Bootftters Blog

Top 10 Men's and Women's Boots from This Year's Test

We tested over 100 boot models at this year's boot test, which adds up to over 1000 test forms where testers rated boots in five categories: Anatomical Fit & Initial Feel, Dynamic Balance, Edge Power & Fore-Aft Support, Quickness Steering & Feel, and Convenience, Warmth & Features. Our large test team (over 50 of 'em) is comprised of a wide range of skiers, from ex-racers to backcountry purists, who come with an even broader spread of maturity levels and foot types. Read on to see the top 10 scoring men's and women's boots, regardless of category....

Boot Search 101: Boot Type, Last Width, Flex Index

The first step in your ultimate boot search is to know thyself! How and where do you want to ski? Are you groomer-centric or an off-piste munk junkie? Are you a human-powered ascent machine or a burger-loving fan of the chairlift? Answers to these questions will guide you toward one of our four Boot Test Categories: Frontside, All-Mountain, On-Off Area and Backcountry. Once you're there, your search is fine-tuned by matching your foot shape to a boot's Last Width and addressing your performance needs by choosing the appropriate Flex Index.

If It's All About Fit, Why Have an On-Snow Test?

When we boot testers are in the shop, selling boots, we might fib a little bit and tell a customer, you know, it's pretty hard to find a bad boot these days, but we know the truth. It's also true that finding the right boot starts with a fit that matches the foot, the instep and the lower leg (and hopefully the other parts in between), and sure, it's nice if it goes on easy, the buckles work and it's warm. But if the boot doesn't let you ski at least as well as you did in your last pair of boots, or better yet, make you a better skier (which many do)—then really, is it the right boot for you?

America's Best Bootfitters boot test Mt. Bachelor, Pine Marten Lodge
Start Your Search for the Perfect Boot Here!

Our advanced boot searching algorithm lets you narrow the field of options by any or all of these filters: gender, test category, brand, boot type, hike modality, last width and even Cantology compatibility! Start your search by selecting Reviews/Boot Reviews from the menu above, then select your FILTER parameters and hit UPDATE RESULTS. Happy hunting, and remember that this is just a start—finalize your search by trying on the boots that make your short list at an America's Best Bootfitters member shop! Read on for our tips on how to find your best match….

Boot Test Headquarters--Mt. Bachelor, Oregon

The annual America's Best Bootfitters boot test returned to Mt. Bachelor, Oregon this past spring for the 25th time since the test's inception there in 1988! Why is Mt. Bachelor the ideal location for a boot test? Well, it always happens in the first two weeks of April, and what makes it a perfect test headquarters are the same reasons that savvy skiers head there for Spring skiing roadtrips. Well, that and cheap Spring passes, and staying at Mount Bachelor Village Resort, and yeah, probably Deschutes Brewery, too.

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