5 of the most unhelpful ski boot fitting myths
Whether you are a seasoned visitor to the slopes or you are only just taking up skiing, you could be susceptible to more than a few mistaken and inaccurate beliefs about how to get the best out of your involvement in this activity.
Many of those myths centre on ski boots and the fitting process – so, we thought we would take you through some of the most common and persistent ones.
Myth #1: “It’s easy to tell the right ski boot size – it’ll be the same as your shoe size”
Our short answer to this is: not necessarily. More advanced-level skiers, for example, do tend to wear smaller boots than novices, so you can’t just assume the shoe size you walk in to go to the supermarket every day will be the size that best suits you when you are out on the slopes.
Myth #2: “Determining the right ski boot size just comes down to length and width”
It would be very convenient if you really could simply place your foot in a Brannock-style measuring device and read off the length and width of the foot for the purposes of ski boot fitting. But doing so would miss another crucial factor: the volume of the foot.
If, for example, one person has a very high instep and arch, and another person has quite a low instep and hardly any arch, the person with the huge instep and arch is likely to have an especially unpleasant time if they depend on the Brannock measurements alone for their ski boot fitting.
Myth #3: “Ski boots need to be uncomfortable to give you the snug fit you need”
This one comes up a lot, even in articles specifically centring on ski boot fitting myths, such as this piece. It’s the school of thought that says you have to experience pain and discomfort in your chosen ski boots, because that’s what it takes to achieve the optimal fit for performance.
A lot of confusion arises on this subject, because there can be a tendency to drift towards extremes – you should not, for example, expect your ski boots to feel like a slipper.
But your ski boots can certainly be as comfortable as a well-fitting running shoe or cycling shoe; you shouldn’t accept the notion that the best-fitting ski boots will inevitably leave you wincing in pain.
Myth #4: “The best-made ski boots don’t need custom foot insoles”
There are good reasons why our own ski boot fitting service at Ski Exchange places a strong emphasis on the selection of an appropriate supportive footbed/insole.
No matter what feet or ski boots you have, the creation of custom insoles can be key to minimising the stress that is exerted on your foot during skiing. This, in turn, helps to lower the risk of injuries “up the chain” – such as to your knees, hips, and back – when you are on the slopes.
After all, ski boots – by themselves – are designed to provide a snug fit and to minimise motion in the foot. Given the broad range of foot types out there, they cannot provide the best possible support at the arch, or for your particular foot, in the absence of a custom insole.
Myth #5: “Any numbness or tingling in your toes will be due to the cold”
Alas, there is probably a strong chance of this not being the case. If you’re skiing and your toes are going numb, it might well be due to you having worn overly thick socks, there having been too many layers stuffed between the boot and your leg, the boots having been tightened too tight, and/or the boots having been put on incorrectly.
So, there are a lot of things that you could try to help remedy this situation, such as wearing thinner socks, and keeping the pant layers outside of the boot.
When you are in need not merely of a ski boot fitting appointment by skilled and seasoned experts, but also the top UK ski boot fit guarantee, you can be sure of making the right choice when you turn to Ski Exchange. So, be sure to book your appointment with us online now, to help give yourself peace of mind.