Peter Nestor – Sturtevants Boot Fitter

Boot Fitting and Ski Equipment Expert

Peter Nestor is in his third season with Sturtevants. He joined us when he retired to Sun Valley after selling his own series of specialty sports stores in eastern Pennsylvania. His wife Karen also joined us at Sturtevants.

Like Sturtevants, Nestor’s was a highly regarded performance oriented multi-sport retailer. Pete was a hands-on store owner who spent much of his time on the floor working with customers. Since he began in the early 70’s the one aspect that he enjoyed the most was fitting ski boots. His own feet being “other than normal” had provided major challenges as a college racer in Maine.  Pete understood that paying serious attention to solving the problems of boot performance could be the foundation of his ski business.

To that end Nestor’s began fitting custom insoles as early as 1979 and over the years Pete and members of his staff attended countless pedorthic seminars and boot-fitting clinics.  Pete also made a point of testing skis. He served on testing panels for a number of ski manufacturers as well as a paid tester for SKIING magazine ski tests for three years.

Perennially listed among the top shops in the country, Nestor’s was named SKI magazine’s National Gold Medal Shop in 2006.

Pete and Karen’s love affair with Sun Valley began in 1974 when they came for their first ski vacation together. A couple years later they passed through Ketchum to kayak the Middle fork of the Salmon River. They returned in September of 1991 to paddle the Middle fork in open canoes, and again in 1993 to spend a few days with Rob and Deb Santa as part of a month long hiking and biking tour of America with their two sons.

In addition to skiing Pete has developed passions for wilderness canoeing, whitewater competition, sailboarding, road cycling, and has enjoyed rediscovering mountain biking since becoming a Ketchum resident.

Pete says first and foremost is the Ketchum “vibe” that is unique in the world.  He also says he tells their friends back in PA, “A big reason we’re here is there’s this great little shop with a talented staff that lets me sell skis and fit boots with the same care I had back there. Working at Sturtevants makes Ketchum feel like home to me and gives me a chance to meet all kinds of new people”.

Peter Nestor Action Shot