Ski Boots Are Vital Pieces of Ski Equipment. What Stiffness Do You Choose? (Poll)
You’ve heard it before, but we’ll repeat it: boots are one of the most essential pieces of ski equipment you can buy. If they fit poorly, they’ll hold you back. If they’re uncomfortable, they can ruin a day in the mountains.
There's a reason the "Date your skis, marry your boots" mantra exists.
What’s less certain, though, is skiers’ preferences around boot flex. While these numbers can give skiers an idea of how soft or stiff a boot will be, it's not actually a standard measurement, and flexes tend to vary by brand. Still, we wanted to know which direction skiers lean: stiffer or less so?
Our Department of Polls and Skier Opinion expects varied answers. A boot's stiffness or flex index indicates how much resistance that a boot will provide as you bend it forward. Boot stiffness has long been associated with skill and strength, but it can be more nuanced than that. Generally speaking, the larger the person, the more resistance they'll want from a boot. On the flip side, there are plenty of smaller skiers who are strong enough to want a 130 flex boot and plenty of larger skiers who are perfectly happy in a 110 flex.
We've already tapped into how these tastes differ. Professional skier Cody Townsend, in a previous interview with POWDER, pointed out that many skiers are using boots that are stiffer than what they need. Meanwhile, POWDER writer Izzy Lidsky illuminated the struggle skiers with small feet face in a limited market for high-performance 22.5 boots.
That brings us to you, dear reader. How stiff are your boots? Chime in via our poll below and, if you have additional thoughts, share a comment.
About the POWDER Weekly Poll
We launch our weekly polls at 3 p.m. EST every Monday. They remain open until 12:00 p.m. EST the following Friday, with the results dropping on Sunday at 9 a.m. EST (schedule changes around holidays are possible). You can participate and see the results right here on our website or by visiting our Instagram page.