Ski Boots
FOUNDATION
Ski boots are the most important item of all your ski gear. Ski boots are the link between you, your skis and the mountain. All of the energy you exert to ski gracefully goes from you to your skis through your boots. Just as in a house, if the foundation is not right nothing else will be. In order to get comfort and performance from a ski boot, the foot must be relaxed and have even weight distribution. If this balance does not exist, serious ski edging and muscle cramping problems are likely to occur. Common performance complaints are an inability to carve turns, difficulty on icy terrain, and inability to control skis. Go to our troubleshooting page for help on foot problems and the best fit in boots to combat your type of problem.
HOW SHOULD A SKI BOOT FIT?
A ski boot should feel comfortable and snug. It should not hurt. When the knees are flexed forward and down, as in a skiing motion, the heel should be held back. Toes need wiggle room! It is all right for your toes to touch the front of the boot as long as they pull away when the boot is buckled and the knees are flexed forward. Remember, liners will compress and stretch over time so minor pressure will often disappear by itself. The area from the instep through the top of the ankle must be snug but not crammed. The foot should be held without setting the buckles too tightly. You want the fit to be from the boot, not the buckle system. We feel that the biggest disservice we can do to our customer is to allow them to buy a boot too big!
COMMON BOOT PROBLEMS
Arch pain and cramping
Forefoot cramping and numbness
Shin pressure and pain
Ankle pressure and tenderness
Ankle and heel slop
Cold feet
Poor edge control
ARCH PROBLEMS – FOREFOOT CRAMPING
Arch – ball of foot cramping and excessive heel lift are also common problems. Cramping is mainly caused by muscle over-use and most often caused by boots that don’t fit. If the foot is unstable, the skier uses his or her muscles to "lock it up" or expand foot muscle to fill voids in the boot in order to edge effectively. To determine if you’re susceptible to forefoot cramping try this: Walk barefoot and watch your feet. Without the restriction of a shoe, the front half of the foot spreads as soon as weight is put on it. A ski boot not only stops this motion but compresses the foot, blood vessels, nerves and bones together.
SHIN PRESSURE and PAIN
The purpose of the boot tongue is to distribute pressure evenly over the shin, instep and top of the foot. It also transmits energy and pressure to the ski. This is done with the aid of buckles and in some cases, the use of internal adjustment devices. The boot tongue is also designed to hold the foot securely in place as it distributes the pressure of flexing, absorbs the shocks of skiing and insulates the skier from pain. "Shin bite", as it is commonly known, can be caused by friction of the skin or sock rubbing against the tongue as the boot is flexed forward. The front of the leg will be rubbed red and raw around the boot top. Another cause of "shin bite" is uneven pressure distribution of the shin against the tongue. A sharp pain felt when flexing forward, that is relieved when you stand upright, is a good indication of this. In some instances, realignment of the lower leg where it comes in contact with the boot tongue or redistributing the pressure over a larger area will solve the problem. Not all cases of shin pain are this simple! Some pain can be eliminated by customizing the liner, or boot shell, and adding a custom insole.
ANKLE PRESSURE, HEEL SLOP and POOR EDGE CONTROL
In most cases, ankle pressure, heel slop, and poor edging are caused by boots that are too big. "Why should a boot hurt if it is too big?", you might ask. In order to get a good link between the skier’s foot and boot, one will try to overcome the slop by buckling too tightly causing pain. Contrary to popular belief, squeezing the foot in this area is not an effective way of holding the heel down. Remember, side to side fit is just as important as length.
Medial ankle pressure can be caused by an unsupported foot. An unsupported foot will collapse under weight, making the inside or outside ankle-bone more prominent. The rear foot and mid foot should be supported together in order to get best results. Another cause is not being properly positioned in the ankle pocket of the boot. The foot may have to be repositioned by raising, lowering or stabilizing inward or outward rotation of heel and ankle.
CUSTOM INSOLES
Custom fitting usually begins at the bottom, providing a stable foundation in the boot. This usually involves the use of custom insoles, which are molded to your feet. Custom insoles support the foot in a neutral position. They reduce motion caused by the natural tendency for the foot to spread out and roll to the inside or outside and can also relieve cramping and muscle fatigue. The overall effect is to make your feet more comfortable and to provide a more precise transfer of energy to the ski. Custom insoles also ad an insulating layer and enhances blood flow.
WHY DO FEET GET COLD?
Feet become cold usually due to restrictive blood flow. An improperly fitted boot will put uneven pressure on the foot, stopping or limiting blood flow. Again, proper support is critical. At cold temperatures the cells and veins at the extremities will start to contract, restricting blood circulation. Warming the toe area will expand the cells and veins, which allow the blood to flow freely, bringing comfort and warmth to your feet. Heating systems can greatly alleviate cold feet. HOTRONIC BOOT HEATERS, rated #1 by skiing magazine, can be installed in any ski boot for all day comfort. Choose one of the four heat settings and ski with a smile at any temperature.
SALES and SERVICE
The Sports People sell brand name boots including Lange, Tecnica, and Salomon. We specialize in custom foam fitting, silicone injection, custom insoles, foam tongues, and total fit satisfaction for even the hard to fit customer.
STAFF and TRAINING
Our staff has an average of 19 years experience in the ski industry helping customers. We pride ourselves in the fact that we take the time to not only fit the boot properly, but through our experience and training, to get the right boot for your needs. We do not believe in rushing the sale but are more concerned with the ultimate skiing experience. We have been serving the skiing community since 1975 with innovative programs and are in the forefront of technology.
FOUNDATION
Ski boots are the most important item of all your ski gear. Ski boots are the link between you, your skis and the mountain. All of the energy you exert to ski gracefully goes from you to your skis through your boots. Just as in a house, if the foundation is not right nothing else will be. In order to get comfort and performance from a ski boot, the foot must be relaxed and have even weight distribution. If this balance does not exist, serious ski edging and muscle cramping problems are likely to occur. Common performance complaints are an inability to carve turns, difficulty on icy terrain, and inability to control skis. Go to our troubleshooting page for help on foot problems and the best fit in boots to combat your type of problem.
HOW SHOULD A SKI BOOT FIT?
A ski boot should feel comfortable and snug. It should not hurt. When the knees are flexed forward and down, as in a skiing motion, the heel should be held back. Toes need wiggle room! It is all right for your toes to touch the front of the boot as long as they pull away when the boot is buckled and the knees are flexed forward. Remember, liners will compress and stretch over time so minor pressure will often disappear by itself. The area from the instep through the top of the ankle must be snug but not crammed. The foot should be held without setting the buckles too tightly. You want the fit to be from the boot, not the buckle system. We feel that the biggest disservice we can do to our customer is to allow them to buy a boot too big!
COMMON BOOT PROBLEMS
Arch pain and cramping
Forefoot cramping and numbness
Shin pressure and pain
Ankle pressure and tenderness
Ankle and heel slop
Cold feet
Poor edge control
ARCH PROBLEMS – FOREFOOT CRAMPING
Arch – ball of foot cramping and excessive heel lift are also common problems. Cramping is mainly caused by muscle over-use and most often caused by boots that don’t fit. If the foot is unstable, the skier uses his or her muscles to "lock it up" or expand foot muscle to fill voids in the boot in order to edge effectively. To determine if you’re susceptible to forefoot cramping try this: Walk barefoot and watch your feet. Without the restriction of a shoe, the front half of the foot spreads as soon as weight is put on it. A ski boot not only stops this motion but compresses the foot, blood vessels, nerves and bones together.
SHIN PRESSURE and PAIN
The purpose of the boot tongue is to distribute pressure evenly over the shin, instep and top of the foot. It also transmits energy and pressure to the ski. This is done with the aid of buckles and in some cases, the use of internal adjustment devices. The boot tongue is also designed to hold the foot securely in place as it distributes the pressure of flexing, absorbs the shocks of skiing and insulates the skier from pain. "Shin bite", as it is commonly known, can be caused by friction of the skin or sock rubbing against the tongue as the boot is flexed forward. The front of the leg will be rubbed red and raw around the boot top. Another cause of "shin bite" is uneven pressure distribution of the shin against the tongue. A sharp pain felt when flexing forward, that is relieved when you stand upright, is a good indication of this. In some instances, realignment of the lower leg where it comes in contact with the boot tongue or redistributing the pressure over a larger area will solve the problem. Not all cases of shin pain are this simple! Some pain can be eliminated by customizing the liner, or boot shell, and adding a custom insole.
ANKLE PRESSURE, HEEL SLOP and POOR EDGE CONTROL
In most cases, ankle pressure, heel slop, and poor edging are caused by boots that are too big. "Why should a boot hurt if it is too big?", you might ask. In order to get a good link between the skier’s foot and boot, one will try to overcome the slop by buckling too tightly causing pain. Contrary to popular belief, squeezing the foot in this area is not an effective way of holding the heel down. Remember, side to side fit is just as important as length.
Medial ankle pressure can be caused by an unsupported foot. An unsupported foot will collapse under weight, making the inside or outside ankle-bone more prominent. The rear foot and mid foot should be supported together in order to get best results. Another cause is not being properly positioned in the ankle pocket of the boot. The foot may have to be repositioned by raising, lowering or stabilizing inward or outward rotation of heel and ankle.
CUSTOM INSOLES
Custom fitting usually begins at the bottom, providing a stable foundation in the boot. This usually involves the use of custom insoles, which are molded to your feet. Custom insoles support the foot in a neutral position. They reduce motion caused by the natural tendency for the foot to spread out and roll to the inside or outside and can also relieve cramping and muscle fatigue. The overall effect is to make your feet more comfortable and to provide a more precise transfer of energy to the ski. Custom insoles also ad an insulating layer and enhances blood flow.
WHY DO FEET GET COLD?
Feet become cold usually due to restrictive blood flow. An improperly fitted boot will put uneven pressure on the foot, stopping or limiting blood flow. Again, proper support is critical. At cold temperatures the cells and veins at the extremities will start to contract, restricting blood circulation. Warming the toe area will expand the cells and veins, which allow the blood to flow freely, bringing comfort and warmth to your feet. Heating systems can greatly alleviate cold feet. HOTRONIC BOOT HEATERS, rated #1 by skiing magazine, can be installed in any ski boot for all day comfort. Choose one of the four heat settings and ski with a smile at any temperature.
SALES and SERVICE
The Sports People sell brand name boots including Lange, Tecnica, and Salomon. We specialize in custom foam fitting, silicone injection, custom insoles, foam tongues, and total fit satisfaction for even the hard to fit customer.
STAFF and TRAINING
Our staff has an average of 19 years experience in the ski industry helping customers. We pride ourselves in the fact that we take the time to not only fit the boot properly, but through our experience and training, to get the right boot for your needs. We do not believe in rushing the sale but are more concerned with the ultimate skiing experience. We have been serving the skiing community since 1975 with innovative programs and are in the forefront of technology.
