New Posts  All Forums:Forum Nav:

Randonee Boots

post #1 of 9
1/12/03 at 7:29pm
Thread Starter 
I'd like to get some advice on fitting Alpine Touring boots. I know they are supposed to fit a little differently than alpine ski boots because, unlike alpine ski boots, they are also intended for walking. I'm used to very close fitting alpine boots and unsure how the AT boots should feel. I tried on a pair of Garmont G Ride boots with G-fit. With the bladders out of the shell and my foot in the shell so that the toe is touching the front I can almost insert two fingers behind my heel. With the bladders in the boots felt well nigh perfect WITHOUT having the bladders heated or molded and without custom foot beds installed. Instinct and experience suggest to me that a new boot which feels this good is probably going to turn out to be too large , expecially after the bladders begin to mold to my feet. Nevertheless I know I am lokking at a boot I want to be able to walk in without getting blisters. I also want to have a reasonably close fit for responsive skiing. Naturally the ski shop didn't have a range of sizes left to try and the shop guy assures me that the US distributor is all out of these boots so it looks like I will have to order them from someplace like Telemark-Pyrenees. I'm a little uneasy ordering boots this way with only the size 28.5 boots I tried as a benchmark. These are a full size larger than my conventional (27.5) Head TR World Cup boots by the way.

Anyone with experience fitting these boots? Does the size 28.0 have the same shell size? Any advice at all would be appreciated.
Thanks.
Reply
post #2 of 9
1/12/03 at 8:56pm
arcadie,

I can't speak to the fit of the Garmonts, I bought the Nordica TR-12's. My alpine boots are a 25.5 Technica Icon XT and I also bought the TR-12's in a 25.5. So far the fit, with custom footbed, has been excellent; so much so, that I refer to them as my slippers. I now have about 50 days on them.

They're great for walking, hiking and working at ski races; if there is a downside it's their soft flex when you want to ski them like a race boot . . . . which they obviously are not. I was haulin' the freight one day and got in the back seat - big mistake - there was no recovery. I had a spectacular high speed spin out. My fault, lesson learned.

Good luck with your quest.
Reply
post #3 of 9
1/12/03 at 9:33pm
With Randonee boots, the emphasis has always been on comfort rather than precision. My Scarpa Denalis, however, give pretty good control, and new Denali XT's are better than the previous red Denali. A friend has just purchased a pair of XT's and had them fitted with a thermo-liner, and said that they're nearly as stiff as his Technica Icon Carbon alpine boots, which is pretty amazing for a randonee set-up. But the REALLY amazing thing is that he says that he can still walk in them without any problems! I think that AT gear is getting more versatile every year.
Reply
post #4 of 9
1/13/03 at 7:36am
I've learned to never believe a shop person when they say the distributor is out of something!
Reply
post #5 of 9
1/13/03 at 9:31am
Quote:
Originally posted by RCrumb:
I'd say fit your AT boots the same as your alpine boots unless your a big fan of downsizing in alpine boots for an extra close fit.
I have downsized both my alpine and my randonee boots; my shoe size is men's US 8 (26) and I ski in a 7/7.5 shell (25/25.5).

PS. After reading several of the responses, I believe that my Nordica Tour Randonees are the apples to the other AT oranges referenced in this thread i.e. Scarpa.

I'll shut up now
Reply
post #6 of 9
1/13/03 at 11:33am
Second what RCRUMB had to say. I have new AT boots and developed some bad blisters during a week tour. I'm going to pick up some custom liners AND duct tape my heels BEFORE starting the next tour.
Reply
post #7 of 9
1/13/03 at 1:20pm
Arcadie:

I think I agree with most of what's been said so far. Personally, my AT boots (Scarpa Lazer) are a half-size *smaller* than my alpine boots (Technica Icon).

They felt kind of small when I first got them but I think you very quickly compress the liners when you start skinning in them but became a very good fit after a few days on them.

Bob
Reply
post #8 of 9
1/14/03 at 8:43pm
Thread Starter 
Thanks to all. I'm going to spring for a smaller pair and I won't forget to bring along the moleskin and the tape.
Reply
post #9 of 9
1/14/03 at 8:43pm
Thread Starter 
AH the old double post!

[ January 14, 2003, 08:44 PM: Message edited by: arcadie ]
Reply
New Posts  All Forums:Forum Nav:
  Return Home
  Back to Forum: Backcountry and Cross Country