IFD Colorado Spotlight: I Thought Skiing Was Over Forever—Until One Colorado Company Gave It Back to Me

The Custom Ski Boot That Changed Everything for a Fifth-Generation Colorado Skier

By Jake Salazar

I’m a fifth-generation Colorado native. I learned to ski in these mountains when I was three years old. Skiing wasn’t just a winter activity in my family — it was part of our identity. Some of my earliest memories are standing in lift lines, freezing fingers, fogged-up goggles, and that feeling you only get carving your first run of the day.

But like a lot of athletes, my path changed.

After I signed my letter of intent to play college baseball, skiing was off the table. Injuries eventually caught up with me — multiple knee surgeries and reconstructive surgery on my foot. When I tried to return to skiing later in life, I realized something fast: normal ski boots were no longer an option. The pain was unbearable. I tried multiple times over the years to make it work, and every attempt ended the same way — frustration, pain, and disappointment.

I honestly thought skiing might be gone for good.

That’s when I was introduced to Surefoot.

Surefoot didn’t just sell me boots — they solved a problem I thought was permanent. Their custom fitting process, liners, and orthotics were unlike anything I had ever experienced. They took the time to understand my injuries, my limitations, and my goals. For the first time since my surgeries, I clicked into skis without pain.

That was fifteen years ago.

Because of Surefoot, I didn’t just get back on the mountain — I stayed there. I was able to ski consistently again, and more importantly, I was able to pass that love on to my kids. Both of my children learned to ski at three years old, just like I did. Watching them grow into confident, capable skiers is something I don’t take for granted, because I know how close I was to losing that part of my life altogether.

One of the most underrated things about Surefoot is their lifetime guarantee. Anytime something feels even slightly off — which is rare — I walk into a location and they make the adjustment. No hassle. No upsell. No excuses.

Recently, I had the chance to see the Surefoot experience from the outside. A close friend of mine, Nico Cornejo, owner of Aether Mechanical, was in the market for a new set of boots and skis. Without hesitation, I sent him to Surefoot, located inside Snowbahn. I followed him through the entire custom fitting process.

To break in the new setup, Nico and I took a boys trip up to Breckenridge. We hit an incredible snow day and managed to get in over twenty runs. No foot pain. No discomfort. Just great turns, good laughs, and the kind of day you remember long after the season ends. The only pain we experienced was sitting in traffic on the way home.

Surefoot has locations at the base of most major mountains, and for good reason. They understand skiers. They understand performance. And they understand that comfort isn’t a luxury — it’s the difference between loving the sport and walking away from it.