Philosophy:

At Lou’s we are dedicated to helping skiers have a better experience every day. While admittedly it is impossible to have a bad day on skis, we know that what limits many skiers’ performance or, said another way, the technique problems that prevent skiers from skiing more advanced terrain well, are very often equipment related.

Similar to golf, good skiing requires the ability to move easily and naturally while standing in a solid, balanced but relaxed position. Many times the angles built into boots and bindings or the fore/aft position of the bindings on skis works against our own unique balance needs. We believe it is never to our benefit to have to adapt to equipment. It only makes skiing more difficult. Any athlete’s equipment instead, should be adapted to the athlete.

At Lou’s we specialize in adapting equipment to your individual needs. We use knowledge of biomechanics and modern pressure and balance measuring tools to properly set up your equipment. We also sell the best gear available and will work closely with you to exceed your expectations.

Our goal is for you to leave Lou’s and on your very next ski day, ski better than you ever have before.

Lou’s Biography:

Lou began working in the ski industry in 1975 following three memorable but not necessarily distinguished years in the U.S. Navy as an aviation electronics technician. Yes, Lou really can troubleshoot and repair electric boot heaters.

He worked for six years in sales and as a tech and learned boot fitting, how to make foot orthotics and apply rudimentary biomechanics from a local (Pennsylvania) podiatrist. He also worked through the Spademan, Scott and The Ski era. Like so many at that time, he left to make more money in other fields.

Lou studied car mechanics and worked as a foreign car mechanic for several years. He personally specialized in Japanese and German cars but fortunately, the shop that employed him specialized in British cars. He says ‘fortunately’ because no one can really specialize in old British sports cars for long. They are either driven crazy by the illogical design or are murdered by an irate customer that has returned three times in a month for the same problem. Lou took the lifespan dilemma to heart and fled to the mechanical engineering departments of Pennsylvania State University and Oregon Institute of Technology. After graduating OIT in ‘85, Lou was hired by Pyne Corporation, soon to become Fuji Medical Systems USA as Director of Engineering.

Major title for a ’wet behind the ears’ college grad you say? Well, the title really meant something else in corporate speak. It meant that “we at Pyne Corp, an independant Fuji X-ray film distributor for the U.S. want to become Fuji Medical Systems USA. Therefore, we intend that Fuji Film buy Pyne for lots of bucks and Mr. Pyne sails smoothly into retirement with tens of millions of dollars. For that to happen we need an engineering department to show the Japanese we are serious about equipment sales but, we don’t want to risk too many dollars in case the plan doesn’t work out and a new grad is cheap! So, let’s give the new kid a big title but little money because he probably isn’t useful!”

Seven years at Fuji and it was time to move on. Ideas about a ski shop were fermenting but not ready to be bottled. Stopped in Seattle for two years and sold prosthetic and orthotic components throughout western U.S. and Canada for a national manufacturer and learned more about footbeds. Thought more about a ski shop, but ski shops were a dime a dozen. On the other hand, shops with emplyees that understand foot orthotic function and balance and ways to help skiers perform better with less effort weren’t.

Lou was accepted into the Human Performance Laboratory group at the University of Calgary through the Mechanical Engineering department to obtain his MSc. He researched foot orthotics and human adaptation. Along the way he was involved in research on binding position for Atomic and met Blake Lowden and his son skiing for a local team and became interested in helping him go faster through a more balanced position on his skis. Cool!

Still needing to learn more Lou finished his MSc. program and spent one season working with Steve Bagley (renowned boot fitter, PSIA examiner, master racer, etc.) in Snowbird. He also learned about the use of Tekscan digital pressure pad for accurate cuff alignment, the Campbell Balancer to determine best individual binding positions and effect of boot ramp angle on a skiers balance and stance. Lou also published research for Nordica on the suitability of the Campbell Balancer for finding more preferred binding position when compared with factory position in a blind study of seven skiers. The Campbell Balancer won!

Lou tried to return to Calgary to open shop but couldn’t get a new Visa. Rules were being rewritten by Immigration Canada and it wasn’t clear a suitable category for him to return under existed. Finally the paper work was finished in August, but only in French. The person helping in Calgary couldn’t read French. Not able to wait any longer, Lou took a position in Park City as a ski shop manager. In early October, 2002 he returned to Calgary to pick up household items and permanently locate in Park City. A surprise snow and ice storm got in the way of furniture loading and while hanging out with friends received the all clear from immigration! Lou was deemed semi-desireable and could get his visa immediately. He proceeded to find a store location, called Park City to decline the position and within three weeks Lou’s opened it’s doors.

Karma!

Winter Store Hours:

Mon - Friday, Noon - 8:00pm

Saturday, 10:00am - 5:00pm

Sunday, Noon - 5:00pm

© 2007 Lou’s Skiing Performance Centre