One of the biggest dilemmas for skier, both seasoned and entry level skiers is whether they should buy or rent ski boots. This decision can significantly impact your comfort, performance and overall experience on the slopes. In this guide, we’ll explore the pros and cons of each option, making sure to consider factors such as cost, convenience, fit and long-term benefits. Understanding the differences between renting versus buying new ski boots will help you make an informed choice that suits your skiing style and needs.
Scott has put together this short video on this very question or you can continue to read our article below:
Figuring out your skiing habits one of the first things to think about when deciding whether to buy or rent ski boots. If you ski a lot or are even doing a season, owning a pair of ski boots that have been custom fitted to your specific needs and preferences can greatly improve and enhance your comfort and performance on the slopes – and save you money. Getting custom fitted ski boots provides constant support of your feet inside the boot, helps to reduce the risk of blisters, minimises or eliminates foot pain and bruising of your shins, On the other hand, if it’s your first-time skiing, renting ski boots might be a more economical and practical choice, especially If you’re unsure if you’ll be going again. First time skiers may be naturals once they hit the slopes, but a successful ski boot fitting is only possible once you know the type of skier you are, what you like skiing, and any issues you have found with rental boots. With this information you will be sure to have a much more successful boot fitting experience – and realise that your toes touching the liner at the front is part of the ski boot design! There are advantages to renting ski boots. It’s a cost effective for those just starting skiing. Renting on your first ski trip will give you the option to access whether you’ll want to go skiing again. The cost does vary for renting boots, things such as which resort you’re in, how long you’ll be renting and the level of boot your using will affect the rental price of the boot.
It’s also convenient renting ski boots, you’ve normally got access to a range of different boots so if you don’t like the first pair you are given you can pop them back and change them, and you don’t have the hassle of transporting your ski boots whether that’s as hand or hold luggage.
While there seems to be good reason to stick to renting ski boots, there are several disadvantages to consider...
The main objective in many busy ski rental shops – and some of us have worked in those environments – is to get you fitted as fast as possible due to the sheer volume of customers in a short period of time. The shops that are more considered in their approach are equally busy thanks to their reputations! This means that fitters are not able to spend the time to talk to you clearly and understand the type of boot you’re needing for the type of skiing that you’re doing and your abilities in terms of skiing but also flexibility. They also stock such a wide range of sizes that, along with the minimal time spent fitting, you may get a less precise fit. When you enter a rental shop, many times your shoe size is asked for. We find that for a staggering 95% of customers this is not your correct ski boot size, as people often size UP their shoes to deal with foot width, toe shape and instep height pressure. This can result in discomfort, blisters, foot pain or shin bruising during or after skiing. If it’s your first time skiing and you’ve never worn a ski boot before your first thought is to get a ski boot should feel the same way your shoes do, so when you’re out skiing and the boot is feeling tight and uncomfortable, your first thought is to go back and upsize your boot, the ski rental shop will take your word for it and give you what you want, when actually in most cases, it’s not the boot that’s the issue, it’s more likely your technique whilst you are learning to ski or developing as a skier.
Top Tip: Take a piece of paper and draw round your left and right foot. Measure the longest point from the big toe to the back of a heel in a straight vertical line. This is your foot size in CM, but is also your base ski boot size, for example if your foot length is 23.5cm, you would start out looking at a Mondo 23 size ski boot. Mondo is the sizing name for all ski boots and means “global or world” in Japanese… And if you have both feet exactly the same length you are very rare indeed…
Scott – Ski Boot Fitter
Another reason to consider buying ski boots instead of renting is the lack of customisation you get with rental boots. Unlike personally own boots, rental boots cannot be customised to fit your unique foot shape and size. Having boots with custom boot liners and a custom footbed helps improve comfort and performance. Most rental boots are typically designed for general use and might not cater to specific skiing styles, potentially hindering performance for more experienced skiers. Buckles on rental boots are not always as easy to adjust either, with retail boots offering micro-adjustment of buckles and options for the fitter to relocated them completely for those who need ski boots for narrow calves or boots for big calves.
So why buy ski boots?
One of the biggest advantages of buying your own ski boots, is the option to get them custom fitted. If you are considering buying ski boots, we always recommend doing this as anyone can buy ski boots online, but what makes owning ski boots better than renting is the customisation, which can only be done by professional boot fitters. Booking an appointment and getting a boot fitting means you can spend one on one time with the boot fitter, they’re there to find out what type of skiing you’ll be doing as well as measuring your feet and recommend boots for you to try based on this. Once you’ve found a ski boot, the fitter will then customise the boot, stretching or grinding the shell to match your foot shape or adjusting the ski boot liners and then creating custom insoles or “footbeds” which use a mould of your feet. Having a ski boot that has been customised to your feet will enhance not only your comfort, but your performance skiing.
If you’re serious about getting into the skiing, buying ski boots is also a sensible long-term investment. For those that regularly ski, then it is more cost effective. You also have the assurance that those are your ski boots that have been customised for you and suit your needs plus the skier you aspire to be.