Boot Fitting 101
Boots are undoubtedly the most integral piece of equipment you will purchase when it comes to the comfort and enjoyment of skiing and snowboarding. The last thing you want on your snow holiday is to have sore feet or ill-fitting boots. Our goal is to make your boot purchase leaving you in all day comfort everyday.
We are proud to have offered a professional boot fitting service to Sydney for over 40 years. Our fully trained staff have the latest knowledge from completing Sidas and Masterfit Academys most advanced training courses, with each of them having up to 35 years of boot fitting experience.
It is highly recommend booking a boot fitting appointment 2 - 4 weeks before your trip. (We commonly get fully booked up to 1 week in advance) Allow yourself at least 1-1.5 hours for the initial fitting, this gives us an appropriate time to do a full assessment and fitting.
Keep in mind that some adjustments may need to be made, which will require some time, so your boots might not be ready to take home on your first visit. Call the store on 02 9526 2566 or use the boot fitting form to book an appointment.
Important things to know before buying ski & snowboard boots.
Before Fitting
Write down any areas of concern e.g. pressure points, blisters etc, as well as any operations or injuries to your feet or legs which may cause discomfort. On the other hand, let us know what you liked about previous boots you owned or hired including model/size.
When looking at getting a setup, don’t set a budget on your boots. The most important thing is finding a boot that fits your foot, so you can be out on the mountain all day. You may be lucky and find a cheap boot that fits well, but don’t expect it.
If you have orthotics or wear pre-fab footbeds please bring them in so we are able to have a look at them. If suitable, we will try the boots on with them.
When arranging a fit remember to cut your toenails and remove any build up of skin like calluses, etc as these can increase unrelated boot pressure.
Socks are much more important than most people think. Good socks are a key requirement for a good fit; they must be thin with no ribbing. Thick socks will restrict blood flow and ribbing just increases pressure points in the boot. (No Football socks). Avoid cotton as it absorbs moisture and keeps it close to your skin, which will cause cold feet. A good sock will keep your feet warm yet allow them to breath and wicks the moisture away from the skin. Circulation not insulation.
What to expect during fitting
A full foot and stance analysis will be done including foot sizing, width, arch, instep height , pronation, knee tracking, mobility/ROM tests and more. Giving us not only your sizing but any biometrical issues that you may have that could cause complications with not only your ski boots, but also with your ski/board interface.
Ski/Snowboard boots are comprised of 2 basic components: The shell and the liner. The shell governs how the boot will fit. We will remove the liner from the boot and get you to step in the shell so we able to get an accurate measurement of the volume of the shell to make sure there is the correct volume in 4 main areas. The length, ankle volume, forefoot width and the instep height. (If a boot fitter fails to do this you should walk out of the store)
So we are able to find the right flex and style of boot we need to know your true ability, how many years you have skied for, where you ride and how often, or if you have a specific flex requirement. Are you burning turns at high speed down accelerator, cruising the blues or in the terrain park all day? This will help us to recommend a range and style of boots to suit you. Also don’t over research boots, or choose a boot based on colour or a review that a friend or magazine did. They have different feet to you, and what was heaven for them may be hell for you.
Don’t prejudge a boot before having it done up and having a few flexes in it, as your foot has not yet settled into the correct position in the boot.
Ski and snowboard boots have forward lean built into them and they are NOT made for standing up straight. When you flex forward in the boot it will allow your foot to move back into the heel pocket. You will need to simulate your ski and board stance with your legs parallel shoulder width apart. You then need to simulate angling movement that you would when riding. See the images below. These represent what is happening in a boot with incorrect position and even if the boot is 3 sizes to big you can still touch the front. The toe position is represented by the left red lines. *Note this boot is too big but to show effect*
Incorrect Stance Correct Stance 
(Leg not aligned with cuff, hitting back of (Leg aligned with cuff, happy toes)
boot driving toes forward)
What does a good fitting boot feel like?
The boot should feel like a firm handshake around your foot and lower leg. Understand that the boot should feel snug even a little tight but not painful. You want to feel like you have been comfortably immobilised while in the boot. As above, don’t be worried if you feel your toes touching on the front of the boot – this is normal and the thing most people aren’t used to. Your toes should touch but not curl and you should be able to wiggle your toes around for circulation. Remember the boot fitter has done a shell check.
The boots need to hold your heel down inside the boot. The strength of your feet/ankle will easily be able to put enough pressure to push your ankle out of the heel pocket feeling like excess heel lift. So, trying to stand on your toes is a “No No”. When you are driving your knee forward, they should hold your ankle in place and the heel/foot should feel comfortably immobilised. If you have movement/rubbing when flexing, the boot isn’t holding you correctly and could cause blisters and not give you the performance fit for ideal control. If they are big in store, they will be even bigger once you have used them on snow for a few days. A boot that is firm all over with one pressure point that needs an adjustment is by far better than a loose boot with no pressure points.
It is essential not to try on boots for colour or look. Your boot fitter will recommend the correct boots to suit your feet, and this would generally be 2-3 pairs.
When first trying on boots don’t over tighten the buckles, the top two buckles should be firmly grasping the leg/ankle. Micro adjusters are key to this. They are in almost all buckles, and they just twist in and out to give a precise amount of pressure. Over the top of the foot, we want the buckles/boa loose just to see how the boot is holding your foot.
Snowboard boots - firmly tighten the front boa to grip on your leg, but only loosely turn the side boa so as to gently close the bottom half of the boot over the instep, but not firmly.
We do this on the initial fit as to make sure if there is not excessive instep pressure coming from boot. If the customer is to tighten the buckles up, the pressure we might see could obviously be the buckles. This will affect our judgement of the boot fit for your foot, we need to know that the boot fits firmly without having to crank up the buckle or boa system. Blood vessels and nerves run across the top of your feet and clamping down can result in numb toes, nerve pressure, cold feet and more.
Certified boot fitters worldwide will always recommend a stabilising footbed as it is an integral part of your boots. Don’t be fooled into thinking this is an add on sale. The vast majority of the population have issues with the stability of their ankle joints and arches which can lead to cramping, pain, and pressure points in your boots.
As everybody’s arches are different, boot manufacturers are unable to put in a supportive footbed. If support was put in at manufacturing and it was inappropriate this will cause discomfort / pain. That is why the footbed that comes standard in boots offers little to no support. Boot manufactures recommend boot fitters offer a solution based on your individual foot and arch profile. To read more about footbeds. Click here.
If you suffer from bad circulation or other medical conditions (Raynaud’s) that keep you from having warm hands/feet, no matter what you have tried, let us know, and consider boot warmers or heated socks/gloves; we stock a variety of brands in store. Click here to view.