Ellis Brigham offer a great guide to buying ski boots. Here are 10 top tips to make sure you get the right boot and customised fit.
- Make the time: A good fitting will take between 1½ and 2 hours. You need to take the time and have the professional advice to make sure you get the right boot. I was impressed by Ellis Brigham’s SUREfit programme for fitting ski boots.
- Know your feet: Talk to the fitter about your ski boot history and any previous problems you may have had with ski boots or your feet in general.
- Have a budget: Have a budget in mind but do be flexible if it means getting the most suitable ski boot. Make sure the budget includes supportive footbeds if you don’t already own them as they will improve the comfort and performance. You can buy off the beg footbeds, starting at around £20, or opt for the pricier SUREfit Custom Snow with Full Finish Stabiliser fit.
- Measuring matters: Measuring is just a guide and a starting point. The correct size will be gauged from a ski boot shell check with your foot in the plastic shell of the boot and without the inner liner inserted. This will confirm if the size, shape and volume of the selected model are the correct match for your feet.
- Thin socks: Modern ski boots have warm and padded liners that will support your feet and insulate them. Thick socks will only make the boot tighter and restrict blood flow, which will ultimately make your feet colder. Thin socks also improve precision, control and comfort when skiing.
- The right boot: It isn’t about how the boot looks or what is recommended in the latest edition of “What Ski Boot” magazine. It’s about the fit and function.
- Footbeds and stability: Don’t concentrate solely on the boots. For great performance and comfort you need to ensure your feet are stable when in the ski boots. A well-made custom footbed will offer the best fit. See my blog about SUREfit customised footbed fitting.
- Wear them in: After buying your new boots don’t just put them away till it’s time to go on holiday. Wear them as much as possible either skiing at indoor snow centres or dry slopes, or at home while stood up, for example, while ironing. The more you wear them the more the liner will soften and mould to your feet.
Eliminator custom tongues.
- Modifications: There are only a small number of brands and styles of boots but there are millions of different types of feet. Ski boots are designed to be modified to accommodate lumps and bumps. Ellis Brigham staff will do all they can to modify the bots. They will stretch and grind plastic shells, transform inner boots and alter angles and flex. Little changes can make a big difference. I also bought Eliminator custom tongues to take up space in the ankle area of the boots because I have skinny lower legs.
- Aftersale service: Sensations like minor tingling, slight numbness or some hotspots can be expected to start with as the liner packs down. If they don’t ease with use, take the boots into a store for modification. Even if you have a more painful problem, in most cases it only takes a small change to fix it.