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"SKIING IS A SLIDING SPORT": a skiing web manual
 Skiing Equipment (boots)
by Bill Jones, Ski Instructor
Certified Professional Ski Instructor (Registration #110478), Level III)

Here is advice on buying boots given to aspiring skiers--a man and a woman--moving from a beginner level to intermediate.

[start of quote]"Yes, I do have ideas about boots. For background see my website page at www.skimybest.com/skiequip.htm. Besides general suggestions the page includes a chart to show how American street shoe sizes correlate with boot sizes of various regions of the world, as many boot companies are overseas. Manufacturers, however, often size their boots their own ways so the final test is how they fit.  Of course the first step is to get a boot that fits your foot. Ski shop personnel should be able to suggest a boot model that not only best fits the length and width of your feet but also their thickness or height and other aspects of shape such as heel size. Spend as long as needed for this step, usually 20 to 30 minutes because you will want to wear them in the shop until the softer liner conforms to your foot inside the hard plastic shell. But there are more steps. 

Also see America’s Best Bootfitters at http://www.bootfitters.com/index.php. This site gives some general considerations. It also lists locations where member bootfitters can be found. But none are shown for [your state]. 

Besides a snug but not uncomfortable fit (room to wiggle toes without banging into the end, not too much pressure on the instep which would flatten the arch, etc.), an important consideration is to get boots that allow you to flex forward in them by twenty degrees or so when buckled snugly (not tightly). This is so you can flex your ankle so that your leg will bend at the knee without tipping you out of balance to the back and therefore allow you to tip the boot-ski system to the side causing your skis to rock up on their edges. For this lateral tipping, the boot should be stiff laterally and virtually all are so this is not usually any issue. It’s the forward flex in a boot that is often lacking but in my view is needed (not everyone agrees). Boots may be rated within a manufacturer’s line by a flex index and this may give you an idea of the boots to consider (numbers do not correlate from manufacturer to manufacturer). Higher numbers are for racers and extreme skiers who will develop the extra forces to flex a boot; lower numbers are for those who will ski at slower speeds on gentler terrain and therefore will not develop the force to flex a stiffer boot. I use a boot in the middle range because I am often in teaching mode. 

Another consideration is footbeds to hold your foot and ankle in place so that a secure connection with your boot is made so that it will respond to your flexing and tipping movements without slack. These are inserted inside the boot liner to go just below your feet. For most of us we need to have footbeds made to order for our particular foot shapes. I use them. 

Sorry to get so complicated, but such is ski life. Another factor is how our legs are shaped; that is are we bowlegged or knock-kneed. And are we the same on each side or different. Are our legs the same length? All this can affect how we hold our skis so that the bases are flat on the snow or tipped (edged we call this) when we might not want them to be tipped. The upper part of the boot should be hinged so that this can be tilted to match one’s leg alignment. Boot alignment specialists do this, and sometimes will even grind off some of a boot’s sole as part of the alignment process. Be sure to get a boot that allows for this adjustment of the upper (“cuff”) if and when needed (most skiers but not all need an alignment; I am one who needs minimal alignment). 

All these things do not matter so much as one starts skiing, but with advancement precise positioning of the skis on the snow slope becomes more important and if you’re getting your own boots now you might as well have ones that will not impede your progress upward. This has become more important with modern shaped skis as we now ski with more use of the ski’s edges, demanding more precision but resulting in more fun. 

Another adjustment factor has to do with overall fit. Buckles have notches to allow different levels of tension. The plastic in the boot will stretch and loosen a bit when warm but stiffen and tighten a bit when colder. Better boots have not only the notches for the buckles but the buckle itself is on a threaded post so that it can be screwed in or out to create adjustments in between those allowed by the notches. Ideally one should be able to buckle in the middle range of the options and the buckle tension should also be in the middle range normally so that one can increase or decrease tension from that norm when desired (such as racing or skiing steeps on hard snow when more tension would be wanted or when very cold when less tension would be wanted due to the need to allow better circulation in the foot to keep it from getting too cold). 

Because you are considering boots for [the lady], too, be aware that a woman’s lower leg is often shaped differently from a man’s. This is because the female calf muscle usually extends down the leg farther than a man ‘s, which looks more like a chicken drumstick. Thus a woman’s ski boot may need to have a bigger cuff than a man’s. This is of course dependent on the individual. If the boot is too tall on a short leg it could cramp the calf muscle, too. Because of this boots are now made just for women; such boots may also be softer than a man’s boot because women may be lighter and therefore will have less weight to pressure the boot into the desired forward flex. 

Of course when getting fit for boots, wear the socks you will wear when using them. A thin to medium single pair is what you should use. 

Hopefully there is a shop in [your city] that has the expertise to get you fitted. I would suggest one if I could but have not found such in a google search. Advice would be to seek a shop that specializes in ski gear rather than one that has ski gear as one department in an overall sporting goods store. Is there a race club or winter sports club in your area? If so find out where the racers and coaches go, or the better skiers, and go there, too. 

A company that many use is Surefoot. They have stores in many locations, especially in ski regions. There is one in Breckenridge at 411 South Main Street, Breckenridge, CO 80424 (970) 453-4966. I have not used Surefoot but have heard that they will create a boot molded to your foot, with footbeds and will work with you until you are satisfied with the result. I do know good skiers who use them. They have used Lange boots in their process and I believe still do. You may need to make an appointment. 

A good Breckenridge shop I have used is Norway Haus [now Breck Sports] at 127 South Main Street, Breckenridge, CO 80424 (970) 453-2375. Within their shop is Boot Fixation (www.bootfixation.com) operated by Jeff Bergeron who is experienced at making footbeds and doing alignments. Jeff works on an appointment basis during busier times and he has done my alignments for several years. He has told me to come back if not satisfied but I have never had to. Jeff will even go ski with you if needed to see just what you need in alignment. 

An advantage of shopping in Breckenridge is being able to take your boots back for adjustments as the boots may feel quite differently when skiing than while you are in the shop. 

I hope you get the impression that boots are important in skiing beyond just how they feel (which [the lady] knows already). They may be more important than skis in creating the performance we want.  

Getting the right boots with footbeds (and an alignment if needed) will take some time, as you can see. Of course you will be eager to ski, but perhaps you can arrange your arrival so that you do your boot selection and adjustment the first afternoon or day you are here. This would also give a bit of time to adjust to the altitude of Breckenridge, for its ski area base is about a thousand feet higher than Vail’s.  

We have not talked of where to meet and ski at Breckenridge, but I believe your skills will be such that we could meet either at Peak 8 or Peak 9 (at either Beaver Run or the Village). The easiest place to start out at Breckenridge, however, would be Peak 9 where we could ride the Quicksilver lift to refresh on an easy green run before going on to some blue terrain. 

With all these factors, it is understandable how [the lady’s] boots were not comfortable last year.  

Some of this may not be clear. I’ll elaborate as needed." [end of quote]

And, one should rent boots the first few times one skis to be sure the sport is a keeper for the skier, but with the advice as to fit and flex as stated above. As soon as a person declares acceptance of the ski sport as their own, however, it is time to buy boots--even before one buys skis.

Back to Skiing Equipment (skis, boot, poles, more).