SKI BOOTS HURT

[Jibs.And.Bibs]

I've been skiing a lot but since I live in Florida I am not allowed to buy ski's and all that stuff (I can buy ski clothes and stuff like that). Whenever I go to my ski resort I rent ski boots and skis. Every single time and I mean all the 42 times I've been skiing everything below my knees will start hurting extremely bad because of the boots (they're pretty good quality boots too). When I get older I will probably move to where I can ski, that's probably when I will buy some skis and ski boots. Usually, after I'm done skiing I always say to myself I will go snowboarding the next time because of the pain from the boots, but after a couple months of not skiing when I go back to the ski resort I always end up choosing to ski again. I don't know what it is but skiing is just so much more smooth (steezey) than snowboarding, especially in park. The pain just feels like a huge bruise that goes from where the top of the boot touches my leg to my ankle. So, do any of you have some tips so my legs won't start hurting real bad, I know full tilt boots are good to avoid leg pain but those are pretty expensive.

**This thread was edited on Jan 8th 2019 at 2:16:48pm

 

[Gucci_af]

Go to your local ski shop and cop some Full Tilts!

 

[Shoey-Ski]

your shins hurting below your knees is called shinbang, it happens because you are leaning back when you ski. u should always have pressure in the front of your boots, so next time you go lean forward more

 

[Greg_K]

Would put money on your issue being in too large of a boot size which is the number 1 reason for shin bang. When you’re in too large of a boot, you foot get slammed around even when you try to pull the buckles tight. Rental boots are usually wide fits which makes them even larger inside. Rental places usually ask your Street shoe size which can be 1 or 2 sizes larger than your ski boot size.

If you can’t get measured and fitted(when you eventually buy boots, go to a boot fitter to do this) at least grab a couple pieces of paper larger than your feet and trace out both feet without socks and then measure the length and width in mm. If it’s 295mm, that’s a 29.5 boot and the width is the Last.

Think if you start renting the right size, you’ll have more comfort.

 

[FruitBootPro]

Get bootfitted. If you are going skiing 40+ times you NEED to get yourself some boots. Go out west for a trip and get fitted in whichever ski town you’re in

 

[Jibs.And.Bibs]

Would put money on your issue being in too large of a boot size which is the number 1 reason for shin bang. When you’re in too large of a boot, you foot get slammed around even when you try to pull the buckles tight. Rental boots are usually wide fits which makes them even larger inside. Rental places usually ask your Street shoe size which can be 1 or 2 sizes larger than your ski boot size.

If you can’t get measured and fitted(when you eventually buy boots, go to a boot fitter to do this) at least grab a couple pieces of paper larger than your feet and trace out both feet without socks and then measure the length and width in mm. If it’s 295mm, that’s a 29.5 boot and the width is the Last.

Think if you start renting the right size, you’ll have more comfort.

Yea usually I'm a size 10.5 in regular shoes but when tried on the size 10 ski boots they didn't even fit, my foot was sliding around in them so I went down to a 9 thinking it would be way to tight but it was actually perfect.

 

[Jibs.And.Bibs]

Get bootfitted. If you are going skiing 40+ times you NEED to get yourself some boots. Go out west for a trip and get fitted in whichever ski town you’re in

But I feel like if I get ski boots I'll kinda feel implied to buy skis. Plus, I'm only 15 and I haven't hit any of my growth spurts yet so if I buy some ski boots now then it would be a waste of money because I could literally grow out of them in a month

**This post was edited on Jan 10th 2019 at 11:17:26am

 

[onenerdykid]

But I feel like if I get ski boots I'll kinda feel implied to buy ski boots. Plus, I'm only 15 and I haven't hit any of my growth spurts yet so if I buy some ski boots now then it would be a waste of money because I could literally grow out of them in a month

Unfortunately, skiing is an expensive sport. If you want to end your foot and leg pain, you need to invest in ski boots & footbeds that fit you NOW, not when you are done growing. This is something that parents don't want to hear, and they want to buy equipment that you can grow into but obviously you see the consequences of doing that- you are in pain.

If you don't have a good shop in your area (which is probably the case), then research the best shops known for boot-fitting in the ski area you will be vacationing in and get boots there.

 

[Greg_K]

Yea usually I'm a size 10.5 in regular shoes but when tried on the size 10 ski boots they didn't even fit, my foot was sliding around in them so I went down to a 9 thinking it would be way to tight but it was actually perfect.

Bet a size 8 rental boot would be perfect then as they are usually wide and you need to go to an even smaller size to fit non wide feet.

With growing feet, measure just before you’re going to ski and don’t be afraid to go down 2 sizes from your street shoe. I wear 10 street shoe, measure about 9-9.5(272mm) and I’m in an 8(26.5) narrow boot and it’s not a super tight fit. Most people are at least a size or two down from shoe size even in a proper width for their feet ski boot.

 

[MFZOREN]

But I feel like if I get ski boots I'll kinda feel implied to buy ski boots. Plus, I'm only 15 and I haven't hit any of my growth spurts yet so if I buy some ski boots now then it would be a waste of money because I could literally grow out of them in a month

Your feet are usually done growing around 14-15 i doubt that you could grow out of boots at this point

 

[KM_2]

at least grab a couple pieces of paper larger than your feet and trace out both feet without socks and then measure the length and width in mm. If it’s 295mm, that’s a 29.5 boot and the width is the Last.

Nah, almost all 29.5 boots have bsl's between 330-339.

OP, ski boots are far and away the most important part of your setup, as they are the only hardgood that comes in direct contact with your body and they're how you tell your skis what you want them to do. Ski boots are designed to be containment devices, they work best when your foot is fully locked in.

Fit wise, when you stand up straight, your toes should feel the front of the boot, maybe even curl a little, but don't worry. You're not gonna be skiing in em like that. When you drop into that attack stance and put pressure on the tongues and flex the boot forward, your toes should back off the front of the boot and have a little room to wiggle up and down. Your heel should be locked in, no side to side slop or front to back sliding. You know what a firm handshake feels like? That's how you want your boots to fit.

Buckling wise, first you want to put your foot into the boot, get it situated, then flex forward a couple times to get your heel to seat snugly in the heel pocket. Once your heel is nice and locked in back there, get the second highest buckle on your shin pretty damn snug. The top buckle should be almost as tight, but that second highest buckle is the most important. For the bottom two buckles over your instep, you want them pretty lightly buckled - you should be able to close the buckle with the pressure of one finger, they exist pr much just to keep the snow out. If you have to crank those down to get the boot to fit, there is too much volume in there and you're in the wrong boot to begin with, and your feet will almost certainly get cold/go numb because you are restricting all that blood flowing to your toes over your instep.

In addition to being in too big rental boots, you're probably skiing in the backseat and your feet are sliding all over the place in your boots, your shins are banging into and off the tongue, etc. Like earlier people have said, try to always keep your shins pressured against the tongues of your boots, and be in an athletic stance like you're about to tackle someone - legs shoulder width apart, knees bent, weight forward, hands out in front of you. Hope that helps!

 

[Greg_K]

Nah, almost all 29.5 boots have bsl's between 330-339.

You do realize that the 29.5 boot shell size is the approximate foot length of 295mm(measured foot length in mm divided by 10) and you’re talking about the external boot sole length(bsl) of that boot right? You measure for the internal size, not bsl.

Would agree with how to buckle and fit that you described and if you measure properly first, then do an empty shell fit you are well ahead of the curve in getting a boot that doesn’t hurt.

 

[KM_2]

You do realize that the 29.5 boot shell size is the approximate foot length of 295mm(measured foot length in mm divided by 10) and you’re talking about the external boot sole length(bsl) of that boot right? You measure for the internal size, not bsl.

Would agree with how to buckle and fit that you described and if you measure properly first, then do an empty shell fit you are well ahead of the curve in getting a boot that doesn’t hurt.

Whoops, not sure why I was thinking of bsl when I read your original post. My b.

**This post was edited on Jan 9th 2019 at 3:48:45pm

 

[Jibs.And.Bibs]

Unfortunately, skiing is an expensive sport. If you want to end your foot and leg pain, you need to invest in ski boots & footbeds that fit you NOW, not when you are done growing. This is something that parents don't want to hear, and they want to buy equipment that you can grow into but obviously you see the consequences of doing that- you are in pain.

If you don't have a good shop in your area (which is probably the case), then research the best shops known for boot-fitting in the ski area you will be vacationing in and get boots there.

WOW! Good point.

Couldn't have said that better.