Salomon Instinct Ski Boots

www.salomon.com/us/
If you invest in one piece of alpine ski gear this season, consider new boots. We’ve tested literally dozens of women-specific alpine ski boots, and Salomon’s Instinct became our favorite due to its excellent power transfer and pain-free ride.  The boot helped us float through heavy Oregon powder, and then transition to hard-pack groomers.  It is designed for front-side carving, with an extraordinary nimbleness and control. You quickly notice that turning is easier as the boot has amazing sensitivity—almost as if it were reacting to your thoughts; it’s easy to see why they named these boots “Instinct.” It combines the performance of a World Cup racing boot with all-day comfort, which is saying a lot if you’ve ever skied in WC boots before.  Credit the heat-customizable PU shell (with the same World Cup technology used in race boots, designed to expand precisely to the width of your foot for optimal fit and performance), and a heat-customizable liner that conforms to your foot. The liner is warm and cradles your foot with no sloppy dead space.  This four-buckle boot comes in three flex patterns, 70, 90, and 100. We like the 100 flex for aggressive “expert” skiers, but if you’re under 120 pounds and a beginning or intermediate skier, definitely go with the softer 70 or 90 which will allow you to get more out of the boot, so that you’re flexing your ankles to initiate turns. The cuffs are designed for a woman’s calves, with padding that is soft and comfortable without being squishy.  Extra control is via a Velcro power strap that cranks in the fit and locks your foot into a forward, aggressive position to help keep you out of the back seat, with your weight on the balls of your feet where it belongs.