Alpine Ski Boots

This is a crucial part of your equipment! It is important to remember that skiing will not be a pleasure for you, if your ski boots do not fit properly!

It’s worth spending extra time and energy to get the right boot with the right fit. Your boots are your only way of translating your body’s intentions to your skis, so a precise fit is important for control and performance. 

Everyone’s foot is unique, there is no one “right” way to fit boots. The size, shape, flex and features of your ideal boot will vary depending on ability level, aspirations, height and weight, frequency of days on the hill, and other factors. Ski boots will never be as comfortable as regular footwear and you shouldn’t try to fit them the same way. Dont forget that the foam used for padding inside the boot will compress with use, so what seems like a very snug fit in a new boot will become more relaxed after just a few days of skiing.

Alpine Ski Boots Flex

FLEX represents the stiffness of a boot. The higher flex - the stiffer boot. Imaginary scale starts at around flex of 20 for children's ski boots and ends at flex of 160 for racing ski boots.

Stiffer boots are also very narrow and their padding is much thinner.

Choosing Alpine Skis Boots

First you should realize which category of skiers you are . 

Ski boots described as SOFT are designed for recreational skiers who expect the highest comfort throughout the day. 

It is not a good choice for heavier skiers since it may cause a forward bend resulting in bad pressure distribution on the ski.

Stiffer boots are suitable for skiers who dont mind working hard on the slope.

Race models are always the toughest ones. The advantage is a better pressure transmission on the ski. The disadvantage is a very thin liner and a minimum comfort. 

Women should choose ski boots only from women's models. Women tend to have less body mass for their height and foot size than men, flex ratings are somewhat lower. For women, Beginner-Intermediate boots hover around a 50 to 60 index, with Intermediate-Advanced boots ranging from about 65 to 80. Advanced-Expert boots range from 85 to 110.

 Customers with specific foot structure (high instep, wider foot, flat foot) should choose from moldable ski boot models.

Children Ski Boots

Children's foot is constantly growing that is why so many parents choose a larger size of ski boots to make them fit at least for two seasons. This is understandable but not the best option.

Children ski automatically in backward bend untill approximately age of seven. They will always tend to lean back no matter what flex you choose.

Comfort is a number one thing to pay attention to when choosing boots for children. There should be a gap to fit apx. 2 fingers between the back of boots and the child's heel, oterwise it is really easy for them to be too cold to enjoy skiing.

 REMEMBER

• Try out the maximum number of ski boots.
• Always try both boots and walk around for a bit.
• Each brand has its own size chart, use it.
• Never buy ski boots that are too big.
• Always consult your choice with an expert.