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18/19 Salomon MTN lab boot work? How much space can I get?

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MikeLofgren
Posts: 14 - Karma: 34
TLDR: 1st pair of AT boots.

Bought 2020 Salomon MTN Lab 26/26.5 and found it too large. Plan was to size down to 25.5 and custom fit heat moldable shell.

Then, I found NEW 18/19 MTN lab in 25.5 for $150 from SkiEssentials. Liner is heat moldable but shell is not. After a run, (to swell my feet some), I tried em on. Shell fit leaves 3/4 - 1 cm, and last is 98mm for my 104 mm feet. Felt good for 10-15 mins and then had to remove them due to pain around 1st and 5th metatarsal. Toe box maybe a bit narrow. For them to work, I need a good bit of space more than what they provide. I’d keep em if the shells were heat moldable.

Given that these boots are not heat moldable, is it reasonable to expect that I can stretch these to make em work?



$150 isn’t a huge commitment, but as they stand now, I’d be hard pressed to want to tour in em.

Input very welcome.
May 28 2020 6:24PM
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MJ3
Posts: 1 - Karma: 11
My feet are 106mm wide and my bootfitter was able to punch out a pair of 24.5 Mtn Labs to fit perfectly. You should be fine if you have a decent fitter, so long as the shell length is good (harder to punch for length than width).
May 28 2020 11:40PM
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Jbleddy
Posts: 173 - Karma: 1,164
Are you sure that the shell's aren't moldable?

I have the 2018 Mtn Lab boots and I heat molded them at my house. There are youtube videos online that describe how to mold salomon boots. You basically just put the shells in the oven @200 degrees for 10 minutes, remove, put liners back in, put boots on for like 5-10 minutes, then step into a mini ice water bath to cool the boots down.

If I messed up and somehow these shells aren't "moldable", well this still worked for me in taking out a hotspot around my heel.
May 29 2020 12:45AM
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BradFiAusNzCoCa
Posts: 6637 - Karma: 57,190
I did a quick google on when I first saw the question and saw somewhere that the lower is made of grilamid and heat moldable. I’ve never worked on mtn labs though, closest I’ve worked on are QSTs so I have no firsthand knowledge.
JbleddyAre you sure that the shell's aren't moldable?

I have the 2018 Mtn Lab boots and I heat molded them at my house. There are youtube videos online that describe how to mold salomon boots. You basically just put the shells in the oven @200 degrees for 10 minutes, remove, put liners back in, put boots on for like 5-10 minutes, then step into a mini ice water bath to cool the boots down.

If I messed up and somehow these shells aren't "moldable", well this still worked for me in taking out a hotspot around my heel.
May 29 2020 1:06AM
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BradFiAusNzCoCa
Posts: 6637 - Karma: 57,190
Do you have footbeds? Seems simple but I’ve found you can shore up a lot of feet and reduce pressure that way. The foot is collapsing and lengthening/widening without support.
MikeLofgrenShell fit leaves 3/4 - 1 cm, and last is 98mm for my 104 mm feet. Felt good for 10-15 mins and then had to remove them due to pain around 1st and 5th metatarsal. Toe box maybe a bit narrow.
May 29 2020 1:10AM
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MikeLofgren
Posts: 14 - Karma: 34
My post title is apparently incorrect. These are the 2017/18 MTN lab.
May 29 2020 6:40AM
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MikeLofgren
Posts: 14 - Karma: 34
JbleddyAre you sure that the shell's aren't moldable?

I have the 2018 Mtn Lab boots and I heat molded them at my house. There are youtube videos online that describe how to mold salomon boots. You basically just put the shells in the oven @200 degrees for 10 minutes, remove, put liners back in, put boots on for like 5-10 minutes, then step into a mini ice water bath to cool the boots down.

If I messed up and somehow these shells aren't "moldable", well this still worked for me in taking out a hotspot around my heel.

The boots I purchased are actually the 2017/18 model. The 18/19 model was updated with Salomon’s Custom Fit HD heat moldable shell.

The shell is composed of a Grilamid lower and a polypropionate cuff. My understanding was that Grilamid plastics were heat moldable, but I’m a novice in ski boot tech. Would the polyprionate cuff create challenges for heat molding the lower shell? By updating the 18/19 with a heat moldable shell, Salomon seems to imply that Grilamid shell in 18/19 is moldable whereas the earlier model Grilamid shells were not...

So, is Grilamid not readily heat moldable, and able to support pretty dramatic customizations in fit?
May 29 2020 7:08AM
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MikeLofgren
Posts: 14 - Karma: 34
BradAusNzCoCaDo you have footbeds? Seems simple but I’ve found you can shore up a lot of feet and reduce pressure that way. The foot is collapsing and lengthening/widening without support.

I don’t have footbeds, just using the stock footbed. My experience with footbeds is only in hiking boots (e.g. Superfeet). There, the volume of my footbed (high arch) would seem to reduce volume on the inside of the boot compared to the stock footbed. Isn’t that the opposite of what I want here, or am I thinking about this wrong?

to test this idea, I do have a pair of green superfeet I could cut down and sacrifice to fit my boot liner... informative or waste?
May 29 2020 7:24AM
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tomPietrowski
Posts: 7099 - Karma: 17,043
You for sure want to be using a footbed but probably not a pair of super feet especially if you have a high arch.


the roll of the footbed is to stabilize your arch’s to stop the foot collapsing which will make it wider and longer this alone may give you the space you need in the shell or at least be a good start

from there you can add space as needed. Personally I would start by heating the shell slightly in a boot oven with the foot upright in the oven. Don’t do it for long as it a thin shell but it will get you going. Then you can add punches from there.

But why are you getting a 25 if you have less then a one finger shell check? In a touring boot you would usually want some space. And remember in a 25 the last is 96mm not 98mm, it’s only 98 in a 26.
MikeLofgrenI don’t have footbeds, just using the stock footbed. My experience with footbeds is only in hiking boots (e.g. Superfeet). There, the volume of my footbed (high arch) would seem to reduce volume on the inside of the boot compared to the stock footbed. Isn’t that the opposite of what I want here, or am I thinking about this wrong?

to test this idea, I do have a pair of green superfeet I could cut down and sacrifice to fit my boot liner... informative or waste?
May 29 2020 1:14PM
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BradFiAusNzCoCa
Posts: 6637 - Karma: 57,190
Oof. Theoretical online doofus me didn’t even think of this. OP, the last goes up 2mm every size above 26.5 and down 2mm every size below 26.5.
tomPietrowskiYou for sure want to be using a footbed but probably not a pair of super feet especially if you have a high arch.


the roll of the footbed is to stabilize your arch’s to stop the foot collapsing which will make it wider and longer this alone may give you the space you need in the shell or at least be a good start

from there you can add space as needed. Personally I would start by heating the shell slightly in a boot oven with the foot upright in the oven. Don’t do it for long as it a thin shell but it will get you going. Then you can add punches from there.

But why are you getting a 25 if you have less then a one finger shell check? In a touring boot you would usually want some space. And remember in a 25 the last is 96mm not 98mm, it’s only 98 in a 26.
May 29 2020 1:22PM
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MikeLofgren
Posts: 14 - Karma: 34
tomPietrowskiBut why are you getting a 25 if you have less then a one finger shell check? In a touring boot you would usually want some space. And remember in a 25 the last is 96mm not 98mm, it’s only 98 in a 26.

Thanks for the input Tom, much appreciated.

I’m hoping to score a deal. I purchased the 26/26.5 it was too large and gave me lots of heel lift. Planned to try the size down, expecting a good fit, and saw these for $150 new. I pulled the trigger hoping they’d work and I could heat mold them.

I’m also sitting on a pair of Atomic Hawx Ultra XTD 130 in 26/26.5, and those are awesome in terms of fit, but they’re $570 and still need some work.
May 29 2020 2:20PM
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tomPietrowski
Posts: 7099 - Karma: 17,043
Remember size is only one factor in a boot. The salomon is not known as a boot with good heel hold so it may simply be that the salomon is the wrong shape for you and although going down in size may help somewhat in that area it may create new issues.


but I do understand the cost element for sure. But when it comes to boots being cheap is not all ways the best way to go
MikeLofgrenThanks for the input Tom, much appreciated.

I’m hoping to score a deal. I purchased the 26/26.5 it was too large and gave me lots of heel lift. Planned to try the size down, expecting a good fit, and saw these for $150 new. I pulled the trigger hoping they’d work and I could heat mold them.

I’m also sitting on a pair of Atomic Hawx Ultra XTD 130 in 26/26.5, and those are awesome in terms of fit, but they’re $570 and still need some work.
May 29 2020 2:31PM
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