boot size help

[hoffmac11]

so im having a bit of a issue picking the right size boot.i measured my foot the way it recommends on 'how to size my boot' from bombers website and i get 11.75" so that converts to 29.8 . so that would mean i should be in a 29, or maybe a 30 .also, im going to get the head stratos pro boots cause i weigh in at 220. but heres the problem. i also ski so i have a pair of hard boots and those boots are a size 31.5 and they fit me comfortably, but i agree they are slightly to big. but the difference between a 31.5 and a 29 is a full inch..and theres no way i could lose a inch and still fit in the boot.sooo i did a shell test with my ski boots(31.5) and i can fit 2 1/4 fingers behind my heel. i can see dropping down to a 30.5, but not a 29. dropping down to the 30.5 would mean id lose .4 of a inch in the boot and that seems right because when i clip into my skis and rock forward and backwards i can just get my heel to rise in the boot.how much i dont know exactly.but it seems if i lost just under a half inch in my boot it would be a tighter fit and be ok..i know the boots should be uncomfortable, but i cant imagine losing a full inch..but maybe im wrong..id just like to hear what others have to say before i make the choice. i should probably go to some ski shops and try on some boots and see how small of a boot i can get into

[queequeg]

Do you have access to a good bootfitter? A good bootfitter can really eliminate a lot of the guesswork from this sort of thing and will make it easier for you to move forward with a particular boot with confidence.

But as a general rule:

you can almost always make a boot that is (slightly) too small fit and work very well for your foot (by punching/grinding the shell); but a boot that is too large will never fit correctly. I would say more than two fingers on a shell test is too big. I can just fit a single finger on my shell test.

Heads are a more supportive boot and are probably a good choice for heavier riders but I found them too stiff back when I weighed in at around 210/215 (and ended up modifying them to make them softer, but ultimately switched to a boot that worked better for me). They can be softened by modifying the plastic and all. Do you have a very wide forefoot? How thick or delicate is your heel? The shape of your foot should be the major factor determining boot choice.

How long have you been carving?

Your current ski boots —*what kind of liners do they have (heat moulded for your feet?) Do you have footbeds?

[Aracan]

Also, be aware that with Head boots, there is no difference between a full size (e.g. 29) and the next half size (e.g. 29.5), except the footbed. At least that's what the Hardbooter's Almanac says and what I have found in the Head boots I've seen so far. Your choice would be between 29, 30 and 31.

[D.T.]

Also, be aware that with Head boots, there is no difference between a full size (e.g. 29) and the next half size (e.g. 29.5), except the footbed.

The same is true for Deeluxe and UPZ - the whole size and half size share the same shell.

[Randy T.]

Are you in Reno? I have the Head boots in a Mondo 29 that you could try on.

[hoffmac11]

Randy T...i just may take you up on that offer..im just south of carson in gardnerville, so im a little more than a hour away, but it would be worth it for me to check the size..also, they are the stratus pro boots right? what US size shoe do you wear?

you can almost always make a boot that is (slightly) too small fit and work very well for your foot (by punching/grinding the shell); but a boot that is too large will never fit correctly. I would say more than two fingers on a shell test is too big. I can just fit a single finger on my shell test.

if i can fit a little more than 2 fingers and you can fit just one, then i just may need to drop down to a 29.as for the width of my foot, i assume it is wide, i just measured and the widest point on my foot is about 4.5". my heel i wouldnt say is delicate because i walk around alot bare footed

i have only been carving about a year with a regular snowboard and soft boot set up.my current ski boots do not have a molded liner,nor have the boots ever been touched.and if the foot bed is the plastic peice in the bottom of the boot, then yes i have those in my boots.note, that 'plastic peice' that i talk about can be taken out of the boot, but it has to be in the boot when your foots in it.its also about a inch thick if that helps..

[Randy T.]

I wear a size 13 street shoe. Send me an e-mail at snowcarver70 at gmail dot com and we can try to set up a place to meet.

[hoffmac11]

i also wear a 13 street shoe, so it seems like ill be going with a 29, but ill definately be emailing you

[Sinecure]

After you see Randy, you can go to Elite Feet at Squaw and see if they still have some Heads in stock. They'll definitely be able to tell you which is the right size for you. Call ahead though, they're still geared up for golf at EF at Squaw this time of year. They may have some ski stuff over at the Northstar shop, but Squaw Creek is where the snowboard boots live in the winter.