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.