Hike and Ride’s UK-based, mobile ski-boot fitting service makes for the best ski trip preparation, while drawing on years of industry knowledge
“It’s no use going on a ski holiday that cost you thousands of pounds if all you remember about it is that your feet hurt,” says Jen Ashton, whose company, Hike and Ride, specialises in at-home professional ski-boot fitting. “Getting the right fitting boots is vital. You’re unlikely to get a good fit if you order online. No two feet are the same, not even your own two feet.”
At the core of the company is personal service right at your front door. “You walk into clients’ homes as a retailer, you walk out having had a chat, a laugh and established a relationship,” says Jen. “People’s holidays start long before they reach the slopes, with the anticipation and excitement of a trip to the mountains. Hike and Ride is there to help make sure they have the right hardware for the best possible holiday, and to do so in the comfort of the customer’s own home.”
Relocating to the UK from Australia, Jen did ski seasons in resorts such as Chamonix, France, and then settled in London, where she spent eight years working for the winter sports retailer Snow + Rock, honing her boot-fitting skills as well as becoming the Store Manager. Jen saw first-hand, during very busy periods, customers having to endure the stress of a crowded store, and how difficult it was to give the best service. It was during a season boot-fitting in the French resort of Courchevel, she observed rental companies delivering equipment direct to skiers’ chalets. “It was then that I put two and two together.”
In 2018, Jen repurposed a VW van into a mobile ski boot-fitting unit, complete with a full workshop to personalise ski boots on the spot. “It’s my shop front,’ she says. From her London base, she visits clients across the UK, offering a bespoke boot-fitting service at their door. All of Hike and Rides customers benefit from solutions gained from her experience of years of frontline retail, her physical education degree from RMIT University in Melbourne, and her own recovery challenges from injuries sustained in competitive sport.
Hike and Ride not only fits boots, but also carries a wide range of hardware to every customer visit and has an extensive range of additional products to order online. It really is adventure delivered.
www.hikeandride.co.uk