Ski Boots 101 - Buckling Them the Right Way.

Buckling Can Be Tough

Ski boots... we love them, and quite honestly some of us hate them. Why is that? Is it the hard plastic shell? Is it the forward lean that drives us insane? Could it be as broad as us being in the completely wrong boots to begin with? It can be hard to say, but one thing I do know is people will always comment on how easy or hard a boot is too put on. I have heard it come from a seasoned skier of 30 years, and I've definitely heard it from a 10 year old kid that has been dragged to the store... So why is this? Are boots just naturally a difficult step to skiing that slowly evolves into a right of passage? Do you just ski long enough where you get over it? Even though there may be some merit to this I do not think it is such. Face it, a lot of us got into skiing and just start tossing on our boots without realizing there is a right way to put them on. Just push and pull and step down hard until you feel your foot finally fall into place. So here is my effort to try and help those struggling with their boots, and educate those who are looking for... well education.

The Steps to Success

Unbuckle the Boot
1. Okay we have to start somewhere....and as simple as it is, sometimes the buckles have a mind of their own! Just make sure all your buckles are undone, and out of the way so they do not relatch themselves.
Pull Your socks Up!
1. You would be suprised on how many people use ankle socks or dont pull their socks up. this makes more of a difference than you think.
Step Into the Boot
1. You are going to start to put your foot into the boot, and as you do so, you want to grab onto the liner loops and pull. Now it is very important that as you are pulling, you make sure the tongue of the liner is pulled off to one side. This will help open up the boot.
Kick your heel back!
1. One the foot is fully resided into the boot, you want to take and kick your heel back. This helps ensure our foot is positioned as far back into the boot as possible. This is also a great opportunity to resituate the tongue of the liner.
Buckling
1. When starting to buckle you want to start with the top of the boot and work your way down. Typically you start with the second buckle down, then go back first, and finish with the velcro/booster strap before moving on to the bottom two buckles.
2. The bottom 2 buckles should be "2 finger tight". This means that it should only take two fingers worth of pressure to latch the buckles. Think about them as sealing off the boot.

Video Recap

Here is a super simplified recap video showing you the steps it would take to buckle your boots the right way!

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Buckling Can Be Tough

The Steps to Success

Video Recap

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