Boot delima

[okie archer]

I live in Oklahoma so I don't get to go to several different stores to try on different boots. Scheels is the closest store that has good boots. Scheels carries Crispi, Kenetrek, Hoffman, Zamberlain.
Last year I bought a pair of Crispi West River insulated boots. I am just not fully satisfied with them. As far as quality goes yes they are great but just don't seem to fit my feet well. The main issue with the Crispi is the toes. The toe box is definitely not to tight, actually the opposite. When walking down hill I get "toe bang" real bad. The end of the boot is SO hard. Keeping toe nails tri.med well helps but doesn't totally solve the problem.

Went back to Scheels and spent substantial time trying different brands and styles. As far as Kenetrek goes the Mountain Extreme uninsulated were great on the toes. I even purposely tapped the toe of boot hard to floor and toe bang was pretty much non existent. HOWEVER, heel slip is annoying with the Kenetrek boots. Also a little narrow but store didn't have wides in stock to try on.

Crispi= toe bang
Kenetrek= heel slip
Hoffman were a no.
Zamberlain (didn't try because store rep said I wouldn't like them.
Don't have a way to try on Schnees Lowa, Selway, Meindl, etc.,

 

[Gellar]

The struggle is real! I went to scheels the other day to try on boots. I like a 6” uninsulated boot. The only boots they had in that style were Crispi. One was very tight, to the point it was constricting and one was quite a bit wider and I feared the “toe bang”. The salesman was helpful but you could tell he had no real experience actually using those boots.

 

[MTGamecock]

I hear you, brother. Unfortunately, I don't know of a sure fire way to find a boot that works for your feet other than putting some miles on them in terrain similar to your hunting area. For trying them on, you could try ordering some models online from retailers with solid return policies and free shipping and return whatever you don't like. It's cumbersome and can take some time, but it's one way to do it when you don't have retailers that carry that model in your area. I found a great deal on a pair of Lowa boots from Sierra Trading Post online, but couldn't try them on for size. I decided to order three different sizes and returned 2 of them to the brick-and-mortar Sierra store about an hour from my house.

If there are brands/models/sizes that Scheels carries online but not in your local store, you might try ordering them and returning the rejects to the local store. Good luck.

 

[thomas89]

Let me start by saying I hated the thought of buying a high dollar pair of boots and spending money fooling around with trying to get it to fit. If I wanted a nice pair of boots, I wanted to throw them on and go. Messing with extra socks, insoles, etc etc was a no-go for me with a high end pair of boots.

That being said, have you tried different methods of lacing? It might seem hokey but I swear it worked for me with my Kenetrek's. I think the method I went with was called "ankle lock", IIRC it was to lock my heel in the back of the boot and not let it slide/rub (sounds similar to what you are experiencing). I am probably just imagining this but after a bit I don't even need to do it for most of my hiking as they seem to have broken in in a way that alleviated that heel slip problem. May be worth your time. There are all sorts of videos out there on youtube about different "style" lacing that can help with various boot wear issues.

It's frustrating, I hear you!

 

[jpc01101]

I live in Oklahoma so I don't get to go to several different stores to try on different boots. Scheels is the closest store that has good boots. Scheels carries Crispi, Kenetrek, Hoffman, Zamberlain.
Last year I bought a pair of Crispi West River insulated boots. I am just not fully satisfied with them. As far as quality goes yes they are great but just don't seem to fit my feet well. The main issue with the Crispi is the toes. The toe box is definitely not to tight, actually the opposite. When walking down hill I get "toe bang" real bad. The end of the boot is SO hard. Keeping toe nails tri.med well helps but doesn't totally solve the problem.

Went back to Scheels and spent substantial time trying different brands and styles. As far as Kenetrek goes the Mountain Extreme uninsulated were great on the toes. I even purposely tapped the toe of boot hard to floor and toe bang was pretty much non existent. HOWEVER, heel slip is annoying with the Kenetrek boots. Also a little narrow but store didn't have wides in stock to try on.

Crispi= toe bang
Kenetrek= heel slip
Hoffman were a no.
Zamberlain (didn't try because store rep said I wouldn't like them.
Don't have a way to try on Schnees Lowa, Selway, Meindl, etc.,

+1 to research different ways to lace your boots to avoid losing toenails. You might be surprised.

 

[Jnasa]

If you want to try different boots look online. While I don't like it t
Most companies have a free return as along as you don't go outside wearing them. Double check return policy before buying. I prefer trying on in person but even retailers near me carry little to no inventory.

 

[elkduds]

If you have toe bang on descents, your boots are not securing your heels into the backs of the boots because boot heel width is too much. Check out YT videos about various lacing methods others posted here.

Once you find a brand that best fits your foot shape, it pays to stick w that brand. Why? The mold makers use to build around is called a last. The closer that maker's last is to your actual foot shape, the better fit. Most makers use their own lasts, not generic ones. That is why each brand feels different, even in same numeric size. Merrell, Keen and Raichle are the best fit for my narrow, pronated feet.

Orthotic footbeds can significantly change the shape of your forefoot, narrowing the ball of the foot by lifting the arch or vice versa. My pronated feet are wider across the balls and toes unless footbeds have raised arches. With these footbeds the fronts of my feet are narrower, matching the narrow heels I was made with. So I can use narrower boot widths that hold my heels without squashing my toes together.

 

[MNElkNut]

Scheels started carrying Schnees this spring. Check with your store to see if the have them.

 

[EastTNHunter]

You can buy Meindls online, try them on at home, then send them back if they don’t fit right. I’m sure other brands are the same way. I also agree on the lacing types