How to fit a Ski boot Correctly

Despite what you may have heard, your skis are not the most important part of your ski gear - ski boots and bindings are,in fact, a lot more vital.The ski boots and bindings are the instrument by which a skier controls his or her skis. While the make and model of the skis determine how fast you go and how easily you can take turns, they are pointless without a good pair of ski boots and bindings attached to them.A skier alters their weight and balance to manoeuvre, and these forces are conveyed to your skis through your boots and bindings.Here is some information on what you should look for when selecting ski boots and bindings.

Ski Boots

Ski boots are different from your everyday shoes - they will be worn in punishing cold and damp weather. It is critical that you are comfy in your ski boots, as you will be wearing them for most of the day.Unlike measuring for normal shoes, it is important to get your foot’s length and width when measuring for ski boots. Some people tend have wider feet than normal, and that needs to be taken into consideration when fitting for ski boots.If all this seems like information overload, don’t worry! The team at Quest Queenstown Ski Hire are highly experienced at fitting ski boots.

A ski boot’s flex is yet another factor to remember.Flex is a ski boot’s resistance bending forwards or backwards. The boots’ flex determines how much control you have over your skis.Experienced skiers prefer low flex boots since it allows more control, while beginners go for boots with greater flex as they are more forgiving. The condition of the course and the type of run also plays a role in the level of flex you need. Slopes with hard snow and lot of turns are best tackled with low flex boots, while soft snow and mogul runs are better managed by high flex boots.

Ski Bindings

Ski bindings are what connects your boots to the skis.Designed mainly as a safety device, bindings give the skier total control over the skis while at the same time shielding them from the substantial forces it takes to control the skis.Additionally, ski bindings will release the boots from the skis if they become trapped while in motion.

Bindings can be bought in two ways: built in with skis or separately on their own.Buying bindings separately is not recommended, as finding the right kind to match your skis can be complicated.You are better off going for skis with integrated bindings - it makes the whole thing a lot simpler.

The ski binding’s release mechanism is governed by its release setting.Release settings are rated in DIN numbers, and are calculated from a number of different variables such as your height, weight, and skiing style. Your ski bindings need to match these variables, otherwise you risk injury.Make sure the DIN number of your ski bindings is in the middle range, as that allows for some adjustment if any of the variables change.

If all the information on DIN numbers and boot flexes has you confused, there’s no need to worry! The Ski Hire Queenstown experts at Quest in Shotover Street will be happy to answer any questions you may have about ski gear.The staff at Quest are not only friendly and approachable, they are also experts at all kinds of ski gear and can get you outfitted for the hills in no time.