Advanced Stance Alignment is for skiers who want to get every ounce of performance out of their equipment. This includes ski racers, expert skiers, instructors, coaches, and other advanced skiers looking to fine tune their stance, improve balance, and take their skiing to the next level.

This service is also appropriate for skiers of all ability levels who struggle with alignment issues. Skiers who know they have a leg length discrepancy, are bow legged, or are knock kneed may benefit from a stance alignment assessment. In these cases, the assessment may show that boot modifications, cuff adjustments, or under-boot canting are needed to help bring the skier into better alignment.

When a skier is better aligned in their boots, skiing can feel easier, more balanced, and more natural. Advanced Stance Alignment is not a replacement for a properly fitted ski boot, but it can be an important final step for skiers who want their boots and equipment set up as precisely as possible.

To assess for/aft balance our boot fitters will measure the angle of your leg shaft inside the ski boot as well as check your body's position relative to the ski boot sole. We will compare these to targets than suggest products and services to help achieve the recommended changes including:

• Booster Straps
• Heel lifts or toe lifts
• Spoilers
• MasterFit Eliminator or tongue shims
• Straightening or shortening the rear of the cuff
• Boot board modifications

Cuff alignment helps determine how the skier’s lower leg lines up inside the upper cuff of the ski boot. The goal is to help center the leg shaft in the boot so the skier can stand and move more efficiently.

During this step, our boot fitters will remove the liners from the ski boots and place the skier’s footbeds inside the shells. This allows us to evaluate how the skier’s leg shaft lines up with the boot cuff while standing on the footbeds. The goal is to center the leg shaft inside of upper cuff.

Depending on the skier and boot, cuff alignment changes may include:

• Using built in cuff adjustment
• Adding wedges to and/or modifying the footbed
• Boot board canting strips
• Modifying or shortening the cuff

Lateral alignment helps determine whether the skier’s center of knee mass is properly aligned over the center of the boot and ski. This can affect how easily the skier can move from edge to edge and how flat the ski feels on snow.

The Pro Ski and Ride uses the Atomic Canting Assessment System with lasers and precision machined wedges to evaluate lateral alignment.

During this assessment, we mark the skier’s center of knee mass using a caliper. Because we need access to the knee area, skiers should wear shorts or pants that can comfortably be lifted above the knees for the assessment.

The skier then stands in a skiing stance on small foam blocks to simulate the give of snow. This helps us evaluate whether the skier is properly aligned or whether under-boot sole canting may be beneficial.

Lateral alignment is a collaborative process that is both art and science. Measurements, lasers, and wedges help guide the assessment, but skier feedback is crucial. We test different angles and ask the skier what feels most natural, balanced, and stable.

The goal is to identify the setup that provides proper alignment while also giving the skier the best flat-ski feeling from their own perspective.

Canting is the process of changing the angle that a ski boot sits relative to the ski and binding.

Canting is only recommended after an alignment assessment shows that it may be needed. The goal is to help bring the skier into better alignment so the ski can sit flatter on the snow and respond more naturally.

Canting can be especially helpful for some skiers with alignment challenges, including skiers who are bow legged, knock kneed, or have other stance-related alignment issues.

The canting method depends on the type of ski boot.

For solid sole ski boots, we install angled lifters to the bottom of the boots to achieve the necessary canting angle.

For ski boots with replaceable heels and toes, we add wedges from the manufacturer or Cantology between the boot shell and the replaceable sole pieces.

After canting work is performed, the heels and toes of the boots are routed to conform to DIN standards.

Generally canting costs between $150 and $180.

The final cost depends on the boot, the parts required, and the amount of work needed.

If the necessary parts are in stock, we will aim to complete canting work by the next morning.

In many cases, we may need to order the parts required for canting. If parts need to be ordered, we can either hold on to the boots until the parts arrive or return the boots to you so you can continue skiing while waiting for the parts.

The Pro Ski and Ride may not be able to perform under-boot canting on every ski boot.

This service may not be available for:

• Boots with excessive sole wear
• Boots with replaceable heels and toes that are not compatible with Cantology wedges
• Boots where the manufacturer does not offer compatible canting parts
• Boots with replaceable heels and toes where Alpine/DIN soles cannot be acquired
• Boots that cannot safely be routed or adjusted to meet binding function requirements

If you have questions about whether your ski boots can be canted, please email thepro@theproskiandride.com before booking an appointment.