Επειδή αγόρασα μπότες την προηγούμενη εβδομάδα, χρειάστηκε να αλωνίσω το internet για συμβουλές περί proper fitting και λοιπά. Το αποτέλεσμα ήταν ένα κολάζ από τα διάφορα site, το οποίο και σας παραθέτω, μήπως φανεί χρήσιμο σε νέους επισκέπτες και όσους σκέφτονται να αγοράσουν/αναβαθμίσουν εξοπλισμό.
Προσωπικά με βοήθησε πολύ πάντως...
When to Find Boots
Since feet have the tendency to swell during the day, many Ski experts recommend purchasing Ski Boots in the afternoons or during evenings.
Wear the socks that you will be wearing on the slopes. It is harder to find the right Ski Boots if you are wearing socks that are either very thick or very thin.
Ski socks, real ones, not cotton or pure wool, but a BLEND of wool (which will insulate even when wet) and silk, nylon, Thermax, polypro or any hydrophobic material that will wick moisture away from the skin.
How Boots Should Fit
If your boot-fitter does not ask a lot of questions about your skiing, and measure BOTH your feet BAREFOOT (no socks just yet) AND evaluate BOTH feet weighted and unweighted, you have not found a true boot tech. If they ask you what your shoe size is, or what color you want, then rush off to grab a pair of boots for you, RUN AWAY. You have found the dreaded shoe salesman and NOT a Master Bootfitter. He /she probably doesn't even know how many bones there are in the Human foot. This is also the time to learn “REAL SKIERS DON”T MATCH”
First of all, when you put them on, they should immediately feel too short. Your big toe should be hitting the end of the boot. When you buckle up the cuff of the boot, it should pull your foot slightly towards the back of the boot and give you a little bit more room. Your toe should still touch the front of the boot.
Please, stop kicking your heel on the floor to get your toes some room or to secure your heel. Instead, secure your upper cuff buckles and power strap FIRST, do this a couple of times to ensure that both buckles are SNUG and will fasten with about 2 fingers applying the pressure. Hook the bottom buckles over your instep and toes but DO NOT snap them down unless you are flexed forward as far as you can with your shin pressing hard against the boot tongue. This will allow your foot and the liner to move back in the shell, securing your heel and giving your toes more room. With your knees still pushed forward, fasten the bottom buckles, so they are just snug. When you stand up your boots should feel comfortable with your toes just brushing the front of the liner and your heel should not lift.
The next thing you need to do, is get into a skiing stance. Your knees should be slightly bent and your weight should rest on the front leg of the boot. You should feel your toes move slightly back from the front of the boot without too much slop (you shouldn't be able to spread your toes out).
Check for pressure points now. Concentrate on the areas around the cuff, the front of your shin, around the ball of your foot, over your arch, and around your heel and ankle... All these can be problem areas (and yes, that list does include most of your foot).
Check the rear of the boot for heel lift. You want to make sure that your foot isn't moving up or down too much inside your boot.
If you already have the Ski Boots that you think are comfortable for you, do not buy them right away. Keep them on for at least 15 minutes and walk around so you will feel what it is like when the Ski Boots are at work. Bending your knees so that your shins push against the Ski Boot tongue will tell you about the stiffness of the Ski Boots you're wearing. The Ski Boot is soft if it flexes easily. However, if you cannot flex it forward, it can be an indicator that it is too stiff for your weight or Skiing skill.
In the event that two pairs of Ski Boots feel comfortable for you, wear the left Ski Boot of the first pair and the right Ski Boot of the second pair. After keeping them on for a while, do the same for the right Ski Boot of the first pair and left Ski Boot of the second pair. Then decide which pair gives more comfort to you.
But If you leave the ski shop with boots that so comfortable that they feel like you could leave them on while you mow the lawn, they are going to be too big for you after about 10 days of skiing.
Factors to Consider When Buying a Boot
Flex- Some boots are designed to flex more then others. Generally, a stiffer boot is preferred for stronger skiers, because it helps them transfer energy to their skis more efficiently. Softer flexing boots are preferred by people learning how to ski, because they are more forgiving. To see more info on boot flex see Ski Boot Flex.
Buckles- Look at the hardware on the boot, better boots have adjustable, metal hardware for buckles, whereas cheaper boots tend to have plastic buckles.
Shell Material- There are two types of materials a boot is made from: polyolefine and polyether. Polyolefine is a lighter material that is typically used in cheaper boots. Because of its light weight, it is not as stiff as polyether. Polyether is heavier, denser, and is less brittle when it gets colder. It gerenerally lasts longer. It's easy to tell the difference between the two materials. You can see through polyether (it's slightly transparent) and polyefine is always opaque.
