Bootfitting Guide Page 2 - Fit Insights
By Christian Denis of Elite Feet, November 11, 2000

Fit

As obvious as it may sound, getting the right size boot is difficult, but absolutely critical. More than half the people I deal with are in too large a boot and any bootfitter is limited in what he or she can do with such a fit - there is only so much material you can stuff into the boot to size it down. The bottom line is you are never going to get good performance out of an oversized boot.

Shell sizing is the only way to tell if you are in the right size boot. To size the shell, simply remove the liner and place your foot (with a thin ski sock) in the shell of the boot. Place your toes so that they barely touch the front of the shell. Then look at the space behind your heel. A recreational skier should have about 3cm behind the heel, while an expert level skier should have about half that distance. If your sales person does not shell size, he or she is probably not very knowledgeable and you should strongly consider taking your business elsewhere.

When you first try on your new ski boots, they should feel tight in the toes. In time, the liners will pack out a bit and leave you with a comfortable, but snug, fit.

<<<BACK               NEXT>>>

Page 1 | Page 2 | Page 3 | Page 4 | Page 5 | Page 6