 Poster: A snowHead
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I really need some advice about buying my first pair of ski boots. I've been on three skiing holidays and I have 3 booked for next year and really want to have some comfy boots (had a really uncomfortable, smelly one's in Feb!)
I was in the intermediate/advanced ski school last time and can do parallel turns.
I have tried quite a few different boots on. I am wondering if womens boots are generally made for shorter people (I am 5ft 9and a half) and have always been given mens hire boots. Do they give a bit more support for taller people on the shin?
The most comfortable pair that I have tried on so far are Nordica gran sport with the walk mode (I think these are made for wider fitting feet/legs) Any body have any thoughts about these?
Any good advice would be appreciated.
Ta
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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muffin!, as I understand it (and I am not a professional bootfitter, they are your best bet for advice) women's boots can be shorter in the leg because women have wider calves at a lower point than men's legs. This is certainly true of me. Although I am tallish at 5'8", the bootfitter that advised me recommended a shorter boot due to my wide calves.
So, to reiterate the point, get thee to a bootfitter and get the right advice. 
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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Hello & welcome to SH!
I'll second the "go to a bootfitter" advice. Which one depends on where you live of course. Mine came from Ellis Brigham in Castleford (Leeds) who gave me good service (they have an expert fitter called Julian if I remember correctly). However as I have a slightly misshapen ankle and a flex problem due to an old injury, I later went to Colin Martin in Bicester (Solutions4feet) who is the Snowhead called CEM. He worked magic on them for me. Hopefully he might spot this thread and give you some info here.
It is also possible to find a good bootfitter in a resort, but I'd do that on recommendation rather than randomly.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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muffin!, welcome to snowheads.  It's a good time to be thinking about getting your own boots - you're obviously hooked on skiing. You're presumably a female - lots of good hire shops have women's boots, seems a bit duff to be always given men's boots. As QB says, women typically have wider calves lower down than men do.
The trouble with buying skiing boots is the ones that are comfortable right "out of the box" are almost certainly too big for you - but too small isn't good, either, and many of us need some fiddling and twitching to get them right. You don't need expensive or high end boots, you just need ones which are a really good fit for your individual feet (and ankles/calves).
Many of us, including myself, have been pleased with boots fitted by Colin at Solutions for Feet. http://solutions4feet.co.uk/ If that's too far from you, ask here about somewhere convenient.
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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Go and see Colin in Bister!!!
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Bicester even!!!
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Thankyou everybody for your advice!
Mel x
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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muffin!, dont be a stranger once you have your new boots, let us know how you get on.
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Whilst womens boots tend to have different graphics, and be a bit softer, the real difference is they have wider calves. This is because the female muscle sits lower on the leg than the male, and hence they tend to have proportionaly wider calves in a ski boot.
If you can get a reccomendation, go to a boot fitter on your first holiday.
This will allow you to go back each evening for adjustments, if necessary.
The first thing a fitter should do is check the shell size of a given boot for you.
They will take the inner boot out, and get you to stand in just the shell.
If they don't do this, leave.
Get a moulded footbed, end of story.
After this, there are only 2 things that really matter, fit & flex.
The boot should gently but firmly hold your foot, you should be able to wriggle your toes.
When you walk about in the shop your heel should only lift a cm or 2 at the most, ideally not at all.
Modern thermal moulding boots are excellant, and individual pinch points can be delt with afterwards.
Its less of an issue in womens boots, but critical in mens.
Don't get a boot that is too stiff.
If you can't bend your ankles, you won't be able to ski properly.
Whilst you don't want something too soft either, a very significant proportion of skiers have boots that are too stiff for them.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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mmm......
well i wouldn't want any heel lift when flexing a boot at all, lifting the heel a cm or more is either a sign of a poorly fitted boot or a limited amount of ankle flexion... either one can be sorted by
1 changing boot if it is poorly fitted boot
or
2 dealing with the lack of flexion with either heel lifts or selection of a more appropriate boot in terms of net forward lean, both along with suitable stretching exercises to lengthen the calf muscles and allow more flexion of the ankle joint
remember that many people stress the need for loads of ankle flexion... you only actually flex your ankles a few degrees within a ski boot, the key is having the available range of motion in the joint to enable you to flex the boot by the desired amount without compromising either the biomechanics of skiing or or comfort of the skier
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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