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Ski Boot Fitting Guide

close up of a person's lower body putting on a pair of grey Lange ski boots.

Step-By-Step Instructions

How to correctly put a ski (or snowboard) boot on your foot:

  1. 1. Unbuckle all of the buckles and undo the velcro strap if your boot has one.
  2. 2. Check to make sure there isn't paper or other packing material in the toe of the boot.
  3. 3. Put on your ski socks (you should only wear one pair of light to medium weight socks, no cotton).
  4. 4. Insert your foot into the boot by pulling upward and slightly forward on the tongue while sliding your toes up and toward the front of the boot and pushing your heel down.

If your toes are touching the front, don't worry! We're not done fitting the boot yet!

  1. 5. Slam your heel against the ground at least a couple times to get your foot settled correctly in the boot. Be careful with the flooring you are standing on, ski boots are heavy duty and could cause damage.
  2. 6. Start buckling the top two buckles to a firm but comfortable setting. Leave the bottom buckle(s) undone or very loose.
  3. 7. Fasten velcro strap if you have one.

While standing up, straighten your knees and you should feel your toes touch the front of your boots. Yes, you read that right, they should be touching!

  1. 8. Flex your knees as if you are skiing and you should feel your foot slide back slightly. You should now have just enough toe room that you are no longer touching the end of the boot.
  2. 9. If you are not reeling in pain, walk around on carpet (be careful not to scruff them up in case you need to return them) for 5-10 minutes, your boots will loosen up a little with use. They should feel snug.
     

diagram of 3 examples of a foot in a ski boot, one fitting too big, one fitting too small, and one fitting just right

If your boots fit like it has just been described, this is the correct fit! If you are a higher performance skier, you may want a tighter fitting boot. If you are a newer skier, you can get away with a boot that has more wiggle room, but be aware that loose boots will hinder your progress more than any other equipment problem.

Keep in mind that the liners of a ski boot get compressed after usage and will start to feel larger. Frequent skiers should remember this when sizing their boots, as they will feel bigger more quickly than someone who is only skiing a few times a season. It is important to note that half-sizes of a boot will have essentially the same fit as the whole size, it is the thickness of the footbed that differs. For example, sizing down from a 28.5 to a 28.0 won't be as effective as sizing down to a 27.5.

If your boots don't fit even after following all of these instructions, you can return them for a refund. Contact us to initiate the easy return process. Refunds are only available on unused boots. We recommend wearing your boots for an extended period of time before you take them skiing, so you're sure they fit before you use them.