WHY IS THE RIGHT SKI BOOT IMPORTANT?

Talk to anyone who has been in a poorly fitting ski boot for a day and they can tell you why a good ski boot is critical. Most athletic pursuits are done in soft sneakers, where we are able to move as needed to be comfortable and in control during the activity. Skiing requires us to lock our feet into rigid, plastic contraptions and then react to changing terrain, snow conditions, and unforeseen obstacles.

Being in a boot that is too tight, too loose, or causes us to be out of balance is a recipe for a bad day. So much of skiing has to do with our feet and so it is essential that you’ve got the right boots on. If you are in the wrong boot, you might as well take your $225 lift ticket and toss it, because you aren’t going to enjoy skiing, at least, not as much as you could.

WHAT TO KNOW ABOUT WOMEN’S SKI BOOTS

So how is it then, that you get yourself the right ski boot? We believe in one answer. Buy the one that fits. This may not be the one your husband, best friend or ski instructor said to buy. It may not be the color you like or the exact flex you thought you needed. While, it’s not that recommendations are a bad thing, or that flex doesn’t matter at all, it’s just that FIT is far and away the MOST important thing to focus on when you make your ski boot purchase.

The reason things like flex, width, and other features get talked up so much is that they are some of the few things that can be easily quantified in a ski boot. When talking about skis, it is easy to see differences in size, length, and side cut by simply putting two skis next to each other. From the outside, most ski boots look about the same.

SKI BOOT TERMINOLOGY

Let’s take some time to define these terms so if you do come across them, you know what they mean.

SKI BOOT LAST

The last of a ski boot refers to the width of the outer shell at its widest point. Usually right around where the forefoot falls. This width is measured in millimeters on a reference size. For most boots, the reference size is a 26.5 mondo size or roughly a women’s size 10 shoe. While that is only one of many dimensions in a ski boot, a narrow last will also correspond with a lower volume through the instep and heel pocket.

Narrow lasted boots are generally directed to more advanced skiers not because good skiers tend to have skinny feet. Instead, a better skier generally will appreciate a tighter, more responsive feel from their ski boot so will tend to gravitate to a slimmer fit. Manufacturers are finally realizing that the reverse is also true. Just because you were blessed with a golf ball size bunion, doesn’t mean you don’t want high performance.

Last is perhaps one of the most misleading attributes when it comes to purchasing ski boots. From the narrowest last (usually 97mm) to the widest (usually 102mm) there is only 5mm difference. Let me repeat that. 5 millimeters. Is that even the width of two credit cards? It can be easy to get hung up on the idea of width since it's an easy thing to pick out but if you remember that we are working in millimeters, it can be easier to keep an open mind.

SKI BOOT FLEX

While boot last is rooted around a width measurement, ski boot flex is completely arbitrary! The rating system is roughly based on the idea that the stiffest boots the companies make will be about a flex of 150. These boots are reserved for the Lindsey Vonn’s of the world. They step all their recreational boots down from there with most women’s high-end boots being labeled about a 120 flex rating.

What does a flex rating of 120 mean? Well, nothing really. All it means is that it is stiffer than the boot they label with a 100. By how much? We don’t know. There is no measurement tool for flex that is standardized across the industry. When it comes to considering flex, it's all relative. A 100 flex from one manufacturer will not flex identical to the 100 flex from another.

Things we do know for sure about flex is that it can usually be adjusted. Making a boot softer is easier than making a boot stiffer but both can be managed. We also know the types of plastics being used tend to affect the flex. Old school, single-injection PU shells tend to be more rigid than the newer, multi-injected shells. Also, anytime you add a walk or hike mode to a boot, it tends to be a bit softer. Stiffer boots also tend to come with more features so while you may not need the flex, if you have a difficult fit issue you may need the features offered in the higher-end boot and the flex will need to be softened.

Most women will be happy in a boot that is a flex of 95-115 depending on ability and body composition. This is a wide range. If you are working with a reputable boot fitter, they are going to help steer you to the right choice.

SKI BOOT SIZE

Sizing a ski boot properly is one of the most important parts of getting the right fit. It can be extremely confusing because ski boots are not made around a traditional shoe size. They are based on what is known as the mondo point scale. The mondo scale is essentially the length of your foot in centimeters. This helps keep the sizing uniform and is actually much more straightforward.

What makes things confusing is that the majority will downsize from their street shoe mondo size. For example, an 8.5 size street shoe, is closest to a 25.5 mondo size. However, most would find using that size would not provide a snug enough fit to be comfortable or have the level of performance they want. Depending on your overall foot volume, ability level, and number of days on the hill, it is likely you will also find that you will be happier going with a slightly smaller size.

The other part of size confusion is that there is no such thing as a half-size in a ski boot. It may be stamped 24.5 but the shell is not any different than that of the one stamped 24.0. Lots of manufacturers have actually done away with whole sizes or the boots are marked 24/24.5 to start to clear up that confusion. Since there are no in-betweens, that is part of why it is essential to have your foot measured on a mondo point Brannock so the right mondo point size can be determined.

WOMEN’S SKI BOOT FITTING PROCESS

We have established a proper fitting pair of ski boots is essential to a good day on the hill. We have gone over some key terminology so you have an education about terms you are likely to hear during your boot fitting. Now, how does the fitting process work? How do you evaluate a ski boot to decide if it fits?

The first step is that you- yes YOU are the key to deciding what is the right boot. We do not subscribe to the philosophy that the job of the boot fitter is to pick out the right boot for you. The boot fitter’s task is to pick options that have taken into account key factors such as size, ability, and number of ski days. They present these options and guide you through the decision-making process to end up with the best choice.

We are here to work through issues should they arise, and sometimes they are unavoidable. It is critical to start with the best possible platform and then address any problems from there. Buying a boot with the idea that the boot fitter then “fits” it to you is not the way. The boot should fit to start with and the boot fitter is then going to just make it that much better.

FIT ZONES

ZONE 1

The first fit zone is the most important. Hence it being fit zone 1. It runs down your shin to the top of your foot. Essentially, it is where the tongue of the boot runs. Any problems in this area are unlikely to be easily resolved so we pay a lot of attention to how this part of the boot fits out of the box. Even contact through the front of the boot is a good thing. Pressure points or pain in this area are a red flag.

ZONE 2

This zone focuses on the back of the calf and the heel pocket of the boot. You should be looking for a comfortable fit around the calf and a snug fit down around your heel and ankle. The ankle pocket is really the control center of the boot so it is important that this area be very snug. Normally, this area isn’t painful but occasionally we can get irritations around the ankle bones or Achilles tendons. If you are comparing two boots and one of the boots has your heel slightly better seated than the other; that is the better boot, even if the difference seems minor.

FIT ZONE 3

The last and yet, most focused on area is zone 3. This is the toe box of the boot. Everyone wants to talk about this area first but there is a few reasons we leave it to the end. First, it takes some time for the liners of new boots to settle in around your heel when you first put them on. If you immediately think the boot is too small, it's likely you haven’t given your foot a chance to work back into the heel pocket properly. This takes a few minutes of flexing to happen. Secondly, if you have taken some time in the boots and your toes still feel too tight, it is the easiest problem for a boot fitter to fix. A few minutes on the heat stack will probably solve your issue.

If you follow the Fit Zone flow chart you will prioritize issues that are deal killers and those that are manageable. Ideally, you will find a boot that gets five stars in all three zones, but sometimes that just isn’t possible. This methodology is not going to let you purchase a boot with an unfixable problem. Sometimes, we may not have the right fit for you and that is ok. We can’t have every model in every size. The sign of a good boot fitter is someone who would rather have you walk away without a pair of boots from them than purchase the wrong pair.

WHAT HAPPENS AFTER THE BOOT FIT?

Once you have found a pair of boots that passes the Fit Zone tests with flying colors you may think you are done. Possibly. Finding the right boot is usually the first and most important step for comfortable feet but typically not the last.

INSOLES

No boot fitter worth their weight in ski socks would allow you to purchase ski boots without at least talking about a supportive insole. For a lot of people in many different disciplines having some sort of underfoot support is a good thing. Lots of us already use something like this in our running shoes or hiking boots. The job of the insole is to make the boot more comfortable. End of story. If it causes issues that were not there before either it's the wrong insole for that boot or insoles just are not for you. There are two types of insoles, one is pre-molded and one is custom-made for your foot. There are pros and cons to both. It's best to discuss both options and at least try a pre-made drop-in to see if it's something worth looking into.

STANCE ALIGNMENT

We can spend time getting you into the right boot but if we don’t spend at least a few minutes addressing alignment we are missing the whole picture. Everybody is different. Our leg's angles are different. Maybe there is an injury causing a specific issue? Looking over the boot alignment is like getting the tires balanced on your car.

At outdoor DIVAS we use a very straightforward process to fit ski boots. Our method breaks the ski boot fit down into 3 key areas we call FIT ZONES. Your boot fitter will explain each zone to you, let you know where it is located, what it should feel like in a new ski boot, and explain why it is important for your comfort and on-hill performance. By comparing different models within your performance category, your fitter can coach you toward the best option for your body shape and biomechanics.