Lea, Carrying a lightweight folding chair in your vehicle, makes it much easier to get boots on in the lot. Also, an inexpensive boot-warmer is a good purchase to get the boots nice and flexible on the way to the mountain. Other options for comfortably sliding foot into boot (even when cold) are The Bootster skiboot shoehorn or the Slide On dry spray. Both advertise on the site, work well, and are reasonably priced. Jon

To put the ski boots on while standing in the parking lot is difficult at best. It is a balancing act on what is often bullet proof ice; combine that with what is already a tight fit with cold boots. One miss step and you now have snow on your socks which rapidly melts, which leaves you with cold wet feet all day.

Of course, there is the option of putting on your ski boots before driving to the ski area. Have any of you ever driven while wearing ski boots?

Please publish the list of ski areas that ban boot bags in the lodge! That way I’ll know in advance not to go there.