Help a noob day.

[tekkheadd]

Hey all,

I've measured my Mondo size which is exactly 27.94 which is awful close to 28 and i'm wondering (per the directions on this site) whether i should still round down to 27 or should i just go with 28.

Probably a redundant question, but i'd like to get the ball rolling with my set up this year.

TIA

geoff

[trailertrash]

I measure 25, I am in a slightly punched out 24. It is easier to make the boot bigger.

Most people get thier first boots too big and then have to buy another set the right size.

Go with a 27 and start looking for a somebody who can punch it out if you need to. In the long run it will be cheaper.

[Jack Michaud]

Did you measure both feet? Mine are 28 and 28.5cm. I tried to downsize to a 27 last year and it was painful. I gave up after two stretchings and liner moldings and went back to my old 28s. Yes, the 28s are on the big side, but I'll take a little slop over day-ending pain every time. However I am going to try again; I do believe I will be able to finally get them punched out to where they should be eventually, and then the fit will be very performant.

[tekkheadd]

Did you measure both feet? Mine are 28 and 28.5cm. I tried to downsize to a 27 last year and it was painful. I gave up after two stretchings and liner moldings and went back to my old 28s. Yes, the 28s are on the big side, but I'll take a little slop over day-ending pain every time. However I am going to try again; I do believe I will be able to finally get them punched out to where they should be eventually, and then the fit will be very performant.

no, i just measured the left, which is a hair bigger than the right. If i go with the 28 do you think my feet will swim or what?

[Mike T]

My personal experience is that THE most painful way to wear hardboots is too big, even slightly so. When my feet are swimming even a little bit I find myself cranking down on the buckles, cutting off circulation, causing bruises, and causing pain in general. Heel lift causes bruising as well.

YMMV of course.

I also recommend measuring the length of your feet on the footbeds you'll use in your boots, rather than flat on the floor. This will give you a better idea of what really fits. If I go flat on the floor my feet are over 1cm longer; if I measure on my orthotic footbeds, and then round down, I get the size of boot I actually wear and ride in most comfortably.

[OhD]

You can add padding to build in to your foot shape from a slightly oversized shell. Use thin layers of firm foam, or taper the edges of thicker layers ( a Dremel with a sanding drum works well) to avoid making hard spots. You must build around your own hard spots (bunions, heel spurs, etc) so the pressure is distributed over surrounding areas that aren't sensitive or sore. It takes some time and fiddling, but you can fine tune it without endless visits to the bootfitter, and mistakes are reversible. A bootfitter can punch out some trouble spots and save you a lot of foam, and offer sympathy. McMaster-Carr is a good source for a bunch of different grades and thicknesses of adhesive-backed foam. If you go with pretty hard stuff, it will be less prone to packing out, and your liner can take care of the little bit of give you need to accomodate imperfections.

[BlueB]

I tend to do it that way. I have wide fore and mid foot and high instep, but narrow heels and bony ankles and spurs... Always hard for me to downsize the shells. I go with my measured 26/26.5 and buid with foam.

[Jack Michaud]

no, i just measured the left, which is a hair bigger than the right. If i go with the 28 do you think my feet will swim or what?

I don't know, there are other factors to consider like width, arch, and volume. I'm not a bootfitter and I can't see your feet. Bomber has a pretty helpful sizing guide and policy, where you can try them on and exchange them if necessary.

[tekkheadd]

I don't know, there are other factors to consider like width, arch, and volume. I'm not a bootfitter and I can't see your feet. Bomber has a pretty helpful sizing guide and policy, where you can try them on and exchange them if necessary.

Ok.


I think i'm going to go with the 28. 27.94 sounds like 28 to me.

I gather thats going against what the bomber store says but i guess thats why i'm asking. :ices_ange





I don't know of any boot fitters anywhere near me but i'll be at Killington for three days the end of this month for a managment seminar and will be asking around.

Anyone with any ideas on a boot fitter up there?

[BobD]

I know you don't want to hear it, but here's another vote for 28s too big ;)

[tekkheadd]

ok, now we're getting somewhere.

i need :smashfrea sometimes.

[BobD]

ok, now we're getting somewhere.

i need :smashfrea sometimes.

I find that if I don't think "S**T, these are tight" when I first put them on, they are too big. When you get the boots, do the shell test before you mold the liners.

This thread will give a better idea of what's involved. Some good advice by Kent.
http://www.bomberonline.com/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=28424&highlight=race+fit

[Surf Quebec]

My mondo size is 26.6 and i'm in 25.5 HSP, I've tried all kinds of padding from Tognar to prevent heel lift but it never worked while still comfortable.

With 25.5 boots I did have a bootfitter enlarged the toe box.

[OhD]

Don't expect miracles. Pain is a good excuse to drink more - so wear your boots to the bar. They should be good for a few conversations if not a few free drinks.

Good footbeds are absolutely the place to start, whatever you do in terms of shell size. Add wedges to the footbeds if need be to get you ankle pivot axis pretty close to the hinge of the boot, as best you can ascertain either without drilling holes in things:freak3:. Having the foot largely locked in place with a fitted bed makes is a lot easier to establish a solid connection between the board and the body without having to clamp anything all that hard.

I have several spots where 41 years of ski and snowboard boot pressure has sensitized nerves. I pad around them and take the pressure where it hasn't done harm yet, but sometimes even a little pressure and rubbing is all it takes to make a nerve flare up. Then I take tylenol and tell myself "Its just pain..." and remember that pain and suffering are quite different things.

[Buell]

Unless your foot is really wide (like blueb described), a 28 mondo shell will likely be too big.

[martyagt4]

My feet measure a tick over 24, and I'm in a fitted 23. I could not get 24's to fit. Still need some work on the right boot, but the left is perfect.

[zoltan]

Another vote for 28 being too big. I was in the same situation as you with my foot being exactly 28, so I first bought 28 boots. There was enough movement in there that it rubbed my heel raw. The bottom line is, you cannot make a big boot smaller, but you can make a small boot bigger.

[bobdea]

my foot is like 283 I use a 285, thing is with most brands 28 and 285 is the same boot, in some cases a different liner.
the big thing here is volume........... for me.
some brands I can run the next shell down but this is not the usual.