Ski Boot Sizing Guide: Mondopoint, Measuring and Getting the Fit Right

Put a sheet of paper on the floor, stand on it with your heel against a wall, and mark the tip of your longest toe. Measure from the wall to the mark in centimetres.

Do this in the evening and wearing a ski sock. Feet swell by a few millimetres through the day, and a measurement taken in the morning can feel tight by the afternoon.

Measure both feet and use the larger one. A difference of up to half a centimetre between feet is entirely normal.

The table below gives an approximate conversion. For an accurate result use the measuring method above — brands can differ by half a size.

Test one: stand upright. Your toes should just brush the front of the boot. If they never touch at all, the boot is too big.

Test two: flex your knees forward into a skiing stance. Your toes should pull back and the pressure at the front should disappear. If they are still crushed when you flex, the boot is too small.

Test three: heel lift. Buckle the boot, lean forward, and check that your heel stays down on the footbed. A lifting heel means lost control and a bruised heel by the afternoon.

Ski boots carry a number — 60, 90, 110 — called the flex index. It describes how much the boot resists bending forward.

For beginners, 60–80 is right. A softer boot lets you flex your knees, which is exactly what you are trying to learn to do.

Advanced skiers use 100 and above because a stiffer boot transmits input to the ski more directly. That requires strength and technique; the wrong flex for your level just tires your legs.

Getting the size right is half the job; the other half is putting the boot on and buckling it correctly. A correctly sized boot buckled badly still hurts.

Open the boot fully first. Loosening the buckles is not enough — flex the tongue forward so your foot goes in without force. Forcing your foot in damages the liner and leaves your foot in the wrong position.

Once your foot is in, tap your heel down on the floor several times. This seats the heel in its pocket, and it is the step people skip most often. A boot buckled before the heel is seated crushes your toes at the front.

Close the buckles from the bottom up. The lower two go medium-tight, the upper buckles and power strap slightly firmer. Your toes should still be able to move.

Loosening the buckles a notch on the chairlift and re-tightening for the descent is a common and useful habit: it eases circulation and delays cold feet.

Cold feet are the most common complaint on the mountain, and the cause is usually restricted circulation rather than air temperature.

The most frequent mistake is a thick sock or two pairs. Thick socks fill the limited volume inside the boot, compress the foot and slow circulation — so you dress warmer and end up colder. One thin, seamless ski sock is correct.

The second cause is over-tightening. Closing the top buckle as far as it goes compresses the blood vessels at the ankle. Buckles should secure the foot, not clamp it.

The third is moisture. Skiing in a damp sock cools the foot quickly, which is why we recommend a fresh pair for each ski day.

Finally, do not dry boots on a hotel radiator overnight — excessive heat damages the liner. Remove the liner and dry it at room temperature. On our rental boots that is done for you after every rental.