I feel lost on boot sizing

[Sternritter]

Hey everybody, newish hunter here hoping to get some boot advice from people who have probably been through stuff like this before.

So my feet are (according to a red wings boot store employee) a 9 1/2 wide or a 10. I usually wear 10s for work boots without an issue. Last year I went on my first hunting trip in the mountains, and was sure to break in one of my two pairs of boots. I broke in and brought a Schnee Beartooth 200g in 10 1/2 to make up for insulation in sizing, and a Lowa Renegade GTX Evo in 11, due to reading about weird undersizing issues. I had a blast on the trip, but after getting home various parts of my feet have been hurting. Though this may be pwrtially from waiting too long to replace my cratered work boots. Putting on the Schnees makes it feel tight still on the sides, maybe even squished, and I can touch the front with my toes if I kick into the ground. I also just got in a pair of Kenetrek Mountain Extreme 400g boots in 10 1/2 W, which seem to have lots of room around the toes (I can comfortably splay them and they only feel tight if I scrunch them under themselves) but I feel like there may be a bit of a gap on the sides, moreso on the left foot. However, no heel sliding so far. I'm just paranoid that by the time they break in properly they'll be too loose and I won't be able to exchange them.

Does anybody have similar experiences they can share? Tricks they can teach? Am I being overly paranoid? Any help is appreciated.
Sincerely, a goober.

 

[Wapiti151]

Boots are tough, you kinda have to go with what’s comfortable before break in. Kenetreks are my go to, and for what it’s worth, I wear a 13W in EVERYTHING, but Kenetrek ME’s I am a 12W. I’m a 13w in their bridger highs, but have to size down and for extremes (I do have a wide foot). They are then perfect, a touch tight before broken in, but then a dream after 25-50 miles. I also have no toe bump issues. I do wear Leuko tape with them always, especially during break in but even after because I’d rather be safe than sorry and hate wearing liners.

 

[hand skills]

Does anybody have similar experiences they can share? Tricks they can teach? Am I being overly paranoid? Any help is appreciated.
Sincerely, a goober.

When looking at imported boots especially, the best I can offer is to figure out your 'EU' size.

I've tried a bunch of different boots over the last couple of years (lowa, aku, crispi) and while the US sizes don't always line up, the EU sizes usually do.

For example if you are a EU 44, check the manufacturers sizing chart and order whatever US size that cross-referenced with EU 44.

I'm a EU 46 and ive seen that vary anywhere between a US 11 to US 12 depending on the maker.

 

[Scorpion]

I wear the same size according to Red Wing, usually get a 9.5 EE or 10 EE in their boots.

I wear 11.5 wide in most sneakers and my hunting boots are anywhere from 10-11. Size 10’s don’t leave me a ton of toe room, and I try to pair them with thinner socks for milder weather.

My feet are wide but somewhat low volume with a narrow heel. Most German boots that I have tried are generally a little wider than Italian, etc. All of my boots are D, EE has been too wide for me.

Hope this helps.

 

[fsr731]

I'm a 13 in Bridger High boots
I'm comfortable in 12W in Mountain Extremes, but I do have a LOT of width room on my one narrower but longer foot that I don't really like. I'm actually looking at 12medium and then having Kenetrek stretch them width wise for me. It's a risk. Might not be enough. Might try a 13medium, but I'm not confident that will work.

To the original question, I wouldn't have any fears about break-in making the wide boots too wide. Break-in in my experience is really about the midsole stiffness lightening up a bit for easier walking without heel slippage, and then the leather softening at main crease areas so that the creasing doesn't make hotspots. They don't really get wider, maybe a mm, and not so much even that.

 

[gash05]

Any suggestions on how to measure feet at home to get correct sizing? There are no good stores anywhere near me for quality hunting boots and I don't want to order $2000.00 worth of boots to try on. Any help is appreciated.

 

[Sternritter]

Any suggestions on how to measure feet at home to get correct sizing? There are no good stores anywhere near me for quality hunting boots and I don't want to order $2000.00 worth of boots to try on. Any help is appreciated.

So what I ended up doing is just saying screw it and returned/exchanged as needed. Just ensure the brand policy is good, get an approximation of size based on what other people online say (Kenetrek ended up being smaller for me than Schnee for sure) abd go from there. It's just a process.

 

[gash05]

Gotcha. Thanks for the reply.

 

[Bubblehide]

European boots are more specific on sizing. U.S. sizing varies by who is making it. There are plenty of good boot makers, but I setteled on Scarpa, partially due to European sizing. If you want to stick with U.S. sizing, you may want to measure your feet in the Euro firm and then do the conversion, as you might get a more accurate measure. But you will still have the issue of some Manufactures up and down sizing their boots.

Lastly, your feet typically continuing growing from young adulthood into adulthood, for several years.

 

[anonymous22]

Any suggestions on how to measure feet at home to get correct sizing? There are no good stores anywhere near me for quality hunting boots and I don't want to order $2000.00 worth of boots to try on. Any help is appreciated.

brannock

However, really the confusion in sizing comes down to the last.

Redwing for instance can vary wildly. For their heritage series boots like moc toes, or iron rangers, if you normally wear an 11 like I do in a running shoe, you will be about a size 10 on their last for this series.

Crispi for another example will use several different last. So shoes like the Lapponias vs Nevadas could potentially fit differently by an half size especially if your between sizes, and how it wears.

 

[Jpsmith1]

Boots are tough, you kinda have to go with what’s comfortable before break in. Kenetreks are my go to, and for what it’s worth, I wear a 13W in EVERYTHING, but Kenetrek ME’s I am a 12W. I’m a 13w in their bridger highs, but have to size down and for extremes (I do have a wide foot). They are then perfect, a touch tight before broken in, but then a dream after 25-50 miles. I also have no toe bump issues. I do wear Leuko tape with them always, especially during break in but even after because I’d rather be safe than sorry and hate wearing liners.

I wish I'd learned this sooner.

I really feel like "break in" is code for "getting used to sore feet" or something. Moving to a better fitted boot has been nothing short of life changing

I will also take a moment to talk about insoles or inserts. They can make a HUGE difference in your comfort, even in the same boot.

 

[anonymous22]

I wish I'd learned this sooner.

I really feel like "break in" is code for "getting used to sore feet" or something. Moving to a better fitted boot has been nothing short of life changing

I will also take a moment to talk about insoles or inserts. They can make a HUGE difference in your comfort, even in the same boot.

It’s not. Break in is exactly as it implies. You are wearing the boot down to form around your foot. A well sized boot, with good materials will do that. It will form over time and then a lot of the sores and discomforts will subside.

 

[nm.otter]

brannock

However, really the confusion in sizing comes down to the last.

Feet come in a huge variety of shapes.
Length and width are just the beginning. I found this worth watching:

 

[anonymous22]

Feet come in a huge variety of shapes.
Length and width are just the beginning. I found this worth watching:

Yeah, seems definetly worth watching the video, and supports the last being the issue.

The last, for those who are reading, is the foot design this guy in the video is talking about. They can vary widely like I said earlier from model to model, and company to company.

A lot of Italian boot companies are arguably some of the best mountain boot makers, but some use a European styled last, where Europeans tend to have smaller shaped feet than Americans. Crispi for example has different last, some based more on a running shoe design, and others based on a more classic boot, but with that wider toe box, which like the video said, doesn’t necessarily make it a better fitting boot.

I guess really, the most simplistic but key advice is to try on a many boots as you can if you can. Your “regular size” might not be so regular for each boot and shoe company.

 

[gash05]

Agreed. My dilemma is that there are not any stores anywhere near me that carry any, much less a variety of top tier "mountain" style hunting boots. I am planning a scouting trip to Colorado in a couple months and should be able to find a good selection while I am there. I will probably lean towards Crispi ,if I can find some that fit correctly, because of their reputation for out of the box comfort and easy break in period.

..."the best laid plans of mice and men...."

 

[fmyth]

After a similar experience I now try on boots at the end of a work day, pull out the factory insole, put in my favorite aftermarket insoles, and wear the hiking/hunting socks that I will wear on my hunt. I have boots/socks for early hunts and boots/socks for late season hunts (cold weather). I take both pair on basecamp/style hunts in case one pair get wet. I never dry them by a fire or in front of a heater. Typically my daily wear shoes are 10.5's and my hunting boots are 11's. I've also found that the euro made boots I've tried are narrower than the US boots that I've tried. Best of luck to you. Good fitting, quality boots make a big difference.

 

[fmyth]

Agreed. My dilemma is that there are not any stores anywhere near me that carry any, much less a variety of top tier "mountain" style hunting boots. I am planning a scouting trip to Colorado in a couple months and should be able to find a good selection while I am there. I will probably lean towards Crispi ,if I can find some that fit correctly, because of their reputation for out of the box comfort and easy break in period.

..."the best laid plans of mice and men...."

I wouldn't limit yourself to boots marketed specifically as "hunting boots." Some of the best options come from reputable brands that cater to the much larger backpacking, mountaineering, and hiking communities.I stay away from recommendations coming out of the ultralight backpacking crowd. While ultralight boots and shoes are currently the hottest trend, they tend to work well on groomed trails for thru-hikers but fall short when you’re going off-trail or packing meat over rocky terrain.I’ve been very happy with my Lowa boots. This summer I plan to put at least a hundred miles on them while carrying the same hunting pack and gear weight I’ll use on my day hunts. If there’s any issue with them, I’ll discover it well before the season starts and have plenty of time to address it.

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