Men's Journal

Want to carve smoother, charge harder, or just get the feeling back in your toes? Then choose the right footwear carefully.

By Marc Peruzzi

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Dynafit Titan TF-X

Backcountry boots are lightweight and flexible, but strong skiers overpower them on downhills. Alpine boots only work for climbing if you like tweaked knees and bloody toes. The Titan is the missing link: Enjoy resort-worthy stiffness in ski mode, then flip a switch for touring agility and flexibility. And the Titan comes with inserts to mate with an alpine setup or Dynafit’s top-notch touring binding. [$759; dynafit.com]

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Salomon Falcon CS

You don’t need race boots to turn fat powder skis, but you do need a race boot’s precise fit. That once meant stretching a boot shell to fit your foot, until Salomon created its line of custom shells (the “CS” in Falcon CS). In 20 minutes a boot fitter can mold everything to you, liner included. On the hill, the Falcon delivers enough shock-absorbing flex for a forgiving ride in bumps and crud. [$785; salomonski.com]

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Krypton Il Moro T

Whether you’re clearing tabletops in the park or cliff-dropping off-piste, the Il Moro T sucks up the impact. The plastic outer tongue doesn’t “bottom out” like those on many boots. Pair that with a cushy heat-moldable liner and extra shin padding, and you have your own landing gear. When you’re done busting tricks, a slap ratchet buckle lets you cinch the upper cuff, readying the boot for carving. [$875; dalbellosports.com]

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Nordica Dobermann Pro EDT 130

You need to transfer as much power as possible to a ski to sink its edges into boilerplate snow — hard to do when your boot’s sole is bendy plastic. Not a problem with the Dobermann, since its screwed-in aluminum footboard is 40 percent stiffer than the previous generation’s. Just avoid the too-stiff World Cup racing version. [$995; nordicausa.com]

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Why Your feet Hurt

Avoid these common mistakes to ensure your new boots fit perfectly.

Your foot isn’t as large as you think it is.

“Fifty percent of people buy their boots too big,” says Paul Richelson, a certified pedorthist with Feet First in New Hampshire. This makes you over-buckle, creating pressure points. The boot should feel snug all over without painful pinching or tightness. When you stand up in the boots (liners in), your toes should brush the front, then pull back when you flex your weight forward.

You didn’t try on the boot properly.

Before you buy a boot, make sure to shell size it: Pull out the liner, slide your foot into the shell, and look at the space behind your heel. “A half inch or less is good for a high-performance fit,” says Mark Elling, a master boot fitter. “Three-quarters of an inch is the gold standard for comfort. More than an inch is too big.” If the salesperson doesn’t know how to shell size, leave.

You don’t have enough support.

Luckily, it’s easy enough to get more support with an add-in footbed. You can pick up a cut-to-fit version at a ski shop ($35 or so), or for a perfect match, ask the shop to recommend a trained boot fitter. Just avoid the middle ground, like letting the kid at the local mall sports emporium set you up with a custom one. “A poorly built footbed can be excruciating,” says Elling. “Always seek out technicians who specialize in them.”

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This article originally appeared in the November 2009 issue of Men’s Journal.