How to choose the correct size of alpine ski touring boots and what is the MONDO POINT SYSTEM?

Ski boot size is indicated in what is called the MONDO POINT system, in the following article you will learn what it is and how to accurately measure the size of your feet in order to make a selection that is right for you.

Stand with your back agains the wall, make sure the heel is touching the wall as well and measure the size of your foot in cm (from heel to toe). Round your measurement to the nearest 0.5cm (for example 26.3=26.5, 28.7=29 or 26.8=27.0)

The following conversion chart will aid you in converting your measure to other international foot size formats.

 

SKI BOOTS ARE SUBDIVIDED INTO 3 CLASSES: CLASSIC SKI TOURING, RACING OR FREERIDE

Classic ski touring (allmountain) ski boots 
are the best choice for ski touring beginners, ideal for long uphill routes and downhill sections, they have a simple mechanism for switching between climbing and downhill modes.

Performance (racing) ski boots 
tend to be lightweight with a fast mode switching mechanism and feature a high cuff rotation radius compared to other boots.

Freeride ski boots
are the heaviest boot type and feature a high flex index, that is, rigidity, and feature a solid 4 buckle locking system.

Todays trend is that manufacturers are attempting to produce the most rigid but also the most lightweight ski boot. The old rule that ski touring boots must have 4 buckles to properly manage downhill sections is long gone, today 2-3 buckle boots are the norm and perform just as well as the old 4 buckle variant.

 

Cuff rotation
For alpine ski touring boots the cuff rotation tends to be around 60o but for racing variants this can go all the way up to 75o. One simple rule applies – the hight the cuff rotation the more flexible the boot thus providing better comfort during uphill climbing.

Ski boot weight
Typicial ski boots tend to be 3kg or up in weight; ski touring boots tend to be much lighter, usually around 1.5kg. The general rule applies that the lighter the boot the easier the uphill climbing.

 

SKI BOOT AND SKI BINDING COMPATIBILITY

There are two fundamental binding types on the market today.

Standard touring bindings appear to be not much different than typical downhill bindings. Their advantage is easy uphill ascents and a safe heel lock to prevent injury.  The second option are TLT bindings, which require more patience during ascents but are half the wieght of standard touring bindings. TLT bindings are only compatible with ski boots designed specifically for these bindings.