The Right Ski Boot Fitting

Don’t spend your next ski holiday boo-hooing about ill-fitting ski boots. Whether you’re buying or hiring, ski boot fitting can determine performance and fun in addition to comfort. In short, it can make or break your long-awaited (and possibly pricey) ski holiday.

This one’s for you, fact fans: ski boots are measured on a universal scale called Mondopoint. To learn your Monopoint size, trace your foot on a piece of paper, then measure from the heel to the longest point of your toes. Mondo sizing is calculated in centimetres. Are you a slave to inches? Simply multiply by 2.54 to find your Monopoint size.

What kind of skier are you? By understanding which profile you fit before you start building your snow ensemble, you’ll gain a better understanding of the features, flex and fit you need to get the most out of your time on the slopes. Your profile is determined by physical build, athletic ability, skiing history and future goals.

When skiing, the basic motion is forward flex. This involves moving your knee forward while pressing the upper cuff of the boot. Ski boot fitting flex ranges from very soft to super stiff, while there’s currently no universal flex index between manufacturers. Average flex ranges from 50 to 130. As a rule of thumb, for beginner-to-intermediate males opt for 50-80, for beginner-to-intermediate females favour 40-60.

Like snowflakes, every snow boot model is unique. Now that you have a better understanding of your skiing type, you have the information you need to find the ski boot fitting that balances comfort and performance. Comfort fit works well for beginner-to-intermediate, while crazy-in-the-coconuts skiers can be found in race fit boots. Other fits to factor in include forefoot width, volume, and cuff shape.

Bells and whistles time, folks. Ski boots can come with a number of added extras to enhance performance (and sometimes just to look pretty…) Please note: some features you can tweak at home, while others will require assistance from a professional boot fitter:

Park City
www.jans.com
www.bootworks.com
www.surefoot.com

Snowbird
http://store.christysports.com/store_locations.php?StoreID=26

Downtown SLC
http://www.utahskigolf.com

At the more technical end of the spectrum, certain features are even specific to types of skiing or terrains. Words to keep a beady eye out for include liners, power straps, micro-adjustable buckles, rear spoilers, footbeds, cuff alignment, canting, traction soles, bootboards, and shock absorbers – try to use them in a sentence today. Go on, we dare you…