mlchael4

To find the boots that are right for you, you need to understand a few of the key characteristics of ski boots. For starters, ski boots fall into five basic categories: Men’s, Women’s, Kid’s, Racing, and Freestyle. Compared to men’s boots, women’s boots are softer, have a narrower last - the interior shape of a boot - and a shorter cuff, as women’s calves are generally located lower than men’s. Therefore, the cuffs need to be lower to get the boot buckled. Racing boots are much stiffer than regular boots in order to hold firm at higher speeds. Meanwhile Freestyle boots tend to be softer, with a padded boot board to reduce the impact of landings.
There are three key factors in determining the proper boot: size, width, and flex or stiffness. Once these are determined, it’s all about the features. These will be the things that can increase the performance of your boots.

Size
The purpose of a ski boot is to create as direct a connection from your knee to the ski without any unnecessary slippage or movement. If your boot is too loose, your skiing will suffer and you could hurt yourself. And if your boot is too tight, you are promising yourself plenty of painful days. Most people will choose a ski boot that is too big for them and this is because most people also wear their shoes a size too big. Do not pick a bigger boot assuming that it will be more comfortable, as this is one of the most common mistakes made in boot fitting. Often this is because when trying on the boot for the very first time it will feel too tight. However, over time the foam in the boot will compress leaving more room for your feet. When you try on the boot it should feel snug and slightly tight in order to determine proper fit.

Mondo Point Sizing
Ski manufacturers use a sizing system known as Mondo Point to size boots in a universal measuring system. Mondo Point is a European measurement for shoe sizes that is measured in centimeters. To determine US sizing from Mondo Point, simply add the first and second digits together, and then add the decimal point (you will need add 1 to you calculated result to convert a US men’s size to a women’s). For example a boot that is sized as a Mondo Point 29.0 would be calculated as 2 + 9 + .0 = 11. Thus a Mondo Point 29.0 is a men’s 11.
Once you reach a Mondo Point size 30 this calculation starts to fall apart unless you alter your formula by adding 9 to the result. For example, a Mondo Point 31.5 would need to be calculated as follows: (3 + 1 + .5) + 9 = 13.5. Without the addition of the 9, your calculation would end up as 4.5, which would definitely be too small for an individual looking for a 13.5.
A good fitting boot should be comfortably snug and not sloppy. You should be able to wiggle your toes but not have heel slippage or movement from side to side or forward to back.

Width
Manufacturers do a great job of creating different lines of boots to satisfy all different widths. As a general rule, the more advanced the boot, the narrower it will be, with some exceptions. This is because as a person becomes a better skier, they want a tighter boot, and will be willing to give up a bit of comfort for added control. Beginner-to-intermediate boots typically come in widths from 102–105mm; intermediate-to-advanced run 100–102mm; and expert/racing boots measure less than 100mm. This can vary depending on your foot.
Certain brands can accommodate wider feet just as others tend to be narrower. If you are a woman with a particularly wide foot, try out a men’s boot, just be sure to compensate for the sizing differences.

Flexibility
The flexibility of a boot is referred to as the flex or stiffness. Flex is indicated by what is referred to as the flex rating. The concept behind a boot’s flex is simple: the better skier you are, the stiffer the boot you will want. The key to skiing well is having a direct connection from your knee to the ski. With a more advanced ski, you need to drive it more to properly engage it. If you push your knee forward, and it flexes the boot instead, you’re losing a lot of power. In contrast, for beginner and intermediate skiers, a boot that’s too stiff will make it so that you cannot flex enough to initiate the ski in the first place.

Flex Ratings
When looking for boots, beginners should look for a rating of 60 or under. Intermediate skiers will feel comfortable in the 60–80 range, advanced skiers should seek out boots rated 80–100, and boots for experts are rated over 100. Racing boots are known for being super stiff. Junior race boots will be rated anywhere from 70–100, while senior race boots will go from 110 up to 150. Note that a boot rated 150 feels like it’s carved from rock, and is suitable only for the most experienced racers.
You will also want to keep in mind these few exceptions. Heavier skiers should add a bit of stiffness, while lighter than average skiers can add some flexibility. If you have some knee problems, a more flexible boot will make skiing easier.

Shell & Liner Fitting

Shell
Before trying a boot on, remove the liner from the shell by unbuckling the boot fully and pulling on the back cuff of the liner until it pops out. Then put your foot in the boot’s shell and push your toes up until they touch the front of the boot. Next, look to see how much space is between your heel and the back of the boot. You’re looking for 1/2 to 3/4 of an inch space, and even less if you are a racer or very high performance skier who likes a very tight fit. If you have more than that, you probably have a boot that is too large.

Liner
If you have conducted Shell fitting using the process outline above, slip on the liner while it’s still out of the shell. If you have not removed the liner from the shell, do so and then slip it on your foot. Your toe should just feather the front of the liner. (This assumes that your foot has stopped growing; a little growing room for kids is fine.) Next look at how the liner is shaped compared to your foot. If any part of your foot is pushing hard or stretching out the sides of the liner you may have a boot that is too narrow. If the liner fits properly, put the boot back together. This can be a little tricky, but it helps if you put the boot shell on a hard surface. Insert one hand into the liner (making a fist), while using your other hand to spread the shell as you push down hard with the liner.

Determining Proper Fit

Putting Your Boots On
Once you’ve found a boot, you need to try it on properly to make sure it fits. Open all the buckles and pull the tongue up slightly. Then spread the sides of the boot while you slide in your foot, you may need to wiggle the tongue to get your foot to feel right. Next, kick your heel down hard on the floor to properly seat your heel in the boot’s heel pocket.
Next, start buckling up. You should start with the lower buckle on the upper cuff; this helps to lock your heel before tightening the other buckles. Next move to the lower buckles, but don’t buckle them very hard. They should only require a small amount of pressure to buckle and unbuckle. If you have to buckle these hard to get a snug fit, you probably have the wrong size or model of boot. Buckling the lower buckles too tight will actually twist and contort the shell. The upper buckles are the ones that really hold your foot in place in the boot. You may need to go back and forth between the 2 upper buckles to get them snug. Lastly, put on the power strap at the top of the boot to hold the cuff onto your calf nice and snug.

Testing Your Boots
Once the boot is on and snuggly buckled, stand up. This is the part that confuses new skiers the most: your toes should be touching the front the boot. Lean slightly forward and bend your knees. Your toes should pull back from the front of the boot. It’s ok if they are still feathering the front but they should not be pushing hard. Many better quality boots have a neoprene toe that is made for the toes to be right up against the front of the liner.
While still leaning forward, bend your knees and push your shins hard against the front of the boot. Your heels should hold in the heel pocket of the boot without lifting. Note that you’re not trying to force your heels up, but testing if they come up when you flex the boot.
If everything is good so far, walk around in the boots for 10 minutes. This should help determine if the overall fit is right and that you don’t have any severe pressure points. To really determine if the boots fits, wear them around the house for a couple hours just to be sure they fit. Remember that boots are made of plastic not leather so they don’t really break in much. If the boots really hurt after wearing them around for a while, they are almost certainly too narrow. And if there are any pressure points squeezing down hard on areas like your heel, instep or arch, then the boot probably isn’t for you as well.

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Mike