Frequently Asked Questions about Ski Boots

How do studs on the back spine of a snowshoe affect the performance of the snowshoe?
The strength of a pair of overlapping or two-piece ski boots comes from the spine. By adding a rivet or two to the rear ridge, you're actually attaching the upper to the lower shell. More rivets create more rigidity - it will feel stiffer. But what's really changed is that the boot will deliver more bounce. If you feel like your legs are getting sore and then you think they are, a little more rebound might help you out.

How does a two-piece overlapping snowshoe design compare to a three-piece open snowshoe design?
On lap boots, the power comes from the back of the shoe. In an open design, the movement of the upper depends on the stiffness of the tongue - if you take the liner out of an open snowshoe, you can move the upper back and forth more easily than in an overlapping snowshoe. This is because there are no rivets on the back of the three-piece shell. The tongue also provides rebound, so the rebound can be adjusted by changing the tongue. In overlapping snowshoes, when the snowshoe is bent forward, the lower shell (the lower part of the snowshoe) bulges, ie deforms. In open snowshoes, however, it is the tongue that deforms. Since open snowshoes significantly reduce bulge, this requires extra work (drilling/grinding) to avoid rubbing against the ankle bone. However, due to the reduced bulge, open boots can better accommodate taller/thinner feet.

Why do three-piece snowshoes have a softer feel than two-piece snowshoe boots?
Three-piece snowshoes hinge lower than two-piece snowshoes, giving the skier longer leverage, and longer levers mean you have more strength to bend the snowshoe. Three-piece snowshoes will feel soft when they start to bend, but will get harder as they bend. Two-piece snowshoes are more linear in stiffness.

Does the thickness of the shell affect the fit of the boot?
Oh yeah, that's part of the reason why World Cup race snowshoes are not as comfortable, the shells are significantly thicker than any snowshoes you'll see in a ski shop. If you're wearing two pairs of ski boots that are actually the same width (we'll discuss ski boot last width in the next section), using the same liner, the boot with the thinner shell will appear roomier because it's easier to bending. Another factor that is even more important for ski boots is weight, and the wall thickness has gotten significantly thinner over the past few years, so snowshoes have become more comfortable.