Sun & Snow Sports - Plymouth

"I’ve been a great skier years ago but multiple foot surgeries really changed my foot/calf size and comfort. I’ve been an occasional skier since then, always renting— with very suboptimal experiences. The last several rentals resulted in blisters, bruising, and numbness. I’ve also racked up hours of ski lodge frustration that I wasn’t getting my money’s worth of a lift ticket but really was in too much discomfort to feel like I could ski safely. It’s been frustrating, and I really thought my skiing days were done. Skiing has always brought me joy but my post surgery trips have brought me less joy and more pain than anything. My best rental experience (but still not ideal) of late was at The Highlands, where the rental return clerk suggested I buy my own boots, and rent skis and poles. While I tried on boots at the Highlands, I was hesitant to buy so quickly and a Google search lead me to Sun & Snow and their expert boot fitting. There are many ski shops between me (in Sterling Heights) and Sun & Snow (in Plymouth) but site after site recommended Sun & Snow and so did review after review— and so, I made an appointment. As an orthopaedic OR RN, I was impressed with the ease of online scheduling, the extensive intake form, and the length of the appointments. I knew from the start this was going to be different. Aaron was concerned about the fit, knowledgeable about anatomy, and super friendly. He was adamant that we would find a comfortable boot, and that I wouldn’t need to compromise or ski in pain. We didn’t find the boots that first appointment, so we scheduled a second one. There’s easy parking right behind the store and our appointments always started on time which allowed me to cram a ton into my day off! We came very close with an option at appointment 2 but I was still leery of pulling the trigger. There was one boot Sun & Snow didn’t have in my size that ideally, we wanted to compare, and Aaron agreed that if we could get the boot, we’d make the best educated decision. We found the boot at a local competitor and made a third appointment to make the final decision. Before I left appointment 2, Aaron assured me that he would not put me in a boot neither he nor I were comfortable in—and while they completely demonstrated it during the whole process, this was continually reassuring. Today I returned for appointment 3 with the outside boot— and after comparing to our appointment 2 option, we were both surprised that the outside boot was the best, most comfortable option of all the appointments—so we set about custom fitting that boot to my crazy feet. Aaron was cognizant the entire time about my surgery foot, and really talked through the whys and hows of the process. I never felt rushed, pressured, or like a bother. I learned a great deal of excellent information about ski boot fitting and options and felt like I made a truly informed decision with Aaron’s guidance. As promised, the boots only felt better as we continued to customize the boots to my foot. I could not believe how comfortable the final product was— and I left a little teary. I truly thought I’d have to sacrifice my comfort— and I did, for many years, until it appeared that I’d have to completely give up a gorgeous winter day on the slopes because the pain was too much— and now I don’t. And I’m thrilled to have a year to fine tune these boots as needed with the year fit guarantee. Thank you Aaron for your tireless energy in this quest! It’s always great to have an excellent resource to share with my surgeons, colleagues, and patients but I can truly vouch for Sun & Snow with a personal experience that was simply exceptional. I can’t wait to try these out on the slopes! I can’t wait to not dread the walk to or from the slopes in ill fitting boots! You fit me in ski boots— but more importantly, you helped me maintain a hobby that brings me joy that I was ready to give up. Grateful for your knowledge, enthusiasm, and similar love for the sport and our state. Thank you for a truly amazing experience!"

"Got a boot fitting with the young blond guy who has a mustache. Super helpful. Super professional. My feet are molded into my ski boots like gloves… Enuf. Said."

"Such a great friendly store!!! I had the pleasure of stopping into the Plymouth Sun & Snow to get my 4 kids and myself resized as we all outgrew our last year gear! (I did split up the visit so I didn’t overwhelm the workers, since sizing kids is probably tricky!) Grant helped 3 of my kids get fitted for both boots and skis and he did such an amazing job! He was so pleasant and helpful and very knowledgeable! He took his time and didn’t rush us in any way! Asked questions to help decide what would work best for each of their skill level. I would definitely come back to have him help us in the future! I myself get overwhelmed dealing with my kids! Lol… but he was super chill! Later that evening, I returned to have my teen and myself fitted. Martina helped us and also was really patient and helpful! She explained what our fit was supposed to feel like and took the time to listen to our concerns about how the boots felt. Thank you so much for not stressing this last minute trip planner to Breckinridge out! You have some great employees!"

"Amazing customer service. We are telling everyone we know to shop here. My son had been wanting to get into snowboarding after years of skateboarding. Hoping to save a little money, we went out to the swap that Sun and Snow held in Plymouth. Well, we made some rookie mistakes with our purchase. Fast forward, we called the store to discuss some of our concerns. Rob was amazing from start to finish. He invited my son to come out to the store to explore some possible replacements. Let's just say, "Rob went above and beyond to put a smile on my son's face!" Rob was patient, understanding and generous. It was great to see my son smile. You just don't see customer service like this these days. So, please, where ever you are in Metro Detroit, check out Sun and Snow. You won't be disappointed."

"You may not be an Olympic athlete but you can be fitted for equipment as if you were one. If your feet have ever felt anything but warm, secure, and connected to your skis or board while on the hill you need to see Rob post haste with your boots which he can do amazing things with or to get new boots which is what this story is about. "boot fitter" is a misunderstood title. If you have ever walked into a ski shop and had someone bring out boxes after a cursory measurement with a Brannock device and then the boot liners were heated up and put on your feet you did not see a boot fitter. I have skied for 30 seasons consisting of 60+ days many times. I have never not felt pain until my feet went numb. I usually skied for an hour or two and then had to have my boots off for 10 minutes or so before cramming them back in and ratcheting them down to get the right pressure for precise turns. Then came Rob, the boot fitter. I have an unreasonably strange foot. It is a collection of odd features that should not belong to the same boot. At the initial appointment Rob took all 90 minutes to discuss what I was feeling and looking for, inspected my old boots, took probably a dozen measurements in three dimensions of both of my feet. Tried on multiple liners and shells and determined the best boot for me which needed to be ordered. This cannot be overlooked, Rob ordered the right boot for me and did not try to push something from stock. The delivery and fitting is where the the exceptional talents and skills of Rob become evident. In short, the boots were completely disassembled expertly by Rob, each component tested on my feet. Blow torches, a drill, sharp things, screwdrivers, boiling water, a press, probably some ancient relics, and an attention to detail I have rarely observed (and I am an engineer!). I left the shop hours later with boots that felt right, had custom foot beds, heel wedges, better screws, an aftermarket power strap, a customized shell, customized liner and very low expectations after 30 years of painful feet. I include the picture above because I skied for 6 hours and never actually took the boots off. There were a few little pressure points but nothing near what I had felt before. The next day all but one of the points were gone and I had boots that were carving cord, zipper lining moguls, sending jumps, dancing around trees and I never had to tighten my boots to get extra leverage. My feet just felt comfortable, warm, secure, and connected to my skis. Rob had me bring them in for a followup and corrected the one small issue I was having. I cannot say this enough, if I can ski without foot pain - anyone can. I have heard from others that Rob and his team do an equally amazing job with snowboard boots, cross country boots, and even cycling shoes. As I almost forgot to mention, Sun and Snow is staffed with knowledgeable, passionate, and incredibly kind people."