realskiers

I know this boot stiffness thing is a topic that's always subjective...here's one mans opinion.

We are all different sizes and shapes, we all ski in a stance that given our current ski skills is "that" position in which we can control the ski shovel, center and tails controlled by fore/aft balance on our skis.

I tend to ski from a very neutral stance, centered over my ankles. When I engage the shovels of the ski through pressure on the tongues of the boots I try to do this with as little forward pressure or movement of my center mass forward. I actually feel this motion through the bottom of my feet, toes to arch to heel. When I'm engaging the shovels, this my attack position. For me, my knee caps need to be just over the very tips of my boots to achieve this position. Now, a taller person, one with more leg fulcrum or a shorter person with a shorter? leg fulcrum may need less, same or more center mass over the front of the boot to find their attach position. Keep in mind, height may not necessarily play a role in my comments about leg fulcrum and center mass but are are to be taken in context of a potential part of the formula.

Stiff or soft or somewhere in between, if you can't get your center mass properly placed to engage the shovels, then you'll be dskiing off the tails, rotating your body, flailing your hands or twisting your feet to make the skis respond. And hey....maybe that's OK for you...but to ski centered, fluid, connected, smooth....it's a sweet thing when it happens.

Find a boot that allows you to feel centered with the ability to freely move your center mass fore and aft without body gymnastics.

Did ya ever notice how when the weather is extremely cold your boots stiffen up and it's more challenging to engage the shovel's? Stiff for some of us (and it's all relative) may not always be a good thing.

We're all engineered differently....gett ing the right boot fit and correct flex pattern are keys to more controlled skiing in all conditions.

Best,
Gary