# yet another boot sizing question



## sneakybanana (Mar 5, 2018)

hi everyone,


I bought a pair of 32 binary boa's about a year ago, and I picked my size based on my mondo size. My right foot is at just about 275, and my left foot is just a bit under 275. Based on that, I got the us 9.5 version of the shoe. I remember reading a ton of your posts in multiple threads talking about how proper boots will be tight in the beginning but then pack out and fit like a glove after about 10 days. My boots did feel too tight at the start, and I've ridden them between 25-30 days, and they don't feel tight anymore. In fact, they feel just right.

My problem is that after riding multiple days, my left big toe always goes black, and my right middle toe always goes numb. The toe numbness takes ages to go away! In fact it's still numb from my last trip to Japan. I initially thought I just need to break them in more, but one of my more experienced boarding friends thinks I should get it looked at because those issues can lead to bigger problems down the road.

Do you think my boots are too big or too small and that's what's causing the back toenail and the numb toe? I've attached a photo of my feet on the foot beds if that helps.


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## Wiredsport (Sep 16, 2009)

Hi Sneaky,

Please post up images of each foot being measured (both length and width, please). 

Please measure your foot length using this method:

Kick your heel (barefoot please, no socks) back against a wall. Mark the floor exactly at the tip of your toe (the one that sticks out furthest - which toe this is will vary by rider). Measure from the mark on the floor to the wall. That is your foot length and is the only measurement that you will want to use. Measure in centimeters if possible, but if not, take inches and multiply by 2.54 (example: an 11.25 inch foot x 2.54 = 28.57 centimeters).

For width please place the inside (medial side) of your foot against a wall. Please then measure from the wall out to the widest point on the lateral (outside) of your foot.


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## sneakybanana (Mar 5, 2018)

Wiredsport said:


> Hi Sneaky,
> 
> Please post up images of each foot being measured (both length and width, please).
> 
> ...


Hi Wired,

I've attached my photos. I think i'm seeing the problem already. It looks like I bought a half size too big. I'm 100% sure when I measured my feet ages ago with a brannock device, it was 275mm. I even have those photos. Does it matter that I took these photos after waking up after a sneaky 3 hour nap? I'm so annoyed with myself, i was so sure I had the right boot size.

What's your assessment?


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## Wiredsport (Sep 16, 2009)

sneakybanana said:


> Hi Wired,
> 
> I've attached my photos. I think i'm seeing the problem already. It looks like I bought a half size too big. I'm 100% sure when I measured my feet ages ago with a brannock device, it was 275mm. I even have those photos. Does it matter that I took these photos after waking up after a sneaky 3 hour nap? I'm so annoyed with myself, i was so sure I had the right boot size.
> 
> What's your assessment?


Hi Sneaky,

Yes, you are definitely in too large a boot. That (motion inside the boot) is the most common cause of a black nail in snowboarding. It will be very close to a full size too large if not a full size. To dial this in we will need to have you measure again using the suggestions above. In the attached measurements the straight elements are not squared so I cannot be more exact. You may also have an E width foot (slightly wide) so I would want to check that first. Please use the clear ruler only measuring from a fixed wall and please stand directly on the ruler at the measured area. 

STOKED!


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## Kala (Mar 13, 2018)

@Wiresport. I read your suggestions with interest. However, I am not sure how exactly to apply it to actual boot purchase. My (longer) foot is 28.5cm (X10.5cm) but I definitely DO NOT fit in a US 11 boot. I simply don't. In fact, the best fitting boot I ever had is a Northwave Decade size 12 (Mondo 30). Could this have to do with overall boot design (rather than merely liner size)? Recently, I tried on the Driver X on US 11.5 and they too felt uncomfortably tight. Is the idea that one ought to still buy something like that and expect they will pack out suitably?


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## Wiredsport (Sep 16, 2009)

Kala said:


> @Wiresport. I read your suggestions with interest. However, I am not sure how exactly to apply it to actual boot purchase. My (longer) foot is 28.5cm (X10.5cm) but I definitely DO NOT fit in a US 11 boot. I simply don't. In fact, the best fitting boot I ever had is a Northwave Decade size 12 (Mondo 30). Could this have to do with overall boot design (rather than merely liner size)? Recently, I tried on the Driver X on US 11.5 and they too felt uncomfortably tight. Is the idea that one ought to still buy something like that and expect they will pack out suitably?


Hi Kala,

28.5 cm is a Mondopoint 285 or size 10.5 US in snowboard boots. 10.5 cm, however, is an E width so you would not be expected to fit in a "standard" D width boot at your actual foot size. 

Please post up images of your bare feet being measured (length and width) as above. I will be happy to confirm all of that for you.

STOKED!


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## Kala (Mar 13, 2018)

I am quite sure I followed your directions right. pressed back of foot against wall, drew line with pencil on floor right at end of big (longest) toe and then measured in straight line from wall. Figure is 28.5 cm. US 10.5 boot however... no way. yes, I may be able to put it on, but the mere thought of wearing it going down slopes hurts. As I said, even 11.5 Driver X was uncomfortable and not something I would buy. Most comfortable boot I had (never an issue with foot moving inside or toe bruising, etc) was a US 12 (Mondo 300) Northwave. I wear US 13 in sneakers, and maybe around EU 45.5 in formal shoes. Apologies to hijack post, but maybe issue of discrepancy between measurement and actual boot I am describing may be of use to OP and others.


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## Wiredsport (Sep 16, 2009)

Kala said:


> I am quite sure I followed your directions right. pressed back of foot against wall, drew line with pencil on floor right at end of big (longest) toe and then measured in straight line from wall. Figure is 28.5 cm. US 10.5 boot however... no way. yes, I may be able to put it on, but the mere thought of wearing it going down slopes hurts. As I said, even 11.5 Driver X was uncomfortable and not something I would buy. Most comfortable boot I had (never an issue with foot moving inside or toe bruising, etc) was a US 12 (Mondo 300) Northwave. I wear US 13 in sneakers, and maybe around EU 45.5 in formal shoes. Apologies to hijack post, but maybe issue of discrepancy between measurement and actual boot I am describing may be of use to OP and others.


Hi Kala,

Mondopoint is pretty cool like that. Your foot length 28.5 is always Mondo 285. The size is the measurement. There is no conversion. This is a size 10.5 US in snowboard boots. That same measurement 28.5 cm is a size 12 in shoes (Brannock shoe size). The important thing is that an E width foot will not fit well in a D width boot. That is equally important to length. If your #'s are correct then you would want to look at the Salomon Wide boot models in Mondo 285 or size 10.5 US. These are the only boots designed for E width (Dialogue Wide and Synapse Wide are great suggestions).

If you do decide to post up the foot images as above I will be happy to have a look.

STOKED!


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## pow247 (Mar 27, 2018)

I don't know much about boot sizing but follow the suggestions by others and make sure you get the right boot first.

Then I would suggest cutting your toe nails before riding each time. That's what I do and it just feels more comfortable overall.


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## Kala (Mar 13, 2018)

Wiredsport said:


> Hi Kala,
> 
> Mondopoint is pretty cool like that. Your foot length 28.5 is always Mondo 285. The size is the measurement. There is no conversion. This is a size 10.5 US in snowboard boots. That same measurement 28.5 cm is a size 12 in shoes (Brannock shoe size). The important thing is that an E width foot will not fit well in a D width boot. That is equally important to length. If your #'s are correct then you would want to look at the Salomon Wide boot models in Mondo 285 or size 10.5 US. These are the only boots designed for E width (Dialogue Wide and Synapse Wide are great suggestions).
> 
> ...


That's actually really interesting. I was rather oblivious to the D-E. etc. width parameters. Would you say that lack of comfort with boots sized 10.5 in my case may be due to wrong width size?


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## Wiredsport (Sep 16, 2009)

Kala said:


> That's actually really interesting. I was rather oblivious to the D-E. etc. width parameters. Would you say that lack of comfort with boots sized 10.5 in my case may be due to wrong width size?


Yes. A boot which is too small in width is every bit as bad as one that is too small in length. There is also an odd reality due to the arc shape of the toe box which makes it so that a boot which is too narrow is too short at the outside toes as well. 

Many riders with wide feet end up buying boots that are 1,2, 3, or more sizes too large to accommodate width. This is a big problem as it makes it so that the structures of the boot do not align with the structures of the foot.

STOKED!


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## sneakybanana (Mar 5, 2018)

Wiredsport said:


> Hi Sneaky,
> 
> Yes, you are definitely in too large a boot. That (motion inside the boot) is the most common cause of a black nail in snowboarding. It will be very close to a full size too large if not a full size. To dial this in we will need to have you measure again using the suggestions above. In the attached measurements the straight elements are not squared so I cannot be more exact. You may also have an E width foot (slightly wide) so I would want to check that first. Please use the clear ruler only measuring from a fixed wall and please stand directly on the ruler at the measured area.
> 
> STOKED!


Hi again wiredsport,

I tried to post this the other night, but for some reason it doesn't look like it's gotten approved. I've attached the photos of my updated measurements. Please note that the end of the clear ruler has a 5mm gap (I attached a photo of this too). I'm assuming this means we add 5mm to every measurement taken? I've also tried to use the mm measurements to be more precise. Also, I took these photos after walking around a bit running errands. From what I got, it looks like my measurements are:

RIGHT FOOT - length: 270mm, width: 96mm
LEFT FOOT - length: 271mm, width: 98mm

Does this mean then that I should be in a size 9 instead of a 9.5? Or do you think my measurements are still a bit funky and I should go to a shoe shop and use the brannock device?


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## Wiredsport (Sep 16, 2009)

sneakybanana said:


> Hi again wiredsport,
> 
> I tried to post this the other night, but for some reason it doesn't look like it's gotten approved. I've attached the photos of my updated measurements. Please note that the end of the clear ruler has a 5mm gap (I attached a photo of this too). I'm assuming this means we add 5mm to every measurement taken? I've also tried to use the mm measurements to be more precise. Also, I took these photos after walking around a bit running errands. From what I got, it looks like my measurements are:
> 
> ...


Hi,

Your one foot is Mondo 270 or size 9 US in snowboard boots. Your other appears to be a fraction of a mm above that and if that is correct it is technically the smallest possible Mondo 275 or size 9.5 US in snowboard boots. A Brannock device will give a shoe size (always different from a snowboard boot size) only and will not be helpful. 

STOKED!


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