UKC

Hi everyone

I am looking for a pair of B2 boots to winter climb in the Cairngorms and I normally wear size 48 / 13 in street shoes. And my right foot is half a European size up - 48.5 :/

I have read somewhere that for B2 / B3 boots you need to go one size up... But the problem is that it is impossible in the whole of the UK - I have looked at lots of specialized shops online - to get such size, I mean either 13 1/2 or 14, 48 1/2 or 49.

I have been told I may have to have them made at the factory and I will have to pay for them beforehand. They are so expensive I cannot afford to do this, in case they don't fit!!

I was wondering your ideas about which boots to wear when you have big and not narrow feet like me? I usually need room in the toe cap!

I would appreciate any advice you can give and would be very grateful

Best regards
Cedric

In reply to BarefootCeds:

Have you tried on some size 13 B3s in any shop? I've never heard of needing to go up a size before.

In reply to BarefootCeds:

Send an email to Dave Pegler at Peglers in Arundel (a quick google should find it) I know he has helped a lot of people with fairly massive feet before, he ordered a job lot of size 50 Nepal Extremes in the past if I remember correctly?!

Davey P is the man you want!

In reply to BarefootCeds:
>> I have read somewhere that for B2 / B3 boots you need to go one size up... But the problem is that it is impossible in the whole of the UK

Even here? http://www.altberg.co.uk/fitting/

In reply to Damo:

Altberg only make up to B1 and its a soft B1 at that. The Mallastang (which I use for summer), no where near as stiff as a Scarpa SL.

Cedric, I would take a look at B3's as well, The La Sportiva Nepal in particular is pretty well known for its large sizes, Needle Sports in Keswick stocks the largest sizes if you live near there. I used a Scarpa Manta for a while, found it didn't really fit that well and got the Nepal, which is more comfy to walk in even though its stiffer. Whatever you buy, make sure it fits your foot.

Another thing to bare in mind too is that the largest sizes make the boots more bendy than smaller sizes as there is more length in them to lever, even a Nepal would flex slightly in say a size 50.

Good luck finding something.

Craig.

In reply to Pritchard:

They have a website too, and other boots in bigger sizes:

http://www.needlesports.com/Catalogue/Footwear/Mountain-Boots/Nepal-Extreme...

Craig.

In reply to Pritchard:

I've got both Mallerstangs (46) and Scarpa SL (47) and completely disagree with that.

For a B1 boot the Mallerstang is very stiff and takes the heel lever of several crampons. I've used these and similar (even less stiff) boots on icy mountain terrain and they've been fine. If the OP wants something for steep ice he should get a B3 like the Nepals.

I think Mallerstangs are overkill for summer, but then gear overkill is a proud tradition on UKC! With feet that size many of the 'rules' will just have to be ignored or worked around.

In reply to maybe_si:

What he said.

In reply to BarefootCeds: Both Scarpa and Sportiva make boots up to 50 or maybe 51. Have you checked the big european shops like barrabes or telemark pyrenees?

In reply to Damo:

Interesting view. I don't have any scientific evidence for how stiff they are. I am able to bend my mallastangs toe over itself with my hand, the Scarps SL in the same size (an 8) I couldn't get near to bending that far, which is how I came to my conclusion.

For path walking they are over kill, but I live in Scotland and spend a lot of time off the beaten track on rocky and rough terrain and scrambing and what not.

I know people who use Scarpa Manta's B2 all year round, which I think is over kill (not to mention warm!), but each to his own.

Craig.

In reply to BarefootCeds: i have size 13 mammut monoliths

In reply to BarefootCeds: In the same boat with not enough money to replace slightly too small boots. Pain killers plus approach shoes and microspikes for me this season