How to Clean the Snow Off the Bottom of Your Ski Boots

Skiing is great fun and easy to learn. Occasionally, after a fall it's necessary to clean the bottom of your ski boots, removing the snow before clicking back into your bindings. This insures that your equipment will function properly and keep you free from injury. Follow these steps to make it easy.

Instructions

Difficulty: Easy

Things You’ll Need:

• Skis, boots and poles
• Lots of snow
• Good balance
• A pair of skis
• Ski poles
• Balance

The Ski Pole Method

1. One easy way to clean the snow off of the bottom of your ski boots is to use your ski pole. If you've just fallen, stand back up with both skis laid base-side down on the snow, underneath your hips.
2. Stand on one leg. If only one of your boots have released from the bindings, then stand on the foot that's still attached to a ski.
3. While supporting your weight with one ski pole (on the same side as the foot that's supporting your weight), lift your boot and rest it on your knee as if you were crossing your legs.
4. Using the other hand, whack the sole of your ski boot with the end of the ski pole shaft. Don't be timid--it requires moderate force. Repeat until the snow drops free from the boot.
5. Angle the toe of the boot into the binding and click your heel into the heel piece.

The Boot Scraper Method

6. If you can't get the snow off of the bottom of your boots using the ski pole method, try scraping the snow off using your binding toe piece.
7. Stand evenly over your skis. Both skis should be directly underneath your hips.
8. Put all of your weight on one leg, using your poles to help you balance.
9. Extend the other leg out in front of you, slightly bending your knees. Beginning with the heel first, drag the bottom surface of your ski boots against the top surface of the binding toe piece using moderate pressure. As you drag your boot backwards toward your body, make sure that the bottom of the boot surface maintains contact with the toe piece.
10. Repeat Step 4 until your boot sole is completely free of snow. This may take several passes against the toe piece.
11. When the bottom of your boot is clean, angle your toe into the binding toe piece, then push down with your heel until you hear the heel piece click shut.

Tips & Warnings

• Before you start, make sure that you're standing with all of your weight on the foot that is still attached to the ski.
• Keep your skis directly underneath you.
• If you're standing on a hill, point your skis across the fall line.
• Never stand with your skis pointing downhill.
• Be sure that your skis are not too far away from your body. They should be directly underneath your hips.
• If you're on a slope, point your skis across the hill, perpendicular to the fall line.
• Keep both skis directly under your body at all times.
• Support your weight using your ski poles.
• Use plenty of force when dragging your boot sole against the toe piece.
• Avoid placing your skis too far away from you--it makes it difficult to balance.
• Be sure to thoroughly clean the bottom of your boots before clicking into your bindings.