How to choose your ski boots?

Models, brands, ranges: there are a multitude of ski boots, with various marketing terms, technical data and norms. No need to panic! Advice and explanations; Ekosport entrusts you with all its tips for choosing your alpine ski boots.

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The components of an alpine ski boot

From a distance, all ski boots look the same, yet some details matter. To properly choose your ski boots, you need to look at the different parts that make them up:

• The shell, which is the outer part, most often made of plastic;
• The inner boot, the soft part of the boot;
• The buckles, which allow the tightening to be adjusted;
• The strap, which is the additional upper tightening part.

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The ski boot shell

The shell is not just for looks. In addition to the screen printing or the colour as criteria for choosing quality alpine ski boots, you will have to pay attention to the quality of the plastic. It needs to be soft enough to accept deformation under your weight, yet thick and rigid enough to last over time.

Each shell has its own degree of flexibility, called the "flex". This is usually found engraved on the boot as an index. On the other hand, for more technical skiers, the boot's stiffness index will allow for better transmission and more precise transfer of your weight.

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What flex of alpine ski boots to choose?

The flex of the boot is an index that will determine the stiffness of the ski boot. The higher the index, the stiffer and more responsive the shell will be. The criteria to be considered when determining the flex are:

• Technical skills level and physical fittness
• Type of practice
• Your weight
• Your age

The right Flex for women

• A flex between 50 and 60: beginner women skiers looking for comfort above all.
• Between 60 and 70: intermediate women skiers, who are looking for well-being.
• Between 70 and 80: women skiers who want comfort and responsive boots.
• Between 80 and 90: people looking for performance and comfort.
• Between 90 and 110: women skiers who have a good physical and technical level.

Example: A woman with good physical fitness, with a good technical level who mainly does slopes, who weighs 60 kg, and who is 45 years old: we advise her a flex of 70 if she is looking for comfort, or 80, if she wants performance.

Example 2: A beginner woman, with a weight of 75 kg of 45 years old should also hang a shoe with a flex between 70 and 80.

The right Flex for men

• Between 70 and 80: beginner skiers looking for comfort.
• Between 80 and 90: intermediate skiers looking for well-being.
• Between 90 and 100: intermediate to good skiers looking for comfort and responsiveness.
• Between 100 and 110: advanced skiers who are looking for stiffness.
• 120 and up: expert or competitive skiers.

Example: A sportsman who is just starting out, weighing 85kg and aged 35: we would advise him a flex of 80.

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What alpine ski boots width should you choose?

This data corresponds to the width of the boot (width of the metatarsals: thin feet, wide ones...). The shell widths are always indicated for a size 26 mondopoint.

• 96 / 97mm width: use for competitors, very narrow and usually uncomfortable boots.
• 98 mm: very precise shoe that will be uncomfortable, it is also very narrow.
• 100 mm: precise boot volume, for skiers looking for support and performance.
• 102 mm: for people looking for comfort and support.
• 104 mm: for people who want comfort or whose feet are relatively wide.
• 106 mm: for people with very wide feet who are primarily looking for comfort.

You will find the letters HV (High Volume, wide) and LV (Low Volume, thin) on some models, which also give you an indication of the boot volume.

The above information is marked as a guideline to help you in your choice. The boot volume is a difficult value to determine. It obviously depends on the morphology of your foot, your level, but above all on your personal feeling.

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The tightening: buckles and strap

What are the different ways of tightening? Globally, all ski boots have agreed on the usefulness of buckles. Generally made of metal, they are very strong. However, a few nuances remain.

First of all, the number of buckles tells you the range of the boot. Three buckless will satisfy beginners, mainly because the shoe will be quicker (and therefore easier!) to put on. This is partly why most children's ski boots only have three hooks. The exception to this rule is some boots designed for freestyle or freeride that only have two buckles.

Beyond that, these are boots targeted at more advanced skiers. Indeed, the fourth buckle allows for more precision in tightening. A well-tuned boot is a boot that better transmits energy to the ski. The strap plays the same role. Its purpose is to make the adjustment more precise, by tightening the whole boot more or less. This is why a wide strap is more interesting from this point of view than a thin strap.

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Trying out your ski boots

As with all disciplines, the choice of an alpine ski boot should be made by trying it out in condition: a micro-run along the shelf for running shoes, a few choreographic steps for dancing shoes, etc. This also applies to ski boots.

For the fitting, put on your special pair of ski socks. Then put the boot on by spreading the shell and pulling the tongue as far to the side as possible. Avoid pulling the tongue forward, as this does not really help to increase the volume of the foot and can damage the boot in the long term. Once the foot is in, tighten the buckles and bend your knees, transfer your weight forward and test: do your toes touch the shell? Is there any discomfort or pain? Can the heel come off?

For a comfortable ski boot, you need:

• The foot is held in place, but not compressed;
• The heel does not come off by more than 0.5 cm;
• There is no pain after 20 minutes wearing the boots;
• The width of the shoe matches the shape of your foot;
• The toes do not touch the front of the shell;
• The tightening is easy and precise.

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The different types of liners

The liner is the first thing you try on to see if you feel good in your ski boot. But for a long-term approach, that is, how the boot will evolve over time, you have to look at the composition of the boot.

A liner can be:

• made of Foam;
• Thermo-molded;
• Thermo-formed.

The foam innerboot or liner is the most common. Simple to make and cheap to produce, it can be found in most children's ski boots, beginners and entry-level. It is suitable for progressing skiers, who will need to change boots as they gain in technique and skills. A foam boot can be a good choice if it fits your budget and is intended to be replaced after a year or two because the foam will be squeezed by your weight as they are used. After a while, the boot becomes too loose and the liner less comfortable.

The thermo-molded innerboot is found in more upscale shoes. It is aimed at a well-informed public, who ski regularly and who attach importance to their comfort but also to their technique. The name "thermo-molded" means that the liner will adapt to the shape of your foot. As you wear it, your body releases heat and this is used to "soften" the liner so that it better fits your anatomy.

Finally, the "thermoformed" shoe is part of a package called "bootfitting". It is about shaping the shoe to measure. This is done in a specialized store and takes less than an hour. Thanks to a machine, the professional takes note of the morphology of your foot, the size of your ankle and your calf. The shoe is then heated to nearly 100°C and worn by the user until the material cools. This type of custom-made liner is recommended for inveterate skiers but also for people with deformities or pathologies in their feet. You should also know that it is possible to perform a new bootfitting on already modified boots. Good to know if you have opted for used alpine ski boots or want to resell your own.

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How to choose the size of your ski boots?

25, 26, 27.5: rest assured, you're not in the kids' department! The alpine ski boot sizes are given in mondopoint. This is a unit of measurement corresponding to the length of your feet in cm.

In mondopoint, the main number is the length of your foot. The decimal, i.e., the 0.5, indicates a greater width. In other words, a size of 26.5 is wider than a shoe in 26 but not longer.

The choice of an alpine ski boot is as important as the choice of your skis. First of all, it is a guarantee of comfort and therefore of more beautiful days of gliding. But the boots also play an important technical part in the controlling: they are the link between the your foot and the movement of the ski. In other words, it is thanks to good boots that you can progress in alpine skiing.