For regular ski boot liners, you may expect around 50-100 ski days of lifespan. It means you will have to replace them in 2-5 years (if you ski about three weeks a year). You can buy new liners for your ski boots and replace the old ones if they are worn out. The liners have ha shorter lifespan than the outer shell of the ski boots.
Ski boots are one of the most significant parts of your ski equipment. Still, they wear out over time, and you may need to replace them. However, ski boots are quite expensive, so replacing ski boot liners can often be a better solution.
So, let’s learn more about ski boot liners and how to take care of them.
Table of Contents
What Are Ski Boot Liners
Generally, you can break down a ski boot into three principal components:
- the inner boot or the ski boot liner;
- the plastic outer shell;
- the insole inside the inner boot.
The Outer Shell
The chassis of the ski boot is its plastic outer shell. This part allows you to control your skis and gives you the driving force. To make it work more efficiently, you need to make sure that its size is correct.
The Ski Boot Liners
This component of your ski boot is in contact with your lower leg and foot and is responsible for your warmth and comfort.
The Insole
The insole is the layer under your foot needed to support it.
When choosing new boots, make sure the ski boot liners to be snug, as they are going to get bigger and pad out with use. If you buy your ski boots only on the comfort aspect, as many skiers do, they will be too big.
The foot starts moving around after several days of use, and you will have to overtighten the closure buckles. It may cause spasms and restricted blood flow, which leads to numb feet, cold feet, or pins and needles.
What Are the Types Of Ski Boot Liners
Heat Moldable Inner Boots
The inner boots of almost all traditional ski boots are heat moldable. It allows you to place them on a heating device and warm them up.
The heat makes the foam layers around the ankle area to expand, and it will bed down to your feet excellently, especially in that area. You can do this initial customization in the shop by walking around for a few minutes. But your ski boot liners are still going to bed down to the feet when skiing.
Fully Thermo-moldable Ski Boot Liners
Most ski touring boots have fully thermo-moldable liners. They are more expensive, but also more comfortable, warmer, and lighter than traditional ones. However, the fitting of these ski boot liners is more time-consuming and complicated.
How Long Do Ski Boot Liners Last
In comparison with ski boots, which last between 50-200 skiing days, depending on their class, inner boots have a shorter lifespan. The reason for that is the difference in materials used. The materials for boot liners are soft, and they have to withstand more wear and tear from your foot.
You may expect no more than 50-100 days for ski boot liners. It means you will have to replace them in 2-5 years (if you ski about three weeks a year). But if you feel that boot liner became overly compacted out, it is time to replace it.
When To Replace Ski Boot Liners
The liners are the first components to deteriorate in your ski boots. The inner boots’ materials are not very durable, as manufacturers usually use textile and foam paddings in their production. The foam padding designed to support and hold your foot securely starts to lose its shape and compress.
As a result, you may feel unwanted movement and loss of support within the boot. Therefore, it becomes problematic to control your skis. It affects the confidence and performance of most skiers. And, as was said above, they overtighten their boots trying to minimize its movement.
There are many signs that it is time to replace your ski boot liners. They include melting the inner boots when drying on the radiator, packing out too much, and, surprisingly, the foam padding being eaten by mice when left in the garage or loft.
How To Replace Ski Boot Liners
Replacing ski boot liners is not a complicated process. The only thing you need to do is to remove the old ones and install the new liners inside. However, make sure to buy the right new inner boots. Check their size and type.
Any of the below liners’ types will be an improvement over all of those standard ones you used before. Manufacturers produce their ski boot shells according to the highest standards in developed countries, like Switzerland and Italy.
And when it comes to the liners, trying to cut costs, boots manufacturers outsourced their production to factories located in countries with cheap production methods and labor. These products look quite beautiful and provide an excellent initial fit.
However, they will last only for a few seasons. And the only option you have is buying new ski boots or replacing and upgrading your liners, giving them a new lease of life.
Can You Buy New Liners For Ski Boots
Anyone, who believes that his ski boots still look great, but the liners are not in the best condition, can buy new ones. Below are the best types of inner boots you can buy to replace your old ones.
Intuition Liners
These liners are an invention of the Canadian company Intuition. Their patented foam is surprisingly warm, light, and has the memory effect. Moreover, it is a very affordable option, but due to the 9mm thickness of these liners, they do not fit into some models of boot shells.
Therefore, it will be better to check their compatibility with your boots before purchasing them. These liners better suit higher volume ski boots with more internal space.
Svenfit Liners
These liners are an alternative to foam injected ones. In addition to the heat molding option, you can still add more material inside, filling in voids if needed.
The material of these liners is the mixture of cork and clay, and its principal purpose is maintaining a certain amount of fluidity. It allows you to adapt and change the molding around the contours of your foot.
Foam Injected Liners
These liners are the ultimate ski boot liners. They are 100% molded to the shape of your lower leg and foot. Foam injected liners eliminate any movement within the ski boot and allow you to achieve maximum hold.
Advanced skiers sometimes prefer this type of liner, as they need to achieve the highest performance. And they are ready to sacrifice their comfort for it.
How to Clean Your Ski Boot Liners
You do not have to clean your ski boot liners every day. But it will be better to routinely do it to prevent and eliminate odor, remove dirt, and prevent the appearance of mildew and mold.
However, before cleaning your inner boots, you should carefully read the care instructions. Although you can wash some of them by hand-wash.
Hand Wash
- Pull the ski boot liners out.
- Next, fill a sink with lukewarm water and add some liquid dish soap to it.
- If your ski boot liners smell bad, you can add three tablespoons of household ammonia to the mix.
- Soak your boot liners in this mixture for about five minutes. You can also use a medium-bristled brush or a sponge to scrub the ski boot liners.
- After that, you need to remove all soap residue by rinsing your ski boot liners under cold water. Then wring the excess moisture from them.
- Use the paper towels to stuff your inner boots.
- Do not use external heat to dry them.
Tips On How To Take Care Of Your Ski Boot Liners
To take care of your ski boot liners, you should do this:
- Remove your liners from your ski boots. To do it, you should gently pull them out from the boots shells.
- Dry the exterior of your inner boots using a towel.
- Never keep them in your car, on the balcony, or the porch overnight. It will be best to dry them at room temperature.
- One of the best tools to take care of your ski boot liners is a boot dryer. You can use it to dry them instead of using a hairdryer or radiator, which can ruin the shape.
Tips On How To Keep Ski Boots Smelling Fresh
To get rid of bad odor and keep your ski boots smelling fresh, you may use the following tips:
- Sprinkle some baking soda inside, shake the boot well, and leave overnight.
- After washing, place a sheet of dryer fabric softener inside your ski boots. Its effect lasts for several weeks.
- Also, you can put your ski boots in the freezer overnight. Most of the odor-causing bacteria will die there.
- Place a few small pieces of broken charcoal inside your ski boots overnight. They will absorb the bad smell.
Conclusion
As you see, ski boot liners are one of the vital parts of your ski equipment. And now you know when you should replace your inner boots and how to do it. Taking care of them and regular replacement can make your skiing experience even more enjoyable!
