You found a great deal on skis and boots for sale online or at a gear swap. The price looks perfect. The condition seems good.
But here’s the problem most people discover too late: the boots might not work with the skis at all.
You’ll end up paying $75-150 for remounting, which kills your deal. Or worse, the combination simply won’t work no matter how much you spend.
What Makes Skis and Boots Work Together?
The binding is what connects your boot to your ski. And bindings aren’t universal. Your boot needs to physically fit into the binding, and the binding needs to match your boot’s sole type and length.
Three main things determine compatibility:
Your boot sole length (measured in millimeters), the binding’s adjustment range, and the sole type standard your boot uses. Get any of these wrong and you’re stuck with gear you can’t use.
The boot sole length is printed on the side or back of your boot. It’s usually between 250mm and 380mm depending on your boot size. Every binding has a minimum and maximum sole length it can accommodate—typically around 60-80mm of adjustment range.
But here’s what trips people up: even if the length works, the sole type might not. There are different standards, and they’re not interchangeable without adaptors or new bindings entirely.
How Do You Check Boot Sole Standards?
Four main sole standards exist in skiing right now: Alpine (ISO 5355), GripWalk (ISO 23223), Touring/Tech (ISO 9523), and older Alpine standards. You need to know which one your boots use.
Alpine soles are the traditional standard. They’re completely flat with no rocker. Most rental boots and older boots use this system. If you see “ISO 5355” marked on your boot, that’s Alpine.
GripWalk soles have a slight rocker and rubber tread for better walking. They’re becoming more common on resort boots.
These boots have “ISO 23223” marked on them. You cannot use GripWalk boots in traditional Alpine bindings safely—the different sole shape affects release values.
Touring or Tech soles have metal inserts at the toe and heel. These work with pin bindings (also called tech bindings). The standard is ISO 9523. Some touring boots have swappable soles or are certified for both touring and Alpine bindings.
Check the side or bottom of your boot for these ISO numbers. If you don’t see them, measure the sole rocker. Lay the boot on a flat surface. If there’s a visible gap under the toe and heel, it’s likely GripWalk or Touring, not Alpine.
What About the Binding Adjustment Range?
Once you’ve confirmed the sole type matches, you need to check if the binding can adjust to your boot’s length. This information should be printed on the binding itself or in the manufacturer’s specs.
Most bindings have an adjustment range printed on a plate or sticker. You’ll see something like “303-363mm” or “260-320mm.” Your boot sole length must fall within this range. If your boot is 315mm and the binding maxes out at 310mm, you’re out of luck.
But there’s a catch: even within the adjustment range, you want to be somewhere in the middle third of that range for optimal performance. Being at the extreme ends can affect how the binding releases in a fall.
Here’s a reference table for typical binding ranges:
| Binding Size | Typical Sole Length Range | Boot Size Range (Approximate) |
| Small | 265-325mm | 22.5-26.5 (US 4.5-8.5) |
| Medium | 305-365mm | 25.5-29.5 (US 7.5-11.5) |
| Large | 335-395mm | 28.5-32.5+ (US 10.5-14.5+) |
These ranges vary by manufacturer. Always check the specific binding model’s specs.
Can You Just Remount Bindings to Make Them Fit?
Sometimes, yes. But remounting isn’t always the answer, and it’s not cheap.
Remounting means drilling new holes in your skis to move the binding forward or backward to accommodate your boot length.
Each ski can only be remounted 2-3 times maximum before the core gets too damaged. If you’re buying used skis, check how many times they’ve already been mounted.
Look at the top surface of the ski. You’ll see filled holes from previous mounts. Multiple sets of holes mean the ski has limited mounting life left. Shops often refuse to mount skis that already have several hole sets because the structural integrity is compromised.
Remounting costs between $75-150 depending on where you go. Add that to your “deal” price and suddenly those cheap skis aren’t such a bargain.
And here’s the critical part: remounting doesn’t fix sole type incompatibility. If your boots are GripWalk and the bindings are Alpine-only, moving the binding won’t help. You’d need new bindings entirely, which costs $200-600 plus installation.
What Should You Ask When Looking at Skis and Boots for Sale?
When you’re checking out used gear, get specific information before you commit. Don’t just ask “what size are these?” That doesn’t tell you enough.
For boots, you need: the boot sole length in millimeters, the sole type or ISO standard, and the boot size (mondo point, which is the actual measurement system ski boots use—not US shoe sizes).
For skis with bindings, you need: the binding model name, the current adjustment setting, the total adjustment range, how many times the skis have been mounted, and whether the bindings are certified for Alpine, GripWalk, or both.
Most sellers don’t volunteer this information because they don’t know it matters. You have to ask directly. If they can’t or won’t provide these details, that’s a red flag. You’re taking a gamble.
How Do You Actually Measure Boot Sole Length Yourself?
If you’re looking at gear in person, bring a tape measure or use a ruler. Place the boot on a flat surface and measure from the very front of the toe to the very back of the heel along the sole. Measure the actual sole that contacts the binding, not the boot’s exterior.
The measurement should match what’s printed on the boot, but sometimes boots wear down or the printing is wrong. Your measurement is what matters for binding compatibility.
For the sole type, look closely at the profile. Alpine soles sit completely flat on a table with no gaps. GripWalk and Touring soles rock back and forth because of their curved shape.
What About Binding Certification and Safety?
This matters more than most people realize. Bindings need to be certified for your specific boot sole type to release properly in a crash.
Using the wrong combination might cause your binding to not release when it should, or release when it shouldn’t.
Most binding manufacturers now make models certified for multiple sole types. These are marked as “Multi-Norm” or “MN” certified.
They work with both Alpine and GripWalk soles. But older bindings probably aren’t multi-certified.
You can sometimes add heel adaptor plates to make GripWalk boots work in Alpine bindings, but this is a shop-level modification.
Don’t try to rig something up yourself—your safety depends on proper binding function.
What’s the Smart Way to Buy Used Gear?
If you’re serious about getting skis and boots for sale as a package, make compatibility your first filter. Don’t fall in love with gear before you’ve verified the basics.
Measure your current boot sole length if you’re buying just skis. Write it down and bring it with you. Check every binding before you consider buying.
If you’re buying just boots to use with your existing skis, bring your binding model information with you. Look up its sole type compatibility before you shop.
The best scenario is finding skis with bindings that are already set up for your boot sole length and type.
This happens more often than you’d think—someone upgraded and their old setup might be perfect for you.
When you find gear that’s almost compatible, do the math. Calculate the remounting cost, or the cost of new bindings, or adaptors.
Compare that total to buying new gear or finding a better-matched used setup. Sometimes spending more upfront saves you money and hassle.
And always, always get bindings checked and adjusted by a certified shop before you ski on them.
They’ll verify the compatibility you checked and make sure everything’s adjusted correctly for your weight and ability level. That service usually costs $30-50 and could prevent serious injury.
Compatibility checking takes maybe 15 minutes of your time. Skipping it can cost you hundreds of dollars and a lot of frustration. When you’re shopping for ski gear, verify first, buy second.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I know if my skis and boots are actually compatible?
Answer: Check three things: boot sole length, binding adjustment range, and boot sole type (ISO standard).
All three must match — otherwise the setup won’t work or won’t be safe.
Where can I find my boot sole length and what does it mean?
Answer: Your boot sole length (in millimeters) is printed on the side or heel of the boot.
Bindings must fall within that exact MM range — typically a 60–80mm adjustable window.
What are the different boot sole types and why do they matter?
Answer: There are four major types: Alpine (ISO 5355), GripWalk (ISO 23223), Touring/Tech (ISO 9523), and older Alpine soles.
These aren’t interchangeable — using the wrong sole type in the wrong binding is unsafe and often impossible without new bindings.
Can I just remount the bindings to make boots fit my skis?
Answer: Sometimes yes — but remounting costs $75–150 and skis can only be drilled 2–3 times before losing structural integrity.
And remounting cannot fix mismatched sole types like GripWalk boots in Alpine-only bindings.
