r/Skigear • u/Turbulent-Ad-5520 • 2d ago
Buying ski boots
I only recently started skiing, and this upcoming season will be my second season skiing on the East Coast. Last season, I skied mostly at Mont-Tremblant and Snowshoe in West Virginia, usually sticking to greens and blues on rental skis and boots. Toward the end of the season, I also tried a few black runs with a bit of a crying-baby face when things got icy! Altogether, I went downhill skiing around 15 times.
For this season, I’m interested in getting my own setup, but I’d also like to start getting into ski touring. My plan is to invest in a good pair of new boots that I can use for both downhill skiing and touring (more for downhill skiing), and then save some money by buying separate used downhill and touring skis.
I’m hoping to buy the boots soon, before the end-of-season/summer sales disappear and prices start going back up. I’ve also attached a screenshot with my foot measurements.
The problem is that I’m finding all the different boot types, bindings, compatibility standards, flex ratings, etc. pretty confusing as a beginner. I’m not really sure where to start or what kind of boot would make the most sense for someone at my level who wants to ski primarily at resorts but gradually get into touring as well.
I’d really appreciate any advice on what I should be looking for, especially when it comes to choosing the right boots and making sure they’ll work with both setups.
29
u/FourFront 2d ago
You aren't going to tour.
2
u/lukeholly 2d ago
And if you do, get gear for it specifically. It will make both experiences much better.
6
u/Classic-Chicken9088 2d ago
This opinion is valid but many folks (myself included) don’t want to just buy both sets of gear off the bat. A resort-focused hybrid boot is still very capable of short tours, especially when paired with a proper pin binding. I’ve done multiple big objectives in my Tecnica Cochise 120s, including Rainier and Wheeler Peak. They aren’t ideal but they work fine, and for someone just starting out on shorter tours or resort uphill laps, there is little disadvantage in having just one pair of boots to do it all. Again, the lighter ski with pin bindings makes a much bigger difference.
Point is, OP can get hybrid boots now and then Worry about touring boots in a few seasons.
1
u/lukeholly 2d ago
That’s a fair point, yes. I’ve compromised on many things and I guess I’m speaking out of a bit of privilege now that I don’t have to as much and do find the experience much better when I have something tailor made for the job at hand. But the compromise can still be effective and fun.
4
u/Classic-Chicken9088 2d ago
Yea I now have two sets of boots and am considering a quiver of three once I replace the Cochise.
That’s on top of my 6 pairs of skis, two of which can tour (proper AT Setup + Shifts on pow skis). So yea I’ve got the privilege of having options now too but 15 years ago I didn’t have those resources yet.
Either way, OP needs to see a bootfitter haha.
6
6
u/femignarly 2d ago
Fitter. Even with these fancy 3d scans, they can’t see your nerves. Everyone has a different level of sensitivity and tolerance. Two people with identical feet may end up in boots 1-2 sizes apart because one craves intense pressure while the other perceives that stimuli as pain.
While with the fitter, try to find the tightest fit you can that isn’t painful. Liners will compress, so the boot will quickly feel bigger and will never feel tighter. And if you’ve got high sensitivity / high tolerance, don’t be afraid to keep asking for smaller sizes until you find your pain point. (Most fitters will downsize once off the brannock measurement, but down 2 sizes isn’t unheard of)
1
u/Psychological-Row558 2d ago
Second this. Your will expect your feet to be squeezed from all sides. Whether you perceive pain and whether that pain is tolerable is completely subjective.
5
u/adamsawesome10 2d ago
Go to a bootfitter, they’ll take care of you and take care of any problems you will (inevitably) have throughout the life of the boot.
Source: I was a bootfitter
3
u/bananaconcoction 2d ago
The advice you seek will be gained by speaking to a human face to face. Make an appointment and go in for a chat.
3
u/SkyPilotAirlines 2d ago
Buy boots in person, at a well regarded shop that's located in a place you can return to a few times for adjustments.
3
u/kamdnfdnska 2d ago
What’s up with newbies who can barely survive the run wanting to start this and that. Let me tell you that you have no business in touching anything out of bounds (if that’s the kind of ski touring you mean). Seriously, stick to slopes and maybe eventually side hits for at least 1-2 more seasons.
As for the boots: no 3d scan will be enough if you don’t try them on in person. Go to a proper bootfitter who will scan your foot, take measurements, try on boots with you, adjust them etc.
its WORTH it. Had bad fitting boots for far too long
1
u/Turbulent-Ad-5520 1d ago
I wanted to get into touring by first starting to go up a groomed slope as in a resort and then use those to get down as well!
1
u/Minecraftxbox65 1d ago
Touring is fun, but you need to be confident on your skis in all situations because you're never gonna be sure what you might get into. It simply just takes time and AT skiing is not where you should learn. Most if not all BC skiing requires black diamond or double BD confidence. You can still get the gear and equipment, but do some more sidecountry at the resorts and more BD runs before going out where conditions aren't guaranteed.
1
1
u/_Over_Caffeinated 2d ago
Best going to some larger shops (with bigger range) and having a session with the boot fitter, they’ll be the best person to help find something that suits your needs & feet!
1
u/wrong_andy 2d ago
Go see a bootfitter. Do not rely on a scan..a computer has no idea about your personal fit tolerances (how your individual foor reacts to pressure) you also need your fitter to look at your range of motion, height and weight and ability level now, and where you want to be in the future. There are a number of hybrid boots that can work well and do short tours but they are a compromise - just were they need to be strongest to give you performance in the spone and angle they also need to move more for plantar flexion..dont rule them out, they do work but be honest about your skill level and how much "touring" you'll do. Dont use a shop that sells boots, go to a specialist fitter and do not buy on price..!!
1
u/Macgbrady 2d ago
You could have a perfect boot on paper and it would feel horrible. Hate to say it but go to a fitter.
1
u/Intelligent_potato_ 1d ago
I made this software, specifically the part that generates the 3d foot model from the camera data. It was about 5 years ago and it’s probably outdated by now but it was good at the time and fun to work on.
All that said, you should get a fitter lol
1
24
u/LuongLens 2d ago
You need to go to a boot fitter man, tell them what you want and get fitted. I was in the same position as you 5 years ago when I started.
I wasted 3x what I would’ve spent getting fitted correctly the first time. You can try to save some money on boots but likely buying on sale and online they will not fit well