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Finding a Boot Small Enough

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SKI.ING
Posts: 2695 - Karma: 2,535
Recently been trying on boots and have pretty much settled on the Dalbello Krypton Rampage. I've found them on sale for a decent price and with the extra money I can just buy intuition liners and put them in them.

BUT after being in boots too big for me, I am afraid of this boot also being too big but I'm already at a 25.5 and can't go smaller. Do you guys ever have a problem of trying to get a boot small enough? At 300 dollars at my local shop I can't find cheaper, but I know they will pack out and don't want to drop money on another pair of boots that will be too big. Should I buy, or do you know methods to help, etc.
Mar 29 2012 10:17PM
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Goku
Posts: 8119 - Karma: 4,221
Find a Nordica Supercharger JR or an Ace Of Spade Team, depending on your foot type
Mar 29 2012 10:19PM
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tomPietrowski
Posts: 7099 - Karma: 17,043
Well the only way really of knowing how the boot will pack out is to have your foot in the shell alone. The bootfitter will asses the length, forfoot width, instep room, ankle volume, genral fit ect. This will let the fitter know how the shell fits compared to your foot. So long as its not too tight the liner will pack out to fit.

The problem comes when this is missed out and you just try on boots and see what feels comfy.

Genrally a good boot wont really be that comfy in the shop. It will be tight and will need a few (possibly painfull) rides to bed it in.

Other things you can do to cut down how much your boots pack out, is by minimising the movement of your foot in the boot. This is done by getting a footbed which supports your foot and prevents it from pronating/supernating inside the boot. The more your foot moves in the boot the more it will pack out, so anything you can do to keep your foot still will help the life of your boots.

Overall, you need to find a good boot fitter who can asses the shell to your foot, make you some footbeds, then fit the liner to your foot.
Mar 29 2012 10:32PM
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a_pla5tic_bag
Posts: 9210 - Karma: 5,357
i have a 25.5 il moro as well and they're good. they could be smaller i guess. bootfitters can help, and also check out the krypton cross, it felt a little tighter than the rampage. guy who was fitting me had out all three of those and i think the cross fit a little tighter, but i didn't like the way it flexed so i went with il moros. also don't feel pressured to get a park boot (says me with il moros but they fit nicely).
Mar 29 2012 10:38PM
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japanada
Posts: 13784 - Karma: 1,957
By putting in ID liners, youre on a great way to making the boot fit tighter! When you get them molded, just wear a thin ski sock, and I wouldnt even put on the toe caps. They will be tight/painful for the first few rides, but after they pack out a tad, they will be money. A footbed also will do wonders for you!
Mar 29 2012 11:25PM
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SKI.ING
Posts: 2695 - Karma: 2,535
This is exactly what worried me. It was comfortable and I felt like it should've fit tighter. The bootfitter knew a lot, but definitely didn't do a shell fit and i forgot to ask for one also. Tomorrow I will ask for one. Although I've heard alot on here about 2 fingers width is good, can you explain in more detail what I should be looking for in a shell fit? I don't understand how the finger thing works.

And since the bootfitter didn't do a shell fit right away, should I ask for another employee?
Mar 30 2012 12:23AM
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Sklar
Posts: 8863 - Karma: 31,577
the finger thing is just measuring how much room you have

if i were you, yes i would ask for someone else. Correct me if i'm wrong, but a shell fit is the first thing they should do with any given pair of boots
Mar 30 2012 2:31AM
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SKI.ING
Posts: 2695 - Karma: 2,535
That's what I was thinking. But on the other hand I'm down to the smallest shell possible. 25. I like the fit and heel retention and everything, just worried it feels comfortable right now. Toes are a little scrunched but feel good otherwise.

And after reading hundreds of NS boot threads, etc. I feel I can almost fit myself better than the employees. I swear you guys it'a hard to find a real bootfitter for alot of us.
Mar 30 2012 3:03AM
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Sklar
Posts: 8863 - Karma: 31,577
Do your best to find a quality fitter, it be most definitely be worth it in the long run
Mar 30 2012 10:31AM
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tomPietrowski
Posts: 7099 - Karma: 17,043
If he did not put your foot in the shell, first of all, he is not a boot fitter. The shell cheack is the only way to asses the fit.

Dont try and fit yourself it takes a long time to learn what your doing. Try to speak to the guys and find out who trains the staff. They will genrally have the best knowledge.

25 is not the smallest you will find a boot. It may be the smallest a certain boot goes but dont let that limit your search for boots.

It may be that another boot in size 25 fits your foot better, or it may be that you need a 24 shell.
Mar 30 2012 11:29AM
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Goku
Posts: 8119 - Karma: 4,221
This. I measure a 27 on the mondo scale but I wear most boots in size 25.5 and bump out the few areas where I need room
Mar 30 2012 12:10PM
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SKI.ING
Posts: 2695 - Karma: 2,535
Thanks for all of the good advice. And I tried on all the boots in their store but they all fit much too large or had really bad pressure points on my ankle. I hate to say it, but the one brand they didn't have were Fulltilts. Everyone on here says they are for the smallest/narrowest feet so is that something I should look it? Don't really care to get them, but if they fit better I'd look at them.
Mar 30 2012 12:35PM
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tomPietrowski
Posts: 7099 - Karma: 17,043
There are plenty of tight fitting boots other then Full tilts. But you have to understand it comes down to so much more then thinking you have a small volume foot. How high is your instep, how wide is your ankle in relation to the forfoot. Do you pronate do you need some footbeds. This could be why your ankle hurts in some.

By the sound of it if you tried on all the boots they had, you were defiantly not helped by a bootfitter. No bootfitter would let you try everything on, as they would no that most the boots probably would not fit you. Maybe try to do some research and find a decent shop fairly close to you.
Mar 30 2012 12:49PM
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SKI.ING
Posts: 2695 - Karma: 2,535
^Thanks! And how would I know if its the last/fit that seems a problem, or if the actual shell size is too big? The only place I found a 24.5 is straight from Dalbello, but with my toes already being a bit scrunched but then perfect when I flex I think that's fine?

Sorry if it seems I'm ignoring your advice to find a good bootfitter, but I've tried on boots at about 4 shops and none ask any of the questions you do and it's frusterating.


Mar 30 2012 12:57PM
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tomPietrowski
Posts: 7099 - Karma: 17,043
Well then you need to look for a shop who do fit boots. You may need to travel a bit but it will be worth it.

Dont forget if your trying on a boot without a footbed your toes may feel tighter then when your foot is suported.

Shops should do both a weighted and unweighted measurement. The unweighted gives a better idea of the size of your foot once it is supported by a footbed. So if your just trying on boots, your not getting a true idea of how they will fit once fitted.
Mar 30 2012 1:09PM
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paige.
Posts: 1930 - Karma: 907
You'll figure out if it's the shell that's the problem by trying the boots on without the liners. The two-finger rule you mentioned before is pretty standard, with people going a little smaller/bigger based on personal preference. If your weight is forward (not flexing) and your toes are scrunched that probably isn't good, the liner will pack out and you could get the shell punched but that only will go so far to remedy the fit if the boot's too small.

I believe full tilt, lange and salomon all make some boots in the sub-25 range so they are out there, shops just generally won't order in more than a couple pairs so they can be hard to find, especially at this point in the season.
Mar 30 2012 2:50PM
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SKI.ING
Posts: 2695 - Karma: 2,535
Well I went in again today and worked with a different bootfitter. He did a shell fit and said I was right between comfort and performance fit with what he could fit behind my heel. After measuring my foot he said I'm a solid 26 on the mondo size scale. I asked about dropping down to a 24 shell and he said I could, but it's really not recommended since my toes are already touching the front of the toe box in a stationary position. And if I was worried about packing out, they could add shims and other items to the shell of my boot to reduce volume.

And to make up for the trouble I've had he offered them to me for $280 instead of the $310 sale they were listed at before. So at $450 retail, its a pretty good offer for some Dalbellos.
Mar 30 2012 6:59PM
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SKI.ING
Posts: 2695 - Karma: 2,535
Decided on getting it. Don't think deals will be this good next year if the snow is half-decent.
Mar 30 2012 10:06PM
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Sklar
Posts: 8863 - Karma: 31,577
most good shops have a bootfit guarantee, ask about that
Mar 30 2012 10:12PM
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SKI.ING
Posts: 2695 - Karma: 2,535
What exactly does a "bootfit guarantee" entail exactly? So I know what to expect when asking.
Mar 31 2012 1:59AM
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Sklar
Posts: 8863 - Karma: 31,577
I was having a similar problem as you, and they told me something along on the lines of free boot work, and I'd that didn't work, new boots
Mar 31 2012 10:33AM
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SKI.ING
Posts: 2695 - Karma: 2,535
Oh, nice! I'll see about that, at least about free boot work. Thanks for all the help guys.
Mar 31 2012 12:40PM
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