From Jim Lindsay
There is a pair of boots for every skier from a beginner to a world cup racer, a bootfitter’s job is to help find the pair of boots that will suit you best.
Five Factors for selecting a boot
1. Length of foot
• This is the actual measured length from the tip of the longest toe to the back of the heel, not your shoe size.
• If a person has two different size feet: For a comfort fit, fit the larger foot, For a performance fit, fit the smaller foot
• The boot is the tightest it will ever be in the shop. Boots “pack out” over time. A tight boot will become more comfortable and a loose boot could pack out and become too loose.
2. Width of foot
• Like street shoes, ski boots come in varying widths, some respond well to width adjustments while others do not.
• Using a Brannock Device boot techs can measure the width of a person’s foot at the widest part, usually the ball, just behind the toes.
3. Height of instep/volume
• A boot’s volume corresponds, in part, to the angle and arch of a person’s foot, which is known as the instep.
• The instep is expressed as the angle created by the first metatarsal bone and the floor.
• Low instep — 15 degrees or less
• Average — 15-20 degrees
• High — more than 20 degrees
• Boots with inadequate instep volume can sandwich the foot too tightly against the boot, causing arch cramping, cold toes, and weight bearing on the ball of the foot.
• Boots with excessive instep volume can cause shin bang and tight toes. The looseness of the boot can also lead to over buckling.
4. Tibia (Lower leg) Angle
• Every person has a slightly different stance. Some are:
• Bowlegged — tibias tilt outward from the ankle joint.
• Knockneed — tibias tilt inward, bringing knees closer together
• They might notice it day to day, but put them in ski boots and skis that lock them into place and they’e going to have trouble.
• Boot manufacturers created boot adjustments to help. A boot tech can measure the angle and adjust the boots cuff to match their stance. Some boots are better at this then others.
5. Range of motion
• Limited ankle flexion probably causes more skiing problems and discomfort than any other factor. Lots of aches and pains be generated by a boot with greater forward angle than your ankle has flexibility.
• Techs can measure the amount of dorisflexion (the ability to bend your toes back) and find a boot that can accommodate it.
• Adjustments can also be made if the boot has too much or too little flex.
Shell fitting
• The best way to check boot fit, is for the tech to do a “shell fit.”
• You place your foot in a boot, without the liner, and slide it forward, until your toes lightly touch the front. The boot tech will use their fingers to measure the size.
• They are generally looking for two fingers, a finger is generally the width of the liner. Two fingers allows for room in the front and back of the boot.
• For a race fit, use one finger.
Types of boots
• More expensive boots are stiffer, closer fitting and better at transmitting the skier’s movements to the ski.
• Not so great movements are also transferred so softer and more forgiving boots are better for less aggressive skiers. Would you give a new driver a sports car? Or something with less power?
• The ideal boot’s performance range is one notch above your current skiing skills.
There is a pair of boots for every skier from a beginner to a world cup racer, a bootfitter’s job is to help find the pair of boots that will suit you best.
Five Factors for selecting a boot
1. Length of foot
• This is the actual measured length from the tip of the longest toe to the back of the heel, not your shoe size.
• If a person has two different size feet: For a comfort fit, fit the larger foot, For a performance fit, fit the smaller foot
• The boot is the tightest it will ever be in the shop. Boots “pack out” over time. A tight boot will become more comfortable and a loose boot could pack out and become too loose.
2. Width of foot
• Like street shoes, ski boots come in varying widths, some respond well to width adjustments while others do not.
• Using a Brannock Device boot techs can measure the width of a person’s foot at the widest part, usually the ball, just behind the toes.
3. Height of instep/volume
• A boot’s volume corresponds, in part, to the angle and arch of a person’s foot, which is known as the instep.
• The instep is expressed as the angle created by the first metatarsal bone and the floor.
• Low instep — 15 degrees or less
• Average — 15-20 degrees
• High — more than 20 degrees
• Boots with inadequate instep volume can sandwich the foot too tightly against the boot, causing arch cramping, cold toes, and weight bearing on the ball of the foot.
• Boots with excessive instep volume can cause shin bang and tight toes. The looseness of the boot can also lead to over buckling.
4. Tibia (Lower leg) Angle
• Every person has a slightly different stance. Some are:
• Bowlegged — tibias tilt outward from the ankle joint.
• Knockneed — tibias tilt inward, bringing knees closer together
• They might notice it day to day, but put them in ski boots and skis that lock them into place and they’e going to have trouble.
• Boot manufacturers created boot adjustments to help. A boot tech can measure the angle and adjust the boots cuff to match their stance. Some boots are better at this then others.
5. Range of motion
• Limited ankle flexion probably causes more skiing problems and discomfort than any other factor. Lots of aches and pains be generated by a boot with greater forward angle than your ankle has flexibility.
• Techs can measure the amount of dorisflexion (the ability to bend your toes back) and find a boot that can accommodate it.
• Adjustments can also be made if the boot has too much or too little flex.
Shell fitting
• The best way to check boot fit, is for the tech to do a “shell fit.”
• You place your foot in a boot, without the liner, and slide it forward, until your toes lightly touch the front. The boot tech will use their fingers to measure the size.
• They are generally looking for two fingers, a finger is generally the width of the liner. Two fingers allows for room in the front and back of the boot.
• For a race fit, use one finger.
Types of boots
• More expensive boots are stiffer, closer fitting and better at transmitting the skier’s movements to the ski.
• Not so great movements are also transferred so softer and more forgiving boots are better for less aggressive skiers. Would you give a new driver a sports car? Or something with less power?
• The ideal boot’s performance range is one notch above your current skiing skills.
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