Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Backpack Hunting Another boot help thread!

Good Evening

I am pretty much a newbie when it comes to hunting and backpack hunting. I have a couple of seasons under my belt and had my first big game kill in the fall of a nice meat blacktail buck.

I have lurked here alot for the last year and have rarely posted. I need your guys help in the area of boots!

I grew up wearing Zamblerlans hiking with my pops as a teenager. Fast forward almost 10 years and i purchased a pair of Alico New Guides. I had to get them stretched for width from the get go and once broken in I absolutely enjoyed wearing these boots. I used these boots for 2 seasons from everything from day hikes, training hikes, snowshoeing as well as snowboarding. In the last year my feet have changed, they are about a full size longer which is about a 10.5 now and wider as well.

I obviously no longer fit those Alico s and gave em to a good friend of mine as he promised to care for em.

I have since then been on a quest to find new boots that work with my feet. i seem to have a narrow heel and wide from the first joint of the big toe to the first joint of the little toe.

I have tried on
Garmont- wide enough up in the forward part of the boot but had tons of slop in the heel and heel lift.
Miendle- i am swimming in these boots and the sales guy was trying to convince me that 4 insoles was a "custom" fit. There was room in the boot with no pinch points but once again my heels lifted. I live in Canada and the Miendle boots have different names than the ones found at cabelas in the us. The ones i tried were the Ingaden(my wife has a pair and they work for her), Canada Pros, and Perfects. I have heard that Hanwags fit very similar to Miendles so that rules them out.

La Sportiva- i tried mulitple pairs and purchased a pair of Glaciers. I really liked these boots but my foot went numb after an hour walk with my dog due to a major pressure point on the side of my right foot.

Lowa- they just didnt feel right

Scarpa- I tried on muliple pairs and purchased the Fuegos. I was giddy when i got these boots, they are a no bs mountain boot, no goretex garbage, stiff, tall cuff and tons of support. Unfortunetly these boots ended up hitting the same pressure point as the La Sportivas but they just took a little bit longer to hurt my foot, the right one again.

I need to find some damned boots that will fit my feet! It is not an insole or orthodics problem. It is a problem of narrow heel and wide further forward!

I am nervous to get another pair of Alicos as i dont think they would stretch out enough now that my foot is even wider. I know some people love there Crispi s but i dont want an insulated boot or a goretex nboot for that matter and most of there boots seem to have some.

I am pondering Kenetreks mountain safari and there is a retailer that carries Kenetreks in Bellingham Wa which is about an hour from my house so i will prob drive down and try some on. Does anyone have some suggestions or alternatives for me? I greatly prefer non lined boots as in no goretex or other similar lining

Any and all help is greatly appreciated

I have the same problem. really wide feet skinny heals. Look at Asolo. look for a boot in their wide sizes. I have the TPS 520 GV.

Stiff leather mountaineering boots typically have a pretty long break in period and sometimes require a little fitting help to break in properly. A good shop should be able to use a rubbing bar to loosen up the described hot spot.
You might also think about going to a lighter style of boot as the break in process goes much quicker.
I also have the narrow heel, wide forefoot. I buy the boots to fit the heel. Often that means the forefoot is a little snug at first- not tight- just snug. With good leather boots, the forefoot will give or stretch given enough work. A rand around or over the snug spot will slow the process. There is often significant discomfort involved before the boot wears in including the soreness on the side of the foot you described. A little mink oil sparingly applied to a too stiff spot can soften the leather if the break in is going slow but that doesn't work if that spot is covered by a protective rand.
Heavy leather boots have a lot of good points. Easy break in is not amongst them especially if your foot is a little odd. On the other hand, because the leather can stretch some and collapse around the heel pocket, once broken in they have the potential to fit odd feet better than synthetic boots which generally don't change shape much.

Checkout lathrop Alaska gtx, stiff but little break in need, they make
Them in wide! Very happy with the ones I have

Thanks oklahunter, apparently we don't really have any real boot fitters here in Vancouver BC, I went to a local cobbler and he helpede out. It cost me 14 dollars and I am one happy camper. I now only have to spend a few more days and I will call these boots broken in.


Fuzzyone

I have similar issues and ended up with
Kaylands. Zappos usually has several models in stock.

Hi, Fuzzy, long time no see! How is the magnificent "Grizz", I hope he is well and being a "good boy".

I wish you had called me about this, I was the boot fitter for that big outfit that has the large and now crappy stores in some LM shopping malls and have fitted a lot of boots to a lot of feet.

To the best of my knowledge,there are no skilled bootfitters anywhere in the LM area now and probably none anywhere in BC. I trained about four guys properly circa 2000-2001, but, they are all gone on to better-paying jobs, hard to blame anyone, given the scab wages paid by gear shops.

I bought a pair of Scarpa Fuegos, some months ago, maybe in February and from a mailorder outlet in the US. Excellent service and fine boots,almost ideal except the lining is not calf leather. I have not had my shoe guy install my orthopaedic lift on the right one, yet, so, they are still sitting downstairs, but, I will get this done soon and expect that these will last me for many years.

The issue with "foot growth"is a common one and most guys experience it, but, at different times. It hit me in my early twenties, you know, back when we mostly lived in caves...... .... and I went from a 8,5 to 9,5-10. I love the Scarpa at a US 10 as I can fit oldstyle felt insoles in and change them twice a day....keeps feet much nicer!

How is the MR Crewcab working for you? I have a "large" Load Cell that I bought for it and I have no real use for it...and, as you have seen, I have FAR more gear than an old fart like me will ever use up. So, if you come by some afternoon after work, I will just give you this if you can use it and it will hold a sleeping bag and protect it from wet and damage.

Nice to see you here, this is a good site, lots of real people and friendship. Congrats on the Blacktail, I did not get out as my wife ahd her surgery the week we were to go to the Kootenays, but, family comes first,eh!

Oh, how is the Obenauf's doing?

I'm glad it worked out. I agree, it is hard to find a good boot fitter. Even when you find someone that knows what they are doing, that shop may not carry what you are interested in. No shop near me carries good all leather boots.
The all leather mountaineering/backpacking boot seems to keep hanging on. I'm glad. I may have to get a new pair myself.

I have a pair of Asolo Sasslongs and they, in my opinion, are great boots but my main complaint about them is that the tread is not as wide as it could be and for my use, the sole is a little stiff. So I purchased another pair of Asolos that they call "Force." The heel is not to wide inside and the front has lots of "toe room," just what I need. And the sole and heel are quite a bit wider than the Sasslongs along with the sole having more flex. Take a look at Sierra Trading Post and see what you think. Order a pair, wear them a while, and if they don't fill the bill, return them for a full refund. STP is great to do business with.

Hey Kute

Grizz' is doing well, full of piss and vinegar as usual.Hope you are doing well also. I am enjoying the CrewCab, it is treating me better than i could have ever imagined.I just wish i was able to get out more often.I will definetly be giving you a call in the next bit.


BigBbuck

Unfortunatly living in Canada makes shopping at STP costly as you end up paying brokerage and duties. I believe it ended up still costing me $60 after my full refund on a pair of boots i sent back a year or so ago.

Fuzzyone

fuzzyone I must have missed it.What boots did you settle on.I've got what sounds like the same problem with my feet
Tim

I kept the Scarpa Fuegos and with the help of a local cobbler he releived my pressure points.

fuzzyone