The 3 Most Important Things To Know About Ski Boots Before Skiing

In this video we go over 3 things you should know about ski boots that will make skiing more comfortable and safer.
Boxum Ski Boot Lever: amzn.to/4bKPYMg
In this video we cover 3 things to know about ski boots that can make them more comfortable to wear, safer and last longer. These aren't typically covered in most ski lessons and many people ski for years before learning these things about their ski boots so we're taking the time to cover important things about ski boots.
1. Always buckle your boots after using them so that the ski boots maintain their shape in storage and the fit properly when you go to put them back on.
2. When securing your ski boots always start with the top buckles first to position your ankle and heel in the rear of the boot. This will lead to better foot position and more control and comfort in the boot.
3. Do not use grip walk boots with non grip walk bindings and do not us grip walk bindings with non grip walk ski boots. Grip Walk Ski Boots must be used with Grip Walk bindings. Ski Bindings that are compatible with Grip Walk Ski boots will have the grip walk logo on them so that you know they are compatible.
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[@GhostRider020]

Agree with top buckles first. My process is power strap as tight as possible, top two buckles not tight, flex boot a few times to lever heel back into place, tighten top two buckles, re-tighten power strap, do bottom buckles, just tight enough to seal out snow. A good boot fitter making your boots fit your feet is essential if your feet don't match the "standard" boot last.

[@MarkPryor1]

I find it really hard to do the buckles after lunch 😂

[@skylarkoutdoors]

hahahah, 100%

[@connorp8408]

Been skiing for years. Always did toe buckles first. Going to try and do shin first from now on!

[@mikesandrone663]

Elevate toe and pull up on the liner behind the calf. Tap heel on floor to drive heel into heel pocket of the liner. With the boot toe elevated and heel on floor buckle the instep, toe, ankle, then shin buckles. This will insure you foot stays aligned and secure in the liner and not move forward out of the heel pocket.

[@KeithBlade]

Thanks for the interesting tips, and nice to see this video taking off for you.

[@skylarkoutdoors]

Thank You!

[@Bedrock1966]

No heel bang before top buckles?

[@teacherguy5084]

Some pros will tell you to redo the top buckle after the rest of the boot is buckled. They buckle it up, then unbuckle the top, then tighten the powerstrap UNDER the top buckle (to the extent it fits), then rebuckle the top.

[@skylarkoutdoors]

Great tip!

[@huckmart2017]

I rebuckle the top throughout the whole day because after flexing in your boot so much while skiing it naturally loosens.

[@audas]

@@huckmart2017 Same. YOu really should be checking your boots every hour or so. I check mine after every couple of runs. They definitely loosen - but your feet will also considerably swell. These tips are all aimed at beginners. If my DIN settings were slightly wrong i'd break my legs.

[@buckspath]

power strap under the top buckle is a game changer

[@audas]

@@buckspath Doesn't make any sense. Top buckle should be at maximum - its critical - that's why the power strap is above it. It provides the leverage to allow the top buckle to be done up a second time. IF the power strap is below the top buckle then nothing is holding the very top of the boot tongue and you get movement. Maybe you ski slow.

[@steel-r_ua]

The Grip-walk thing is a new to me, everything else is debatable, but might be fun to try 🤔

[@erikhartzo1789]

Thank you so much for this video! I recently bought new boots, and the shop mistakingly did not notice that the GripWalk shoe did not work with the alpine binding I had on my skis (and neither did I). I could have had a serious ski accident, if I would not have come across this video and double checked with the shop. Thank you!!

[@skylarkoutdoors]

I’m glad this video helped you! That’s exactly what we’re trying to do!

[@strahinja95]

Great tips. I might have to pay more attention to the last one as I noticed that the equipment rented out is kind of old and I'm planning on buying a modern boot

[@skylarkoutdoors]

Thanks for watching and glad these helped!

[@janeeden919]

Very, very novice skier here. I couldn’t figure out why I was falling over all the time after we got back on the slopes after lunch. Turns out I’d forgotten to do my boots back up. No more shots with lunch!

[@skylarkoutdoors]

Live and learn!

[@Victor-zf3bx]

First time heard the concept grip-walk. Wow

[@skylarkoutdoors]

Yeah, it's been around for a while but not all shops will mention this important detail. Grip Walk boots must have Grip Walk bindings to the binding to function properly.

[@datcolsol]

I'm on board with most of what you are saying. I feel, however, you've missed the most important thing about comfortable ski boots, which is DRY! If you want warm feet, you have to have dry boots, dry socks, and dry feet. I carry a hand towel and fresh ski socks in my boot bag. When I put my boots on, everything is dry. This also means throughly drying my boots overnight. I can pull my liners out. We couldn't do that with my wife's, but a boot dryer works fine. However, you can not buckle up the boots while they are drying. Leaving the boots buckled will likely make them a little easier to put on, but to me, retightening after a couple of warm-up runs is preferable and perhaps safer.

[@skylarkoutdoors]

True! Dry feet are a must for all day skiing!

[@simonwiltshire7089]

Been skiing for decades. Now now my old bindings are not going to work with the boots I just ordered :(. Great info though and new bindings on the way :)

[@skylarkoutdoors]

Happy to help!

[@GhostRider020]

Gripwalk is an adventure by the ski industry to make you have to buy new bindings to replace perfectly good bindings on perfectly good skis.

[@matthewzirolli803]

No, it's a response to the explosion in touring popularity and al just makes walking in them way easier and safer on slippery terrain (like a wet ski lodge floor). Also, if your bindings are even remotely new, they will accommodate Gripwalk and all other soles under the MNC umbrella.

[@NvmThemHereIAm]

​@@matthewzirolli803 so you use ski boots to hike while touring? That's insane.

[@ivansultanoff6719]

Cant agree on this : why? I have custom fitted boots,if l buckle them as you suggest, l can't get into them, l leave them unbuckled =all good when l start season

[@skylarkoutdoors]

These are custom fitted boots in the video. I try to keep my boots warm until I’m going to put them on which makes them much easier to get into and more comfortable.

[@markbaum9615]

Full tilt boots....now K2 methods... Will solve these non issues

[@rk-us3zl]

a paint can opener works great for closing buckles, and for a buck. Just be careful where you store it.

[@skylarkoutdoors]

Good tip! That's what I like about the Boxum Boot Lever: amzn.to/3UVYbr1, it doesn't have sharp edges and fits nice in a pocket so I can adjust by boots during the day if needed. Kind of pricy for what it is but surprisingly there aren't that many other options for ski boot buckle levers.

[@fhussain44]

If you're maxing out the top buckles all you need is a screwdriver to move the hooks assembly over to the next setting. And I also have a buckle closing tool. Got mine on eBay.

[@thrivinglittles]

👏🏽⛷️🎿

[@freeskierdude_]

your boot is too big if you are buckling everything to the max

[@djscottdog1]

If there is a max setting on the clip then why is it there

[@freeskierdude_]

its not just one buckle, its all of them. the boot is too big@@djscottdog1

[@skylarkoutdoors]

Different Ski conditions can dictate how tight you want your boots. For groomers having them a little looser isn't going to hurt anything but getting them tighter and decreasing the volume in the boot will give you more control which you can feel more in varying conditions or when you really want to send it.

[@freeskierdude_]

Boot is still too big. But you tell me their your boots. ​@@skylarkoutdoors

[@mikesandrone663]

Incorrect for buckling. After boot is on elevate the toe, grip the liner behind your calf, pull up on the liner as you tap the heel of the boot on the floor helping to drive your heel into the heel pocket of the liner. Keep the toe elevated after to insure your foot doesn't slide forward out of the heel pocket. With boot toe elevated buckle the instep buckle first then the toe, then the ankle and finally the shin buckle. This will insure your foot is held in place and aligned within the boot. Don't tighten the power strap completely until you are starting your run. Allow the trip to and up the lift to warm the inside of the liner with your body heat to let the liner soften and conform to your foot shape. ALWAYS OVERLOOKED is the importance of a FOOTBED! If you do not use at least a trim to fit footbed you will NEVER get a consistent fit and comfort from your boots. When buying or working with a current boot seek out a qualified boot fitter for a footbed. Prices range from $35 on up based on your budget and performance needs. The more you use the equipment the more comfort and performance you will obtain by upgrading the type of footbed you will use. A proper footbed is where attaining a proper boot fit starts! Then you are ready to try on boots to find something that accomadates your foot. Footbed First, then the boot.

[@skylarkoutdoors]

Getting your heel in the back of the boot is the most important part. The method outlined in the video helps most skiers achieve that. Everyone has different methods of how they get ready but for 95%+ of skiers what is shown in the video will help them get their heel in the back of the boot with and major improvement from bottom up or top down buckling. Getting the heel in the back of the boot will improve both comfort and control.

[@GhostRider020]

If you need a tool to tighten the bindings, your boots don't fit properly.

[@skylarkoutdoors]

Depends on how you ski for the day. Conditions dictate how much volume you want to take out of the boot for the day and how tight you want to get them, it's much easier with the tool and not all ski buckles are the same. Some have easier grips and some are sharper or harder to close with gloves on.