Buying Ski Boots Online: The Ultimate Walkthrough

Fall is that time of year when our ski senses start to reawaken. Movie premieres are dropping right and left, and we all dream of spinning and stomping our way through this next season—even if the closest we actually get is side hits and cat tracks. But with all the fretting over season passes and opening days, dialing in your gear is something we don't want you to worry about. Some boot fitters are open and taking appointments, but we know that's not practical for everyone.

While nothing takes the place of a proper boot fit from a trained professional, below is a comprehensive list of tips to help you purchase a ski boot online, broken down into key topics: ideal use, shell fit and size, last and width, break point, and liners. So grab your old boots, you’ll need them as a reference, and take a gander below. You also might want to crack a beer—summer sandal feet going straight into a ski boot is a harsh introduction to the joys of winter.

What Will You Use the Boot For?

If you’re looking to purchase boots online this year, it’s important to keep in mind the boot you’re replacing—what you liked about it and what you did not. Think, too, about where you are going to be using this boot. Are you purchasing a ski touring boot to complement your four-buckle plug boots, a hybrid boot to do everything, or a standard alpine boot with no walk mode?

We won’t get into the differences of plastics here or the nuance of four buckles versus cabrio—those are outlined in our '24/'25 boot reviews on the Gear Locker. Simply think about what your ideal boot is, what has worked well in the past, and how that boot was labeled (stiff, soft, wide, narrow). No one knows your feet and experience better than you, but keep an open mind to trying new things if the fit is right.

Related: Best Crossover Resort/Ski Touring Boots of 2025

Shell Fit and Sizing

With your old ski boots in hand, yank the liner out and set the shell on the floor. Then place your foot inside the shell without any socks on–if you have to a super-thin or ultralight sock that will work too. Once you’re nestled in, slide up your toes so that they just graze the front of the boot. While bending your knee slightly, reach backward and see how many fingers you can place in between your heel and the back of the shell. This is the shell fit, and it can help determine if your previous boots were fitted correctly.

One to two fingers is around normal. Though if you want a high-performance fit, one finger is ideal. Any more more than two fingers is too big. For example, I’m a 10.5 shoe size but I ski in a mondo 26 ski boot, which translates to a size 8.

Last and Width

To measure the last and width of your old ski boots, realign your foot from the front to the center or neutral position of the boot.

There are a couple of things to observe here, but the most important is this: whether the side of your foot, your anklebone, or your pinky/sixth toe comes into contact with the edges of the shell.

For a high-performance fit, you want to be just grazing the shell, but not so much that your foot feels cramped in there. If your anklebone is touching, perhaps that’s why you need new boots—or maybe a grind or punch in that spot from your boot fitter. Lastly, if you have too much space from the side of your foot to the shell you will be clanging around in there with no control while skiing.

Break Point

The break point of the boot is often overlooked, yet a crucial part of the fit. It's similar to checking on your instep height but has to do with how your boot flexes. After size, it’s the biggest focal point of my attention. The break is the point at which the ankle flexes the cuff from the lower shell. With less space along the break, you’ll have a more intuitive and powerful feel while skiing the boot since you won’t be losing energy and elasticity.

With your foot still neutral in the boot, see how much space there is along the break. See attached images, notice one boot pictured has very minimal space along the break, while another has slightly more.

If you have a boot that fits well in terms of size and last but has too much space along the break, you can dial it in via a variety of methods. Options include adding a different liner—Intuition, foam injection, or Zip Fit—adding a piece of foam to the tongue of a boot, and/or adding a spoiler to the rear of the boot.

However, if you have a boot that is already too big or too wide, and you have too much space on the break, you’ll run into problems since you’ll essentially be swimming in the boot once the liner packs out. That means it's time to size down or get a narrower last.

Liners, Footbeds, and Add-Ons

Once you've got your shell fit optimized, it's time to think about taking up all the remaining empty space between your foot and the plastic. That's where the liner comes in. Up until a few years ago, most bootfitters would toss the stock boot liners and replace them with something much more customizable and long-lasting.

These days, many high-end boots actually come with top-notch stock liners, so those days might be over. Of the batch of boots we tested last year, two came with stock Intuitions, one came with stock Zip Fit, and the factory liners from Atomic and Salomon now come with seriously good foam or even injection options.

That all said, it's vital you spend the time to properly mold these types of liners. If you are purchasing a boot that comes with an Intuition liner, it isn’t going to feel good until you cook it and ski it a few days to break it in. Same goes for Zip Fit or other custom liners.

Inside the liner, we can't recommend getting a custom insole enough. Either spend the cash and have a bootfitter make you a fully-custom one, or if your feet are less sensitive and you want to save some cash, check out our favorite off-the-shelf options. These will support your feet inside the boot, prevent your arches from collapsing, and lead to a more comfortable, less-fatiguing ski experience.

Finally, if you're looking to add a little extra performance to a boot, we'd recommend replacing the stock power strap with a Booster Strap. These have been around for years, and make an absolutely massive difference in how smoothly a boot flexes. Say bye to shin bang, and say hello to more control.

Related: Go to a Damn Boot Fitter

It's time, so if your favorite ski shop or boot fitter is taking appointments already, saddle up. A boot fitter is going to make sure things fit perfectly. But if not, use this guide, using your old boots as a reference, and start researching online.

When purchasing online—if you can swing it—you can also order two boots for comparison or two different sizes, then return the one that doesn’t fit. Most online shops accept returns if the gear is unused.