• Welcome to AlpineZone, the largest online community of skiers and snowboarders in the Northeast!

    You may have to REGISTER before you can post. Registering is FREE, gets rid of the majority of advertisements, and lets you participate in giveaways and other AlpineZone events!

Boots n' Buckles

ss20

Well-known member
Joined
Jan 13, 2013
Messages
3,919
Points
113
Location
A minute from the Alta exit off the I-15!
So step 1 in any ski gear summer storage guide is to buckle your boots so they hold their shape. I don't think anyone is going to debate that...

Do you keep your boots buckled during the season when you're not skiing? I typically keep them buckled til I boot up, and buckle them again once the boots are off at the end of the day. Exception being bus trips when the boots are stored under the bus in the cold- I will keep them unbuckled so it's easier to put them on at the mountain when they're cold.

Does it really make a difference if the boots are unbuckled for a few days in between ski sessions? I keep them buckled out of habit/practice, but if someone can give me a reason as to why (or why not to) I'd like to hear it.
 

ironhippy

Member
Joined
May 16, 2014
Messages
408
Points
18
Location
NB Canda
ha, I had no idea.

I'm pretty sure mine have been unbuckled since the last time I used them in April.
 

machski

Well-known member
Joined
Sep 5, 2014
Messages
3,702
Points
113
Location
Northwood, NH (Sunday River, ME)
Overnight I leave the shells unbuckled to allow the seams to dry. Pull the liners out during the season after skiing. Had plugs with lace up liners in last boot so they stayed out til I tied up and stepped in. New ones back to regular liners and will likely Jeep them out til I'm ready to boot up.

Sent from my XT1650 using AlpineZone mobile app
 

Jully

Active member
Joined
Dec 13, 2014
Messages
2,487
Points
38
Location
Boston, MA
The insoles I have don't do well being pulled out of the boot regularly, so I don't remove the liners, but I do keep them buckled all the time. Leaving them unbuckled for a day or two I'm sure is fine, but it's the habit that's important for when you do leave them for awhile.
 

SkiFanE

New member
Joined
Oct 14, 2010
Messages
1,260
Points
0
Location
New England
Admittedly my summer gear storage involves washing clothing. The rest stays as it was plunked down on last day of the year lol (so usually muddy). At end of ski day I only reconnect the Velcro strap. I leave buckles undone - so they dry better and for some reasons buckling up every time seems like it would cause too much setting of boot to one size. My feet are always swelling up and down - so have no reliable setting - it's a crapshoot every day. I got 300 days out of my last boots, so I'm not worried about boot life lol.
 

Cornhead

Well-known member
Joined
Dec 4, 2010
Messages
2,836
Points
48
I usually buckle them up when I'm done skiing. If I'm traveling I almost always pull the liners and put them over whatever heat source is there to dry. I did melt a plastic portion of one of my liners doing this at a B&B near Jay. A little mystified how the apparently hot water radiator could get hot enough to melt plastic, but it did. I should invest in a boot dryer so I can just leave them assembled. There can be alot of moisture between the shells and liners, I guess a boot dryer would dry this too.

Sent from my Moto G (4) using AlpineZone mobile app
 

deadheadskier

Moderator
Staff member
Moderator
Joined
Mar 6, 2005
Messages
27,921
Points
113
Location
Southeast NH

crank

Well-known member
Joined
Mar 3, 2005
Messages
1,357
Points
63
Location
CT
I always buckle but don't think it really matters. Never take my liners out.
 

SIKSKIER

New member
Joined
Nov 13, 2006
Messages
3,667
Points
0
Location
Bedford and Franconia NH
Never buckled them in 40 years.Doesn't make any difference as there really is nothing to buckle to for resistence.What do you guys think buckling empty boots does?Do you tie your shoes when your wearing them?
 

machski

Well-known member
Joined
Sep 5, 2014
Messages
3,702
Points
113
Location
Northwood, NH (Sunday River, ME)
Never buckled them in 40 years.Doesn't make any difference as there really is nothing to buckle to for resistence.What do you guys think buckling empty boots does?Do you tie your shoes when your wearing them?
Most boot fitters recommend buckling them when not in use. Plastic can sag and form can change slightly if not held in shape. How magnified that would be to the average skier is realistically probably minimal.

Sent from my XT1650 using AlpineZone mobile app
 

Jully

Active member
Joined
Dec 13, 2014
Messages
2,487
Points
38
Location
Boston, MA
Most boot fitters recommend buckling them when not in use. Plastic can sag and form can change slightly if not held in shape. How magnified that would be to the average skier is realistically probably minimal.

Sent from my XT1650 using AlpineZone mobile app

This.

Not sure if it is just cognitive dissonance, but if I ever do accidentally leave the boots unbuckled for a week or so, when I first put them on I feel like I can tell.

The way I view it, it adds an additional 5 seconds per boot to buckle them after use, and if it adds even a little more longevity or performance to the boots as they age, then it is well worth it. Also has the added bonus of the buckles not getting caught on things in the bootbag.
 

SkiFanE

New member
Joined
Oct 14, 2010
Messages
1,260
Points
0
Location
New England
This.

Not sure if it is just cognitive dissonance, but if I ever do accidentally leave the boots unbuckled for a week or so, when I first put them on I feel like I can tell.

The way I view it, it adds an additional 5 seconds per boot to buckle them after use, and if it adds even a little more longevity or performance to the boots as they age, then it is well worth it. Also has the added bonus of the buckles not getting caught on things in the bootbag.
Yeah, OCD. You probably start twitching if you haven't rotated your tires in 5k miles.

I'm fucking busy All.the.Time. When I am not - I have a choice of how to spend my "free" time - and one thing I NEVER do is go back to my boots and buckle them up after drying (I think buckling up right after skiing doesn't help dry them, so I leave loose). Anal retentive people care. I bet if they were busier and they didn't go back and buckle boots they wouldn't even notice - they'd be grateful the stars aligned to allow them to ski! I got 300 days on my 5-6 yr old boots last time - longevity not an issue :)
 
Top