Mondopoint Sizing Explained

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If you’ve ever shopped for a new pair of ski boots, it doesn’t take long to realize they’re sized differently than any other type of footwear you’ve ever used—as if shopping for ski gear wasn’t complicated enough. So what are these numbers and how do skiers know what size is right for them? Ski boots utilize a standardized sizing convention called mondopoint. As an industry standard, the mondopoint sizing system is ideal since the same convention is used internationally, eliminating the risk of confusion between international markets. It also provides a more accurate sizing system than either standard U.S. or European shoe sizing conventions. However, it does have the potential to confuse consumers so let’s take a look at how mondopoint sizing works.

When it comes down to it, mondopoint sizing is really quite simple. Essentially, it’s just the length of your foot in centimeters. This measurement is taken—ideally by a trained bootfitter—by standing with your feet flat on the ground. In theory, your mondopoint size is whatever measurement you get. For example, 28 centimeters (or say 282 millimeters) would be a 28.0 mondopoint size, 22 centimeters is 22.0, and 275 millimeters is a 27.5 in mondopoint, which brings us to half sizes.

The difference between whole and half sizes in mondopoint sizing is miniscule, if not the exact same. In fact, most ski boots have the exact same shell size between the whole and half size, with some sizing differences between the liners rather than the shells themselves. With that in mind, if you find yourself between a half size and a whole size up, you’re most likely better off going with the lower half size since that liner will eventually pack out and the shell can always be customized by a trained bootfitter to give you some extra room in key areas. Conversely, you can’t really make a boot that fits too big any smaller.

We recommend going to a trained bootfitter to be properly fitted to a pair of ski boots. Simply converting your street shoe size to mondopoint sizing using a size chart really isn’t a great way to determine your mondopoint size, nor is simply measuring your foot and purchasing a pair of boots in the corresponding mondopoint size. The fact is that lasts (or the width of the boot in the toe box) will vary between different ski boot models and mondopoint sizing itself can vary between different manufacturers. For example, a Salomon ski boot in a 27.5 might fit entirely differently than a Tecnica in the same mondopoint size. In fact, it’s not unheard of to fit one size of boot from one manufacturer and another size from a different manufacturer! This is why we strongly encourage skiers to go to a trained bootfitter in order to learn what your mondopoint size is.

Mondo Boot Sizing Chart

Mondopoint size chart for men’s, women’s, and kids’ shoe sizes

Mondopoint sizing really only serves as a baseline where skiers can start from when shopping for a new pair of ski boots. As previously mentioned, mondopoint sizing can differ to some degree between different manufacturers, and you may want to size the boot differently depending on what you want from that boot. For example, an expert skier will likely prefer a tighter-fitting boot than a beginner just starting out. Generally speaking, a tighter-fitting boot will yield a more precise fit that translates to better performance, but it can also be a recipe for a painful, miserable skiing experience if they’re not fit properly. Simply put, fitting a pair of ski boots properly is really complicated with myriad variables best left to a professional bootfitter.