Do your boots hurt when you ski? Here’s a five-point checklist to help you inspect your ski boots.
Do you love to ski? But, are your boots preventing you from having fun? Well, you have to make sure that your boots are always in tip-top shape. These are among the most important equipment on every ski trip. Keep in mind the following tips.
Check the general condition of your boots
Look at the overall condition of your boots, but pay special attention to the buckles, toes, heel lips, and bindings. Make sure that these are not rusty or too worn out. If your boots are not adjusted properly, they could cause serious injuries.
See if your boots still fit
Aside from checking the external parts of your boots, inspect the inside as well. You probably wear your ski boots only once or twice a year. So, several days before you hit the slopes, put them on for about half an hour first. This will let your feet adjust to the boots again. If you feel any pain while testing them out, have your boots checked and adjusted.
Always dry your boots properly
Your boots are your first defense against the snow’s cold and wetness. To keep your socks dry and more importantly, your feet warm, you should maintain your boots properly.
If you have time, take out the liner and keep it near your radiator so that it will dry properly. Keeping it in that place overnight is ideal. If you don’t want to spend too much time drying your boots, use a shoe dryer. This circulates hot air inside the boots, thus speeding up the whole process. Some shoe dryers even have antibacterial features that sanitize your boots as it dries them.
A side note: keep your drying boots away from the sun. The ultraviolet rays from the sun can prematurely wear the materials of the shoes.
Check the insolesof your boots
The insoles support the arch of your feet and your whole bodyweight. If these are worn out, you can feel tired prematurely or suffer an injury. However, constant wear can deform or damage the insoles.
The average lifespan of an insole if about 120 days of use, but things like the level of skiing skills and fluidity of movements can also affect this lifespan. Make sure to buy boots with good insolses, such as Tecnica Mach 1.
Regularly tend to your boots
If it’s the ski season, take care of your boots every day. Don’t neglect it for even a single day because a wet pair of boots that are neglected for one night could develop mold, mildew, and bacteria. Plus, do you really want to shove your socked feet into improperly dried boots the next day?
When the ski season is over, do the same thing. Take care of your boots. Keep them in a warm and dry space that pests like mice can’t get into. Rodents love to eat the liners and find that the space inside is the perfect spot for a nap.
Ski boots are not cheap. Also, they may look like they can stand a lot of wear and tear, but they need to be taken care of properly. So, it’s wise to regularly maintain your boots so that you can use them for several years.
