Boots for the backcountry

For oss ski-og vinterentusiaster er det noe spesielt med den rå opplevelsen av urørt natur i kombinasjon med å sette egne spor, ta egne valg og kjøre svinger i urørt snø. Vi lever for kontakten og nærheten til naturen og fjellet. Som alle «skibomser» med respekt for seg selv, så er jo vi også opptatt av utstyret. Det å optimalisere utstyr til personlige preferanser er nok noe mange folk kan kjenne seg igjen i. As it happens, our species has a long history of gear-dorkery. Palaeolithic and neolithic engravings of skiers in Norway even indicate bindings, poles, and recognisable XC stances – albeit we don’t know if stone age Norway went for NNN BC or 75mm. Anyway. In short, the wrong boots lead to painful feet, and painful feet lead back to the car with a miserable shuffle. It’s our sacred duty to prevent this – hence the following guide to things to bear in mind when buying new ski boots for tours off-trail.

The most important thing to remember when choosing boots:

 
Fit. The shoes must fit YOUR foot. Tips from friends and the internet only go so far. Try boots on both feet. Walk around the shop. Keep trying them on until you find the ones that work.
 
Shoes for your use and terrain. Ask specialist shops and people you trust. Choose boots that match your skisbindings, and your intended use!
 
Warmth. If you’re heading into the winter mountains, choose boots warm enough for that. This may mean boots with space for a removable felt lining, or thick socks, proper insulation, or integrated gaiters. You know better than anyone how cold your feet get and what you’re going to use the boots for.
 
Stability. The older you get, or the worse shape you are in – the more stable shoes you benefit from. While stability plays a more important role if you want to do more downhill-oriented cross-country skiing than multiday tours, stability is always your friend.
 
Comfort. Of course. If you have the choice, choose what’s most comfortable. This goes hand-in-hand with fit and finding a shoe the right size, that fits the shape of your foot, without chafing or discomfort.

Shoes that have passed the quality test

Boots that suit your foot, your use and your preferences are more important than the brand. Of course, some will choose boots with a Norwegian connection. Which is understandable. As far as we’re concerned, get boots from people who have proven over many years that they’re good at boots for binding to cross-country skis in the backcountry. So that’s why we tend to recommend shoes from either ALFAAlpinaCrispi or Lundhags.

Bindings

Here’s what you need to know. It’s worth getting into the details: boots and bindings are, in some ways, a decision you make as a package.

1. Fit – the foot decides

Always check in with your feet before you buy boots. See if they fit them. No matter what you read or hear, this is where your feet interface with the ski, and it has to be right. All feet are different, and all boots are made to different “lasts”. Set aside time to go into a good specialist shop, chat with people there. The aim is a boot that suits your foot, your needs, and your terrain.

2. The right boot for the right use

On long, gentle trails in the forest or mountain, simple comfort is the priority. If your touring includes steeper descents or icy conditions, a boot with more stability is essential. The stiffness of the sole and the support in the shaft determines the degree of control you’ll have on the hill. 75mm bindings also provide more torsionally stable soles, which give better steering properties. If you’re out in the mountains at Easter with the crowds, easy skiing conditions are hard to find. On fast and rutted tracks, stable boots provide good support for the feet and legs. In deep and loose snow, gaiters may be a necessity. For those who do most of their skiing in loose snow, integrated gaiters are very practical. An integrated gaiter keeps the snow safely out of the boot. As it’s integrated into the boot, snow doesn’t ride up inside the gaiter and get in that way, as it can with loose gaiters. And the high gaiter provides good insulation for feet and calves, too.

3. Choose boots for your bindings

Obvious one – but make sure the boots you buy fit the bindings on the skis. The most-used binding is Rottefella’s NNN BC binding. If it’s not BC, it’ll be traditional 75 mm bindings.

4. Keep your feet warm in the hills.

An indisputable requirement for a successful tour in the mountains is that you keep your feet warm. Boots for the backcountry shoud be well insulated. Boots should be suited for normal Norwegian winter days – down to -20°. A high, integrated gaiter provides an additional heat-insulating air pocket on the calves and will be good on the coldest days. For days of extreme cold, expedition boots will keep your feet warm. These are boots with an extra layer pf insulation, and preferably also a felt liner, or equivalent, that keeps you warm. Felt or foam innersoles add a good insulating layer too!

5. Test your boots before you set off on a longer tour!

Before you put your new boots into use in the backcountry, make sure they both fit. Ideally, you should be able to move your toes a little while your foot fits snugly at the heel. And obviously, your boots should be comfy. A few short mini-tours before you set off on a longer expedition to break in your boots is a good idea. This can avoid chafing when you’re miles from home and running out of blister plasters. Impregnation is a good idea, too – it doesn’t only protect the leather, if you use the right one in the right places, it can make your boots a little softer where they need to be. Don’t automatically put softening mink oil on the shaft, though. It can mean less support.

Binding compatibility

What’s under your boot and on top of your ski? This is completely crucial.

Which boots do you have?

There are five main types of Nordic boot soles, all with corresponding bindings:

Boot compatibility quick-check:

NNN Boot NNN bindings, NIS bindings, Turnamic bindings, ProLink bindings
NNN BC Boot NNN BC bindings

75 mm (3-pin) boots

75mm, or “3-pin” boots are the most obviously distinctive family of Nordic ski boots. They have a 75mm wide “duck bill” on the front of the shoe, with three holes on the bottom of the sole, which line up with the pegs on the correct binding.

NNN boots

NNNN boots, or New Nordic Norm boots, come in both BC (backcountry) and classic “langrenn” varieties. NNN boots, made for prepared trails and narrower, lighter, skis have a single bar at the toe and two channels that match corresponding ridges on the binding. NNN BC boots have the same configuration, but with a more sturdy 37mm bar and wider, deeper channels. NNN boots and NNN BC boots are not compatible with the same bindings!

SNS boots

Salomon Nordic System boots come in two different options: Profile and Pilot (the backcountry variant of the SNS, the X-ADV, was retired in 2015). All SNS boots have a bar at the toe and channels along the sole. SNS Profil boots have a single bar; SNS Pilot boots have two — one at the toe, one underfoot. SNS Profil and SNS Pilot boots are not compatible with the same bindings nor compatible with NNN bindings.

Skis can also come with plates

Some skis come with plates. It only takes a moment to make sure your bindings, boots and plates are compatible. There are many different types of plates:

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