DO they fit??

[DiveBomber]

Ok so i just got a pair of 29.5 head stratos LTD the clear yellow ones. I was thinking id need a 30.5 size.

Well these fit, i guess, I mean my feet actually go in them, im just not sure if the fit is to tight or not.

As for the liner, my toes basically touch the end of them. Now in the shell (good thing its clear) i can see i have a tiny bit of space, in which i can move my foot back and forth, maybe like an 1/8"

Now they dont feel too uncomfortable, but they do feel snug. Im wondering how long i can wear them before they start to feel uncomfortable.

Also the liners are heat moldable. How much more room will that give me?

Can i take the liners to a shoe repair and have them stretched?

oh and these boots are pretty stiff!

thanks

Mike

[gaa]

I just got a pair about a month ago (the same boots). I wear a size 11 street shoe, and had size 10 Raichle 324's (size 28). Went to the Startingate in VT to get them resized and he managed to talk me into a new boot as the size 10 shells were too big. He squeezed me into a size 8 Head (size 26.5 I believe). Ground out the toe box and stretched the liners. I didn't have them heat molded, so can't give you advice there, but the stretching made a huge difference for me. The difference between cramped toes to that touching the front of the boot fit you speak of.

I rode a week ago on them for the first time, but only a couple hours both days due to crowds. First day was a bit rough with a good bit of pain, but second day about the 3rd run, I think I got the liners to start packing out to my foot and really came into them. My toes do hit the front of the boot while walking, but when riding, it's probably the most precise fit I've ever had in a boot. I've still got a few tweaks to the boots and bindings to get everything lined up right, but I'm expecting great things once I get them broken in.

Good luck with the new boots.

[Jack M]

In theory, when you heat mold the liners, that extra space you see in the boot now should go away; the liners should fill the shell, and I'm betting the boots will fit you perfectly.

[D-Sub]

yeah maybe get em stretched a tiny bit, and mold the liners. youll be fine! and less boot means less angles if you want!

[kamran]

I bought my HEADs from startingate too. The guy talked me into getting a smaller size (27.5) and yes, they felt awfully tight in the beginning. I called him back later asking whether I should heatmold them cause they felt so tight. He said I should just ride it and let it "break in".

I 've used them now for 4 days and he was absolutely right. They feel great now and there was no need for heatmolding (although you can ). These are my favorite boots now!!!:D

[Guest Randy S.]

I just got the new Head Stratos Pros (the orange ones, not the clear ones). I also went down a size. They were very snug at first. My toes touched the front most of the time. After 2 days things got much better. After 4 days they are almost perfect. My toes still touch the front when I'm walking, but not when I'm riding. I did have them heat molded from the beginning. We haven't had to punch out anything, although we did do some surgery on the instep to give me a little more room up there on one foot.

I say heat them and walk around in them. Ride them another day or two and you should be fine. Don't take them to a shoe repair place for anything. Only take them to a professional bootfitter. Do you have custom footbeds already? If not, get a pair made and whoever does that should be able to do any customization you need. If there's a Surefoot near you, I highly recommend them.

[Kent]

Originally posted by gaa

I just got a pair about a month ago (the same boots). I wear a size 11 street shoe, and had size 10 Raichle 324's (size 28). Went to the Startingate in VT to get them resized and he managed to talk me into a new boot as the size 10 shells were too big. He squeezed me into a size 8 Head (size 26.5 I believe). Ground out the toe box and stretched the liners. I didn't have them heat molded, so can't give you advice there, but the stretching made a huge difference for me. The difference between cramped toes to that touching the front of the boot fit you speak of.

I rode a week ago on them for the first time, but only a couple hours both days due to crowds. First day was a bit rough with a good bit of pain, but second day about the 3rd run, I think I got the liners to start packing out to my foot and really came into them. My toes do hit the front of the boot while walking, but when riding, it's probably the most precise fit I've ever had in a boot. I've still got a few tweaks to the boots and bindings to get everything lined up right, but I'm expecting great things once I get them broken in.

Good luck with the new boots.

Gaa....you've made my time spend on BOL worth it! At last...somebody got their boots fitted properly. I nearby nominate Starting Gate to the boot fitting Hall of Fame. (But, I already knew they did a good job).

Folks, you MUST MUST MUST downsize in your boots in order to get the proper fit and performance down the road. They WILL BE uncomfortable for a few days riding....and will be "ouch, too tight" when you first put them on.

As mentioned in nearly every boot thread, the shell fit is most important as the liner will compress/stretch upon use and the conditions.

K