You’ve been on your first trip and had an absolute blast. Now, you’re hooked!
We’ve all been there…
However, if you’re reading this, there’s a good chance the cuffs around your calves, and the support around your feet, is making skiing painful.
Ski hire for the recreational skier, is usually much more economical long-term than purchasing all the gear.
Problem. Ski hire shops tend to get generically sized boots, and they’re going to be uncomfortable for those with wide feet, and wide calves. Typically, they’ll be supplying boots with 100mm last and high/tight cuffs, when you actually need 102-104mm last, with a loose or low cuff.
Our guide to the best ski boots for wide calves and feet, covers both men and women’s boots. If you’ve read some of my other guides (be it motocross, or surfing), you’ll know I only recommend top brands that offer comfort, support, and durability.
That’s exactly what I’ve done below…
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At A Glance
Don’t fancy reading our full guide covering the best wide calf ski boots?
No problem; here is the short version…
After hours of research, reading reviews and based on past experience, the best wide calf ski boots for women are the Salomon X Access 60. For men, we’ve gone with the Salomon X Access 80.
*We would suggest reading the full guide before making a purchase decision.
Ski Boot Sizing
Before we jump over to our recommendations from specific brands, let’s quickly cover what size ski boots you should be looking for:
Narrow Calves & Feet
At the low end, you’ll be looking at a boot that’s 97mm last going anything up to 100mm, and a strap that’s a maximum of 28mm.
Medium Calves & Feet
For medium-large calves and feet, you’ll be wanting 100mm last as a minimum, but anything up to 102mm should be OK, as should a 28mm+ strap. Typically, these are going to have a low cuff in comparison to normal ski boots.
Wide Calves & Feet
As we cross into the larger calf and foot sizing, you’ll want to be shopping specifically for boots at a minimum of 102mm last, stretching to 104mm if possible. Like the ski boots suitable for medium calves and feet, these boots will have a low cuff, which helps with wide calf comfort.
However, if you have extremely large calves, you’ll need a main strap bigger than 28mm…35mm would be ideal.
We’ve chosen to only include boots with a 104mm last (for wide feet), and that ALSO work for those with wide calves.
Women’s Ski Boots For Wide Calves
First, we’ll cover our 3 picks for the best women’s ski boots for wide calves and feet.
After hours of research looking at the leading brands and products with the best reviews, we’ve picked two women’s ski boots from Salomon, and one pair from Rossignol.
Skip to the next section if you’re looking for wide calf ski boots specifically for men.
Salomon QST Access 60
If your budget can stretch, then you won’t be disappointed with the Salomon QST Access 60 boots. If you’ve used conventional boots, you’ll know stuffing your feet in, isn’t exactly a pleasant experience.
This won’t be the case here, as they’re 104mm wide, and thanks to the slide in liner, you’ll slip them in with ease. And the pain and chaffing you previously felt when walking…well that’s gone too, thanks to their Hike and Ride system.
They feature a lightweight shell and see improved breathability compared with cheaper Salomon boots.
But what you’re really interested in, is how it helps you with wide calves and wide feet? Well, the 104mm width helps with foot comfort, where as the ratchet buckle allows you to stretch beyond a normal boot in the calf area.
Rossignol Kelia 50
Next in line for on our list of top picks is the Rossignol Kelia 50 wide boot for women.
The fit here is more relaxed than most, and that means this boot is suitable for beginners-intermediate that are focusing 100% on comfort. But you’ll still get plenty of control thanks to the reduced weight design that uses a Engineered Sensor Matrix shell. This is going to be helped along by the 104mm last.
More specifically, the entrance to the boot is made of a softer plastic, making the instep about as smooth as it can be. Once in, you’ll be greeted by a shorter than normal cuff, meaning you won’t be putting excess pressure on your shins or calves.
All in all, that equals a stupidly comfy ride down the slopes, and even when walking.
Salomon X Access 60
Like the Rossignol boots mentioned above, the Salomon X Access 60 boot is one that’s one of the best wide calf ski boots for women.
Like the Rossignol, the entry/exit of your foot is helped along by a softer polyolefin, and the flex comfort liner helps as you enter the boot, and as you strap up for support.
You’ll be greeted by a lower cuff than you would be with normal Salomon women’s ski boots. That’s going to give your calves a little breathing room, and a 104mm last will be providing your feet plenty of space.
To strap up, you’ll get a solid 28mm fastener, and that’s going to ensure that pressure is in the right places and removed from places it’s not (i.e. your feet and calves).
As we’ve mentioned above, Salomon are not exactly known for offering the cheapest ski wear products on the market, but they certainly offer some of the best…you won’t be disappointed.
Mens Ski Boots For Wide Calves
Like the women’s boots mentioned above, we’ve again gone with (complete coincidence…or these brands just make the best kit) two choices from Salomon and one pick from Rossignol.
Here are the best wide calf ski boots for men.
Salomon X Access 80
If you’re looking for a pair of high quality men’s ski boots, you’re never going to go wrong with Salomon. But which wide calf ski boots in their range should you be looking at?
If you have the budget available, we’d be heading for the Salomon X Access 80. These boots are designed to be recreational, so suited to beginner and intermediate riders.
Straight up they’ll give you 104mm last, so plenty of room for your feet. And you’ll get the usual Flex Sport liner helps putting the boot on and off.
But really, it’s the Polyolefin shell and cuff that make this one of the best men’s wide calf ski boots on the market. It doesn’t put the excess pressure that you’ve likely felt from cheap ski boots in a hire shop.
Cheaper boots tend to have one strap (generally high up the cuff), without much room for manoeuvrability, which is no good if you have wide calves. The Salomon X Access 80 boots have 4 different buckles to secure your ankle, shins and calves, with the power strap stretching a huge 35mm if necessary.
Problem solved!
Rossignol Evo 70
The Rossignol Evo 70 men’s ski boots are a real competitor to the Salomon Access 80s mentioned above.
What you’ll notice when browsing through the Rossignol Evo 70 boots’ description, is there’s a real focus here on comfort. So, they’re not just trying to wedge in riders with wide calves and feet, they’re trying to adapt a boot to suit, a boot that offers REAL comfort.
The 104mm last isn’t the only thing that will help men with wide feet here. Rossignol have also extended the forefoot, toe box and ankle areas. Plenty of room, but plenty of support at the same time.
Custom liners can help improve on the Rossignol Evo 70s comfort and ease of entry if necessary, but they’re not needed. The softer plastic around the area of instep really does exactly what it’s meant to; easy in, easy out and comfortable to wear.
And, if you want to add something extra to your new ski boots, check out the GRIPWALK product on offer (additional extra). It offers additional grip thanks to a rockered and rubber toe, which is essential when walking to the lifts, and between slopes.
Salomon X Access 70
As the name suggests, the Salomon X Access 70 Wide are for men with wide feet and large calves. However, this is the downgraded model when compared to the X Access 80 we’ve mentioned above.
A quick look at product images and you’ll see the main difference here is the much less cool design, and cheaper looking materials. In essence though, it’s basically the same boot.
The biggest differential here is the power strap. On the X Access 70, it’s only 28mm. If you have really large calves, then the X Access 80 are going to be the ones for you, as the power strap is 35mm, and that little bit extra, makes all the difference when it comes to comfort.
What’s Next?
You’ve sorted ski boots for your wide calves and feet. So, now what? Well, if you’re still a beginner, check out our detailed guide covering how to start skiing, which covers all the gear and techniques you’ll need to improve on the slopes.
And bookmark this page and check back soon. We constantly review ski, snow and extreme sports gear and post up our thoughts.
