When we buy skiing and snowboarding clothing, we all check it’s windproof, waterproof and breathable, because we want to stay warm and dry on the mountain. Continue reading How does Gore-Tex® Work?







When we buy skiing and snowboarding clothing, we all check it’s windproof, waterproof and breathable, because we want to stay warm and dry on the mountain. Continue reading How does Gore-Tex® Work?
The flex in ski boots refers to how easy or hard it is to move the boot forward at the cuff. It is represented by an index number, ranging from 50 (very soft) up to 130 (race stiff). The flex index of the boot can usually be found on the side of your boot.
Some brands and styles will have two different flex numbers, for example 110-100. These boots tend to have an easy to use dial on the back of the boots, which allows you to slightly alter the flex of the boot between the two numbers. The tricky thing is that most boot manufactures don’t stick to a standardised flex index, so one brands 110 flex could be another brands 100 flex. So its good to just use the flex index as a guide, rather than strictly going by the number.
You may ask yourself, what kind of flex would suit my skiing ability? Generally speaking, a first time beginner skier will be in a very soft flex boot and an advanced skier would be in a much stiffer flex boot. However, your weight and the type of skiing can affect it too!
Too keep it simple, a 70 – 90 flex would suit beginner men. Intermediate men would be comfortable in an 80 – 100 flex boot, and advanced male skiers would look at a 90+ flex. Again, this is just a guide; a heavier/stronger skiers would want to go for a stiffer flex boot because they will be more powerful and will easily ‘flex’ the boot.
Women tend to have less body mass for their foot size and height, therefore flex ratings are lower. The flex starts from 50 and will go up to the highest point of 110. Beginner women skiers would suit a 50-60 flex, intermediate women skiers will be looking for the 60-80 flex, and advanced women skiers will get much more out of a boot that’s between 80-110 flex.
As always we recommend seeking professional advice and getting your ski boots fitted by a qualified boot fitter.
Here are some tips for trying on ski boots; we recommend visiting a store for professional boot fitting advice! Continue reading Top tips for trying on ski boots
Head, Atomic and Salomon boots all come with a fairly basic foot-bed. These foot-beds are fine, they do the job there intended for, however they have little or no shape to them. This is purely so they will fit all different types of foot shapes. Continue reading Can I change the foot-bed/insole of my boot?
There is nothing worse than getting cold feet when you’re skiing; we’ve all been there, sat on a chair lift, and all you can think about is how cold your feet are. It can stop you from enjoying your skiing, because all you to do is get inside and warm up!
Continue reading I suffer from cold feet when skiing, why is this?
There are pretty big differences between on and off-piste skis. However, having said that, brands like Salomon, K2, Head and Atomic are creating skis that can be used for both disciplines. No longer do you have to take two pairs of skis on holiday with you. Continue reading What’s the difference between off-piste and piste skis?
Sometimes it’s hard to know what skiing ability range you fit into. We’ve all been there: you’ve walked into a store or rental shop to get some kit, and the first thing they ask you is “what’s your skiing ability”?
Wouldn’t it be nice to know! Rather than standing there stuttering because you’re unsure. This guide will help you understand it all a bit better and give you more of a clear-cut response; which is important especially when having your ski bindings set.
Just remember choose based on what ability you are now not what you want to be, as incorrect categorisation could cause injuries to yourself and others around.
Beginner skier still performing snow plough turns
Cautious skier on green and blue runs
Low boot release setting
Skis parallel on blue and red runs
Prefers a variety of speeds
Does not class themselves as a type 1 or 3 skier
Medium boot release setting
Skis parallel on red and some black runs
Aggressive skiing
Fast skiing on steep mixed terrain
High boot release setting
Parallel skiing on any slope
Skis at extremely high speeds i.e. racing/off piste powder shredding
Very high boot release setting
Welcome to the Tallington Lakes Pro Shop blog, where we hope you will find the answers you are looking for! Continue reading Welcome