Boot Width Types

Boot Width Type 1 — Narrow (98mm or less)

Of the all-mountain boots, the 98mm last group is the most similar in fit to true race boots, which tend to hover in the 96mm (+/- 1mm) zone, but creature comforts abound here that won’t be found in many race boots. That’s not to say that a 98mm boot is an easy fit—it's tight. If race boots would score 1’s on our 1-5 rating system, and low-end beginner bucket boots score 5’s, then the 98mm caste averaged 2’s. This means that your slender footed skier belongs here. But it also means that average width feet can be happy in this type of boot if one of two things is true:

1. The foot, and the skier attached to it, is tolerant of high levels of fit tension — or how aggressively the boot grips every part of the foot. Some people can handle high levels of compression without compromising warmth or sensation — others can’t. Accomplished skiers with average width feet who have had success with high fit tension footwear like cycling shoes, climbing shoes, hockey skates, or race boots will probably find themselves in this slender boot category.
2. The skier is willing to work with a bootfitter to create additional room where necessary but retain the rack-and-pinion fit everywhere else. Most of our test team fell into this category — duh, we’re bootfitters. This can be a work in progress and will cost a bit more, but for many expert skiers with average width feet it is worth going that extra mile.

This sounds like me. Start my search here.

Boot Width Type 3 — Wide (102/3mm and up)

Performance wide-body boots are a relatively new phenomenon. It used to be that the widest boots were not designed for accomplished skiers or the big people that were commonly attached to the widest feet. Not so these days. The current crop of wide bodies ski at the same performance level as their narrower brethren and have triple digit flex indexes (110-120) to handle real world demands. Accomplished skiers with big, thick feet and the lower legs to go with them should gravitate directly here. These boots also offer the highest instep fit of all width categories, but come with lots of room everywhere. Skiers with average width feet may also enjoy wide-body boots if one of two things is true:

1. The foot is NOT tolerant of compression. Previous experiences with average levels of fit tension resulted in constriction of blood flow and nerve impingement — i.e., cold and numb. Even with everyday footwear, this foot may have compression related discomfort. Shoes of choice for this type of skier might be Crocs, flip-flops, sandals, slippers, Uggs — you get the picture.
2. The foot may be of average width but with bony prominences such as bunions or a shape requiring bootfitting. It is better to get the proper size in this wider category than go up a size in the narrower one.

This sounds like me. Start my search here.

Boot Width Type 2 — Medium (100-102/3mm)

The medium-fit last category has the broadest appeal to skiers and is generally for average width feet, BUT it’s also for skiers who don’t match the descriptions of Type 1 and Type 3 widths.

This sounds like me. Start my search here.