boots fit

S

sasha

Joined
Feb 28, 2006
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O.k i went to the store to buy merrell boots. The ones i realy liked the fit of were the Moab mid tex. The problem is i tried both the size 10 and the 10.5. Both did fit well the 10 was snag and felt good with the 10.5 it felt more relaxed and would have been snag with a slightly thicker sock.
.. How do you like your shoes to fit?? before it was always good or no good. So the choice was easy. Thats the first time i tried the merrel. I must admit they feel realy nice with good cushin which i need for my flat feet.

Sasha
 
get the pair that feels the most comfortable with the socks that you will normally be wearing. I've logged hundreds of miles with a backpack on and I always make sure that when I'm trying on new boots I do it at the end of the day (when my feet are the most swollen), and the REI I usually purchase boots from has an incline/decline ramp so I can see how much "play" there is in the boot. Kick a wall a few times - your toes should not touch the front of the boot. Last but not least - If ANY minor thing bothers you in the store it will be much worse in the woods.
 
well it all depends on personal taste.

i generally prefer thin light cheap dress socks for hiking and everyday, because they don't keep my feet too hot and they don't hold moisture and stink as badly as thick socks. they also dry out really fast (a plus when hiking)

about actual shoe fit though, for everyday wear i like a loose fit, to allow my ankle to take alot of the weight and let my foot move where it wants to go. i wear boots everyday, but don't lace them. i tied little beads on the end of the laces where the tape is, and just leave the laces loose. the beads keep the ends from falling out. if i am doing any real walking or i am hiking off trail i can just lace them up and have plenty of ankle support and my foot is held in place without any sliding around.

i like a fairly firm grip on my foot for hiking, so that i am not sliding around too much going downhill and jamming my toes.

it really is all a very personal thing. think about the shoes you have had before, how they fit, and which you liked more. this could help you out with which pair you will like more...
 
As for most of my boots they are always snag. But after a very long hike sometimes i feel as i could use more room.. I got wide feet. Cause here its mostly up or down the hills i dont want my foot to move around much. Its hot here so its nice to let the feet breath in there..

Sasha
 
I agree with BW, try and fit them with the hiking socks (or whatever) that you usually wear, that can make the fit different. My fiance uses heavy hiking socks and makes the boots tighter. I agree also with trying them on when your feet are swollen or you've been on them all day, we do the same thing for chairs (computer ones and others) we test them when were sore, especially back sore! It helps alot...
 
not sure if this is a stupid question or anything but is "snag" meant to be snug. Because you've used it a few times... shoe lingo?
 
Sorry its not shoe lingo its bad spelling on someone part....... Hey dont look at me .. Thanks for correcting me lol.. Dantor I did go there after work and im on my feet all day. Also had wool socks on. Its just that 10 and 10.5 feel good.. Just trying to figure out what is the proper way to fit boots. Been thinking that i just might pick one size first and wear it at home to see how i like it after 1-2 hours on my feet.
 
The rule of thumb is that the boot be 1/2 size larger than your street shoes. This allows for a thicker sock to be worn for added comfort. Also keep in mind that boot manufacturers on average, don't put the best inserts in their boots and depending on your needs, you may want to upgrade to a better insert. Myself, I put a thousand miles or more on a pair of Vasque Zephyr boots, using superfeet green inserts and I never had a blister problem, or other discomfort. Great support for backpacking and lite hiking.
 
One thing that might yield some answers to your question on fit is to drop by a Redwing store and have them measure your feet. You might be surprised as to the result. I normally wore size 9 wide shoes and following the measurement, I started buying size 10 wide and they suggested I get size 10.5. I noticed that my feet were often sore at the end of the day.... answer > I was wearing too small shoes and boots and didn't even know it. Definitely wear socks similar to what you prefer to wear when trying on boots.
 
Redwing, and I am sure other brands used to allow you to buy boots in different sizes, for instance, Left 10 and right 10.5 Maybe they still do, I am not sure. It would not hurt to ask.
 
From all the reading and your advice im going to get the larger one at 10.5. Thanks.

Sasha
 
What I am going to do, and have done, for my puppy needs is like stated, get my boots 1/2 size bigger than street shoes, and for the summer, in warm/hot weather, I'm going to get some "Hiking Shoes" they are very popular now and their are so many styles out.

I'm very hot blooded (latin :D ) and boots in the summer time kill my puppies with the heat they generate, so hiking shoes may do it for me, here's hoping...

p.s. get good insoles, like super feet green (or other) they really make a difference.
 
I've never had a pair of Merrell but might be worth keeping in mind that most uppers will stretch as they wear in and become a slightly looser fit.

As others have suggested make sure you wear the socks you hike in when trying them on and size from there. Most peoples feet also swell slightly with a lot of walking so if it's a snug fit with thin socks and sitting down then I'd be tempted to go half a size up, possibly a full size.

Not much worse than a bad fitting pair of boots and a few hours walk still to go.
 
Dantor said:
What I am going to do, and have done, for my puppy needs is like stated, get my boots 1/2 size bigger than street shoes, and for the summer, in warm/hot weather, I'm going to get some "Hiking Shoes" they are very popular now and their are so many styles out.

I'm very hot blooded (latin :D ) and boots in the summer time kill my puppies with the heat they generate, so hiking shoes may do it for me, here's hoping...

p.s. get good insoles, like super feet green (or other) they really make a difference.
Click to expand...

Hiking shoes have the added bonus of being lite weight compaired to a full boot and they are great for walking established trails, but a big negative to them might be that if you leave flat, well used trail behind and hit rougher and sloped footing, they won't protect your ankles any.

What kind of socks do you wear? Cotton and some synthetics will heat your foot up and the added heat from the day will only make it worse. Wool has a tendency to keep your foot cooler in hot weather, so if you aren't wearing a good pair of wool hiking socks, you might give them a try. I had never used liner socks until recently, when I picked up a pair of Smartwool liners and started wearing them under a heavier pair of merino wool Wigwam hiking socks. So far, no complaints.
 
I will definitely try that longbow50. Until recently I've just worn everyday cotton/syth socks but in the past year I've gotten into merino wool and better walking/hiking socks. Still got my hotfoot, but my boots have Gortex liners and I hear they are notoriously warm, which is fine in the cold times, but I will experiment when it gets warm, but thx bro.
 
I don't know what you intend to use those boots for and I don't know either if those boots are rigid or not. That said I will tell you what works for me now (it took me a while to figure it out!... and a few black toe nails as well...).

I always carry a pair of the socks I intend to use with the boots I am buying. I follow two different rules for shoes, it is this simple:
- If they are daily use shoes and don't plan to use them on the mountains I take out the insole, step on it and leave like 1cm or so from the tip of my toes to the end of the insole. I also check that way if my foot is too wide for that shoe. Then I just put the insole inside the shoe and try them on. I am right like 90% of the time.
- If they are shoes I will be using in the mountains (hiking shoes, hiking boots, climbing boots, etc) I do it the same way but leave at least 1,5cm or even 2cm. that way I know I won't be bashing my toenails against the inside of the boot when going downhill and that I have extra room for my feet to swell (happens in winter quite often).

Just a quick advice... whenever you wear Gore Tex lined shoes, never ever wear cotton socks. They absorb moisture and don't let it go so the Gore Tex doesn't have a chance to do it's job. You need to use syntetic fibers, they will keep your feet dry. If you usually have hot feet, try Coolmax socks. They wick moisture like crazy and are cool. In winter you can try Thermastat. It also wicks moisture quite well but are definitely warmer. Wool will keep you warm in winter no matter how wet the socks get but you will have a hard time drying them afterwards with your body heat.
Mikel
 
I like them loose. Not loose enough for my feet to slide in but loose.

Your feet swell after a few days walking anyway.
 
This thread couldn't have came at a better time, I'm going shopping for hiking boots today.
 
One other note, one of your feet tends to be a little larger than the other. When you try on shoes or boots, if you only use one foot, go with the larger foot. Better to try on both shoes and if they seem to tight or something.... don't buy them.... I used to say, oh, they'll stretch a little once I start wearing them. Don't assume that. Buy what fits regardless of what size it says on the box.

The Redwing suggestion may have seemed unusual. I was shocked when I wanted to buy some higher quality hard toe boots and they measured my feet. They also try to sell you on special (expensive) insoles that supposively even out the weight distribution on your shoe. Do whatever you like of course if this sounds odd. They have a machine that measures how your weight is distributed on your feet.
 
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