UKC

Can Ski-Boots Fit Correctly?

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 Xharlie 17 Mar 2015
Is it possible to buy Ski Boots (down-hill boots) that actually fit correctly?

In the last two weeks, I spent seven days skiing. The first five were in Tannheim and the second two in Zillertal. I used two different sets of boots and skis across the entire spectrum of conditions - everything from thigh deep powder well off-piste to perfect, fresh pistes to chopped up, re-frozen slush and moguls to blank ice sheets on worn pistes.

The first set of boots were very old and, at size "26" (whatever that sizing system is) they were on the small size. They were too tight by all measures but they felt secure and, if I loosened the straps across the top of my toes while sitting on the lifts, enough blood reached my toes to stop them turning black and falling off.

The second set of boots were more modern and at size "27", and they felt much better when I was trying them on in the shop but proved to be a far less useful fit. If I tightened them, they cut off nearly all circulation to my foot. If I didn't, they wobbled about precariously.

T.S.Eliot wrote “Only those who risk going too far can possibly find out how far one can go.” This perfectly describes my style of skiing. I am generally very good at falling without hurting myself (I spent some time training as a figure skater) so, on the odd occasion that I do bottle it (a few times a day) the consequence is normally only annoyance. On this trip, I found myself making two mistakes in particular.

For the first, I found that I struggled to handle the transition from powder to ice. I'd have my weight too far back, to avoid digging in to the powder, and I'd come out onto ice and try to turn but, with your weight too far back, your edges just slide out. This has nothing to do with the boots and the solution seems simple: better reading of the terrain and better control of weight, forward and aft.

The second was that lumps and ridges and powder-drifts in the snow would push the toe of one ski across the other and recovery was often impossible. The solution to this seemed to be a better balance between the two skis (carving properly with both so that neither ski is loose) but, when that balance wasn't perfect, it felt like less wobbly boots would have helped prevent this problem.

Now, it seems that wobbly boots are the only sort that don't cut off your circulation and I, personally, experienced better results from concentrating on my technique with loose boots compared to poor technique, numb toes and tight, non-wobbly boots.

What is the real solution?
Aonach 17 Mar 2015
In reply to Xharlie:
Your question seems more like can hired ski boots fit properly and the answer to that is probably no.
 Alex1 17 Mar 2015
In reply to Xharlie:

> What is the real solution?

Buy a set of boots that fit...
 summo 17 Mar 2015
In reply to Alex1:

> Buy a set of boots that fit...

yes agree.

A pair of boots that have been fitted to your feet, will always fit correctly. I can have mine tight all day, no problems, even when having a coffee I see no need to loosen them off and at the end of the day there isn't that feel of heaven you get in freeing your feet from a pair of tight stickies.
 Morgan Woods 17 Mar 2015
In reply to Xharlie:

Heat molded liners eg Intuition are the way to go, to complement a good shell fit naturally.
 Sam W 17 Mar 2015
In reply to Xharlie:

Yes, they can. After years skiing in a second hand pair of boots bought for £30 via UKC I stumped up for a properly fitted pair from Sanglard in Chamonix. I now have a pair of boots which can be tightened up enough to feel snug without making my feet go numb, no longer stub my toes on the inside of the boots and don't have bruises on my calves from the back digging in. Money well spent.

While I do think they've helped my technique a bit, I still struggle in the areas you've described, think overcoming this is just down to practice. Also paid for my first ski lesson in 20 years a few weeks back. An hour with an ESF instructor was considerably cheaper than new boots but made a lot more difference to my skiing on tricky terrain.
 Alex1 18 Mar 2015
In reply to Sam W:
> While I do think they've helped my technique a bit, I still struggle in the areas you've described, think overcoming this is just down to practice. Also paid for my first ski lesson in 20 years a few weeks back. An hour with an ESF instructor was considerably cheaper than new boots but made a lot more difference to my skiing on tricky terrain.

This is also excellent advice - getting someone who knows what they're doing to tell you what you're doing wrong is invaluable unless you're at the level where you're confidently dropping big cliffs at speed... For example the number of people on the slopes who've been skiing for years and still don't know how to carve properly is depressing but even more so is the fact that they think they do know...
OP Xharlie 18 Mar 2015
In reply to Alex1:

I certainly can carve properly! (I always prefer a wooden board to a stainless steel one, even if they don't usually have spikes to stop the roast from sliding around.)

Your point is noted. I've skied 14 days in my life (seven of them, this year) and think I'm doing alright for such little experience but I've never had a lesson. It's on the cards for the first trip, next season.

I now feel like I know enough to get real value from a lesson.
 summo 18 Mar 2015
In reply to Xharlie:
> I certainly can carve properly!
I was like you once, then I got some extra one2one lessons. Was a bit of a revelation really. Perhaps you do carve nice sine waves down the piste, but the reality of many 'carvers' is they are skidding Z shapes.

> Your point is noted. I've skied 14 days in my life (seven of them, this year) and think I'm doing alright for such little experience but I've never had a lesson. It's on the cards for the first trip, next season.
To be honest the lessons would have been better on day 1, no nasty habits to get rid of. I thrashed around the slopes for at least a decade before seeing the light.
Post edited at 13:18
 jon_bee 19 Mar 2015
In reply to Alex1:

I had an invaluable afternoon with an ESF instructor once too - the most valuable was him casually spotting that the canting was way off on one of my boots. Sorted that out and a lot of annoying things (inc the skis crossing in crud etc) sort of faded away. People who know what htey're doing with technique and fit are worth their weight in gold, and will actually make you happier than gold can
aligibb 22 Mar 2015
In reply to Xharlie:

As others have said yes ski boots can fit well. Who does them is the most important thing, rather than what a computer model says about what footbeds you 'need.' So make sure the person is experienced and doesn't rely on too many gimmicks and actually just looks at your feet and the way you stand on them.

Lessons - will make a big difference, be open to changing things and you'll be flying.

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