Bad Boot Fit???

[7_Mountains_5_Years]

I recently purchased a pair of Koflach Degre's. I when to the store to try them on with the right socks. I tried on a 12 and a 13. The 12 was a bit tight in the toes so i tried the 13's and bought them. Ive been wearing the 13's around and their still a bit narrow in the toes but i've been tolerating it but it might just be because they're my first pair of plastic boots and I don't want to walk back into the store and return them. Im pretty sure i can return them which i might. Im wondering if the koflach's are just too narrow for my feet and a 13 is alittle too big because the heel is rather loose but not too bad if i really crank down on the laces. I herd not to worry about alittle bit of heel lift. Also my toes get cold in them and its only about 10 degrees F. Should i just return them and get a diffrent boot thats wider? I was also thinking about getting diffrent liners. Ive read some about them and they say to buy your street size and then have them fitted. What if I buy the boot size, have them fitted and then ill have alittle extra wiggle room in the toes. I know the dgere liners are kinda crappy and can tell i will need new ones somewhere down the road.

[glassgowkiss]

so what is your question?

[Bogen]

Should i just return them and get a diffrent boot thats wider?

 

Yes. The toe box shouldn't touch your foot anywhere but the bottom. Tighten from the ankle locks up for more control in performance situations.

[foolscongress]

the tightness in the front is likely to make your feet colder, in addition to the discomfort. the heel seems to me to be the bigger problem; plastic boots won't break in, and a loose heel is likely to chew your foot up. i'd return them and try on others. la sportiva tends to run narrower in the heel, and they have two really warm boots now, the k4s and olympus mons (i think that's what they're called). are you using a footbed to firm up the heel fit (superfeet, that kind of thing)? if you can get the length and heel dialed in, good shops can usually make a little more room in the forefoot area, but you have to be sure you like them before that's done. you might return them and try renting from local shops. though the selection in rental departments tends to be fairly limited, it would at least give you some experience of what you can and can't put up with before you irrevocably drop $400.

 

i think boot fit is everything, and well worth the time you put into making the decision. you can put up with a less than perfect pack or jacket, but bad boots will make you dread going on trips. good luck.

[7_Mountains_5_Years]

Thanks alot. I hope I can get to a diffrent shop with more boots to try on. The store I went to only had the Koflachs. I was looking around and I found a prety good boot review that includes suggested foot types for a few boots. I need plastic boots though not leathers so my choices are limited. I think i'll try a pair of Scarpa Inverno's.

 

Heres the link to the boot review, this should answer alot of questions about boots and keep people from reposting the same question:

 

http://www.climbing.com/equipment/boots218/index1.html

 

Thanks alot for the advice. As cool as those boots are I really don't think they fit (thanks for convincing me) and I know all too well how crappy a trip can be with out warm dry feet.

 

This guy has warm dry happy feet:

This guy doesn't :

 

PS: Olympus Mons are sweet boots and I saw they were gauranteed to fit with foot tracing but there extremely expensive (800+)

 

http://www.mtntools.com/cat/alpineice/boots/lasportivaolympusmonsboots.htm

 

OH SNAP on sale. Looks like I just found a boot that fits.

 

grrrr if i was only a size 9.

 

new discovery… there are more than one pair of boots on sale!

Edited January 24, 2005 by 7_Mountains_5_Years

[7_Mountains_5_Years]

Whats the deal with those boots with build in gaitors. Are they similar to plastic boots with a built in gaitor? Are the basicly much warmer plastic boots?