Lightweight short and beginner skiers should start with softer flexes while larger taller and more aggressive skiers can use stiffer flexes.
Ski boots stiff vs soft.
Stiff vs soft flex.
Skiers who ski hard or who ski more than just a few days a year may desire a stiffer flex boot both because of the higher quality of materials as well as durability and ski ability of the boot.
Soft skis don t go as fast as stiff skis but being easier to turn makes flexible skis more versatile than stiff skis.
Stiff boots are for slalom racing softer boots for bumps parks and trees.
Very stiff racing boots can be uncomfortably rigid for general use.
I hard boot will hold back skill improvement way more than a soft boot will hurt an advanced skier.
Stiff flex boots may also be appropriate for beginner and intermediate skiers who are taller heavier or stronger than the average skier.
Usually through trial and error but with some guiding parameters.
Ski boot flex is indicated by a number ranging from 50 very soft to 140 very stiff.
All ski boots are made with varying amounts of forward lean which can be calculated by measuring the angle of the upper cuff to the base of the ski boot and subtracting the delta angle which is the ramp angle of the boot board inside the boot.
A boot needs to be stiff enough to support the skier s tall neutral stance the too soft boot will collapse under the weight and leverage of the skier creating too much bend in the knee and resulting in smoking quads.
The higher the number the stiffer the boot.
A range of ankle dorsiflexory ankle motion of less than 10 degrees is.
Some boots offer features such as shock absorption for landing jumps or slamming bumps.
If you think your shoes are too soft you can always bolt them.
While the softest skis are popular only with beginner skiers most recreational skiers non racers choose a ski somewhere in between stiff and soft.
Most advanced level boots combine multi density materials to make boots stiff in critical areas of energy transfer but soft in other areas.
National ski team from 1998 2001 first team all american slalom 2002 university of denver alpine assistant coach 2012 present.
If in doubt use a softer flex to prevent pain and practices better technique before using stiffer ski boots.
