How to choose ski boots?

So, you firmly decided to go to the ski resort, especially since for this you have everything: desire, opportunities and time. But before you pack your bags, you need to thoroughly prepare for the trip.

Novice skiers always think about which skis to buy for them, but almost never think about boots, considering these things are absolutely not important. This is a huge mistake! The health of your legs, the mood on the track and how the skis go depends on the shoes. Yes, don’t be surprised. And we are ready to prove it to you. This is our article.

Ski boots are produced by many brands. The most famous of them and well-proven are Salomon, Lange, Tecnica, Rossignol, Nordica, Atomic, Fischer.

But here's how, for example, women's Salomon boots for beginners look like.

And these are children's shoes for girls who are just starting to ski, the same company.

Both models are very easy to use. They are easy to put on; they are light, warm and comfortable. In addition, they are very soft, as they are designed for beginners.

Women's shoes are different from men's: they are wide at the top and have a hidden heel. Women are more comfortable with skiing.

Children's shoes are softer than women’s and men’s and sewn from cheaper materials.

Look at the photo of the ski boot. It shows that this type of shoe consists of an external and internal boot. The outside has fasteners (clips), a sole, a strap at the top and an angle of inclination.

Clasps (clips) are an indispensable element of this type of shoe. They are needed to fix the shoes on the foot. But not all ski boots have a tilt angle. In particular, it is not in models for beginners and in children's shoes. As a rule, shoes with a slope are taken by people who have a problem with their legs (for example, they are X-shaped or beech O).In these cases, a similar shoe corrects the shape of the legs.

Also, the angle of inclination is in high-quality professional boots. Athletes ride at high speeds, because the angle of inclination is very important for them.

Shoes should be selected according to several criteria: stiffness, weight, size, width of the block and elasticity. The choice depends on where and on what surface you are going to ride.

Sports boots are designed for professional athletes who ride on prepared slopes. These boots are stiff, lightweight, lightweight, they have a thinner plastic sole.

Universal boots are designed for use on prepared and unprepared slopes. In them, you can easily ride on fresh snow, thick crust, as well as on special sites. These boots are tough, warm, have a solid reliable sole.

Tech Tech Boots - suitable for ski tour. They have an excellent rubber sole, very light. Professional.

Special freestyle boots. Since they have to jump a lot, they have a great sole with cushioning.

Attention! Size is a very important parameter of ski boots! To correctly determine it, you must know the size of your foot, not only in length but also in width.

In specialized stores of sportswear and shoes for this there are patterns with which you can take measurements on the spot. However, it will be easier and more reliable to measure the foot of the house. It is very simple to do this: place your foot without a sock on a blank sheet of paper and circle it with a pencil, and then measure in length and width at the most protruding points.

Below we provide a table of sizes that will help you navigate in a situation where the Russian and European sizes do not match.

Please note that the width of the foot is not indicated in the table - it is indicated on each box from the shoes.

The stiffness of the ski boots varies from 15 to 160: the stiffer the boots, the more professional they are.

The stiffness of shoes for children should be from 15 to 60. For beginners, stiffness of at least 50 is suitable. Soft boots are very warm, but do not fit well on the foot. In them, in no case should you ride on a professional track, so as not to get injured or fractured, since the boots are not suitable for maneuvers. The average is called rigidity from 60 to 80-90.

Rigid boots with the right angle are designed for professionals. They are quite narrow, which is why they securely fix the leg, and are also very light, although less warm. Such boots are not suitable for walking in the snow. unlike their soft and medium-hard counterparts.

Its width varies from 92 to 108 mm. The stiffer the boot, the narrower the shoe. To understand whether a particular width suits you or not, you need to try on shoes.

When buying ski shoes, be sure to include a thermoforming liner in your boots. This is a kind of stove for legs, without which frequent skating can not do. When the leg heats up, the liner takes its shape. This element is not only in the cheapest models.

The socks you are going to put on in your shoes should be thin, elastic and long, so that the shoes are superior in height. Professionals advise skiers to buy synthetic socks - now high-quality synthetics are not inferior, and sometimes even surpass natural materials. The leg in such socks does not sweat, and the shoe in them feels much better than in thick ones.

Quality socks cost from $ 40, but they last a long time.

Do not forget that you need to try on ski boots with socks!

So, you came to the store to choose your ski boots. Where to start this difficult process?

First of all, take a few pairs of shoes of your size, but different brands. You will make sure that all of them, having the same length and width, will sit on the leg in completely different ways.

Put on a boot, fasten all its fasteners, go for a walk. Are you comfortable? The boot should sit snugly on the foot.

When trying on, it often seems like the shoes are a little small. This is normal. The only exceptions are pain. When bending or walking, the heel should be fixed. If your shoes are a little too big, you should not buy them, because when they are worn, they can loosen even more.

Remember that not only the mood of their owner, but also the health of his joints depends on properly selected ski boots. In the wrong shoes it’s easy to get a fracture. Be carefull.

So, you did everything seem to be right: picked up the size, width, tried on shoes and walked around the store in it. But still, none of the available pairs are suitable for you. What is the matter? Perhaps you have flat feet that you were not aware of. To check this, see your doctor.

If the diagnosis is confirmed, you will need special orthopedic insoles and an individual fit of ski boots to your foot.

In this case, it is better to go snowboarding - the shoes for him practically do not differ from ordinary shoes. So you can freely ride on the snowy slopes and at the same time forget about your problem with your legs.

When you choose shoes for the child, also put them on him and ask them to walk, sit down, bend. If the baby does not complain about anything and can easily do all these actions, then the shoes suit him. As a rule, soft shoes are bought for kids - they are warm, like felt boots, and very comfortable. Children's shoes can be taken with a small margin for growth.

So, we have told you what to look for when choosing ski boots, how to try on them yourself and your child. We hope our tips will help you. Enjoy the shopping!