Buying Boots

If you buy your own equipment, the boots should be the first and foremost consideration. If your feet hurt, you will not ski. It's as simple as that. It doesn't matter which brand or style of boot you buy initially. They all can be custom formed to your feet, and the fit will be more like your bedroom slippers than a ten pound plastic shoe. Spend the extra cash on the boots. Your feet will thank you later.

Remember, the beginner equipment is designed for minimalist needs. The gear will get you into the sport, but will compromise on comfort, and your ability to progress quickly to the higher skill levels will be slowed. The boots for beginners are traditionally soft, but they still do not have the comfort built into the performance boots. Beginner boots, because of their pliability, lose some of the feel between the shoe and the ski. A stiff boot will make the ski react exactly as the foot is moved, while the beginner boot allows some forgiveness. If the foot is moved to much during the turn, the ski will be overturned while using a stiffer boot. Beginner boots are designed for convenience and should be used by beginners.

The plastic shell of the rear entry model is hinged in the back allowing the foot easy entry into the mold. While this convenience is appreciated, the design makes a person's ankle position to be nearly immobile (The ankle must be flexed forward to effectively steer the front of the skis into a turn).

The best advice to any serious want-to-be skier is to go down to the local ski shop and buy an intermediate overlap style boot. This boot is soft enough for the beginner, but it will be useful as you progress to the intermediate levels in the first few years. Also the mid-line or intermediate boot will be more comfortable than the cheapest boots. The skis can be rented every time, but the boots should be purchased and custom fit.

Boots: Choosing the Right Kind Ski boots are the single most important part of your skiing gear. They are your link to the snow and will give you all the feeling necessary to make great turns. They can also dampen your sensitivity enough (if they are not fitted correctly) so you will not be able to quickly and precisely turn the skis.

The only boot to consider is the overlap design boot if you eventually want to cruise like an expert. This boot starts you off in a forward position, which is essential for manipulating the front of the ski and making smooth entries into each turn. The problem with most beginner and intermediate skiers is that they cannot find balance while in motion. Until the basic human need of safety and control is achieved (through balance), the subtle nuances of upper level movement are lost.

The Boot Affects the Way You Ski

Here is the rule: A forward balanced position must be achieved by constantly pressuring the front boot cuff with the shin. In order to get this pressure, the ankle must be flexed so pressure can be transferred to the front of the ski for steering. The problem encountered with rear entry and mid entry boots (two other choices to consider when buying) is a lack of forward pressure.

Many of these intermediate boots offer easy entry and comfortable fit, but they also put the heel lower than the toes in the boot. This makes you start out with a flexed ankle -- often to the end of the persons range of motion. Thus, when the time comes for you to pressure the front of the ski by flexing forward, you can't (your physically limited by the boot). In these instances, the answer can lie in a heel lift, if the boot has room. If not, you are doomed to a sit-back position giving little control over the shovel of the ski.

The heel lift can correct the foot position and allow you to gain the extra forward leverage -- important for a stronger turning ability. In addition to the heel lift, a footbed can give an amazing amount of comfort and control. All expert skiers swear by footbeds.

The Secret of Comfortable Boots -- Footbeds

The platform directly under the foot is the biggest factor in making a comfortable fit. When a boot is first purchased, it comes with a footbed that will slightly take on the contours of the foot and make a nice fit. The ski boot footbed is much like that of a running shoe's footbed. The custom footbeds purchased at ski shops are molded by heat to the foot giving support under every nook and cranny. This extra base of support gives the foot the highest possible amount of sensitivity. Expert skiers know that the factory footbed is not enough support for the foot and eventually makes a foot fatigue and spasm in the boot as the liner material begins to pack down. Because the foot is the first receptor of feeling with the snow, a snug fit all around the foot will save you from cramps. The slightest movement of the foot must transfer directly to the ski to make for a positive connection thus, the boot is the most important piece of your equipment.

The professional boot fitter has a number of footbeds for you to consider when buying. Cork, foam, plastic and simple padding materials are used for footbeds. In considering which to buy, the molded plastic with a padded overlay seems to work the best for the money. It's the cheapest, and works as good as any on the market. The cost for this type of footbed is generally about the same as that for a pair of ski poles. The fitter will make an impression of the foot and cast a footbed (in about an hour) that takes in every contour of your foot. A piece of advice -- get a footbed, then when you buy your next pair of boots, just transfer the footbed.

Alpine Skiing School section in english version of WWW.SKI.BG is based on
"A Guide To Becoming An Expert: From First Time To A Lifetime"
by John Mukavitz Copyright © 1998