The concepts of flex and fit are often the first things we think about when we’re buying a new pair of ski boots. While the flex of a boot – in other words, how stiff it is – is quantifiable on a scale of 60 to 140 (learn more about flex), the idea of fit is more difficult to quantify because it’s specific to each skier.
The fit of a ski boot relies on the synthesis between performance and comfort depending on the body shape and skiing style of the skier.
In other words, your ski boots fit when they correspond to both your body shape and what you’re expecting from them once you’re on the snow.
Defining good fit
To begin with, make an appointment at the best ski shop you can find and have them measure your feet with a pedometer to get the measurement of the two following values.
- Length of your feet in centimeters, which should correspond with the size of your ski boots (measured in mondopoint)
- Width of the largest part of your foot, or more precisely, the “last”.
Ski boots for women | Men’s ski boots
Once you have these measurements, you can look for a boot with a shape that’s best adapted to your feet. When you’re trying them on, you should feel plenty of support (which is essential for controlling your skis) without feeling any pressure points or areas of excessive compression. Your heel should not lift when you flex the boots. The cuff (i.e., the upper part of the boot) is different between male and female models in order to adapt to differences in body shape (shape of the calf as well as ease of entry). This keeps your ankle and shin free from pressure points.
The warmth of a ski boot, considered a criterion of comfort and thus fit, is principally the result of a liner that’s adapted to your feet without pressure points that can prevent good blood circulation. A common mistake that results in cold feet is to buy a boot that’s a size too big or a liner that’s too large so that you can wear thicker socks. The loss of performance and precision needed to drive your skis will make you tighten the buckles which can create pressure points that can prevent good blood circulation in your toes. Cold feet guaranteed!
Ski boots are composed of an exterior shell and a liner with an interior footbed. For additional comfort and performance, you might want to contact a professional bootfitter who can modify these three components.
- Treat yourself to a pair of custom footbeds that will be molded to your foot shape and arch for more stability and comfort.
- Thermoformable liners are heated in-store and are then molded to fit the exact shape of your feet and reduce hot spots.
- Some shells can also be heat-molded if necessary.
Keep in mind that you can also increase comfort by wearing a great pair of ski socks.
Boots that are designed for the way you ski
For a ski boot to fit you, you need to look for boots that are designed for the way you ski:
- Competition: stiff boots (flex index higher than 130).
- Performance carving: stiff boots (flex index higher than 90 for men and more than 70 for women), thin liner and high cuff.
- Resort cruising: soft boots (flex less than 90), liner medium to large, wide cuff.
- Freeride and freerando: stiff boots (flex around 100 to 120), narrow or medium liner and narrow cuff.
- Ski touring: softer flex, lightweight boots with a releasable cuff for the ascent.
- Freestyle: soft boots with shock absorption in the heel to soften hard landings and a medium last.
Your skill level and your skiing style will also influence your decision on whether to go with boots that are more or less stiff and more or less narrow.
For a deeper dive, we invite you to check out our full article: How to choose your ski boots.
Meeting your expectations and needs
In the end, the ski boots that are going to be the best for you are the ones that meet your expectations and user needs. For example:
- Ease of entry or the amount of work it takes to get your foot in and out of the boot
- Number of buckles and whether they can be microadjusted. Also, the width of the power strap at the top of the cuff
- Walk mode system and how easy it is to use it
We can therefore summarize ski boot fit as all the technical criteria (liner, flex, construction, ergonomics) that make the boots correspond to your body shape, your skiing style and your needs. Remember, there are no bad ski boots, just boots that aren’t a good fit for you!
Check out our Stories and guides for more articles about skiing
