Charlie Bradley

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Age: 47 | Vitals: 6’2” 165lbs | Years skiing: 24 | Current Residence: Taos, New Mexico

Charlie Bradley
photograph by Ryan Heffernan

Background:

I started working at the Boot Doctors in Taos in February, 1992. Over the past 22 years I’ve gone from being a rookie and Master Fit University attendee to one of the senior bootfitters at the Boot Doctors and Masterfit Instructor.

At Master Fit University I teach the Associates and Associates Plus courses that cover basic bio mechanics of the foot and ankle; stance alignment; boot shell and boot liner modifications; basic footbed installation; construction of Instaprint custom footbeds; and other boot fitting tricks and techniques. Teaching at Master Fit U means that I get to work with some of the biggest innovators in the bootfitting industry, guys like Greg Hoffman, Nick Blaylock, Jack Rafferty, Mark Elling, Jim Schaffner, and of course, Bob Gleason.

A very nice perk of working at The Boot Doctors is that it’s just a three minute walk to Lift 1 at TSV. And with a 2 to 3 hour break everyday, most of my work days have included skiing everything Taos has to offer for the last twentytwo years.

I like the classics, so on a big powder day, it’s always first tracks down Al’s Run. Then I’ll make my way over to Bambi Chutes. When things start to get tracked out, I can always find a freshie over at Panorama Chute on the West Basin Ridge. (I’m always drawn back to the West Basin Ridge. Even after all these years, it remains something of an enigma.) On a cold, sunny morning, I’ll take Eagle Rock on Treskow Ridge.

Of course, since I get in lots of my skiing during those work breaks, I like Reforma, since it offers the most vert in the shortest time. And I still like to carve huge GS turns down Bambi > Zagava > Porcupine > White Feather, for an exciting, mach-speed, back-to-work run before I’m too late and everyone hates me.

Some favorite ski gear:

Lange RX 130 alpine boot. 190cm Dynastar Cham 107; Look Pivot 14

4 comments on “Charlie Bradley”

  1. Charlie – Interested in your thoughts on the Dynastar Cham’s as your favourite gear. I been looking at either the 97 or 107 for skiing on the east coast but wanted some guidance on whether the 107 will be too wide to handle. My stats 5′ 10″ 145 Lbs so was looking at the 172 length. I was weighing these up against the Sick Days and the Sin 7.

  2. I had several pairs of boots over the years (2011-2013) that I worked at Taos as a Children’s Instructor. My on hill moniker was “Nick at Night”. No child ever forgot my name. You might remember me (my feet were quite deformed). Anyway, I never ended up buying any boots at Boot Doctors. But at that little shop on the mountain I received the kindest and greatest service that anyone could ask for … at a most modest price. Your knowledge of equipment is off the charts.

    I am 70 and will be skiing Revelstoke for my second season, My quiver is all over 180 and highly eclectic: Rossi Exp 84, Volkl AC40, Stormrider AT, Elan and Dynastar GS 188’s, Salomon Q85 for back/side country (with the new Tyrolia Adrenalin). If I have a prejudice, it is a reluctance to go over 90 underfoot.

    My question (finally):

    I wax philosophical. Balancing equipment exploration with bargain hunting is a challenge, Revelstoke skiers need length (miles to cover), good dampening (bottom half of hill ice), flex (powder at top), and a beefy tip ( for piles of crud). My bargain … last year’s Head Monster 83 (same as this year’s). Two layers of Titanal, one layer of Graphene, and the usual wood core. Head has a history of exploring new materials. It started with wood/metal in the early 60’s, but morphed into glass laminated to Hexcel Aluminum by the late 70’s, I think. Waaay ahead of the times.

    The Head is the first ski company to my knowledge to use Graphene. Initially poo-poohing the substance as another hype job, I became fascinated as I researched it ( graphite submitted to an electrical current in an ever so slightly conductive solvent – the result being a 3 dimensional sheet far stronger and potentially as precise as any resined sheet of glass or carbon. Graphite cells (Graphene) can change as one varies electrical resistance within the solvent, varies electrode placement, or varies the current. Final shaping must be done with diamond grinders and cutters). Do you think that this presents the future of ski design, or will it, like Hexel Alu, prove too difficult or costly to work with? Mind you … prices for Head products have remained relatively flat over the past few years.

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