UKC

With winter approaching, I am not looking forward to having my heels trashed once again by my Mantas. So, recommend me some boots, preferrably B2 (I have C2 crampons), for Scottish walking. They will not be used for climbing anything other than what I can comfortably solo, which is easy stuff. Oh, I did I mention - for skinny ankles (size 11-12)

Thanks
Stu

In reply to stupot: you can get memory inserts now, they may help if you need your heels protected. As far as boots go, tis a case of an hour or 2 in the shop trying everything on.

In reply to chickenpox:

As someone with long skinny feet I found Altberg very good as they come in various width fittings. Got mine in Outside, Hathersage. Seem excellent quality

http://www.altberg.co.uk/Web/

In reply to Different Steve: haven't heard of them before, and nothing more than B1

Chickenpox: the Mantas felt fine in the shop, it was only after a couple of hours uphill that I knew otherwise.

Before the Mantas I had some ancient leather lined Raichles. What are their current boots like for fit?

I have also had La Sportiva suggested. Has anyone had experience of their less technical boots, such as the Glacier?

cheers

In reply to stupot:

Checkout this thread.

http://www.ukclimbing.com/forums/t.php?t=358543&v=1#x5234139

Different nationalities have different shaped feet. The French are generally long and thin, the Germans wide all over. UK people have wide fronts and narrow heals, so Scarpa are good. You mention Reichle, which I am told have a similar last to Scarpa, but are Swiss. My wife has a pair and they are excellent. They also have a good range. I have worn Scarpa for around 30 years and find they fit well.

In reply to tallsteve:

The information in your quoted thread is rather irrelevant to both disscusions.

My point is best presented by example of the life of a boot in production, take scarpa:

Here is a multinational company producing boots for most of the western world for various sports, in various climates. They are also smart and understand that even although they think that 90% of people fit the SL (they don’t) there will be people out there who need other boot shapes or boots for different jobs (like Everest or the john Muir trail).

After you have thought about what you need your boot to do and where you chose your fabric. Scarpa use 7 leathers and various textiles/plastics in production all which have different lengths of time on lasts and have different break in speeds. Thus they respond differently to wear and tear.

They then build the boot on a last to give it shape, these lasts change from boot to boot and as a result they have different fittings for all products on their range. The BX (ish changed a little) last is used on the current the SL M3 normal fitting as is the narrow boot by UK standards. However the M3 is also available in BXX and BXD (Wide and Lady). Its big brother the new (and pile of ..) M4 is made on a RSN (male) and RSD (lady). Some boots are the same across the range, take the Lady ZG65 (a great boot from a sales point of view), it is made on the LBA last which it shares with the ZG's 10, 20, 40 and Nepal.

After the boot comes off the last (time depends on fabric), a sole and rand (maybe) is put on it. This again changes the shape and fitting of the boot. The M3 and freney have diffrent soles with the freney being much more curved than the M3, this again changes the fitting as does the rand which in the case of the cumbre is large but in the case of the M3 inst there at all, this will also change the fit.

my point being that simply summing companies, countries or groups of people is not a good way to start your process. Unless you are really trained in boot fitting (I am) you will not be able to make a judgement in this manner and could make your life a lot worse by casting off a whole group of boots.

In reply to stupot:

This cant be said often enough on the internet but when it comes to fitting a boot you have to go to a boot fitter and any information regarding how one boot fits over another will not provide you with your dream boot.

People on here can help with how long a boot lasts or is it warm enough for XYZ but not even a boot fitter can fit your footwear without looking at your feet.

In reply to tallsteve: aren't Scarpa Italian? Certainly the Manta (M4) does not suit a narrow heel/ankle

In reply to kathrync: an experienced boot fitter would be ideal, but the typical shop assistant in the clothing/footwear dept hardly qualifies. Can you recommend a boot fitter in cerntral Scotland?
In their absence, the person who next best knows my feet is me: skinny ankles, low arch, huge spur on right heel, right foot 1/2 size smaller but right leg is also shorter, so room for extra insole in right boot.

Few shops stock many boots in large sizes, so some idea of makes/models to look for would be a help

In reply to stupot:
hi,
raichle all degree lite has a snug fit,im not certain whether they are b1 or b2,tried mine with c2 grivel airtech and they were fine,
hope this helps,
http://www.fieldandtrek.com/Products/FT/PID-Raichle+All+Degree+Lite+Boot-18...
regards
seb

In reply to stupot:

Sorry I have been posting under my girl friends name (kathrync).

I have been out of the game a while now so the only two people in central Scotland who I will put my name to and say "this person can fit boots" is Lizzie who works on the top floor of Tiso on Rose St Edinburgh two days a week (she is not part time but works head office the other days) and the store manager Calum. I can't speak on the quality the other staff (because I haven't been there in ages, they could be very good) and certainly a few years back there were others who really knew the range but most I knew have moved on.

There have to be more good staff out there I just haven't been in the game for ages and therefore don't know them.

In reply to seaofdreams: thanks, that's helpful

In reply to stupot:


I believe Raichle boots are all made under the Mammut logo now, with different model names, but the design is probably the same. Mostly they seemed to have fairly close fitting heels and roomier toes from what I remember.

Maybe something like the Sportiva Trango might be worth a go, or the Karakorum for something more like the Mantas. Also I think Asolo boots tend to have a slimmer fit. But, as above, you'll just need to try things on, probably put a better insole in, and maybe have to resort to volume reducers and the like under the tender guidance of your local bootfitter.

In reply to seaofdreams (kathrynC):

Its good to know there are some experts out there, but you are more likely to meet a numtie who's sole walking experience (pun not intended) is walking the dog.

Ultimately we tend to find a make that just fits us. With me its Scarpa.

Rules of thumb can be useful for the rest of us who haven't your experience, so if you can suggest a few more apt ones then fire away. I for one would be pleased to read such a list.

Ultimately you won't know if a boot fits until you have pounded over 20 miles of rough terrain with a heavy pack, no matter how nice it felt in the shop.