Help Needed: Are new boots supposed to be this tight?

[sweetnsnooty]

I was trying on new boots and the fitter told me that new boots are supposed to be tights because they'll get looser with time. My toes were touching the tips and I was hesitant to buy, they felt too small but he took measurements of my feet and assured me that that was my correct size. I don't want to end up with blisters or worse - or is that how new boots are supposed to fit? A size larger felt a lot more comfortable but I'm afraid that they'll end up too loose with time if the insides are supposed to stretch. Do the insides really settle in?

 

[Pequenita]

The liners do pack out, so new boots/liners are supposd to feel snug. Also, when you say your toes touch the tip, is that when you are standing straight or when you are flexing forward? If your toes move back as you flex forward and bend your knees, your length is fine. Finally, if you remember, did the fitter take out the boot liner and have you stand in the boots and either stick his/her hand or a dowel in there to check the amount of space between your heel and the back of the boot?

You certainly don't want your feet scrunched in there (ie, I once tried on liners that were too narrow in the toe box, and I am not even sure my entire foot up there was flat -- that's bad), and they shouldn't be in pain.

 

[sweetnsnooty]

He did slide his hand behind my leg into the boot but I can't recall if I did bend my knees a bit when I was trying them on! I was hoping to get boots by tomorrow but I think I'll invest some time into this...thanks!

 

[Pequenita]

I'm sure the bootfitters on here can be more detailed, but for me, I think of my boot fit as snug, rather than tight. good luck!

 

[volklgirl]

Your toes should touch the end of the boot when you're fulling buckled but standing upright. They should pull away a teeny bit so they're just brushing the end in your ski stance. Anything bigger than this will be too big very quickly. Keep in mind that boots will pack out to 1/2 to 2 sizes bigger over time.

Check the Gearipedia section for information on boot construction/features and for what to expect in a proper fitting.

 

[Shellski]

When I tried on my new boots straight out of the box they were incredibly tight, there is no way I could have worn them like that without major pain. However, after heat molding they are now a perfect fit. If your bootfitter knows his/her stuff and the shell size is right, you are on the way. If they fit like a slipper straight out of the box, they are probably a little too big. You can only get an idea of the end fit before any work is done, for me it's a lot about trusting your bootfitter.

 

[Jilly]

At first look, ski boot fit might remind of dress shoes. Tight, snug but you know that after 1 day of wear they're going to be fine. Bedroom slipper is not good. Even the fit you get with your running shoes is not good. If the guy did a shell fit, the dowel with your foot in the shell, then you shouldn't have any problems. This sounds right.

 

[kcfm22]

I was trying on new boots and the fitter told me that new boots are supposed to be tights because they'll get looser with time. My toes were touching the tips and I was hesitant to buy, they felt too small but he took measurements of my feet and assured me that that was my correct size. I don't want to end up with blisters or worse - or is that how new boots are supposed to fit? A size larger felt a lot more comfortable but I'm afraid that they'll end up too loose with time if the insides are supposed to stretch. Do the insides really settle in?

It's hard to tell whether they are the right size. It's what you think works for you, so boot sizing is a trial and error process. I bought my second pair last year of Head Dream Thang's - since I have the wide ball, high arch, narrow heel problem. I just had them refitted at Green Mountain Orthotic Lab in Stratton last week which has really helped my alignment and customized my fit. If you don't feel they are right, I would take them back. I did that once, and received full refund toward another boot. Insides settle in, sometimes the liners are smaller and need to stretch, but it also could be that they just aren't the right boot for you.

KC

 

[frenchgirl]

When I bought my boots, my toes were touching the tips. I wore them with the thinnest smartwool socks available. 2 weeks later I can tell that the liner have packed a bit. When I flex forward my toes barely touch the front of the boots. My boots are still tight but I have been to the bootfitter a lot to get some ajustments done like alignments and adding padding(skinny legs) to the leg part of the boot. You said he took mesurements of your feet, but did he take the liner out, put your feet in the shell and check how space you have behind your heels?

 

[Nimbis]

Since your near Boulder, go to Larry's Bootfitter. He has been fitting my boots since I was a kid and my mom's before that. He has a friendly boot shop that is dedicated to just that and will be happy to make sure that your fit is correct. That being said, new boots are supposed to fit snug and will pack out, just make sure that when you flex forward that your toes pull away slightly. If you have any "hot spots" he'll be able to fix them for you in a jiffy. Your best best is to call for an appointment as it get's very busy in there.

 

[gardenmary]

I was amazed over the last week just how much my liners began to pack out. I tightened my boot buckles at least once a DAY. I am so glad my new bootfitter exchanged the first pair I was given for the correct size; the first person gave me boots that matched my shoe size which was WAY too big. I will say that I've had to get used to the way my feet and shins feel in ski boots; they feel too tight at first but the more I've skiied in them, the better they feel. When I first put them on, I could only buckle to the first or second notch; now I'm working on the third and fourth notches. Thankfully they have micro-adjusters on the ankle buckles.

 

[marzNC]

One of the reasons I learned what to expect from well-fitted ski boots was this thread from 2009.

The list of boot fitters by region in Ski Gear is a helpful reference, in addition to the threads in Gearipedia.