How NOT to have bruised shins aka how to properly wear your ski boots

Follow this to a tee, and you’ll ski pain-free. 

A fellow ski instructor told me to work your boots like you’d work a woman: top to bottom. OMG! Did I just say that? So improper! But you get the idea. Start buckling from the strap, top buckle, ankle buckle, over the foot buckles. I like to keep the upper buckles tight and the bottom buckles lose. 

Your boots should be so comfy that they hug your feet like a second skin. 

Wear one pair of long socks pulled up without leaving any creases or, your feet will hurt. 

Pull gators over your boots and the tops of your pants over the boots. If you squish pants inside your ski boots, your legs will hurt. 

Check your children’s and friends’ boots if they complain about pain in their feet and rebuckle them. There should not be any pain. Boots should be an extension of your body and not cause any discomfort. That goes for rental boots, too. 

Ceylan, what kind of socks do you wear?

I’m glad you asked. I’m a big fan of compression socks. They’re thin so I feel any pressure points on my feet. The downside of thin compression socks is that they don’t keep you warm. Hey, I have boot warmers. You’ll buy a pair of boot warmers when you purchase your own ski boots.