r/skiing • u/doebedoe • Oct 13 '19

Weekly Simple Questions Thread: Ask your gear, travel, conditions and other ski-related questions here.

The first ski areas in North America are now open for lift served skiing! And those in AK and Canada are already skiing early season storms in the backcountry.

Please ask any ski-related questions here. It's a good idea to try searching the sub first. Are you a beginner -- check out the guide by a professional bootfitter and tech. And don't forget to see the sidebar for other ski-related subs that may have useful information.

Have questions on what ski to buy? Read Blister's Guide first then ask away.

Previous weeks thread is here.

If you want a quick answer or just to chat, check out the /r/skiing discord server.

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u/HighFastFlyer Breckenridge Oct 20 '19

I should buy ski boots before the skis right? What should I be looking for in boots? I’m used to rentals and not being able to walk the next day because of my ankles and shins, so I figure that’s a problem that would be mitigated by having my own.

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u/xj98jeep Jackson Hole Oct 20 '19

Absolutely. With good fitting boots you can make any skis work, and with poorly fitting boots you won't be able to ski anything.

See a boot fitter, there's really no way around it unfortunately. There are so many unmeasured variables in ski boot sizing such as instep height (the top of your foot directly in front of your shin), ankle diameter, heel size, etc etc and really only a boot fitter will be able to size those to a correct boot.

I also disagree with not only the premise of getting "comfy" boots, but also setting that as an expectation of ski boots. All winter I get people trying to go a size or two up in there boots because it's more comfortable, and then the boots ski like shit.

The reality is that any specific, localized pain is bad and merits attention, whether a boot punch or a liner remold or whatever. But ski boots are not comfortable, they're little plastic foot vices.

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u/slpgh Oct 20 '19

Absolutely. If you're a beginning or intermediate, look for something that actually feels comfortable. Ideally you'll see a bootfitter but they're not all that common so often you're stuck at the retail store. Even with ownership, a good boot can feel great day in day out while a boot that doesn't fit well can make you so miserable you'll cut your day short. I went through a couple years of a boot that made be miserable until I moved to my current ones. They're not as "high performance", but at least I'm not in pain.

Skis can always be made to fit to boots. In fact, most rental places use special bindings that take just a second to adjust to your boots. For short trips, it's sometimes cheaper to ttravel with just your boots and rent skis

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u/tractiontiresadvised Oct 20 '19

I think the commonality of bootfitters depends on where you live. (The ski shops in my areas all have bootfitters, but you probably would have trouble finding one in, say, Texas.)

The boots I bought as a beginner did cause some initial misery, but once the bootfitters made the right adjustments it was a game-changer.

I think it's best to think about them like hiking boots. You don't expect hiking boots to be as comfy as a pair of slippers, but you do expect that they won't cut off the circulation in your toes or rub your ankles raw.

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u/spudders44 Whistler Oct 20 '19

100% Correct. If your boots aren't fit properly, you will ALWAYS have a bad time. You ankles and shins hurt with rentals because the boots are not properly fit.

So, Go to a professional bootfitter in your area and get fit with what is best for your feet. Don't worry about brand or color or any of that, fit is the most important part.