Choosing the right fit for ski boots is crucial to having success in your skiing adventures this winter. Without proper gear fitting, injuries can occur, you could lose equipment and more. That’s why the experts at Breckenridge Ski and Sport are here to help answer any of the questions that you have in regard to rentals and the best slopes surrounding Breckenridge.
Proper Fitting
When getting fit for skis remember that all shells and brands of ski boots are different for everyone, so visiting our in-store associates can help you find a better fit by measuring your foot length and width as it would pertain to your body shape and size. Recommendations from the experts are to wear a pair of ski socks (and if you have any orthopedic inserts) to help them properly gauge what could work for your foot. The boot should fit snugly, but allow you to control weight distribution on your foot.
Preventing Injury
Injuries can occur on the mountain for numerous reasons, usually, it can be attributed to improper fitting of your ski boot rentals. Some of the most common injuries when it comes down to skiing are knee sprains, possible broken legs, and ankle and foot sprains. There are ways to help alleviate the pain by wearing some knee braces allowing stabilization of the knee. Your body exerts so much pressure while skiing that it may promote too rigid of a stance, so when collisions occur there is no place for the pressure to go. Ankle and foot sprains are similar, in that the boot is set up to create a stable stance for optimal performance while releasing the skis from the binding once an incident occurs.
Losing Equipment
Skiing’s major equipment consists of poles, boots, and skis (all of which are included in our rentals). Typically most poles have a strap wrapped around your wrist preventing them from being easily lost and sliding down the slope. The skis themselves have brakes that engage when boots are dislodged in hopes of slowing down the skis enough to have them stop a shorter distance from where the fall had taken place. In rare instances, you may lose a boot, but it may be unlikely since most boots have anywhere from 5-6 straps to secure the boot on the foot. Check out these gnarly ski wipeouts for examples.
Warmth and Balance
Two of the most important things on the mountain are warmth and balance. For warmth make sure you have a minimum of two layers of clothing, the difference with footwear is that the recommended ski socks are made from merino wool and despite being thin they still keep your feet warm. This is mostly due to the mixture of friction from shifting your weight on the skis. Having proper balance will also help out with conserving energy, keeping you warmer longer, and enjoying the slopes throughout the day.
So what have we learned? Ensuring that your ski boots are properly fitted will help prevent injury, keep you from potentially losing equipment during a “yard sale”, and maintaining warmth, and balance will keep you comfortable throughout the day. The experts at Breckenridge Ski and Sport (conveniently located here) will ensure that your time on the hill is one that you are likely to cherish. You can go to any of our locations or book by calling a sales associate at (970) 368-4540.
About the Author
Zach O.
Zach is a contributing member of the Sales & Marketing Team. He enjoys many hobbies which include writing poetry and taking photographs of flowers and nature. Nature is the only thing keeping Zach sane. Fun Fact about Zach: is that he is writing a historical-fiction book based on the westward expansion of the United States from 1848-1900.