Children's ski boots
Skiing is a very exciting activity, both for adults and for children. But the sooner you become a skier, the more chances to get to know absolutely all the delights of skiing on snow-covered plains and mountain slopes, so it’s better to start gaining experience from childhood.
Many parents are afraid of acquiring skis for a child, because they believe that active exercises in cold air provoke colds. In truth, this is a complete delusion, because winter sports not only strengthen the immune system, but also contribute to the proper development of the skeleton.
Naturally, the choice of children's ski boots will have to take into account a lot of nuances since the rules for choosing them are significantly different from choosing the same ski shoes for adults. Yes, and factors that can affect the choice of a lot, and they are not limited to the skills and riding style of the child.
The choice is complicated by the fact that children of different ages determine the level of comfort in different ways, so parents have to choose ski boots almost by intuition. In this article we will try to talk about the peculiarities of children's ski boots, mention the rules for fitting them and find out how to choose the right ski shoes.
Features and benefits
All children's ski boots can be divided into two types. The first type, which is designed for children from 3 to 9 years old, is distinguished by weight ease and softness. In such boots kids usually just begin to learn the basics of skiing, so the main focus is on safety and comfort.
The second type of shoe is usually called junior since it implies that the child already has a good degree of physical fitness. They buy such shoes already for teenagers who have already acquired the skills of a young athlete. Such shoes have sufficient rigidity, therefore, provides a sufficient level of stability when cornering.
Criterias of choice
It is worth considering that the ski boots also differ in the type of design, and this figure significantly affects the choice of shoes for children of different ages. So, if you buy shoes for a child of preschool age, it is better to stop the choice on shoes with one clip, and if for older children, then with two. The stiffness of such shoes does not exceed the index 10, while adult shoes can vary within 150 units.
Shoes with three clips should be chosen when the child’s foot size reaches 22 to 26.5. These boots are quite comfortable, and the level of hardness has been increased to 30 units. Boots with four clips are chosen for children who already have a good level of physical fitness. Their level of rigidity varies from 60 to 70 units.
Fashion models
The most interesting is that there are also many models of children's boots for skiing, as well as adults. They differ not only in rigidity, but also in the materials from which they are made, as well as the levels of adjustment. Consider the most common models of shoes.
For snowboarding
Snowboard boots are designed for high-speed types of skiing and should provide a sufficient level of stability, because the young snowboarder will also have to control the board. That is why the stiffness of the shoes should vary from 3 to 7, and they should be made of synthetic materials. Why synthetic? The fact is that genuine leather increases the weight of the shoe when wet, and this is not very comfortable, especially for a child.
Cross-country skiing
The boots for cross-country skiing have a rather soft and stable sole and are distinguished by the fact that they can not only be skated, but also walked. These shoes are always complemented by modern insulation, and comfortable fasteners - Velcro allow you to quickly put the model on the child's foot.
Alpine skiing
The stiffness of such shoes begins to count from the indicator in the range of 15 - 30 units. Ski boots provide an optimal level of comfort during sudden movements and perfectly absorb shock. It is worth considering that it will be extremely difficult for a child to manage the skis in such shoes, so you should choose them when he has a sufficient level of physical fitness.
Velcro
Velcro shoes kiddies choose preferable because the lacing will have to mess around for a few minutes. In addition, it is this fastener that allows you to fit the model of the shoe in size and not drag the foot, which often happens when you tie up the lacing. Velcro also serves as an additional protection against the ingress of snow inside the boot, simply covering the vulnerable areas of the leg.
Sliding
Such shoes will appeal to all parents, because they allow you to not worry about the fact that the expensive model of ski shoes with time will become small. The main distinguishing feature of such shoes is that they are able to increase or decrease in size by moving apart. This is a real salvation, because experts highly recommend not buying a child's growth footwear for your child.
Ridge
Skating shoes for skating are different from others in that they are quite high and always cover the ankle. Since on the ice the beginning athlete will have to expose himself to quite serious loads, the boots for skiing on ice are created quite tough. Choosing such shoes for a child should be based on the width of the foot and size, as well as indicators such as material and mounting features.
Colors
Ski boots for children can be of different colors and in this they are not inferior to adults. Usually such boots make bright and variegated tones, so that they can be clearly seen against the background of snow. In a special trend among the kids now there are boots of blue, light green, red, yellow and orange shades.
Materials
In most cases, modern ski boots are made from synthetic materials of different textures because they give the shoe durability and make it more practical. But in the process of manufacturing such shoes, natural leather is also used and most often to create the inner surface of the shoe. This gives the shoe unsurpassed insulating qualities and at the same time ensures an optimal level of heat exchange.
How much are
The cost of children's models of boots for skiing varies from 10 to 100 dollars. The price depends on the quality of the material, the manufacturer, the type of shoe, its design, and so on.
How to pick up
Choose the right ski boots only focusing on the level of their stiffness and the degree of physical fitness of the child is impossible. Since the footwear for skiing consists of a set of the smallest elements, each of which performs its function, the process of choosing the appropriate model of footwear for the child is considerably complicated. And there is one indicator that should be determined with particular accuracy.
The size
To determine the exact size of the child’s feet, circle his foot on a piece of paper and measure the length and width of the trace. Thus, you will receive a European boot size, and to purchase a ski one should add another half size to the result.
At first, the child may feel that the shoe is too small, but you should not hurry to measure a larger model. The fact is that modern ski boots are made from a material that eventually presses under the shape of a foot, which means that you can notice for some time after moving in such boots that discomfort is no longer felt.
Other elements
It is important that the boot clips consist of solid metal. Some manufacturers create this element of plastic, but it quickly scatters at the first touch with a hard surface, so it is important to give preference to the metal.
Switches to different modes usually stand on all boots for beginners, but if you buy shoes for a teenager, you should be aware that the ability to transform a shoe from the “walking” mode to the “riding” mode must be present.
If you mean that the child will ski in several styles at once, then it is better to purchase a combined boot model. This will ensure the comfort of the child’s feet over a long period of time, and will significantly reduce the likelihood of injury. But as for brands, ski boots from such manufacturers as Spine, Alpina, Nordway and Madshus are the most popular now.