Ski boot
From Free net encyclopedia
Image:Ski boots, Head brand.jpg
Ski boots are specialized footwear that are used in skiing to provide protection and warmth for the foot in snowy and icy conditions, along with a way to attach the skier to skis using ski bindings so that skiers ski over snow.
Ski boots were originally made of leather. As ski binding technology advanced from a free-heel boot to a fixed heel, boots advanced from leather to plastic with protuberances at the toe and heel to fit into ski bindings. Boots come in various degrees of stiffness; beginners typically like a softer, more padded boot, while more advanced skiers prefer a stiffer boot.
Ski boots are typically fastened using between three and five buckles, although various alternatives have been tried over the years.
Comfort has been improved in recent years by the use of conformable linings (usually heated to fit). These allow an inflexible outer shell to accept a broad range of differing foot shapes.