A common perception in skiing is that it is possible to put on a ski boot and go skiing without doing anything to the boot other than buckle it up. For the very casual beginner skier that may be the case but for anyone interested in progressing beyond the casual entry lever, that is absolutely not the case. For racers custom fitting isn’t optional, it’s mandatory and can sometimes reduce race times by as much as several seconds.


Custom fitting is a 4 step process.

Step one is making a custom insole. Every skier will benefit by skiing on a custom insole. A custom insole fills the voids between the bottom of the foot and the inside sole of the boot. They transmit turn energy instantly and support the foot perfectly. They are the easiest way to improve skiing comfort and performance. The FootLab custom insole is unique in the industry in that it is a functional custom insole. We have skied on and tested every custom insole in the industry and have determined that a functional custom insole offers the skiers with pronated feet. 70% of the population has pronated feet

Step two is lateral alignment. This means checking to see if the skis are flat on the snow when the skier stands in their boots. About 85% of the skiers we check need alignment correction. Note- if your skis are not flat you will never be able to develop the proper two-foot steering technique that shape skis are designed to use (every racer and performance skier needs to have this checked).

Step three is fore and aft balance assessment. Excessive forward lean, misalignment due to leg length discrepancies or excessively upright boot cuffs effect turn shape, edge quickness and balance. Our experience is that maybe 80% of the skiers we check are fine in this regard. However, if you are one of the unlucky 15% this is a huge contributor to a miserable day of skiing.

The fourth and final step is edge tuning. The edges of skis are not square; they are beveled on the side and the bottom so that the actual edge is less than 90º to give the ski the optimum balance between quickness and grip. Different ski disciplines require different edge angles.

Custom fitting will instantly improve the comfort, fit and performance of your skis and boots. To learn how significantly custom fitting has improved performance for skiers just like you, go to our website www.hitempo.com, click on Snowsport then Custom Fitting then scroll half way down the page to the Custom Fitting Reviews icon. There are dozens and dozens of feedback comments from recreational skiers, racers, coaches, instructors and ski patrol from our local areas and across the country.

The FootLab and Hi Tempo is the only boot department with a full time Certified Pedorthist on staff. We know skiing and we know feet. Custom fitting is done by appointment only. Appointments can be made on our Hi Tempo website.