How to choose the right ski boots

A Guide to Help You Choose the Perfect Ski Boots for Your Touring Adventures!

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How to Choose the Right Ski Boots

Ski boots are arguably one of the most important parts of a touring setup. If your boots don’t fit properly or cause painful blisters, your experience will be far from enjoyable. Here, we’ve put together some key considerations to keep in mind before purchasing new touring boots.


Get Help from an Expert!

Ski boots are the most critical part of your touring gear to ensure a perfect fit. Different models offer different fits, and every skier’s feet are unique. That’s why we recommend trying on ski boots in a quality shop and letting an expert guide you to the best model for your feet.

Skilled retailers can help you find a boot with the right liner, fit, and sole for your specific needs. Additionally, they have specialized tools to customize the shell and heat-mold the liner for an optimal fit. Take a look at our dealer map to find a trusted shop near you.


Boot Categories and Recommendations

While we always recommend visiting a professional for fitting, we’d like to offer some general guidance on boot categories and which types work best for your use and skis.

To simplify the many models and variations on the market, we’ve divided touring boots into three main categories:

1. Superlight Touring Boots

2. All-Round Touring Boots

3. Freeride-Oriented Touring Boots


Read on as we explain these categories and provide some recommendations!

Lightweight top hiking boots

This category of boots is for those who want a pure touring boot, meant exclusively for use with your touring skis. These boots typically weigh around one kilogram and offer excellent range of motion for walking. They are fantastic for ascending many vertical meters, but may not be the best for downhill skiing as they tend to be a bit softer. These boots are best suited for relatively narrow touring skis with a maximum waist width of around 100 mm.

Dynafit Blacklight

Dalbello Quantum

Atomic Backland Carbon

All-round touring boots

These boots are for those who want a versatile option for both touring and resort skiing. You prioritize downhill performance over weight and are comfortable with a slightly heavier boot. Typically weighing around 1300-1500 grams, they offer an excellent experience for any type of skiing. In recent years, there have been significant improvements in range of motion and flex within this category. These boots will work well with all types of touring skis, providing a great experience in any conditions.

Dynafit Radical Pro

Tecnica Zero G Tour Pro

K2 Dispatch LT

Touring boots aimed at freeriding

These are the boots for you if you truly prioritize downhill performance. Here, the focus is on skiing performance, and weight is less of a concern. These boots are typically suited for shorter tours or resort-based skiing. Many use them primarily for resort skiing, but thanks to tech inserts and walk modes, they can also handle short tours outside the resort. Freeride-oriented touring boots are naturally best paired with larger, heavier freeride touring skis or all-mountain skis.

Lange XT-3 130

Dynafit Tiguard 130

Atomic Hawx Ultra XTD 130

Other things to think about:

If you've found a category of boots that suits you, there are also a few things you should consider before purchasing a new pair.

Walking Range
For a good uphill experience, walking range is perhaps the most important factor. Modern boots have excellent range, but it can still be worth checking this. It’s important that the range is good both forwards and backwards.

Såle
De fleste superlette toppturstøvler og allround toppturstøvler kommer med en buet såle. Dette gjør at de er gode å gå med uten ski på beina. For eksempel i en anmarsj eller rangling til fjells med ski på sekken. Noen av de frikjøringsrettede toppturstøvlene har flat såle, som gjør at de er mer krevende å gå med uten ski på beina. Grunnen til at de har flat såle er at de da passer i tradisjonelle alpindinger. De fleste moderne alpinbindinger i dag har riktignok en justerbar plate slik at toppturstøvler med buet såle også passer i bindingen.

Toe Box
Some models come without a toe box, but instead feature a "speed nose". This makes them very comfortable for walking, but it also means they are not compatible with bindings such as the Atomic Shift, Marker Duke PT, or alpine bindings.

Vi håper denne guiden har gitt deg litt forståelse om hvordan vi tenker når vi velger nye støvler til våre topptureventyr. Om du lurer på noe så er det bare å ta kontakt med en av oss, for eksempel Hans Kristian.

Hans Kristian bruker Dynafit Radical for de fleste turene sine. Står han i bakke eller skal gå korte turer ut i fra anlegget er det som oftest Lange XT-3 han har på foten!

Hans Kristian Folde
Sales manager and touring enthusiast