Ski Boot Design
All boots are designed to provide a link to the ski so that the skier can hold an edge. Ski boots accomplish this by immobilizing the foot.
There are two general types of boots on the market:
Rear entry design: giving the user easy entry and a more comfortable fit, but the trade off is in performance.
Ski Boot Selection
All brands have a varying concept of the perfect foot shape and build their boots accordingly. Some manufacturers make several different shapes. The most obvious differences are in the heel, ankle and toe box areas. Important features to look for are proper boot length, adequate room in the toe box — width and height, snug fit in the heel and ankle area, and proper stiffness in the lower shell and forward flex.
Ski Boot Fitting
Get to know the shape of different boot brands. Local ski shops can help you by allowing you to examine their stock during quiet times. Look closely at the shape of the feet. Is the heel narrow or wide? Is the forefoot narrow or wide? Are there any abnormal protrusions in the forefoot or ankle? Do the toes taper or flare out? Are they thick or thin? Consider stiffness of the boot. Juveniles are still growing and their bone and ligament structure is not yet fully developed. Be particularly aware of individuals who are big for their age. They are often not as strong as they look. It is better that the boot is a little on the soft side, but fits extremely well.
The problem that occurs when boots are too stiff is the skier does not learn to flex adequately at the ankles. This habit is hard to break. Leaning back puts a lot of strain on the knee when boots are too stiff as the forces are not moderated in the ankle. Angulation puts a similar strain on the knee. This is compounded with overly stiff boots.
Boot Length: take liners out of the boots, place the foot in the empty shell and slide foot forward until light contact is made with the front of the boot. Flex forward and look at the gap behind the heel. You should
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