 Poster: A snowHead
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I've been looking at Hawx 120 again, as recommended by the fitter last season, after finding the XPros a little too tight on the instep (and failing to buy anything...) Even better, last seasons model on sale in S&N to the tune of £200!
So, tried on the 29.5 (my measured size) - shell check showed the length was quite tight (couldn't get the rod down the back of the boot), and in a centred position, my foot was actually touching both sides of the shell. Putting them on they felt just about tolerable 'trying on ski-boots' tight, but if I stood upright the toes were more than just brushing the end, and any slight pressure on the back of the cuff had my big toe jammed hard into the end of the boots in a 'goodbye toe-nail' kind of way. Given that it's not unheard of for my skis get away from me now and again, I felt this ruled out this size, but open to opinions ...
The fitter said that atomics run quite small in the sizing, so I tried on the 30.5. The shell check showed bags of length space (the fitter said 'ohh ...') , but width wise as it should be. No surprises that once on it was much roomier with lots of toe space, but tbh had a bit more room above the instep than I was expecting compared to the smaller boot, even with my foot beds and 5mm lifts in (as per my current setup - poor rom). When I compared the two boots side by side, the bigger one was almost 2cm longer ... That's two mondo sizes, not one, right? So I wondered whether this was a 31.5 mis-stickered, but the bottom of the shell has the size embossed in the plastic. The 29.5 boot had '29.0-29.5' as expected, but this bigger one had '30.0-31.5' !! That's two whole sizes ???
So how on earth can anyone with feet in the lower end of that range get a decent fit in these? I'm not looking for a mega performance fit (my skiing will never justify it), but they seemed a bit too 'comfy', and I'd worry that it wouldn't take much for the liners to pack out and leave me with a pair of boots similar (albeit stiffer) to what I currently ski in.
Thoughts? Anyone else got the big Hawx, and noticed the same?
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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@Pejoli, the simple answer is YOU CAN'T
it is very common for boot manufacturers to use a double up on the largest size 30.5/31.5 normally due to cost (approx €140k per mold size) to trick is to have a boot fitter who knows which ones do that and which ones don't do that... the easiest way is to find boots where the biggest produced size is a 30.5 as this avoids the problem
atomic are not the only ones doing this before you think they are
salomon do it, as do nordica, tecnica, head, dalbello, lange , rossi ....none of them do it on all models
if you measure 29.5 i have to ask what measurer they are using that means you can't wear a 29.5??? most read a little long so you end up going down if anything, what size was the fit stick they were using and what was your seated measurement compared to your weigh bearing measurement, it could be something as simple as your foot is elongating without the support of an insole or your calf muscle is large so is forcing you forward. it could equally be that the toe box shape simply doesn't match your foot and it needs to be modified.... impossible to say what is going on without having the feet in front of me, but the simple answer is find a boot fitter rather than a boot seller
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