# Should i go a size down?



## pcolaheadbussa

I went and tried on three different boots today. 2 burtons and one salomon. The burtons where the ruler and rampant. Cant remember what the salomon was.. Out of the three the ruler was my favorite comfort wise. The rampant seemed to soft. I liked the salomon as well but just felt a little tight on my feet. I am not gonna ask whats the best boot to get. I understand its personal preference. I just am not sure on the size. I wear a 9 1/2 to 10 shoe. The boot i tried on was a 9. It felt very snug. No pain but then again i was only in them for a minute or two. They did not have a 9 1/2 for me to try on unfortunatly. The guy at the shop kept saying that a 9 was perfect because it would loosen up for me as i wore them in. Makes sense but i also am nervous about getting to small a boot. I guess my question is, do boots normally loosen up a bit? And do you guys tend to buy a little smaller than your normal shoe to compensate? Just moved out west from florida so this is my first snowboard setup purchase and i am super excited, Just tryin to do it right. Any advice is appreciated, thanks


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## Chef Jer

Boots will pack out.. get what ever brand/version felt most comfortable.


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## Bayoh

Boot size is the same as shoe size. The difference is we tend to buy shoes with roomy toes, so it's not uncommon to go down a 1/2 or full size of what you normally wear. 

Ever used boots where there's a gap in front of your toes? Your toes curl up to compensate while on your toe edge and they get sore real fast. Put in a full day of constant riding on those and you'll be in pain.

If it feels "snug", that's perfect. The foam in most boot liners will loosen as you use them, conforming to your feet as they heat up(which is why you see boardshops sticking hairdryers in the boots sometimes to help quicken the process). The pressure points you look out for are usually apparent the second you put the boots on; ie. excessive pressure from boots being too narrow causing your pinky toe to feel like it's squashed. If the pressure is pretty much even around your foot then you're good to go.


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## Sick-Pow

Did they measure your feet on the machine? If not, go somewhere else, or put your foot down over a tape measure with metric for CM. Measure from heel to big toe. There are way more rules and steps for boot fitting but that is the first step.

9 = 27CM, Salomon sizing and many other brands.


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## Extremo

Here is my experience with sizind down:

I'm exactly an 11 on the shoe scale. I also have narrow feet, so I've been buying 10's because they are a little more snug than 11's. Riding a size smaller is bearable but it really isn't necessary, and it can get uncomfortable after awhile because your foot doesn't lay naturally. And I find the boot packs out more around the toe box and not so much length-wise. 

Another problem I ran into was getting custom insoles made. The insoles were going to be an 11 and wouldn't fit into my size 10 boots. So I had to pass on the insoles. My next pair of boots will def be an 11. I'll just have to find a boot that suites my narrow foot. 

I'm not saying you can't down size, but I would personally suggest you didn't.


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## snowklinger

remember to get in your snowboard stance trying on boots in the store. even on your heel edge your knees are bent, which tucks/locks your heel into the back of the boot and pulls your toes back to fit right (sitting on a bench in a store, your toes probably should be up against the front of the boot, not smashed, but when you press your shins into your boot, you will feel exactly what i mean about your heel/ankle and toes). 

having a sales person say "walk around, see how it feels" well doesnt even apply to hiking cuz the nice thing about hiking in snowboard boots is that you only hike uphill. as such your leg/foot posture inside the boot will still mimic your snowboard stance and keep the toes in the right spot.

fwiw i wear 10 in street shoes and 9 in my 32's.


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## pcolaheadbussa

good advice mine..i will do that!


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## romesaz

I really think it depends, but: 
I got size 11 Northwaves and they fit perfectly from the start. After having them out, for, let's estimate about 60-75 days (over the past 5 years), I can clearly say I should have gotten 10.5. I could have said that after about 20-25 days of riding, but regardless.

It's strange though, cause my sneaker shoe size has varied anywhere from 10.5 to 11.

But my next pair of boots will be 10.5 and def no larger.


p.s. I had a pair of flow boots that packed out what felt like a whole size within 3-4 days of beginner riding.


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## andy_d

Should you really just be going by boot size? Brand can make a difference too?

I remember when I first started last year and that I would actually go up 1/2 size in rentals. When I got my Burtons the same size, I would get toe jam. I finally couldn't take it anymore so ended up getting 1 size down from a 9.5. I normally wear 9 in shoes but was told I'm really an 8. I'm now wearing 8.5 in boots and I still don't like how I feel. From what I understand, I have wider feet and will to go with something like Salomon that makes wider boots

I wish this was easier. I already spent $450 on boots. I don't want to make another costly mistake. Or at least order from stores with lax return policies


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## Bayoh

Yes, just like any kind of clothing, brand makes a difference when it comes to fitting too. This is why it's best to go to a store and physically try them on before buying online. Getting good, comfortable boots will make for a far more enjoyable ride than any amount of tech in a board.


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