Narrowest Boot for the Length With a Big Toe Box

[nexus6]

Ok, so after loosing my big toe nail in a blood spurting mess again this year I'm trying to figure out some boots that might work for my foot. My foot is basically size 10 in volume and width with a size 13 big toe that hooks to the inside and sticks out way beyond the rest of my toes. I need a boot that's a mondo 29 at least to accommodation my big toe (still will likely need a toe punch) but that's narrow and low volume in enough through the rest of the foot to hold my foot in place. Tried on some Full Tilts that have great heal retention and seem pretty low volume. Any other ideas of boots to try? My toenails thank you.

[haydukelives]

you might try the bootfitter section at Epic

[Mountain Relish]

Rossignol, Lange, Atomic, Fischer, Tecnica, and Nordica all make size 29 mondo with a 95mm last. There may be others that can be added to that list, but I have a very long, narrow foot, and those are the ones I've found.

Something to watch out for though is that the Tecnica, and Nordica boots have a 330mm boot sole length, so they are much shorter than most boots in a 29. I was fine in a 29 Atomic Ti with a bit of work, but even with a huge punch my toenail is black already this season in my Nordicas.

Good luck.

[marshalolson]

It might be worth trying on a Lange rs/rx lv boot on s 28. Lots of folks have bee able to downsize with them. Super nice heel and ankle pocket, with a very roomy toebox.

[nexus6]

Thanks for the suggestion Marshal. I just read your review of the XT 130 which if they fixed the walk mode slop might be a nice option as well.

[GottaMoveWest]

Might be worth looking into a Fischer Vacuum boot if you can find them

[Finstah]

Rossignol, Lange, Atomic, Fischer, Tecnica, and Nordica all make size 29 mondo with a 95mm last. There may be others that can be added to that list, but I have a very long, narrow foot, and those are the ones I've found.

Something to watch out for though is that the Tecnica, and Nordica boots have a 330mm boot sole length, so they are much shorter than most boots in a 29. I was fine in a 29 Atomic Ti with a bit of work, but even with a huge punch my toenail is black already this season in my Nordicas.

Good luck.

Lange and Rossignol both do not make boots with a 95 mm last. Their production race boots have a 97 mm last and their "plug" race stock boots feature a 92mm last.

Often times skiers lose their toe nails from being in boots that are already too long, and punching them only exasperates the problem.

[nexus6]

Lange and Rossignol both do not make boots with a 95 mm last. Their production race boots have a 97 mm last and their "plug" race stock boots feature a 92mm last.

Often times skiers lose their toe nails from being in boots that are already too long, and punching them only exasperates the problem.

My experience has been that I loose my toenail because the boot isn't low volume enough to hold the rest of my foot back and so my big toe takes the entire impact of being slammed into the front. The actual boot length isn't really the issue as long as it accomadates my big toe. I understand what your saying and it might apply if ones other toes were anywhere close to the end of the boot, my are not and never will be in any boot made.

[XavierD]

Might be worth looking into a Fischer Vacuum boot if you can find them

Not if you want the boot to last a year, and/or think putting on warm boots is nice.

Salomon X3 series can be found cheap right now. Otherwise Lange RX/RS/XT, Head RD or Atomic Redster. Or you know, just buy the boot from someone who can punch that big toe out.

[nexus6]

Not if you want the boot to last a year, and/or think putting on warm boots is nice.

Salomon X3 series can be found cheap right now. Otherwise Lange RX/RS/XT, Head RD or Atomic Redster. Or you know, just buy the boot from someone who can punch that big toe out.

Tried the "punch he hell out of the toe" route with some Tecnica Bodacious 28's with no luck (currently for sale $300 OBO, one day on them and a gigantic big toe punch). Going to try those suggestions. I'm liking the idea of Lange XT with the walk mode since I've got Dukes on my resort setup. Thanks.

[Finstah]

Get a moderately low volume boot with a larger than average toe box (Lange RS or Rossignol Experience 130) along with a Sidas Conformable Foam injected liner. This should accommodate the lowest volume of feet and keep you from sliding forward and banging your big toe.

Should work, but be prepared to spend over 1k.

[XavierD]

Get a moderately low volume boot with a larger than average toe box (Lange RS or Rossignol Experience 130) along with a Sidas Conformable Foam injected liner. This should accommodate the lowest volume of feet and keep you from sliding forward and banging your big toe.

Should work, but be prepared to spend over 1k.

Dear god, foam injected is, well, ehhh. Be careful what you wish for. I personally, am a fan of comfort and warm feet, neither of which comes with most foam liners. If you are looking for absolute performance, at ANY cost, sure; for most skiers however, they are just misery.

[Finstah]

Dear god, foam injected is, well, ehhh. Be careful what you wish for. I personally, am a fan of comfort and warm feet, neither of which comes with most foam liners. If you are looking for absolute performance, at ANY cost, sure; for most skiers however, they are just misery.

Um, it isn't 1993 anymore. The materials used to shoot those liners has changed quite a bit in the last few years. Much softer density foams, and can yield a very comfortable fit.

But you're right, they're still really easy to screw up, even by people who do them all the time...

[Mountain Relish]

Lange and Rossignol both do not make boots with a 95 mm last. Their production race boots have a 97 mm last and their "plug" race stock boots feature a 92mm last.

Often times skiers lose their toe nails from being in boots that are already too long, and punching them only exasperates the problem.

Sorry, you are very right. I just meant that they make their narrower race last in a size 29.

I do not understand why having boots that are too long would be a reason for people to loose their toenails. If there is too much space then they should be less likely to have their toes hitting anything, and so their would be less chance of bruising. Obviously if their boots just have too much volume in general, and their foot is not being held properly, I could understand the problem. I am very happy to be corrected on this, but logically it makes sense to me.

My toes have no room to move at the end of my boots, even with a large punch to try and create more space. As a result they have just got more are more bruising under the nail. It gets worse skiing bumps where there is so much fore and aft adjustments. For me personally having a longer boot with the same low volume would be amazing.

[calisnow]

"My experience has been that I loose my toenail because the boot isn't low volume enough to hold the rest of my foot back and so my big toe takes the entire impact of being slammed into the front."

Serious question - have you been to an actual, real life, COMPETENT boot fitter with a good selection of boots to choose from? The problem you're describing sounds like incompetent fitting and boots that are just too damn big.

BTW I second Marhal's Lange suggestion. I ski the RS130 right now, which has a very tight heel pocket but a relatively roomy toe box.

[calisnow]

Oh and by the way - even with an RS130 the first season I had to get a 26.5 (I measure a 26) because that was what was in stock. After 7 days the liner had packed out enough that I was sliding around (still was better than my 26.5 Nordicas which were even higher volume).

Next season I got the same RS130 in a 25.5. THIS boot was painful the first 10 days of skiing even with adjustments and punches. But no more foot sliding around. After the liner broke in it's been money.

[nexus6]

Tried on the Lange XT 130 LV 28.5 (same last as the RS130). Pretty close and the heel pocket is really nice and snug. Width was OK, but felt like after the liner packs out a bit I still might slide forward a bit. Left foot was good on length, right might need a minor toe punch. I loved the fore/aft balance feel of the Langes. Felt like they would work really well with modern technique.

Thinking about my issue a little more I've decided that a lot of the problem is that with my other toes set so far back on my foot that means the outside of my forefoot between my toes and the instep is also set way back. Where most people have foot that contacts the top of the boot behind their small toes I just have air. Maybe some strategic padding in that area or an injection liner would help the situation? I had an over-sized Intuition liner in some AT boots that seemed to work pretty well I think for this reason.

Well I've been to a good boot fitter to have previous boots worked on, footbeds made etc, but not one that actually sells boots, so I'm sort of left with suggestions and then going to the shop to try things without getting good feedback from the kids at the shop. I wish I could find a shop in Portland that has a good selection of boots and a good boot fitter.

[calisnow]

That's crazy - a city the size of Portland has no good bootfitters? Seriously try epicski - you're gonna get higher quality technical advice on that site for boots (despite the way people bag on epic over here) and they have multiple pro bootfitters posting there and taking questions.

Also if you have a wacky foot shape try the Fischer Vacuum. I got "vacuumed" and the boot fit even better than my Langes. Returned them because I bought the Dodge carbon fiber boot and I couldn't afford to keep all three.

But the Fischer will give you the tightest heel you ahve ever experienced in your life, while simultaneously giving you all the room you need in your forefoot, and eliminating that "space" you describe over your pinkie toe. True custom fit. And they've had a season to work out the kinks.

[nexus6]

Tried some Lange WC plug boots (the real 92mm ones). Felt pretty good except various bone spurs etc. but that's easy to fix. Not sure about skiing around in a pro level plug boot though? I rarely ski on the groom let alone a GS course.

[verbier61]

Not if you want the boot to last a year, and/or think putting on warm boots is nice.

Salomon X3 series can be found cheap right now. Otherwise Lange RX/RS/XT, Head RD or Atomic Redster. Or you know, just buy the boot from someone who can punch that big toe out.

Mmh... Is your opinion about poor durability of the vacuum first hand or heard from some shop people? I have some vacuum rangers that work perfectly after 11 months, and my son is on 130 vacuum that are working perfectly after 15 months. I know though that (at least in yurp) many shops are spreading very bad words about the vacuum simply because they can not sell them...

[XavierD]

Mmh... Is your opinion about poor durability of the vacuum first hand or heard from some shop people? I have some vacuum rangers that work perfectly after 11 months, and my son is on 130 vacuum that are working perfectly after 15 months. I know though that (at least in yurp) many shops are spreading very bad words about the vacuum simply because they can not sell them...

I have seen three sets of boots that have the toes dimpled from binding toe pieces (tyrolia/Fischer bindings) and know people who have had the boots change shape by leaving them to dry/warm up.

I have also had a pair of vacuum race boots molded to my wide high instep foot. The molding got close, but additional grinding/stretching would be needed. It is also nothing that you cant do with any other boot, you will just need to cook them to 240 F rather than 160 F or whatever the fischers are at. It is not like the rest of the world did not know about the plastic, Salomon though about it for their custom shell, it is just Fischer was desperate enough to use it.
My 2¢

[nexus6]

Just picked up my new Lange WC ZB Plugs (130ish flex). A few grinds and a toe punch on the right one and they feel like tight fitting gloves. These are the first boots I've ever had that actually feel snug without buckling. I'm pretty stoked to try them out tomorrow. Only downside is they're heavy as bricks and not so warm. Going to add some Vibram soles soon as well. I see boot heaters in my future ...

[Squamish]

I have seen three sets of boots that have the toes dimpled from binding toe pieces (tyrolia/Fischer bindings) and know people who have had the boots change shape by leaving them to dry/warm up.

I have also had a pair of vacuum race boots molded to my wide high instep foot. The molding got close, but additional grinding/stretching would be needed. It is also nothing that you cant do with any other boot, you will just need to cook them to 240 F rather than 160 F or whatever the fischers are at. It is not like the rest of the world did not know about the plastic, Salomon though about it for their custom shell, it is just Fischer was desperate enough to use it.
My 2¢

Are they drying these on a radiator or something? Common sense, man. Remove the liners and put those in a good drying spot. Don't do that with the shells. Just wipe them down.

Skeptical about your Solly claim. How do you know that? Plastics can actually be quite complex. Fischer and BMW Engineering put up the money to develop it. Doubt Saloman "passed" on the plastic technology. They never had it.

[XavierD]

If you are sold on it, good for you (Fischer really), I'm skeptical.
So Fischer spent a ton of money developing a plastic that loosens up at 160 instead of 240 or 280, ground breaking why didn't they just call Rubbermaid?

[volklpowdermaniac]

i just tried on some patron pros... essentially a dobermann 130 with a more progressive boot board, wow. that's nice, super low volume through entire boot including cuff which i have had a hard time finding a low volume cuff.... as soon as i can sell my krypton pros im buying a pair.

also full tilt is real narrow, but the new seth shell has a slightly bigger toe box.