despite not asking about my son's skiing style, weight or skill level, they extremely rudely insisted on skis several inches taller than his height. I spent 2 years on college researching ski binding design and ski related injuries, so I happen to know a little bit about skis and their arrogance was sickening. They'll never see a dollar from me. read more

As an ex-racer I have bought many, many ski boots. I went in there today looking for a high performance boot, more specifically the Head Vector or Challenger. They sized me as a 9.5 and then tried to offer me boots in a 26.5; which in mondo is 8.5. They didn't have boots I came in to be fitted into/buy in 26.5, obviously the wrong size to begin with. After being handed off by 2 salesmen, and listening to all the profanities concerning coworkers and the things wrong with the business in general, I was given to one last guy, who's sat back on his heels, and said "which ones are you gonna buy? You've seen enough to know which ones you want.... You aren't gonna buy 'me online are ya?" Of course I didn't know what I was talking about by saying that they felt small... After the whole experience I was absolutely disgusted and got far enough away from this guy for him to go bother someone else, and I left. I had reservations about going there because of previous experiences years ago, but I guess nothing has changed and I will never return there either. If you want to be respected, listened to and fitted properly, don't waste your time. read more

Best place for boot fittings. When you walk into Strands , if you haven't been there before you might think twice. Its not a flashy shop, you won't be lured in by appearances alone. Any bad impression stops there. These guys KNOW what their doing. They are NOT in business to sell you. Their objective is to get you outfitted with well sized and fitting equipment. Their boot fitting is the only shop I know that does this well. My wife and kids go their too. They know the trade and have over 70 years experience. It took them 2.5 hours to fit my wife into a pair of boots on a busy Sat. and it was more than worth it. She tried several pairs, narrowed it down to one, then they heated the inner boots, made custom foot beds, all in all she has a perfect fit. I am going there today, my boot don't fit right. Should have bought them at Strands. Their prices are reasonable. The service in Excellent. Did wonders for my sons boot as well. He's 16 and still growing, he thought his boot were too small 2 years ago but do to their expert fitting/adjustments he's still wearing them. read more