Boots for Narrow Feet - Help

I am getting ready to buy some new boots. The problem is I wear a size
10-10.5 narrow (AA) shoe. It has been a nightmare trying to find something
to fit. Anyone have any suggestions on boots that have a narrower last to
them. Thnx

"tg" wrote in message
...
I am getting ready to buy some new boots. The problem is I wear a size
10-10.5 narrow (AA) shoe. It has been a nightmare trying to find something
to fit. Anyone have any suggestions on boots that have a narrower last to
them. Thnx

Salomon. They're great for narrow feet.

I am getting ready to buy some new boots. The problem is I wear a size
10-10.5 narrow (AA) shoe. It has been a nightmare trying to find
something
to fit. Anyone have any suggestions on boots that have a narrower last
to
them. Thnx

I'm a B width and I find Salomon's soft boots fit pretty well, but I
have a feeling even those will be too wide for you. Some suggestions,
if you still can't find anything after a while:

1) Look into an aftermarket footbed, like Superfeet. This will at
least keep your feet settled into whatever boot you end up going with
properly. They start at $30.00 and go up from there. I spent $70 on a
full-length cork set molded to my feet - in addition to the B width my
arches are really far forward, but a bit flat. The difference is
incredible, and I can use the same footbed on my hard and soft snowboard
boots, hiking shoes, workout shoes, etc,

2) Look into a set of truly moldable liners, like Intuition. See
www.intuitionsports.com - you can order from www.yyzcanuck.com if you
can't find them locally. I've ordered from him once, thumbs up - even
though you pay extra shipping from Canada his prices are low enough to
compensate. I have moldable liners in my hard boots and believe it or
not they are more comfortable than my soft boots.

3) Look at www.tognar.com, I think they have some boot fitting stuff
there.

4) If you can get your hands on a women's size 11, give it a try.
Women's boots are generally narrower.

5) If you would be interested in hard boots, some of the Raichle and
Deeluxe boots are quite narrow, and some models come with a moldable
liner. (I have Raichle SB325)

Hope that helps

Mike T

"tg" wrote
The problem is I wear a size 10-10.5 narrow (AA) shoe.

I have narrowish feet and have been happy with Salomon boots. Get a
custom foot bed (or at least superfeet insoles) and a pair of heat
moldable liners. I've done this and my feet have never been happier.

The liners can be expensive, so if you're interested, I've got a pair
in size 10 that have been ridden 1 day and molded once.

Mark

Solomon, absolutely.

-Tom

"tg" wrote in message
...
I am getting ready to buy some new boots. The problem is I wear a size
10-10.5 narrow (AA) shoe. It has been a nightmare trying to find something
to fit. Anyone have any suggestions on boots that have a narrower last to
them. Thnx




---
Outgoing mail is certified Virus Free.
Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com).
Version: 6.0.577 / Virus Database: 366 - Release Date: 2/3/2004

"tg" wrote in message ...
I am getting ready to buy some new boots. The problem is I wear a size
10-10.5 narrow (AA) shoe. It has been a nightmare trying to find something
to fit. Anyone have any suggestions on boots that have a narrower last to
them. Thnx

Wow, you're in a world of hurt. I have width D (I think) but with dang
skinny ankles. Salomon are the narrowest fitting boots I've found for
myself, but you're quite a bit narrower than that. I think your only
hope would be boots that have an expanding foam liner. I don't mean
stuff like salomon's "thermal fit" because those really don't expand
much when you heat them. Instead, I mean stuff like Inuition or
Raichle Thermoflex liners. These you have to heat in an oven at about
250, not a hair dryer thingy like the salomon, etc. My girlfriend's 32
snowboard boots came with them, and they're awsome for filling up
space and fitting snug. I know 32 uses them, and I think Morrow and a
few others do too. You can also just order the liners themselves from
most ski boot fitters, but that'll probibly be an extra $100.

"tg" wrote in message ...
I am getting ready to buy some new boots. The problem is I wear a size
10-10.5 narrow (AA) shoe. It has been a nightmare trying to find something
to fit. Anyone have any suggestions on boots that have a narrower last to
them. Thnx

Like everyone else with narrow feet I have a pair of Salomon boots.
The latest versions of the Malamute AND the Synapse have heat moldable
liners, note that from what I've heard these liners are nothing
compared to the Intuition/Thermoflex liners, but they do work to some
degree and you don't have to pay extra. With then I find it difficult
to pop out my ankle even with the boot and liner completely unlaced..

I've been told that Northware boots also are good for narrow feet.

--Arvin

"Arvin Chang" wrote

I am getting ready to buy some new boots. The problem is I wear a size
10-10.5 narrow (AA) shoe. It has been a nightmare trying to find something

Like everyone else with narrow feet I have a pair of Salomon boots.
The latest versions of the Malamute AND the Synapse have heat moldable
liners, note that from what I've heard these liners are nothing
compared to the Intuition/Thermoflex liners, but they do work to some
degree and you don't have to pay extra.

My feet are very skinny, ankles too. Salomon Synapse didn't make it
for me - lots of isolated pressure points and the boots were all wrinkled
and squished with the bindings tightened. Pads gave some improvement,
but still not enough to get anywhere close to comfortable.

Yesterday I went and paid $180 for fitting Intuition liners. Haven't been
out in them yet, planning to ride some tomorrow night. The place that
did the fitting has a "fit guarantee" and they seem to know well what they
are doing so I guess I'll just keep coming there until everything fits perfectly.

The other problem with skinny feet is that the upper strap of the binding
sits really low (the volume in the boot is way less than the binding was
designed for). This makes the pad loose its alignment with the boot and
it only pressures the boot with its front edge. This in turn blocks blood
flow and makes you miserable. I cut out some of the foam from the front
of the strap with a knife, that helped but didn't completely eliminate the
problem. The binding is last year's Salomon SP-4. I did move the
attachment point lower, which is still not enough.

Just as a reference point - my ankles are so skinny non of the Vans
boots with cable lacing can be tightened around them at all - there's
just not enough pull in the cable system.

I'll report the outcome of my fitting effort here when it's done.

--
Dmitry

Thanks for all the help everyone.

Looks like Salomon boots will be the way I head. Then see about custom
liners like the 32 boots. My biggest problem is living in Kentucky and
trying to find anywhere with any snowboard equipment on the racks. At the
local Galyan's store, the ski wear area was replaced with the bikini's about
3 weeks ago. Guess I'll wait to head back out to Utah to try some different
Salomons on.

Again, thanks for everyones help.




"tg" wrote in message
...
I am getting ready to buy some new boots. The problem is I wear a size
10-10.5 narrow (AA) shoe. It has been a nightmare trying to find something
to fit. Anyone have any suggestions on boots that have a narrower last to
them. Thnx

"Dmitry" wrote

Like everyone else with narrow feet I have a pair of Salomon boots.
The latest versions of the Malamute AND the Synapse have heat moldable
liners, note that from what I've heard these liners are nothing
compared to the Intuition/Thermoflex liners, but they do work to some
degree and you don't have to pay extra.

My feet are very skinny, ankles too. Salomon Synapse didn't make it
for me - lots of isolated pressure points and the boots were all wrinkled
and squished with the bindings tightened. Pads gave some improvement,
but still not enough to get anywhere close to comfortable.

Yesterday I went and paid $180 for fitting Intuition liners. Haven't been
out in them yet, planning to ride some tomorrow night. The place that
did the fitting has a "fit guarantee" and they seem to know well what they
are doing so I guess I'll just keep coming there until everything fits perfectly.

I'll report the outcome of my fitting effort here when it's done.

Happy ending! First, it didn't look all that good, I had to bail out
an hour early on Friday (mandatory after-work session at Stevens).
Hit the same problem as before - there was a pressure point in my
front foot, about an inch up from where the big toe begins.

Went to the shop on Saturday, and they pressed out that spot in both
liner and boot tongue plastic.

Yesterday it was Baker, riding all day and no foot pain at all! I'm
still getting pretty beat up when I hit the black moguls, but that's
just lack of proper technique and stiff board/boots combination that
gets me. Carving feels _very_ good and completely controllable because
the boot-foot match is good so that it's possible to feel what's going
on down there. Was getting air between each carve going down even
hardpack all the time, such a rush!

On a side note, rode some of the Burton stuff they were demoing
at Baker. The verdict: P1 Carbon doesn't work at all with Salomon
Synapse boots - the highback is higher than the boot and cuts into
the calve. I liked the "rubbery" straps that made moving along
the length of the board completely seamless (my SP4-s give quite a
bit of resistance if tightened well), so maybe I'll try some of
their other bindings with different highbacks but same base
construction.

I was riding an old Timeless (I think it's 2001 model or even 2000)
I got NEW for $200 recently, and Custom X was a noodle compared to
that Timeless. It's definitely lighter and I did feel that on moguls,
basically the P1+Custom was much easier to ride in steep moguls than
my SP4+Timeless combo, both because the bindings allowed for more
longitude flex and because of the softer board.

I'm still trying to figure out what is the perfect board for me.
Carbon Circle is actually almost there as far as flex goes, but
it's a very speed oriented board - overall narrow and with a
very narrow tail that makes controlling speed extremely hard.
Timeless is way too stiff for moguls but perfect for hardpack,
and it's too heavy. I think its flex is quite different from
Carbon Circle in that Timeless is way too stiff in the middle,
while CC is much more progressive.

Maybe I should try the new Donek line, it sounds like what I'm
looking for..

--
Dmitry