How to Compare Ski Boots

When choosing a ski boot, consider your skiing ability and style, the size and shape of your foot, as well as your height, weight and gender. Consult an experienced boot fitter to find out what you need.

  1. Flex Rating

    • Each ski boot is rated for stiffness, which affects the ski boot's responsiveness and stability. A beginner or intermediate skier, a lightweight skier, or a non-aggressive skier will generally need a softer boot. An advanced or expert skier, a larger person, or an aggressive skier will generally need a stiffer boot.

    Foot Size and Shape

    • Finding well-fitting ski boots isn't as easy as just finding a boot in your shoe size. Each company shapes their boots differently to accommodate variations in toe-box and heel sizes and shapes, high or low arches, and larger or smaller calves. Women and men generally have different shaped feet and lower legs, so most people should choose a gender-specific boot.

    Customizing

    • Once you have found a good boot, you may want to further tweak the fit to increase your comfort and performance. Most people begin with custom foot beds. Additionally, a ski shop can punch out or grind the shell of the boot to change the fit in specific places. A boot fitter can also adjust the fore-aft and lateral canting of your boots.