Enter/Exiting a ski boot

[phillipsv]

I've always had trouble getting into and out of my boots.

Do you have this problem?

Any solutions or ideas?

 

[François Pugh]

Yes.
An electric hair dryer helps get the cold boots off.
Warm boots are also easier to get into.
There is some technique involved too, spreading the shell a few times, pulling out the tongue forward but to the side, etc.
He who shall not be named had a great video out on youtube that dealt with exactly that problem.

ON a related note: I don't kick my heel into the heel pocket. I use the top buckle done up loosely to lever the heel in while pushing my knee forward, progressively tighten lower buckles, then top repeat until snug.

 

[raytseng]

For getting on, try getting a ski boothorn which costs about $10 or so, depending on shipping; or if you're really on a budget you can make your own out of some kind of slippery plastic. You can find instructions or youtubes how to use a boothorn; but notice you place the boothorn not all the way down, so both the boothorn and your foot slide down giving 2 sliding surfaces.

ski boothorn - Google Search

Ski Boot Horn | Helps put on Ski & Snowboard Boots

Our Ski Boot Horn makes putting on ski & snowboard boots easier. Helps reduce pain from injuries while putting on boots.

skisnowboardboothorn.com

If this isn't enough, you have a really tight fit, and you need more advanced techniques such as working with the liner out of the boot.

To remove, there are several techniques, but the one I know of that seems to work best is the following that make best use of your skeletal positioning so you aren't fighting staying in balance.

I am not sure where the best youtube for this is; if someone finds it they can recommend to you. You may first need to practice this sitting down before you can do it standing up.
if you are just 1 person solo; You will cross your leg on top of your thigh to givve you a strong platform.
Then you will using your hand, you pry the boot off from the back cuff off, the mental picture is to think like how a bottleopener levers off a bottlecap. Some people may have luck luck plantar flexing (pointing toes out) others might have more more luck dorsiflexing (locking the foot, toes up) works better to counter against the motion.

In general, most of the techniques I believe use this same motion, like a bottleopener; where the forces are directed at levering/rotating the boot around the heel; with pressure against the tongue, and not trying to not pull away/off your leg. If you have friends to help open up the tongue or so that helps.
When you get better, or when your boots pack out, you maybe be able to do this standing up, and/or without crossing your leg on top of your thigh

If your boots are so hard to put on though, that they require more advanced technique than a boothorn to get on though; you will also need more advanced techniques to get them off.

 

[KingGrump]

 

[Philpug]

Heated boot bag.

New Nordica HF110?

 

[François Pugh]

Not the one I recall, but it works well enough.

 

[oldschoolskier]

Besides trying to keep the boots warm (sorry that’s a given). I carry 2 pieces of 6mil poly sheet about 24” x 6” (size not important as long as you can pull it out after) one goes on the down the heel and sole of the boot the other goes down along the tongue. Insert foot between the two sheets (nearly frictionless as anyone who has used it once as a drop cloth while painting knows after laying in a puddle of paint staring at the ceiling ). When foot is in the boot pull sheets out and repeat for second boot. Use the thick poly (4 or 6 mil) as it doesn’t rip pulling out in tight boots. Slick as can be......

Getting out on cold days, no fancy tricks here, sorry gotta wait til the boots warm up, pull tongue up, lean forward and pry heel upward using shin as leverage.

Generally I find out is possible under all conditions with a little (and sometimes painful) work. In is what needs planning and fore thought or you’re not skiing.

 

[Tricia]

I've always had trouble getting into and out of my boots.

Do you have this problem?

Any solutions or ideas?

It would help to know what boots you have.

 

[KingGrump]

It would help to know what boots you have.

Full Tilt.

 

[phillipsv]

It would help to know what boots you have.

I use the HAWX Magna 120.

 

[JimL]

I've used a long strip cut from a disposable plastic grocery bag in the past, put partway into the boot and under the heel of my sock so as to provide a smooth sliding surface, but eventually I bought new boots, since my old ones were 20 years old and had stiffened up significantly. It got so the hardest part of the day was getting into the damn boot. My new boot uses softer plastic allowing it to open up much easier while maintaining adequate flex. It was either that or quit skiing.

 

[phillipsv]

These are all great techniques. Appreciated.

 

[oldschoolskier]

I might suggest the Star Trek method.........Beam them on Scottie, make sure there are Klingons near by.

 

[David Chaus]

This may or may not work for every boot/liner combination:

I pull my liners out of the boot, put the liners on and lace them (Intution FX liners) and then it’s super easy to slide my foot-with-the-liner into the shell. Same process in reverse when removing boots.

 

[cantunamunch]

This may or may not work for every boot/liner combination:

I pull my liners out of the boot, put the liners on and lace them (Intution FX liners) and then it’s super easy to slide my foot-with-the-liner into the shell. Same process in reverse when removing boots.

I've posted about this before - one way to modify this procedure for boots with low ceilings is to put the liner toe just past the roof of the boot but with the liner ankle area still within the cuff of the boot. Just like what you do except the liner is within the upper boot.

If it sounds complicated, it isn't - here it is with Zipfits in an older Hawx shell. The toe of the liner is at first only just past the roof of the boot. You can see her settle the liner into the heel pocket after her foot is already past the turn.