finding the right AT boot

[katitarae]

Hi. Im new here and have loved reading this site!

I just bought a pair of Volkl Aura's with the freeride binding. (This is acutally how I found this site- thanks for the sizing threads!!! I bought without skiing them- but I felt they spoke to me Time will tell...)

Anyhow I have a pair of the Garmont Xena G-fits that I got in 2006. Skiied them 2 days (5 runs, 3 ascents) and HATED the fit! Bummer! (I was pregnant last winter and used my on-piste gear! Now I fear these boots really won't fit!) Ive been told to get a foot bed custom made as I jump a whole foot size when I am engaged. But I dunno- I feel like this boot will NEVER fit. Before I invest some bucks into a foot bed I was curious to know who else has tried these boots- what did you think? What AT boots are yall using??? Someone recommended the Scarpa Divas and I am dying to try them...

I'd love to hear your opinions. Fall is peaking its head around the corner here in the high country!

 

[Robyn]

Unfortunately I know nothing about AT gear but I wanted to welcome you to our site! I'm so glad you found us here. Sounds like you live in the mountains somewhere? Ugh, I'm so jealous. :D

 

[katitarae]

Thanks! Yup, I'm in Colorado!

 

[Robyn]

Thanks! Yup, I'm in Colorado!

YAY! Maybe we'll get to meet up sometime this winter. That is if you're willing to ski inbounds at some point. Glad to hear fall is the air up there, I haven't made it up much this summer.

 

[altagirl]

Yeah - I'd say boot fit is too important to just try to add some footbeds and hope it works. I'd find the best bootfitter in your region and go spend some money and find what's really the ideal boot for you.

Normally I'm a bargain hunter. I haven't paid close to retail on skis.... ever. But boots - that's a different story. I've bought boots on sale and tried to fit myself and spent years with my feet ranging from uncomfortable to bringing tears to my eyes. And a couple years ago I went to Earl Middlemiss and paid retail and paid for fitting and the grand total was $1200. I about died. Until I skied in them and realized that for the first time ever my feet were truly comfortable AND I could ski better and control my skis better and it was the best money I've spent.

AT boots wouldn't be any different. And maybe even more worthwhile since you're spending so much time on your feet.

And there's always a chance that if you find an awesome bootfitter he or she can do something with what you've got. But I'd stay open to new boots - just make sure you're picking them based on what a true master has to say after looking at your foot structure, not what looks good in a review.

And welcome!

 

[Shannon D]

Larry the Bootfitter in Boulder is a genius. He's the best around. I would recommend a visit to him. He carries alpine, tele, and AT and if he doesn't have something that works for you, he'll fit a boot you buy somewhere else. He usually takes the whole summer off, but should be starting up again soon. Appointments are a good idea.

And Welcome.

 

[PowDiva85]

Did you have your Xenas heat molded? Even if you did,if you have specific hot spots that are bothering you you can have them heat molded again with some foam on those areas to stretch them out and make the areas bigger. As far as getting footbeds it depends on why you hated the fit of the boots as to what the proper solution is. I would recommend trying the scarpa divas atleast for comparison. They actually are narrower than garmonts generally but have a much thiner liner.

 

[katitarae]

YAY! Maybe we'll get to meet up sometime this winter. That is if you're willing to ski inbounds at some point. Glad to hear fall is the air up there, I haven't made it up much this summer.

Are you in Denver? I am in the San Juans/Silverton. I do love skiing in bounds and taking a ride up!!

 

[Robyn]

Are you in Denver? I am in the San Juans/Silverton. I do love skiing in bounds and taking a ride up!!

Yeah, I'm in Denver. But maybe one of these days our paths would cross.

 

[katitarae]

yes. We should keep in touch...

 

[tradygirl]

AT boots are hard since the brands are so much more limited than alpine. Luckily, the AT market is EXPLODING right now, and if you're buying brand new, you have a plethora of options.

I totally agree with finding an excellent boot fitter to help you make an informed decision. They may be able to work some magic with your existing boots. If you decide to go new, definitely try on every brand you can get your hands on! I would recommend for sure looking at the new DynaFit and Black Diamond boots - the reviews have been stellar.

That being said - I bought AT boots 4 years ago and at that time my choices were limited to Scarpa and Garmont. The Garmonts are way too wide for me (they fit extremely weird), so I went with the Scarpa Magic, even though they didn't fit perfectly either but they're narrow enough to work. Since I bought them, I've made some modifications that have definitely helped, so if you don't have the budget to start over with a new boot, here's what I've found that helped:

Custom footbeds. I got these made for my alpine boots and I just throw them in my AT boots when I go touring. It really helped tighten the fit up.

Replacement liners. This isn't as much of an issue anymore since most boot makers are using much better stock liners than they used to, but I bought some Intuition liners and it helped a ton.

Shell expansion. OK - this was my husband's issue, but if you're getting major pressure points caused by the boot shell, you can get the shell punched out to give you some space.

Most importantly - do they bother you while hiking or skiing or both? Is it pain or just mis-fit? What seems to be wrong with the fit? Too wide? Too much volume? Too narrow? If they fit good for walking you can always buckle them down super tight when it's time to ski (you usually only spend about 2% of your time actually skiing on a typical tour anyways).

I'm sure you understand that you'll most likely NEVER get the performance and maybe even fit of a true alpine boot out of your AT boots, so shoot for walking comfort since you'll be spending a lot of time walking in these boots. I went with the Magics since the higher performance boots were so heavy and uncomfortable to walk in at the time. The newest boots have taken HUGE strides in increasing performance without sacrificing weight and comfort, so you may be in luck if you go brand new.

 

[BackCountryGirl]

Interesting thread. I have a pair of 2006 Garmont G-Fit Mega Rides. I have never loved the fit. They were the widest available at the time, but not wide enough for my hobbit-like feet. I had them stretched quite a bit and now they are a bit better, but I can't wait until I can justify a new pair. Believe it or not, part of my solution is to use them barefoot. Be careful about keeping buckles loose -- sometimes, that's a surefire way to cause blisters, especially on the ascents.

 

[IdahoSkiGirl]

It is amazing what a good boot fitter can do! I also have the Auras with Freerides and have the Garmont Xenas. I took the Xenas into the backcountry three times before I gave in and went back to the boot fitter. The ball of the foot was way too tight and my heel was lifting way too much. I had some major work done on the Xenas (the right ball of the foot punched out). I did have custom footbeds and heel cups put in them. The footbeds did make a big difference for me! The Xenas are now a great fit!

 

[schudz]

I've been impressed with my Scarpa Magics which I believe are the generation before the Star Lite. Good touring performance and fit.

I've been looking for some 4-buckle AT boots and have had some challenges. The Xenas have three screws on the front by the toe and I'm not convinced they're going to be the right fit with that added pressure there. A few of my friends really like theirs - but only as Idaho said, "after major work."

I tried the Scarpa Domina which I think it similar to the Diva but has interchangable sole pieces for DIN or AT bindings. I found the last and overall fit very different from the Garmont.

Has anyone been lucky enough to demo the new Black Diamond AT boots that will work for DIN, AT, and Dynafit?