evo Size and Buying Guides
Whether you have just received your brand new ski boots in the mail or are heading to your local shop to check out boots, you will need to try them on to make sure they fit properly.
What to Wear
Try on ski boots with just one pair of thin ski socks. Is one pair really enough? Yes. Your ski boots offer plenty of warmth on their own. Cold toes are not just the result of cold temps, but rather are caused by a lack of circulation. This is often from wearing too many layers and putting too much pressure on the veins on the tops of your feet. (Think about how thick your boot liner is already.)
The socks should be a wool or synthetic material and come up above the tops of your ski boots. Do not wear cotton, which will only absorb sweat, become wet and cold. Snowboard socks and thick hiking socks are not the best choices because they are often too bulky.
How to Get Your Foot In Your Boot
Reach into the ski boot and check that there is no paper stuffed into the toe of the liner.
Make sure the boot is unbuckled completely. Pull the sides at the front of the boot apart and push the tongue forward. Straighten your ankle, point your toes in first and slide your foot into the ski boot. Do not stand up before buckling your boots. Your heel will move forward, shifting your toes to the front of the boot and it will feel too tight.
Tight? Don’t worry. The ski boot will feel very tight and may seem a bit too short when you first slide your foot in.
Slam the back of your heel down on the floor a couple times to push your foot back into the heel cup of the ski boot. We mean slam. Not a gentle tap – really stomp it.
After your foot is back in the ski boot, start buckling from the top two buckles on your shin until all the buckles are closed. Starting from the buckles on your shin will further help secure your foot into the back of the ski boot. Pull the power strap so the boot cuff is tight against your shin. Last, buckle the two buckles that lie across the top of your foot. Be sure to avoid over buckling your ski boot. Many buckles have a micro-adjust feature that allows you to dial in the length of the buckle.
You are now in your ski boot. Stand up and simulate skiing. Flex the ski boot. You should be able to move the shell so that both you and the boot move at the ankle. If you only move at the hips then the boot is too stiff. If you think that the boot may be too stiff, try unbuckling the two middle buckles on the boot and flexing it up and down. If your ankle and boot now move then you probably need a softer boot. When in doubt, go with a softer flex. This allows you to initiate turns more easily when you are on the snow.
* Remember that your warm house is a different environment than the cold ski resort; your boots will be stiffer in the colder conditions
Do not walk around your house – ski boots are not designed for walking through the parking lot. Instead, try to emulate your skiing style. Stand flat in your boots, bend your knees and rock side to side on the boots as if you’re transitioning from edge to edge. Do this in front of a crowd if possible.
Shell Fit
If you feel that your ski boots might not be the correct size after going through the above steps, you will not need to do a shell fit. Shell fitting ski boots allows you to see what is going on in the boot. The best boot fit will be with the shell that fits your foot. To do a shell fit you need to try your boots on without their liners.
1. Remove the boot liner and put your foot into the empty shell without a sock on. If your foot touches the shell wall without the liners in, you may need to try a different boot.
2. Check the length. Move your foot so that your toes are lightly touching the shell on the front of the ski boot. You should be able to get one or two fingers snugly behind your heel, ½ - 1 ½ inches depending on your comfort level. If you have more than 1.5 inches of space behind your heel the ski boot is too big.
3. Next, check that the lower shell fits correctly when you have about ¼ of an inch, or roughly a finger’s width of space around the side of the foot when the other side of your foot is pressed against the opposing wall inside the boot without the liner. This can be difficult to do as you need to get your hand inside the boot. If you are having trouble, have a friend help you open the plastic shell above your foot so you can more easily reach inside the boot. The lower part of the shell must accommodate your forefoot, ankle and heel.
If you can not fit any of your fingers between your heel and the back of the boot, your boot is definitely too small and you need to try a larger size/different boot. If you can fit a large bagel, your dog’s head or there is more than 1 ½ inches behind your heel, the boot is too large. It will be very comfortable to get on and off but it will not offer a good measure of support or performance when you ski. If the boot is way too loose, you compromise your safety and at the very least, you will increase the chance of blisters from rubbing and losing your big toe nail when your foot slides forward.
If your boot is tight in a few spots, you can have your boots customized. A boot fitter at a specialty ski shop will be able to either punch out or add padding to certain trouble points so your boots fits your feet just right.
With a properly sized shell, you should retain ankle articulation while still allowing the foot to function inside the boot. The perfect fit often comes with an experienced boot-fitter.
How to Choose Ski Boots: Size and Fit Guide
Custom Ski Boot Fitting: How To Make Your Boots Fit Better
