# Boots - What feels right or measurements?



## essie52 (Mar 19, 2014)

I went out looking for new boots a couple days ago. After measuring (and remearuring) my larger foot is 23.7cm x 8.4cm. Based on @Wiredsport boot sizer I should be a size 7. However, none of the size 7s in the shop (that fit my criteria) seemed to fit. They all felt like there was a ton of extra space (volume wise) and some felt too short while others felt too long. I had heel lift in all of them, except Ride Hera, when laced to normal riding snugness.

The closest I got to a good fit was a Ride Sage in a 6.5 but it still felt like there was extra volume and my big toe barely touched the front. The Sage is also too soft of a boot for me; we were using it strictly for sizing purposes. The Ride foot sizer puts me in a 6.5. The sales guy suggested a Ride Hera unfortunately the only size he had was a 7 which felt really clunky in the toe and top of foot area. 

He felt the best size would be a 6 and ordered that size for me (with reassurances I did not have to buy it) in the Hera. After reading more of Wired's suggestions I decided to order a 6.5 off Amazon. My thought was I could then compare the three sizes (6, 6.5, 7) and see which one worked best. Currently, I have 4 yr old Ride Cadences in 6.5. I never seem to be able to get a good heel lock and I have always felt they were too small. My big toe is usually sore from hitting the front of the boot after just a couple runs.

The more I read the more I think I should NOT go off of what feels right and stick with the measurements. In one recent post @Wiredsport commented that he seldom recommends going below the mondo size which would put me in a 7. 

Any thoughts or suggestions? Are snow boot lengths standardized? Is what I am feeling as too big/small in the 7s based on the liner and heat molding will take care of it? I really want a boot that performs and that I do not have to take off every other run for relief. 

Best,
E


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## Wiredsport (Sep 16, 2009)

essie52 said:


> I went out looking for new boots a couple days ago. After measuring (and remearuring) my larger foot is 23.7cm x 8.4cm. Based on @Wiredsport boot sizer I should be a size 7. However, none of the size 7s in the shop (that fit my criteria) seemed to fit. They all felt like there was a ton of extra space (volume wise) and some felt too short while others felt too long. I had heel lift in all of them, except Ride Hera, when laced to normal riding snugness.
> 
> The closest I got to a good fit was a Ride Sage in a 6.5 but it still felt like there was extra volume and my big toe barely touched the front. The Sage is also too soft of a boot for me; we were using it strictly for sizing purposes. The Ride foot sizer puts me in a 6.5. The sales guy suggested a Ride Hera unfortunately the only size he had was a 7 which felt really clunky in the toe and top of foot area.
> 
> ...


Hi Essie,


I just wrote this to Matty in another thread: This may be a non-issue but we should check. In women's snowboard boots on the smaller side of the scale there are some examples of brands printing "unusual" conversion from Mondopoint. Did you check the actual Mondo size or cm size that is printed on the boots?


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## essie52 (Mar 19, 2014)

Wiredsport said:


> Hi Essie,
> 
> 
> I just wrote this to Matty in another thread: This may be a non-issue but we should check. In women's snowboard boots on the smaller side of the scale there are some examples of brands printing "unusual" conversion from Mondopoint. Did you check the actual Mondo size or cm size that is printed on the boots?


The mondo size printed on the tongue of the Ride boots stated 23.5. I think my idea of "gently graze" the front of the boot may be too aggressive. When I tried the 6.5 Sage boots on my big toe (the longest) did not feel like it was touching the front unless I wiggled it. When I wiggled it, it grazed the front of the boot. Is that what "gently graze" means? Thank you for taking so much time and responding to so many people's posts! 

Best,
E


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## linvillegorge (Jul 6, 2009)

If you're an experienced rider, it's all about feel IMO. I don't care what size they print on the label, if it feels right it's right.


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## essie52 (Mar 19, 2014)

linvillegorge said:


> If you're an experienced rider, it's all about feel IMO. I don't care what size they print on the label, if it feels right it's right.


I've been riding in earnest for about 3 years (not sure if that makes me experienced) but the boots I have were my first pair and they never fit right (bought them online). I was too frugal and stubborn to buy new ones until my old ones literally fell apart. Quite frankly, I was hoping to get another season out of the old ones but the liner is destroyed. 

I do not want to make another sizing mistake that I force myself to live with. 

Best,
E


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## linvillegorge (Jul 6, 2009)

essie52 said:


> I've been riding in earnest for about 3 years (not sure if that makes me experienced) but the boots I have were my first pair and they never fit right (bought them online). I was too frugal and stubborn to buy new ones until my old ones literally fell apart. Quite frankly, I was hoping to get another season out of the old ones but the liner is destroyed.
> 
> I do not want to make another sizing mistake that I force myself to live with.
> 
> ...


I'd recommend to go get properly fitted.


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## essie52 (Mar 19, 2014)

Not sure if any of this info is useful or not but:

I have always had a hard time finding sneakers that fit properly. Generally, I always have heel lift and get creases over the top of my forefoot. The only sneakers I have found that truly fit are Merrell Vapor Gloves in size 7. These are zero drop, minimal sole sneakers. 

I also struggle with most flats and sandals as I cannot keep my heel from slipping out of them. My ankle joint is extremely pronounced on both sides of my ankle as is my Achilles' tendon. There is little distinction between my Achilles and my heel pad. 

My arches seem normal. 

My toes are on the long side. 

Best,
E


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## essie52 (Mar 19, 2014)

linvillegorge said:


> I'd recommend to go get properly fitted.


I have. I'm worried that my feedback may have lead the salesperson (who is trained as a fitter) to the wrong size. I may be obsessing more than needed. Laid back is not my M.O. :crazy2:

Best, E


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## Wiredsport (Sep 16, 2009)

essie52 said:


> The mondo size printed on the tongue of the Ride boots stated 23.5. I think my idea of "gently graze" the front of the boot may be too aggressive. When I tried the 6.5 Sage boots on my big toe (the longest) did not feel like it was touching the front unless I wiggled it. When I wiggled it, it grazed the front of the boot. Is that what "gently graze" means? Thank you for taking so much time and responding to so many people's posts!
> 
> Best,
> E


Hi Essie,

Let's start bey getting a photo of your foot being measured. That will get us a good Mondo size to start with.


Please measure your foot 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).


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## wrathfuldeity (Oct 5, 2007)

@essie52 Idk if they make them anymore, but get some dakine heel anchors...like from 12-14 years ago. They work great and would solve your heel lift issues and pull your foot/heel back into the pocket. You could make some...but I will dig around, I might have a pair to send you. However you have to have traditional lace boots for them to work...no speed laces or boas will work unless you jerry rig.


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## essie52 (Mar 19, 2014)

Wiredsport said:


> Hi Essie,
> 
> Let's start bey getting a photo of your foot being measured. That will get us a good Mondo size to start with.
> 
> ...


Will do first thing in morn. Thanks.


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## essie52 (Mar 19, 2014)

wrathfuldeity said:


> @essie52 Idk if they make them anymore, but get some dakine heel anchors...like from 12-14 years ago. They work great and would solve your heel lift issues and pull your foot/heel back into the pocket. You could make some...but I will dig around, I might have a pair to send you. However you have to have traditional lace boots for them to work...no speed laces or boas will work unless you jerry rig.


Thanks Wrath. I think the Ride Heras will work for my heel lift. If not, I will certainly look into the anchors. 

Best,
E


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## essie52 (Mar 19, 2014)

I have attached foot photos.
Best,
E


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## Wiredsport (Sep 16, 2009)

Hi Essie,

Thanks for those measurement images. You are firmly into Mondo 240 range with a C width. I have written this before but things get a little wierd at the smaller side of the women's boot market. Frankly, very little attention is paid to these boots on the design end and often the smaller sizes are entirely untested, downsized designs. This is made worse by the fact that many manufacturers still "upsize" women's boots to ease the sales process. By that I mean that the mindset is that women will not struggle with a boot to get in or deal with an overly aggressive fit. Therefore you see a lot more emphasis on _cushy_ and _comfort_ in the marketing and you see many super oversized boots being sold.

I do feel like Burton holds the high line in testing and development (and adhering to the findings) at the the higher tiers of their women's boot program. If you have the opportunity to try on a set of Supremes or Rituals in Mondo 240, I thinks you might find a lot of foot joy. The price? I wish i could assist there .

I hope that is helpful.


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## essie52 (Mar 19, 2014)

Wiredsport said:


> Hi Essie,
> 
> Thanks for those measurement images. You are firmly into Mondo 240 range with a C width. I have written this before but things get a little wierd at the smaller side of the women's boot market. Frankly, very little attention is paid to these boots on the design end and often the smaller sizes are entirely untested, downsized designs. This is made worse by the fact that many manufacturers still "upsize" women's boots to ease the sales process. By that I mean that the mindset is that women will not struggle with a boot to get in or deal with an overly aggressive fit. Therefore you see a lot more emphasis on _cushy_ and _comfort_ in the marketing and you see many super oversized boots being sold.
> 
> ...


Thanks! Burton Supreme was at the top of my list but the only model of Burton around here were Mints. Plus the price! Happy Merry Birthday Christmas to me. There is a Burton shop on the mountian. Their inventory is small but I might get lucky. I was hoping to buy local but Amazon Prime might have to be used. 
Best, 
E


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## essie52 (Mar 19, 2014)

Wiredsport said:


> . If you have the opportunity to try on a set of Supremes or Rituals in Mondo 240, I thinks you might find a lot of foot joy. The price? I wish i could assist there .
> 
> I hope that is helpful.


Size 7, correct?

Thank you!

Best,
E


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## Wiredsport (Sep 16, 2009)

essie52 said:


> Size 7, correct?
> 
> Thank you!
> 
> ...


Yes, size 7.

STOKED!


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## essie52 (Mar 19, 2014)

Hi-
I ordered Burton Supreme, size 7 from Amazon (free returns) since no one local had them. They should be here Wednesday. Today Amazon delivered the Ride Hera, size 6.5. The snowboard shop should have their recommended boot; Ride Hera, size 6, in by Wednesday. 

Upon trying on the Hera, size 6.5, today I felt the length was good, maybe? Standing upright my toes grazed the front of the boot, in an athletic stance they did not feel as though they were touching the front at all. Also, in an athletic stance the tongue felt like it was folding into the front of my foot. It was not enough to cause a crease but there was a pressure point. Furthermore, even with everything tightened down tighter than I what would actually ride, there was was space around my lower leg. 

Are the above descriptions indications the boot is too big? Or are these things that get fixed with heat molding or break in periods? Should a shim on the tongue be used for extra volume in the lower leg?

Thank you for your input.

Best, 
E


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## chomps1211 (Mar 30, 2011)

@essie52, as long as you have them you should maybe see how they feel strapped in to the bindings & doing a little carpet shredding.  

I will defer to the experts as far as any advice,... but Im betting that tongue folding issue only gets worse when strapped in. :blink:


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## SGboarder (Jun 24, 2012)

essie52 said:


> Hi-
> I ordered Burton Supreme, size 7 from Amazon (free returns) since no one local had them. They should be here Wednesday. Today Amazon delivered the Ride Hera, size 6.5. The snowboard shop should have their recommended boot; Ride Hera, size 6, in by Wednesday.
> 
> *Upon trying on the Hera, size 6.5, today I felt the length was good, maybe? Standing upright my toes grazed the front of the boot, in an athletic stance they did not feel as though they were touching the front at all. Also, in an athletic stance the tongue felt like it was folding into the front of my foot. It was not enough to cause a crease but there was a pressure point. Furthermore, even with everything tightened down tighter than I what would actually ride, there was was space around my lower leg. *
> ...


Yes, those are definitely signs of a boot that is too big. You want very firm pressure at the toes when standing up straight and still to have contact/some pressure in a riding stance/when bending your knees.

This might be the rare case were somebody needs a boot _smaller_ than wired's initial suggestion. you might want to re-take your measurements and show the full length of the tape.


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## Wiredsport (Sep 16, 2009)

essie52 said:


> Hi-
> I ordered Burton Supreme, size 7 from Amazon (free returns) since no one local had them. They should be here Wednesday. Today Amazon delivered the Ride Hera, size 6.5.
> E


That is too large. I am not holding out a lot of hope for the Hera's. I feel a lot better suggesting the Supremes for accuracy but again, things get a little wild at the smaller size of the female spectrum. 

When the brands are trying to build in extra size for sellability reasons it gets a lot harder to manage.


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## essie52 (Mar 19, 2014)

Wiredsport said:


> That is too large. I am not holding out a lot of hope for the Hera's. I feel a lot better suggesting the Supremes for accuracy but again, things get a little wild at the smaller size of the female spectrum.
> 
> When the brands are trying to build in extra size for sellability reasons it gets a lot harder to manage.


I am not holding much hope for the Heras either which is too bad because honestly, I would prefer to buy from a local shop.

Running shoes are the same way. I wear anything from a size 5.5 to a size 7 (US women). I find Merrell zero drop, minimal sole sneakers to be the truest to cm (mondo) sizing. <--- Random information.

Best, 
E


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## essie52 (Mar 19, 2014)

I now have three pairs of boots sitting on my kitchen island:
Ride Hera 6.0
Ride Hera 6.5
Burton Supreme 7.0

The Ride Hera 6.5 are too big so they're out. 

I want to love the Supremes because they feel so well made and are extremely easy on, easy off which is important when dealing with a prosthetic leg. They also feel very responsive (which I like). The length and width are good BUT I get a ton of heel lift. They seem to have a lot of cushioning which I'm sure most people love however, I am not one of those people. 

Which brings me to the Ride Heras 6.0. These fit quite nicely length and width wise (slightly wider through the toe box area than the Supremes). Most importantly, I can lock the heel down. They are a PITA to get on and off and I tried to dislike them but each time I put them on after the Supremes, I smiled. They fit like a glove; a tight form fitting glove. While it's hard to say on the carpet they seemed more contacted to my board than the Supremes. I'm not sure if this makes sense but I feel like I am standing on top of the Supremes whereas I feel like I am standing in the Heras. 

I am quite taken aback by the results. I thought for sure the Supremes were going to win out and I am not 100% convinced of the results. I'll try them both out again tomorrow. 

Best,
E


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## Wiredsport (Sep 16, 2009)

essie52 said:


> I now have three pairs of boots sitting on my kitchen island:
> Ride Hera 6.0
> Ride Hera 6.5
> Burton Supreme 7.0
> ...


Heel lift in a new boot screams _not right_. If that can not be corrected with normal lace tension then you should bail on those. It sounds like you may have a match in the 6 Hera.


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## F1EA (Oct 25, 2013)

essie52 said:


> Which brings me to the Ride Heras 6.0. These fit quite nicely length and width wise (slightly wider through the toe box area than the Supremes). Most importantly, I can lock the heel down. They are a PITA to get on and off and I tried to dislike them but each time I put them on after the Supremes, I smiled. They fit like a glove; a tight form fitting glove.


= this is a fit. 
Regardless what your measurements/numbers say.


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## essie52 (Mar 19, 2014)

Thank you for your input. While I went with the Heras your input convinced me to order, and try, other boots. I feel confident now that I have the right fit. There will be no lingering "should haves" or buyer's remorse. 
Best, 
E


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