november 2009
How does it feel
So, you have chosen the skis that best fit your needs for the week, now its time to get your boots fitted.
This is where a lot of people, including instructors, don't take enough time and quite often don't get correctly fitting boots causing pain and discomfort which can ruin your day, week or if its your first time the whole experience of skiing
The easiest way to think about carving, as opposed to skidding, is to consider the direction the skis are pointing as you go around a turn. If the tips are pointing inside the turn, then you are skidding. If the tips are facing in the direction you are travelling, then you are carving. If the tips are facing outside the turn then you are in trouble.
I remember my first ski trip and the technician asking me when I had the boots on ‘How do they feel?’. I panicked, I didn't know what they were meant to feel like but didn't want to show my ignorance so replied ‘yeah, fine’. I was in agony the entire week. And couldn't understand why my friends were having so much fun if this was skiing! I'm sure you have had similar experiences so here a few things to “feel” or look for when trying on boots.
1. Feel for a good heel support
If you can raise your heel by an inch of more while the boot is done up then you don't have good heel support. Heel support is important as you ski better when using a flat foot compared to skiing on the balls of your toes as you are more balanced.
2. Make sure your toes have enough space Cramped toes are not something you have to put up with. Your toes shouldn't be touching the end of the boot, curled up or crossing over one another. You should be able to wiggle and splay you toes. Also, feel for good grip across the middle of the foot. If you can move your foot from side to side within the boot then it is too big or wide. If this is the case then any rotary movement you make when skiing isn't transferred directly into the ski, which will make the ski feel less responsive and less like you are in charge of the ski.
3. Flex your ankles This one might sound impossible once you have a boot on but make sure you can flex your ankles. If you can’t do it in the shop when the boot plastic is warm and soft there is no chance of doing it while skiing. Without going into too much detail, being able to flex the ankles while skiing is key to keeping good posture and balance (something your instructor will be talking about a lot).
So when the technician asks ‘how does it feel?’ remember heel, toes and ankle. More importantly however, remember boots don't have to be uncomfortable, so take your time!
