If you’re going to ski in Banff, you want to ensure you have the proper boots. It gives you the best possible experience speeding down the mountain. But what to look for in ski boots, and where can you get or rent them? You’ll read it in this post.
Banff is without a doubt the right place for the ultimate skiing experience: Three ski resorts within 50 kilometers (30 mi) from each other and a stunning view of the Rockies as a bonus to keep you occupied for days.
It seems almost dull that a pair of ski boots can make or break your time speeding down the slopes of the Rockies. But you probably know as you’re reading this article. And if not, you also came to the right place.
Below I’ll discuss some important factors for ski boots and where you can rent or buy them in the park. Alright, let’s get to it.
Where to Go For Ski Boot Fitting in Banff?
The towns of Banff and Lake Louise sit amidst a skiing paradise, so it shouldn’t be a surprise that there are several places where you can go for some splendid boot-fitting. Here are the three places where you can get your boots fitted in a professional manner:
PULSE BOOT LAB
Address: 405 Spray Avenue (inside Fairmont Banff Springs), Banff
Phone: +1 403 – 985 4099
Website: pulsebootlab.com
E-mail: team@pulsebootlab.com
Please note: boot fitting is free, you can book the fitting online, but walk-ins welcome on a first-come, first-served basis.
MONOD SPORT
Address: 129 Banff Avenue, Banff
Phone: +1 403 – 762 4571, ext. 25
Website: monodsports.com
E-mail: weborders@monods.com
Please note:
SOUL SKI & BIKE
Address: 203a Bear Street, Banff
Phone: +1 403 – 760 1650
Website: soulskiandbike.com
E-mail: info@soulskiandbike.com
Please note: you need to make an appointment for boot fitting,
Where To Rent Ski Boots in Banff?
In case you want to rent ski gear, there are many options in Banff and at the resorts to do so. Below you’ll find a comprehensive overview.
| SHOP | ADDRESS | PHONE |
|---|---|---|
| Atmosphere Canada | 124 Banff Avenue, Unit 101, Banff | +1 403 – 760 8249 |
| Banff Adventures | 211 Bear Street, Banff | +1 403 – 762 4554 |
| Black Tie Ski Rental Delivery Banff | 100 Jay Street, Unit 4, Banff | +1 403 – 762 0881 |
| Black Tie Ski Rentals at Banff Park Lodge | 201 Lynx Street, Banff | +1 825 – 398 9563 |
| Chateau Mountain Sports | 405 Spray Avenue, Banff (inside Banff Springs Hotel) | +1 403 – 762 2508 |
| Chateau Mountain Sports | 111 Lake Louise Drive, Lake Louise (inside Château Lake Louise hotel) | +1 403 – 522 2508 |
| Lake Louise Ski Resort | 1 Whitehorn Road, Lake Louise | +1 877 – 956 8473 |
| Monod Sports Ltd | 129 Banff Avenue, Banff | +1 403 – 762 4571 |
| Mount Norquay Ski Resort | 2 Mt Norquay Road, Banff | +1 403 – 762 4421 |
| SkiBig3 Adventure Hub | 114 Banff Avenue, Banff | +1 403 – 762 4754 |
| Snowtips-Bactrax | 225 Bear Street, Banff | +1 403 – 762 8177 |
| Sunshine Village Ski Resort | 1 Sunshine Access Road, Banff | +1 403 – 705 4000 |
| The Tune Shop | 116 Eagle Crescent, Banff | +1 403 – 760 3450 |
| Ultimate Sports | 206 Banff Avenue, Banff | +1 403 – 762 0547 |
| UNLTD Boardshop | 319 Banff Avenue, Banff (In Cascade Shops Mall) | +1 403 – 762 3725 |
| Wilson Mountain Sports | 101 Lake Louise Drive, Samson Mall, Building A, Lake Louise | +1 403 – 522 3636 |
Things To Consider for Ski Boot Fitting
Boot fitting is essential to a good skiing experience. Several important factors come into play when finding the perfect ski boot. Below I discuss three of the most important ones. They’re essential to know for finding a suitable new pair. However, the boot fitters mentioned above should be able to help you with this.
Foot Assessment
During the boot fitting process, foot assessment plays a vital role. You’ll be relying on your feet for steering, absorbing shocks, navigating the mountain and staying in control.
The right ski boot will make your skiing more comfortable and enjoyable and improve the boot’s performance.
It’s important to know what kind of feet you have. Your ski boot needs to be fit for it. Generally, we distinguish three types of feet:
- Flat foot: the medial arch collapses down relatively low. It’s also forcing the ankle joint to rotate inward.
- Neutral foot: it has a medium arch. It’s pretty stable and well-aligned, and neutral in its position.
- High arch foot: it’s forcing this stance into a supinated position, rolling to the outside. The medial arch is quite prominent. It correlates with a higher instep, causing pressure and lifting up on the toes.
About ninety percent of people will have either a flat or more neutral foot.
Foot shapes matter when selecting the proper boots to match. The closer you can get a boot to match the form of your foot, the easier the boot-fitting process becomes. Furthermore, mention previous injuries. You may need to address them when looking for a new pair.
It’s also important to assess how the foot contour combines with the overall shape of the toe area. And see how it correlates to the different models of ski boots.
Also, possible protrusions on your feet need to be accommodated. Skiers are known for these lumps and bumps. Generally, you need to get the pressure off these protrusions; a well-fitting boot does that.
During the boot fitting process, you obviously will have your feet measured. The shop can use the good old Brannock or other hardware, but nowadays, 3D foot scanning software is also used to make a 3D model of your feet, and there are even smartphone apps to scan your feet.
Footbeds
Footbeds are one of the most important types of ski gear you can get. It solves most people’s problems in ski boots.
A footbed is like a foundation for your body. The footbed’s purpose is to set your foot into a more or less neutral position.
It can fix things like pronation, which puts extra pressure on your ankles and the navicular bone.
Arch support restricts movement and gets you a better alignment inside the boot.
A good footbed takes the impact out of your landings. Customized ones can be the ultimate thing to put in your boots.
How Should Ski Boots Feel?
Your feet should feel snug and secure in a ski boot. However, you’ll still get a sensation of awareness of the front. This awareness should be in the toe box area of your liner. It cushions and insulates the foot, so no extra space is required.
You should feel contact throughout the entire toe box, and you should be able to move your toes up and down. It’s crucial for blood flow on cold days.
Furthermore, you don’t want lateral movement in the boot and a nice and even contact across the bridge of the foot. You want to feel a good snugness on the instep area of the boot.
You want to be locked in here because that’s what will hold your heel to the back. You should get a good amount of pressure on the second buckle to feel locked into place.
Also, you want to feel a nice and even flex on the shin as we come forward onto the front of the boot with no abrupt stop or slide.
Regarding the heel: you don’t want any lateral side movement there. You shouldn’t get any heel lift when flexing and turning but feel pleasant and evenly balanced.
Furthermore, you want good contact throughout the base of your foot. And at this point, no excessive points of contact anywhere which would build to a pressure point.
Alright, with this knowledge in the back of your mind, make an appointment with a boot fitter and find a pair that enhances your skiing experience in Banff.
The perfect boot for your feet will make you enjoy your downhill antics to the max!