Ski Boot Tips

Walking: okay, so they are called ski-boots, bearing this in mind they are not designed to be of great ease or comfortable for anything other than skiing. We recommend you always open all buckles when walking around in your boots, or if sitting or standing tall, this will maximise circulation, relieve pressure and allow for movement to aid in this matter (to remind yourself of how awkward these things are, just watch young children taking first steps in ski-boots). Please exercise caution when walking; firstly to avoid bruising your toes or other areas of your feet which may cause discomfort when actually skiing, secondly to avoid excessive wear and tear on the toe and heel piece of your boot affecting the safety of your ski-binding interface. (Cat Tracks)

Socks: only ever wear one pair of ski specific socks; ultra thin for high performance fits, medium-thin for intermediate/advanced fits. Two pairs will cause multiple problems from wrinkles or bunching, excess perspiration leading to cold feet plus expanding foot size everywhere around the boot, whilst your boot is designed for growth in specific areas only. We recommend Falke socks for maximum warmth, breathability and comfort available. If you find a more comfortable sock, we will buy them back!!

Buckle play: when putting on your boots, ensure your heel is well placed into the rear of the heel pocket. Close the cuff of the boot with the power strap to aid initial buckling and then start by alternately tightening the top two buckles only on the shin of your boot. This will ensure your foot moves to the rear of the heel pocket providing maximum steering control and comfort. Next close the bottom buckle over your toes, and lastly the buckle over the in-step. These last two buckles never need to be closed tightly; just enough to feel contact or wrapping of your foot. Over tightening of these buckles will speedily shut down the circulation of your feet and remove any enjoyment potential once held in your day. Lastly, firmly secure the power strap around your boot.

The way we ski new technology boots and shaped skis, with reduced fore and aft pressuring, we are in more static flexed states over the centre of the ski, reducing the need for clamping of the foot, additionally, your profeet footbed will provide support for your foot in the boot. New buckle design provides improved leverage to older buckles, so tremendous effort should not need to be exerted to achieve a sound, supportive fit.

Through out the day as your ski-boot liner warms up and air in the liner is forced out, you may need to utilise the micro-adjustment features of your buckles to modify the fit and feel. By rotating the buckle ends you produce small length changes allowing accurate refinements rather than jumping entire bail lengths.

At the end of each ski descent, reach down and open your buckles to allow maximum blood flow through your feet whilst in lift lines and during ski lift rides before your next adventure in the shred-zone.

Cold feet: health and diet is important, avoid caffeine, nicotine and processed or fatty foods as they reduce your circulation. Try eating spicy foods or taking supplements like ginkgo biloba or cayenne pepper (in a capsulated form) to stimulate circulation. Remember to always consult your doctor or homeopathic specialist before taking regular use of any supplements.

Put on a hat, mum always use to say this, most of our heat loss is through our head, then upper torso and followed by the groin, so wear the correct layers first. For essential layering look at the leading technology thermals from Falke featuring ergonomic fit design for improved muscle recovery time. For ultimate in warmth, try Hotronics personal ski-boot heaters, the ultimate in ski boot accessory; just don�t forget to charge them at night!

New Season Blues: our first time of the season back in the saddle can give us quite a sore experience. Ski boots, properly fitted and canted for optimum fit can provide a certain level of sore shin experience on our first days out. If we are not in a conditioned ski-fit state muscles can become quite stressed, particularly when they are tight. Some shin discomfort can be a natural experience of breaking ourselves back into the sport. However if you are experiencing strong discomfort, try to minimise further inflammation to the area through buckling and seek out a professional boot-fitter to assess the situation. Once a sore spot is inflamed, it can take some time to settle down. If you are unsure of where to find a local professional fitting service, ask your nearest ski-school for a referral; as ski professionals who spend more than one hundred days a season in ski boots, they soon learn who is good!

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