Recreation & Sports

Here’s the thing, if you’ve got great big feet it doesn’t make you a bad person, it just makes you a bad person to find ski boots for.

The best bit of advice when you want to buy ski boots is you need to start searching early and I mean early… long before you need them.

If you’ve got ‘normal’ sized feet you can try on a couple of different pairs and the natural variations in designs should see you find a pair that fit.

If however you’ve got big feet (either long or wide) and need a wide fitting the regular range for the average population could have you wincing in pain.

The size of your feet is not the whole problem either. If you have any slight deformities of the foot or maybe corns or calluses, you could be in for a world of pain if you don’t get a comfortable fitting ski boot.

The linings (or inner boot) can be moulded to your feet which helps to alleviate some of the problems but if the toe box volume isn’t sufficient the effect of the liner is minimal.

If you have a high arch or instep you’re probably going to be looking for a high volume shell (outer casing) to accommodate an insert to support your feet.

Calf size is also something that most people NEVER think of. I don’t mean to be rude but if you’ve got chunky calves you may also find it difficult to find comfortable boots.

The Cuff, the part of the boot that goes around your upper ankle and calf will be almost infinitely adjustable, but standard off the shelf boots may not have sufficient room for a very big calf.

Get it right or pay the price

Face it. You’re going to be on the slopes for hours so it’s important you get this element your ski equipment absolutely right or your aching feet will make you thoroughly miserable.

Besides, ill-fitting boots will:

• Impede your performance and you won’t ski nearly as well
• Lead to injury because you’re over compensating for the discomfort
• Cause skin irritation and bruising
• Turn you from skier to observer when you can no longer stand the pain

Slightly off-piste

Okay… Just for fun… at least I think it’s fun and not too mean (as it’s basically very much in the public domain, so I hope none of these ladies will be offended).

10 Famous People who might benefit from this advice (as if they ever needed to worry about this stuff anyway because they would surely have a custom fitting from a professional?):

Jackie O – Size 12.5 US    10.5 UK    45 Eur  (I know! But she had really big feet!)
Michelle Obama – Size 11
Brigitte Nielsen – Size 11
Venus Williams – Size 11
Tyra Banks – Size 11
Uma Thurman – Size 11
Paris Hilton – Size 11
Meg Ryan – Size 11
Oprah Winfrey – Size 10.5 US     8.5 UK     42.5 Eur
Katie Holmes – Size 10 US     8 UK    42 Eur

BTW Finding a list of females was EASY but finding a list of famous big footed men was not so easy. If you know of any, let me know.

Back on the mountain

 Other considerations:

• Stay away from the sales. Let’s be honest Ski Boots are expensive so however tempting it might be for you to cram your wide feet into a cheap pair of boots, don’t do it—it’s a false economy—even at half price!.

• Lots of ski boots are unisex, but of course they are also made specifically for men, women and children. I mention this because I’m told that the cuffs on women’s boots are often wider to cater for bigger (I didn’t want to say fatter) calves. This might be worth bearing in mind for any men who are struggling to find a wide enough cuff on a man’s boot.

• If you’re serious about your skiing and you have the finances to do it you might be much better off having your boots custom made. It’s more expensive but you’ll get a better boot for sure.

• When you go for a fitting remember:

• Wear loose fitting leg wear so that you can roll it up past your knee

• Take your ski socks with you… the ones you’ll be wearing on the slopes

• And it can help if you take your skis with you (assuming you own your own)

 

Wide Fitting Ski Boot Recommendations

Here are some boots to use as a starting point for your search:

• Salomon x series (x-10)
• Salomon pro guns
• Tecnica Diablo
• Tecnica Vento
• Tecnica Modo
• Tecnica Vento HVL
• Tecnica Men’s Phoenix 70 Comfortfit HVL
• Dalbello Aerro 75 Ski Boots
• Atomic B Tech 100 Ski Boots

Where price is an issue one of the cheapest options might be Roxa Cruise Ski boot

Would you add any other boot to the list?

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