Usually through trial and error but with some guiding parameters.
Ski boot lateral stiffness.
Innovative aspects of this work included not only the stance geometry system ski boot but also the setup of a virtual design environment that was validated by experimental evidence.
Boot flex ranges from very soft to race stiffness indicated by a numeric flex index that s usually a number from 50 soft to 130 very stiff.
A stiffer flex is desirable for the more aggressive skier as energy transfer from leg to boot to ski as well as the rebound will occur more efficiently.
Often this number is written on the outside of the boot cuff.
A ski boot s flex rating describes how much flexibility exists in the boot at the ankle area.
Flex in ski boots refers to how difficult it is to flex the boot forward.
The new sgs design system allows the adjustment of lateral stance before using the ski boot optimizing the ski boot stiffness through fem analysis.
Boots with a stiffer flex are designed to deliver maximum speed and responsiveness.
When looking at ski boots you ll see a flex rating described as a number usually somewhere between 60 and 140.