From ski jumping to winter sports or just for fun, let’s find out.
Snow brings to mind magi, the start of a new season and the end of another. The beauty of it can be seen in its whiteness and starkness. It is so serene and intriguing which brings out the child in us. Snow covered mountain tops have been picturesque for as long as we can remember.
It reminds of Christmas at time of hot chocolate in bed, presents, love and laughter, Christmas trees and lights.
Though it is a cold time, it also incites wonder in us when it starts to fall. We build snowmen and run around throwing snow balls at each other, but there is one great way in which we use snow and that is Skiing. From the Disney’s Frozen to 007’s Spectra, snow and skiing has been shown to hold a great allure for people.
Skiing is a great way to spend some time. It can be a recreational activity, a means of transport and a competitive sport which involves gliding through snow.
Skiing is done on different trails in different ski resorts around the world. There are some trails that are run by professionals and those run my amateurs. These trails are actually based on your skill level.
The use and importance of ski boots cannot be over emphasized. While actions heroes in movies can get around to skiing down slopes in unconventional ways or cartoon characters gliding through snow with magic, we need the right equipment when we want to conquer those slopes and ski boots are a must have.
Not only do they protect our feet, they are the means by which we can balance on trails as we run. So, let’s see the different types of skiing and which boots are best for each ski type.
Table of Contents
Types of Skiing
First up is the Alpine. This is a form of downhill skiing done on a piste in a ski resort.
Next is the Nordic. This is ski jumping with the use of bindings on toes of the feet and not heels.
Lastly, Telemark. Native of the Norwegian regions, it is similar to Nordic where the heels are raised thorough out the run due to ski bindings attached to only toes and not heels.
There are various types of equipment used in skiing. We have.
- Skis
- Boots
- Bindings
- Poles
- Helmets
- Ski googles.
- Skiing gloves.
Let’s focus on the Boots.
Footwear used in skiing has evolved over the years. Different designs have been tested and tried with some still used in modern day while some have faded into the woodwork.
The aim of this is to find a boot that would give the skier balance, fit snugly into the bindings plus be durable from the whipping snow as you shoot down a mountain skiing trail or ski jump.
The ski boots are used in skiing to provide a way to attach the skier to skis using ski bindings. So, the combination of these three pieces of skiing equipment i.e. ski/boots/bindings are used to transmit effective control from the skier’s legs to the snow. So, get your apex ski boots on sale here.
Types of Ski Boots
1] Alpine Front-entry Ski boots
Used in downhill skiing, these buckle boots use over the center levered latches which replace laces. These latches concentrate load at only a few points on the boot. Snow is prevented from entering the front of the boot by C-shaped flaps that stretch over the openings where the laces would have been.
The first ski boots where made with leather but were found out to wear out over time as they where exposed to the snow. This had to be corrected in some way as it proved to be a risk and a deathly one at that, when a skier’s boots break apart on a run.
Therefore, the plastic front-entry ski boots where introduced. This was found to improve control, was more durable and warmer for the feet as snow couldn’t get in melt. Front-entry boots are made up of two sections, one section around your lower leg and the other around your foot.
2] Alpine Rear-entry Ski boots
With the leg cuff split in two and the foot area plus sole as a single unit, the rear-entry ski boot affords skiers the opportunity of any foot fitting into them due to the larger feet area and the adjustment of the rear half of the cuff area that can pivot far to the rear which allows for easy entry.
3] Cabrio Boots
There are also the Three-piece ski boots which are now called the Cabrio boots. It comes in a design which resembles the conventional front-entry ski boots with sections riveted at the ankle.
4] Nordic
Use of cross-country boots which are attached to the ski using just the toe only and not the heels.
Ski boots are a must have equipment for skiing to be done. It not only protects your feet from the snow which is a very critical factor as the temperatures of these regions are very low so there is the possibility of getting frostbite if exposed to the element for too long, but ski boots also provide the balance needed on the skis.
Although skis are designed to balance us on the slopes as we run, conquer trails and engage in sports, we need a way for our feet to fit into these skis and that is the reason why we have ski boots.
There are also some awesome spots in the world for skiing which offers people the opportunity to conquer slopes and show off on their skiing skills. Some of these spots are.
- Whistler Blackcomb, Canada.
- Courchevel, a part of the Les Vallees region which is the largest of the Alpines.
- Zermatt, Switzerland.
- Vail Mountain resort, Colorado.
- Aspen Snowmass, Colorado.
- Val d’Isere, Europe.
- Cortina D’Ampezzo, Italy.
- Tellurid, Colorado.