Beginner with wide feet: buying boots advice

A snowHead

Hi,

I’m 183cm, 97kg beginner with a wide 29.5 feet and high instep trying to buy my first ski boots.

I live in Virginia and unfortunately the selection of boots is two local stores was very, very limited (I guess time of the season added to it as well).

After trying several boots I was left with these two (each recommended by different shop, partially because of their availability):
- Rossignol Speed 120 (104 last)
- Nordica Sportmachine 100 (102 last)

Unfortunately I still feel quite significant pressure on my feet in both.

It seems less bothering me in Speed 120 than in Sportmachine 100 (i guess because of bigger last) ... but it’s still there.

So my question is which way shall I go (would be more practical/efficient):
- get Speed 120 and assume that it will break in (potentially supported by grinding)
- get Sportmachine and rely on shell heat molding to profile boots to my feet

Both boot fitters said that I should be fine.

I guess I’m leaning towards Sportmachine (read many great comments about wonders molding did to achieve great comfort) but I’m worried that its medium instep might not be easy fixed/molded.

Thank for any advice.

A snowHead

@mourawi, welcome to snowHeads

If you have wide feet and are thinking of limiting your selection of boots to the two available locally, I think you either need to:
- be lucky
or
- have a high pain threshold.

I suggest you take note of the ski boot experts who hopefully will be along on here soon.

Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?

As someone who also has wide feet and high instep, most boots won’t fit out of the box as they are designed for more average feet, so will feel tight with pressure points until they are modified to fit.

I would add the Atomic Hawx range to your list. Another point, at your size a 100 flex boot, maybe too soft even as a beginner.

You need to Login to know who's really who.

@PowderAdict, +1

With wide feet and high instep, Atomic Hawk also worked for me. Even then I had to have the right boot shell heat moulded to make it wider at the forefoot.

The boot fitter advised Atomic Hawk as one of the best ranges for wide feet.

The other risk, apart from pain, is that you’re tempted to buy boots that overall are too big. That’s not good. I think it’s worth travelling, if necessary a long way, to find boots that fit properly.

Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.

In each shop I tried 3 boots, and one of them was also Atomic Hawk.

It felt quite tight especially in instep area (top part of feet near ankle).
That was a reason the fitter as a next boot gave me wider Rossignol Speed 120.
His main concern was that this area of boot is more difficult to expand than the flat area of the boot.

Wider Rossignol Speed 120 indeed felt much better in instep, very snug in all other areas
(funny enough right feet felt almost OK, while left still had few high pressure points).
Compared with Hawks toes had more room to wiggle (but only toes), to be honest I don't know how much is too much.

Definitely both boots (Rossignol Speed 120 and Sportmachine 100 recommended in other shop) will require further adjustments .. I was just wondering which one promises better final results (both have different lasts, but also different expanding technics).

With regards to shops: one was really local, the other was second closest 24 drive away ... next one is 4.5h away (didn't go there just yet).

You'll need to Register first of course.

@mourawi, Atomic have several different models within the Hawx range. Have you tried the Magna? It has a wider last and more volume than the Hawx Prime, particularly around the instep/ankle area.

Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...

Yes it was Hawk Magna 100.

After all it is free

One of my skiing buddies has his feet on the wrong way (110mm last. Shocked

) He's in Atomics, they were the only brand which gave the width.

Some boots are marketed with HVL in the title - high volume for issues such as OPs.

I have similar feet issues and got a pair of Techica 10.2 HVL 100 boots a few years back, did the liner custom fitting at home using the oven. They were a really good fit and I stayed comfortable and warm on the hill. Can add your own footbeds if you wish, I didn't need to. Can get them in other flexes like 120. Could be the answer.

*Ski* the Net with snowHeads

I receive yet another recommendation from one of the bots fitters, when I asked if they would recommend any boots they didn't have in store when I was there, but could get quickly:

'While I didn't have it in the store I do have a boot online that 'I think would work well for you. The Fischer RC One 90 Vacuum Ski Boot is a great boot. It is also the only boot that is fully heat moldable. In other words we can customize the fit rather easily.'

I really liked all reviews of Fischer Vacuum technology I just read and i start to think that this might be a way to go (and a way to get rid of all potential pressure points).

The only thing which worried me a little bit was that it is 101 last ... (Rossignol Speed 120 was 104)
I hope that it will not need to be expanded tooo much.

Any thoughts ?

snowHeads are a friendly bunch.

@mourawi, for your background information (not replacing the expertise of any boot fitters), this short You Tube video
http://youtube.com/v/V6_jzTsFRnM explains how to measure feet to get an idea of length, width, arches and instep (and how the last size quoted in the sales brochure relates to the actual width of your size ski boot).

I have personally encountered more problems finding ski boots which cater for a high instep than a wide forefoot (and having feet which are not the same size doesn't help either!).

I suggest spending your time searching for a boot fitter with fantastic reviews and repeat business (maybe ask for recommendations from your local ski instructors) - even if they are not quite so local.

Help!!

Beginner with wide feet: buying boots advice

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