How should AT boots fit?

[chucK]

I just bought some AT boots yesterday and am worried that I might have got out of there with boots that don't fit right. I don't know shit about AT. I've only downhilled mainly.

 

Should the boots be snug all around your foot? The shop guy said they don't need to be grabbing me tight like a downhill boot cause I'll be walking in them. Well, in a hiking boot I like it to be snug all around too. Is he correct?

 

When the buckles are cranked all the way down, mine have lots of room everywhere around my foot. The only place they are grabbing and holding me are around the shin.

 

They don't bang around inside the boot when I'm walking, but I haven't tried 'em with the skis on yet.

 

Does this sound right?

[jordop]

Take em back. If they're that loose now, you're gonna be swimming in them a year from now when they're all packed out. You should NOT be able to crank all the buckles down. If ya can straight outta the box they aint the right size

[fern]

 

they sound too big too me. but I am no expert.

 

Liner always pack out so if they aren't tight with the buckles cranked you've got no way of cranking them further when the liners get sloppy.

I don't think fitting them for walking comfort is necessarily the best approach either. I usually walk or tour with my buckles completely undone. They are SKI boots, walking comfort should be the compromise. I bet you could get some better beta with a lil search on telemarktips.com

[cj001f]

They're too big. Take them back.

[chucK]

I just called the shop. They told me that the boots I got (Garmont) are the smallest volume boot relative to the length. That is, I cannot get a tighter fit that will not crush my toes.

 

Does this jibe with the wisdom out there?

 

They are not really loose right now. Also, when I am saying they are loose I am comparing to downhill boots only (I've never got AT boots), which I was told are supposed to be much tighter. This sounds like it makes sense?

 

Thanks everybody for your quick comments by the way .

[fern]

 

did you try on the next smallest size and they did crush your toes though? Was it just the liner that crushed the toes or the shell was truly too short. Try the shell on without the liner to get an idea of how much room the liner needs to occupy. Idiosyncracies of shell volumes can sometimes be offset by custom-fit liners but I think in those cases the wisdom is to choose the smaller shell option.

[Figger_Eight]

Yer boots are too big.

 

How did your feet fit in Scarpa's? Those are lower volume boots than Garmonts.

[Snafflecock]

Supposedly Garmont AT boots do have the smallest volume relative to the length, but the garmont liners are also some of the thinner heat moldable liners out there. This could be a load of bs but I was told by some folks at a local shop that Garmont teleboots have a wide last, Garmont AT boots have a narrow last and Scarpa boots are just the opposite AT-wide, tele-narrow????strange, huh?

I have a pair of Garmont Megarides and after a few trips I've given up on the Garmont liners and put my old, thicker, wrap-around tounge Raichle Thermoflex liners in the shells and they fit much better.

If you are willing to pay a little extra, you can take a tighter fitting pair of AT boots to a bootfitter shop, Jim Mates-Custom Boot Service 6500 4th Ave NW Seattle 206-297-9298 is one local option. A good ski bootfitter should be able to heat up and stretch the toebox of the shell a little to make room for your toes. Expect to pay at least $60 for this, and Jim is not good with giving out cost estimates over the phone, in my experience.

If you opt to stick with the boots you've got, you can always use a thicker pair of socks or put some shims under your footbed to take up room...but if you are already cranking the buckles down all the way, I'd really take a look at a smaller shell size and then having those shell cooked and stretched.

Unless you're thinking of using the boots for high altitude or long cold weather trips, get them tight...then just pack a pair of down booties to switch in to when you get to camp!

[Figger_Eight]

Weird...my wide feet fit in Garmont AT and tele boots like a glove - but Scarpa AT boots (and tele boots) are way too narrow.

 

I've also fitted people with narrower feet in Scarpa boots more successfully than Garmonts. In terms of volume, maybe the Scarpas are narrower, but higher.

[thelawgoddess]

i'd say they're too big, too. i would want my AT boots to have a performance fit (like a downhill boot, which for me is a 1 to just-over-1 finger shell fit). if the place you went to didn't shell size you, do it yourself or find someone who can. you don't want a race fit, but a recreational fit is not going to be your best choice either. and if you're going to do any technical/ice climbing in them, take that into consideration as well. if you're really concerned about the boots you bought, call a good bootfitter and ask him if you can bring them in for a second opinion.

[Thrashador]

A loose fit sounds like a recipie for blisters and/or having to wear thicker and thicker socks as your liners get packed out. Imo boots should fit snug with thin socks. You can loosen the fit by either unbuckling or loosely buckling your boots for skinning. Walk mode makes them more comfy also.

[marylou]

When I put on my AT boots (with Thermofits), they feel too tight. My toes hit the end of the boot, though just barely.

 

When I ski or tour in them, they are the most comfy ski boots I've ever been in. It's counterintuitive to ski boot fit that a boot could hit my toes when I put them on and be good when using them. My limited experience say perhaps your boots are too big....think a little tight rather than a little loose.

[thelawgoddess]

It's counterintuitive to ski boot fit that a boot could hit my toes when I put them on and be good when using them.

perhaps but this is actually one way to test your ski boot fit - when you stand up straight your toes should just touch and when you lean forward into the tongues your toes should just pull back from touching.

[marylou]

Yep.