# Biggest headache looking for boots. WARNING very long! lol



## aholeinthewor2d (Nov 26, 2014)

Three years ago when I bought my first boots I asked for a size 10 cause that was the size shoe I wore. I didn’t know any better and the kid at the store obviously didn’t either. The boots felt fine so I bought them. The last 2 seasons I have been going snowboarding more and more. Easily more than 30 days in a season. Last year my right boot started to rip because of resting my board on it. 

So right before this season started I went out looking to buy new boots. Went back to the same store and the same kid was there and I tried a pair or two of size 10’s. Went to another actual ski/snowboard shop right after and when I asked for a size 10 the girl said there was no way I was a 10 and wanted to measure my feet. She measured my feet and sure enough I was a 7. My right foot was exactly a 7 and my left was a little over a 7. I was shocked and couldn’t believe I was wearing such a larger size for 3 years. So the girl brought out 2 pairs of boots in a size 7. One pair was Nike and the other DC I think. I literally had to force my foot into the foot. I don’t mean it was tight I mean I had to fight to get it in. Once I got my foot in each pair they were in tons of pain. I tried explaining the the girl that there was no way I could wear either of these boots and that they were way to small but she insisted that’s what I should be wearing. I ended up leaving and that’s when my hunt for boots began. Like I do with anything I started reading and reading about how boots should fit and going to every shop around me. I have even gone to multiple shops all the way up to an hour away from me. I determined right off the bat there was no possible way I could wear a size 7. The length was fine but the width in general was to tight. Also "most companies don't make half sizes until after size 8 with a few exceptions. Most places I went I would try on a size 8 but most of the shops had maybe one pair in a size 8 or none at all.


To make this story a little shorter I’ll skip through a little bit. For the past month I have purchased and returned tons of boots both from stores and online. Here is a list of the boots and sizes I have had. Also want to mention one of the stores I went to had a Burton Ruler Wide in 7.5 and I thought it was my dream boot.

-Flow Vega (8) Fit wasn’t that great and it was the first pair I tired
-Burton Ambush (8) EXTREMELY too tight on my foot. Again just the width not the length
-Ride Anthem (8) Fit “OK” as far as width goes but the bottom of my foot hurt and the boot just seemed way to soft and not the quality I am looking for
-DC Scout (8) I read that DC runs small and it seems to be true. My toe just touched the front like it should. Tough decision but I felt like once they packed out the width might get to loose plus this is also not a good quality boot at all. Very soft and doesn’t seem like it would hold up
-Burton Ruler Wide (7.5) I actually returned 2 pairs..Put them on at home and they were def snug but felt ok. My foot hurt the first time they were on but not bad the second time. I had to return them because the lower zone lace got stuck inside the boot..hard to explain but seems the tunnel inside broke/bent and was pinching the lace
-Ride Jackson (8) I thought this would be the boot for me because it’s a better version of the Anthem. Nope. Actually to loose/big
-Ride Lasso (8) Runs very small compared to other Ride boots and is just way to tight around my foot in general
-K2 Maysis (8) Hard to explain. Comfy..no pressure points..etc..but very tight all around my foot. my tow does not touch but I feel like it might hurt my foot because of how tight it is
-32 Binary BOA (7.5) I heard 32 was good for a wider foot so I was excited to try these. Nope way too tight around my foot 


Most people will think I am crazy but I had no choice. Everyone says go into a store and I have been to every store I can. Even people at the store tell me to just keep looking till I find the right boot. I have already spent who knows how much between gas and return fees. Most boots even in an 8 are extremely to tight on my foot. I have been measured a few times and everyone says the same thing. Size 7. Two people mentioned my foot was a little wide.
I got so sick of this last week so I ordered what seems to be the last pair of Burton ruler Wides in 7.5 directly from burton. Out of all the boots it seemed to feel better shaped for my foot and it was closed to my actual size. I was undecided for sure but figured I need figure this out and if worse comes to worse I will have to be very careful when tightening them.

So today they came and I tried them on right away. As far as the boot itself I am not crazy about it. It looks fine but there are a few things I don’t like. I am no where near fat but I def have bigger calves and I hate how most boots especially these have a very skinny tongue. I also don’t like how the inner liner lacing doesn’t go up as high as other boots. It’s hard to explain it just doesn’t feel like these boots hold to my calve like I want them to. So I was sitting here for about 30 minutes with a Ruler on one foot and Maysis on the other. I am getting a pain/pressure point on the top of my foot from the burton now. I tried walking around and leaving it on but it was pretty annoying. Again this is my third pair of these boots and I was set on keeping them even with all the issues mentioned above but now idk what to do. 


I am so lost with this idk what to do right now. Went to another shop about an hour away last night while my g/f was at class. Heard the employee talking with someone else and he seemed extremely knowledgeable so I hung around listening to him help someone else and then talked to him about boots. Sure enough that store didn’t have anything smaller than a 9 left. I also explained my issue with Burton boots and he started talking about wide boots in general. He said that no one really has a “wider” foot to the point where they need a special “wide version” of a boot. He went on to explain that every foot is different and getting a wide boot could be a bad choice because it will become to wide. Pretty much just said I gotta keep trying on boots till I find the right one for me. 

So here I am going to the mountain again tomorrow with my old size 10 because idk if it’s worth the risk with these Burton boots. I don’t want to have them kill my foot with pain and on top of it always have to worry about breaking the boot and having to send them in to get fixed. The issue was never the money..I would like to get boots that are good quality and that will last. As you can see I have no problem ordering and trying tons of boots but it’s already almost Feb and the problem with ordering more is I have to wait for them to ship out each time..then pay return fees.


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## aholeinthewor2d (Nov 26, 2014)

The only thing I can think of is maybe get the DC scouts and just deal with boots that aren't that good and will get very very soft


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## the grouch (Feb 18, 2014)

Your feet measure as a size 7 but you wear size 10 shoes? Something doesn't compute here. Some people dohave wider than normal feet, which is why shoes and snowboard boots come in "wide" versions.

I would recommend you either find a competent boot fitter, not a kid that works in a ski shop and sounds very knowledgeable but a real boot fitter. Or if size 10 boots work for you buy size 10 boots.


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## Mystery2many (Aug 14, 2013)

I don't see Nike vapens or Kaiju on the list of boots that you tried. Also if you are trying traditional lace systems, try keeping the bottom half super loose then tie a single knot and then lace the top very tight. It keeps the foot breathing and comfy while retaining response.


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## aholeinthewor2d (Nov 26, 2014)

Like I mentioned I have gone to the actually shops with very smart people the issue is they have nothing in my size. Obv a size 10 is way to big. I don't even wanna go to an 8 since its a size larger but even most of them are way to tight. I'm not missing when I say I have been to every possible shop within an hour of here. I wanted to try the salmon wide 7.5 but can't find it anywhere.


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## Lamps (Sep 3, 2011)

Ok, so where is RIDERUK? We've done 20 threads on his boots, he owes it to us to read this one 10x at least. Maybe he's' finally gone riding instead of walking around his living room then writing about imaginary heel lift. 

2nd question for the original poster - you have now stated 9 threads on the same topic since November 30, including the same story about wearing size 10 shoes when your feet are really size 7 in a bunch of them. 

While it's a common theme here that boots are the most important decision rather than board/bindings, this is ridiculous - you need to take the closest fit you have found and get on the hill, stop wasting everyone's time on this board, stop wasting shop staff's time, stop wasting online retailer's time, and just go ride. 

Maybe BA can weigh in on this too....


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## f00bar (Mar 6, 2014)

Going out on a limb here and guessing you're still single.

Seriously, this isn't rocket science. How the heck do you wear shoes that are 3 sizes too big and not know something is wrong? This time of year stock is pretty low in most of your local stores for that size. Pick one, have it heat fit, and go ride. No reason to go full retard over this.


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## F1EA (Oct 25, 2013)

Wrong thread lol


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## Fewdfreak (May 13, 2013)

Maybe nothing will ever fit 100% perfect everytime and you should pick the least annoying of the boots and just deal with it. If you are riding enough your feet should go numb from the cold/tightness after about an hour and you won't feel the boots anyway.


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## Extazy (Feb 27, 2014)

Agree, that you should get on with it and ride something. You already know that boots usually a little painful to ride at 1st so just bear with it or heatmold them.

Even if you cant find size 7 since you managed to ride with 10 why wont you just buy some good feeling size 8 and enjoy the sport? If you still have foot pain after 2-3 days of riding get a good insole.

I bought nike kaijus 8 this year, after 10 days they packed out way too much for me to be comfortable with olies and carves. I tried to find size 7 but they all sold out so I went with size 7 Lunarendor and after 9 days on them so far I am happy! Sucks that they wont make boots anymore


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## ryannorthcott (Dec 17, 2010)

The thing that bugs me about shop 'experts' is that no two of them will say the same thing. Back in October i went to a shop, took off my size 11 shoes said lemme try a pair of size 10-11 malamutes. Girl insisted on measuring my feet and says nope you are a size 8.5. She busts out a pair of size 8.5s and sure enough can't even get my foot in... Ok now that I've humoured you get me the pair I wanted in the first place. 
Bottom line: the shopkeep can't tell what's comfortable to you. You should try on a bunch of size 9s and don't listen to what anyone says (except me)


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## riderriderpow77 (Jan 11, 2015)

yeah basically a lot of you guys wear really loose shoes haha

real fitting shoes are snug!

i was once wearing shoes 3 sizes to big just because of the odd shape of my foot. 

even if it fits comfy width wise theres then inevitably theres extra toe room which is no bueno imo.

shoes go from E wide to B (narrow) with varying measurements in between like 4EEEE haha. 

find shoes that fit right!


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## Altephor (Feb 4, 2010)

For about the 10th time, Salomon Dialogue or Synapse Wide in 7.5. Or you could just make a few more threads about your issues.


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## ashwinearl (Jan 19, 2010)

Have you considered aftermarket shoe inserts? I share your tales of woe in finding boots and much of it is related to my fallen arches, and over pronation. I have custom orthotics for my cycling shoes and wear super feet inserts in all my street shoes. For my snowboard boots I had custom inserts made by a ski boot fitter.

Regardless of your personal foot anatomy and whether you have conditions like fallen arches, etc. The sock liners that come in most boots are just junk pieces of cardboard. Even the ones that say they are more custom typically do not provide good arches. 

This is a bit of a chicken and the egg, because the boot fitter typically trims the final outline of the insert using the original sock liner of the boot. But I strongly feel that you need get either custom inserts made or at the very least get some good aftermarket (superfeet) inserts and have them in hand when you try on boots.

At least you'll have some confidence that the insert works with your foot when you go try boots. A good arch will lift your toes off the front just a hair which might makes some of those ones that seem to tight fit better. 

What about socks? What socks are you trying these on with. It is always personal preference, but I prefer a very thin wool sock. I mean real thin without all the heel padding and crap. 

I agree with the others, that they need to be overly snug at the start, knowing that they will pack out a bit.

Good luck. I know personally that this is a tough road. Snowboarding is such hell on the feet. Those from skiing background don't understand the subtle changes in foot pressure and pedaling that are necessary in snowboarding.


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## timmytard (Mar 19, 2009)

I wear a size 10 shoe. They fit nice & comfy.

But... 
I wear a size 11 work boot, sometimes I might need 2 pairs of socks & I like to kick stuff. Don't want my toes to smash the end.

I fuckin' smash & cram my foot into a size 9.
Sometimes I have to get them heat molded 2wice.
Cause they're not uncomfortable, they fuckin' kill.

But after sometimes 6 times, they start to feel a little better.

Prolly 15 times before they aren't painful, @ least a little.

But then that boot is as packed out as it's gonna get.

You can only stretch that shit so much, then there just ain't no more room to go.

I like my boots to fit perfect, when they can't get any bigger on the inside.
They are perfect, but, they won't get any sloppier from here on in.
They'll get beat to shit, but the inside will still fit exactly the same, long after they're fucked.

The moral of the story....

Suck it up, butter cup.

If your boots are comfy right off the hopp.
They're the wrong size.


If you know your fuckin' foot is a big fat sausage, even if lengthwise it's a 7.
A 7 won't fit, yeah, we've established this.

How about you get the fuckin' size that fits the best?

You know figure it out for fuck sakes.

How fuckin' hard is it?

No too tight.
no too tight
Oh a little better .
hmm, maybe I can live with that?

yay you did it. You managed to put shoes on, that were kinda the right size.

Hey alright good for you.

Copme on everyone let's all cheer.

Yay you did it.


TT

Quick someone post a video of that retard puppet.
The one that says "yeay, I did it"

I love that guy haha


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## ashwinearl (Jan 19, 2010)

Additionally,

When you get heat moldable liners professionally set (as in not doing it yourself in your Mom or Wife's oven) they can insert toe caps over your feet so that when the liner molds it will have little bit extra space around the front of the foot without sacrificing the snug fit needed.


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## Kenai (Dec 15, 2013)

*Try some Nike boots.* 

I have the same size foot you do - 7 wide. I wear regular shoes anywhere between 6.5 and 8.5 depending on the width, brand/model and purpose. 

Last year I bought well over $3000 in boots and shipped them all back. The closest off the shelf of that run was the Salomon Synapse wide, but I didn't really like the boot. I am pretty sure that no other manufacturer even makes a wide boot in our size range. 

The pair I chose was the Nike Lunarendor at a local shop in size 8. The Nikes run a little small and/or narrow so an 8 was like 7.5 or 7.75. It is not perfect for both feet, but by now you might have figured out that people with our size foot are not likely to get perfect. If you want additional fit then get a pair that are close and go to a boot fitter for final customization. 

Good luck.


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## ctoma (Aug 9, 2011)

Looks like ColinGill and GabriellePeake joined just to push kratom onto the masses and resurrect dead threads... interesting how they both have the same avatar and are both from


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## WigMar (Mar 17, 2019)

You can forget all about bootfit- Kratom helps my boots fit better!


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## Donutz (May 12, 2010)

ctoma said:


> Looks like ColinGill and GabriellePeake joined just to push kratom onto the masses and resurrect dead threads... interesting how they both have the same avatar and are both from
> View attachment 154310


Same exact IP address too.


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