Why do snow skiing boots give my shins long cuts, bruises, and blisters & what can I do to correct?

I am new to the sport of snow skiing. I went twice in the past week. I now have long cuts and blisters on the front of my shins. I have tried two different types of boots, the ones that open at the top and also the ones that open from the back. Both gave me cuts on my shins. I tried thick socks. I also stuff the leg portion of my long underwear into the boot as extra padding. I even tried putting soccer shin pads into my boots for extra padding. However, that seemed unstable while skiing. Any suggestions? Do I have to give up skiing for this problem? My foot size is men's 12.5. I use a size 13 boot because they don't make 12.5. I tried a 12 once, but that seems too small with my toes pushed up against the front of the boot. Thank you for your time.

Why do snow skiing boots give my shins long cuts, bruises, and blisters %26amp; what can I do to correct?
First, never buy a ski boot by your normal shoe size. Especially since many boots are made in Europe and don't go buy your size. You are probably a 30 in a ski boot. When standing upright, your toe should be close to the front of the boat. Touching, but not touching. Like the sense thta you know that is the end of the boot by your toe, but not actually slammed into it to know. When you lean forward in your shin, your foot should slide back and you should not feel the front of the boot at all. You may be renting too small of a boot and it isn't shifting back, forcing your shin into the boot even more. Or, you are buckling it too tightly. If you are not an expert skiier, you want a little more give in your boot. Check out the links below for more info on boot sizing.
Reply:k, well skiing you want a smaller size. recreationally 12 or 13 either way. some companies do make 12.5 by the way. but 12 is better because it locks your foot in. (I wear a size nine shoe and size 7.5 ski boot shell...means its even smaller than that) bruises are common. i am a racer and get a. bruises...and b. i lose all the hair on the front of my legs. i have a missing patch. this, despite the uncomfortableness, it is good because it means your are staying forward in your boots and you will become better quickly. do not put shin pads in that will ruin your skiing and be even worse. and make sure your ski socks and your long underwear dont have any wrinkles or bunches...finally dont use rear entry boots. there not good
Reply:Your main problem is the stuffing of everything into the boot.





When I teach, the first thing I do is inspect everyone's boot. You should have only your sock and your foot in the boot - no pants, no extra padding or anything.





Your other problem is the size of the boot. The boot should have your toes somewhat "squished" into the boot, althought not too squished. You should be able to wiggle them a little bit, but still feel the front of the boot. When you lean forward, your toes should retract from the front of the boot slightly, but not too much so that you cant feel the front with the very tip of your big toe. You should NOT be able to lift your heel up at all. They should be tightened enough so that when you stand up, you naturally lean forward and have issues standing up straight, but not so tightened that they hurt you. If they are too loose, they can rub up on your skin and cause blisters and bruising and cuts from being pinched against your skin.





I'd say stick with front entrance boots - not rear entrance. Front entrance allows for an easier adjustment of the boot - if you need it looser, you can adjust one buckle or the other, depnding on what needs to be loosened.





I always get the same problem when I ski, although not quite to your extent. I own my boots - a pair of Nordica Olympia Speedmachine 12 for women. The biggest issue is wearing them in so I dont bruise my shins.





Also be sure you are wearing ski socks, not regular socks. I see plenty of people wearing regular socks in my lessons and they usually get the same problems you are describing - they get cuts and bruises since the boots dont have anything protecting them from the skin. Ski socks generally come up to mid shin, and lightweight and have a tighter fit around the ankle. If you go into any good ski shop, they will show you the ski sock section - pick a leightweight sock - hevaier socks prevent your ankle from getting the proper rolling it should need to manage a turn.





If you are still ahving issues, go to the rental place and ask for another pair, or ask them to fit a pair - they should be able to measure your feet and tell you exactly what size you should wear. Ski boots dont go by american sizes - they go by european sizes, which makes it difficult to find the right pair unless you have your foot sized to them.





I hope this helps. If you have any other issues, add them to yr question and I'll try to edit my question for you. :)
Reply:dude ur boots r to tight i used to have that problem i put them as tight as i could but now i have all of my clips on the first notch instead of 3 or 4 hooks further.


ppl think its harder to ski with loose boots but it was more and easier to ski but if ur going to race ull just have to deal with it cuz wen ur going the fast it makes it harder but since ur a beginer. and it wont do anything other than take the bruises and stuff away and make it easier and more comfortable.


unlike snowbaording boots ski boots r really uncomfortable.


and try not to put all that stuff in dont try really thin socks and not to thick. its really har to describe the sock but try a different and see how they feel.





if all ur cuts and stuff go away but u still get bruises dont worry about those but if they hurt ull just have to take som pain cuz every1 gets thos.





hop u took som of my advice.


well good luck
Reply:Well, half a size too big shouldn't feel all that loose. But let me give you a tip: stick as few things as possible down in your boot. No thick socks, no extra socks, no long john cuffs, and for goodness sakes, no shin pads! And I agree with the person on the cotton socks...they get wet and clammy. Make sure to have a pair of socks that will wick sweat.





A good ski boot will buckle up real tight on your shin, even if the boot is too big. So crank those buckles to the last position! For the footbed, get one of those insole pads (like Dr. Scholls or something similar). Even if you are renting boots, put an insole insert in the boot to help snug it up, cinch the top buckles tight.





If you buy boots make sure to get them custom fitted. Boot fit can be taken care of! Don't give up on skiing because of this!
Reply:If you are new to the sport then your problem is most likely cotton socks. Socks with even the slightest percentage of cotton will wreak havoc on your shins and feet. I don't know why, but that's one of the first lessons a skier learns. Whatever you do, don't load up on extra padding. Find a pair of socks that are nylon or wool, and not way too thick. You'll cut off the circulation to your toes and be colder in spite of the extra insulation. Also consider having your boots professionally fitted. You might discover that your boots are not the right size.




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