Ski boot size chart

What Mondopoint means

Mondopoint is the length of your foot in centimeters, measured from the heel to the longest toe. A 26.5 cm foot is a Mondopoint 26.5. Surefoot notes that the number means the same thing in every brand, which is why it is more reliable than a shoe size, which varies from brand to brand.

Boots are made in half sizes, but in most lines two Mondopoint sizes, such as 26 and 26.5, share one shell, the hard plastic outer boot, and so share one sole length too (Surefoot).

Ski boot size chart: US men's and women's to Mondopoint

Charts do not all agree. evo's chart puts each US size half a Mondopoint larger: a men's 9 or women's 10 is 27.5 for a comfort fit and 26.5 for a performance fit, where Nordica says 27 and 26. This is why the number to trust is your own foot length in centimeters, not your shoe size.

How to measure your foot for ski boots

1. 1
   Heel against a wallPut a sheet of paper on a hard floor against a wall, and stand on it with your heel touching the wall.
2. 2
   Stand with your weight on the footNordica says to keep the foot fully weighted while you measure, for an accurate length.
3. 3
   Mark the longest toeMark the paper at the tip of your longest toe.
4. 4
   Measure in centimetersMeasure from the wall to the mark. If your tape is in inches, multiply by 2.54 (evo).
5. 5
   Do the other footSurefoot says to measure both feet and start from the longer one.

Standard fit, performance fit and shell fit

Nordica recommends its standard fit, at your foot length, for beginner to intermediate skiers who ski less often and at lower speeds. Its performance fit is one size smaller, for intermediate to advanced skiers who ski regularly at higher speeds. evo adds that experts may go up to a full size smaller, which usually needs a skilled boot fitter to make comfortable.

A shell fit checks the length of the hard outer boot. The fitter takes the liner out, you slide your foot, in a sock, forward in the shell until your toes touch the front, and the fitter measures the gap behind your heel. Surefoot gives about one to two fingers, or 15-20 mm, and tighter for stronger skiers. evo says more than two fingers is usually too big.

• With the liner in and the boot buckled, evo says slight to moderate pressure on your longest toes is normal, because the liner compresses after a few days of skiing.
• A snug boot should not cut off circulation or cause painful pressure points (evo). When a boot is close but one spot hurts, a boot fitter can often fix it.
• Width matters as well as length. evo lists boot widths, called lasts, from about 97 mm for narrow to 102 mm and up for wide, with 100 mm as average.

New boots can need the bindings reset, even in the same size, because sole length differs between models. Take the boots and skis to a shop. Then use the ski length calculator for the skis themselves.