Alfa vs. Alpina sizing

This is the World Famous TelemarkTalk / TelemarkTips Forum, by far the most dynamic telemark and backcountry skiing discussion board on the world wide web. We have fun here, come on in and be a part of it.
User avatar
paulzo
Posts: 144
Joined: Sun Nov 19, 2017 11:59 pm
Ski style: multi-day touring

Alfa vs. Alpina sizing

Post by paulzo » Wed Feb 12, 2020 6:36 pm

Can anyone comment on Alpina vs Alfa sizing? I have no way of trying either on without ordering them, and in looking at various boots I noticed that on the REI site they have size charts to convert from EU to Us shoe sizes, and for the Alfas the chart says a 45EU is a 12.5 US mens, while for the Alpinas the chart says a 45 EU is an 11 US mens. So are the REI charts wacky, or is there a really a big difference in how the different brands run true to size?

User avatar
jyw5
Posts: 489
Joined: Tue Nov 19, 2019 12:52 am

Re: Alfa vs. Alpina sizing

Post by jyw5 » Wed Feb 12, 2020 11:01 pm

I don't have alpinas but I have the Alfa Quest Core (Rondane Core) and just got my Guard Advance this week and also tried the Kikut Perform and they all fit differently. (These are all NNN BC)


Alfa Quest Core size 42 - perfect fit for my wide feet but a bit long (a Chenna Barree winter warmer footbed fixed the problem)...no blisters, no heel lift... have worn them 2 days/wk since November.

Alfa Kikut 41 - perfect fit with the stock footbed (which is really thin)...but only tried it at REI.

Alfa Guard Advance 41 - too loose/big without footbed. With the footbed, the forefoot is snug but still have heel lift that caused blisters. I will try it with a different thicker sock which may solve the problem...or use the thicker wool liner from Chenna Barree. put a total of 18 miles and 3000 vertical. heels hurt...but I am confident I can resolve the heel lift problem with different socks. They feel great the moment you put your feet into the boots...will try them out again this weekend.

So with such variation, you may have to go the store and try them or order from REI and expect at worst to return them... I thought for sure the Kikut and Guard would fit the same but they did not.

For a good reference point, I have the Fischer OTX 5 in 41 with the stock footbed that fits great. I wear a US size 9.5-10. EU 42-43.5 shoes/boots.

Brands and models have always varied greatly. Footbeds and sock combos can solve some of the fitting problems.



User avatar
GuillaumeM
Posts: 17
Joined: Sun Jan 12, 2020 10:04 am

Re: Alfa vs. Alpina sizing

Post by GuillaumeM » Thu Feb 13, 2020 9:15 am

I normally use EU 44 for Crispi and Alpina and they fit very well. I tried an Alfa Guard and an Alfa Kikut and they felt very different and not at all adapted to my feet. A lot of room and short in length. The length was right for a EU 45 but then the volume inside was way to big.

So I think that Crispi and Alpina are for thin to normal feet, Alfa for strong and large feet.



User avatar
fisheater
Posts: 2509
Joined: Fri Feb 19, 2016 8:06 pm
Location: Oakland County, MI
Ski style: All my own, and age doesn't help
Favorite Skis: Gamme 54, Falketind 62, I hope to add a third soon
Favorite boots: Alpina Alaska, Alico Ski March
Occupation: Construction Manager

Re: Alfa vs. Alpina sizing

Post by fisheater » Thu Feb 13, 2020 7:13 pm

I wear a US 11 shoe. My Alpina Alaska fits as though it was custom made. That tidbit isn’t as good as this thread:
viewtopic.php?f=21&t=2155



User avatar
bgregoire
Posts: 1511
Joined: Fri Aug 22, 2014 9:31 am
Ski style: Nordic backcountry touring with lots of turns
Favorite Skis: Fisher E99 & Boundless (98), Åsnes Ingstad, K2 Wayback 88
Favorite boots: Crispi Sydpolen, Alico Teletour & Alfa Polar

Re: Alfa vs. Alpina sizing

Post by bgregoire » Thu Feb 13, 2020 7:47 pm

Guillaume is right, the Alfa's are for strong, wide feet. The widest nordic backountry last available IMO. My wide feet feel right in an Alfa boot but not in so in the Alaska (narrower, but not as narrow as others such as rossignol or crispi).

Fisheater pointed to a decent thread with good info. We went a little crazy about boot sizes there. Once.

Be very careful with the Alfa chart. The one I posted on that other thread was bogus. Order your size in EU and you should be good to go, if I recall right.

My guess is that ALL Alfa nordic backcountry lasts are the same (Exept for the polars). To follow through with my guess, the reason the Kikut feels more spacious is that it has less insulation, so more room for the feet. Its leather is also quite soft, so conforms to your foot rapidly.
I live for the Telemark arc....The feeeeeeel.....I ski miles to get to a place where there is guaranteed snow to do the deal....TM



User avatar
lilcliffy
Posts: 4112
Joined: Thu Jan 01, 2015 6:20 pm
Location: Stanley, New Brunswick, Canada
Ski style: backcountry Nordic ski touring
Favorite Skis: Asnes Ingstad, Combat Nato, Amundsen, Rabb 68; Altai Kom
Favorite boots: Alpina Alaska BC; Lundhags Expedition; Alfa Skaget XP; Scarpa T4
Occupation: Forestry Professional
Instructor at Maritime College of Forest Technology
Husband, father, farmer and logger

Re: Alfa vs. Alpina sizing

Post by lilcliffy » Fri Feb 14, 2020 8:56 am

I own one Alpina boot- the Alaska.
Two Alfa boots- Kikut and Guard Advance.

The interior length of the lasts are consistent (i.e. a 42EU Alaska has the same-length footbed as a 42EU Kikut/Guard Advance).

The Alfas are most definitely larger volume than the Alaska.

I have a medium width foot and do not find the Alfas too wide- due to the quality of the leather and the excellent lacing.
I have a small-volume foot and use a thick wool insole in my Alfa boots- this completely solves the volume issue for me. The quality of the leather and excellent lacing gives me a perfect fit. The Guard Advance is the most comfortable BC-XC Nordic touring ski boot I have ever owned.
Cross-country AND down-hill skiing in the backcountry.
Unashamed to be a "cross-country type" and love skiing down-hill.



User avatar
paulzo
Posts: 144
Joined: Sun Nov 19, 2017 11:59 pm
Ski style: multi-day touring

Re: Alfa vs. Alpina sizing

Post by paulzo » Fri Feb 14, 2020 10:09 pm

Licliffy - thanks and whatsize US mens are you usually?



User avatar
jgurtz
Posts: 8
Joined: Mon Dec 23, 2019 4:46 am
Location: Bay Area, CA

Re: Alfa vs. Alpina sizing

Post by jgurtz » Fri Feb 14, 2020 10:17 pm

I emailed Alfa support, enquiring about the "W" models for my extremely narrow feet. They confirmed that the W models are narrower. I also typically where 9.5-10 US mens size and had decided to wait until a 43W became available after doing the centimeter measurement on their site. Now I wonder if I should just order a pair of 42W and go for it!?



User avatar
lilcliffy
Posts: 4112
Joined: Thu Jan 01, 2015 6:20 pm
Location: Stanley, New Brunswick, Canada
Ski style: backcountry Nordic ski touring
Favorite Skis: Asnes Ingstad, Combat Nato, Amundsen, Rabb 68; Altai Kom
Favorite boots: Alpina Alaska BC; Lundhags Expedition; Alfa Skaget XP; Scarpa T4
Occupation: Forestry Professional
Instructor at Maritime College of Forest Technology
Husband, father, farmer and logger

Re: Alfa vs. Alpina sizing

Post by lilcliffy » Sun Feb 16, 2020 11:15 am

paulzo wrote:
Fri Feb 14, 2020 10:09 pm
Licliffy - thanks and whatsize US mens are you usually?
I am typically a size 9US.
My left foot is slightly longer than my right and measures 26.5cm.
My experience is that the EU sizing is consistent in terms of footbed length in all of these Euro Nordic touring boots- the US conversion charts can be wacky though.

A 42EU is really a tad short for my left foot- it is perfect for my right. A 42EU is fine for me as long as I can lace them up effectively and get a good fit.

I have a small volume foot and a 43EU can be a real problem with fit in a large-volume boot. A 43EU Alfa would be ginormous inside for my skinny feet! On the other hand, I have a 43EU Alaska and they have been fine- though I still think that a 42EU in the Alaska might have been better...

I wear a 42.5EU in my Scarpa hiking/mountaineering boots. I wish I could get a 42.5EU in a leather ski boot.

Anyway- what I can say is that if my skinny feet were a bit longer- and I needed a 43 EU- then I doubt I would be able to get a good fit in the Alfa.

The idea of wearing the women's last had not occurred to me...I would think that a 42W would not only be narrower, but also be less volume?
Cross-country AND down-hill skiing in the backcountry.
Unashamed to be a "cross-country type" and love skiing down-hill.



User avatar
lilcliffy
Posts: 4112
Joined: Thu Jan 01, 2015 6:20 pm
Location: Stanley, New Brunswick, Canada
Ski style: backcountry Nordic ski touring
Favorite Skis: Asnes Ingstad, Combat Nato, Amundsen, Rabb 68; Altai Kom
Favorite boots: Alpina Alaska BC; Lundhags Expedition; Alfa Skaget XP; Scarpa T4
Occupation: Forestry Professional
Instructor at Maritime College of Forest Technology
Husband, father, farmer and logger

Re: Alfa vs. Alpina sizing

Post by lilcliffy » Sun Feb 16, 2020 11:19 am

jgurtz wrote:
Fri Feb 14, 2020 10:17 pm
I emailed Alfa support, enquiring about the "W" models for my extremely narrow feet. They confirmed that the W models are narrower. I also typically where 9.5-10 US mens size and had decided to wait until a 43W became available after doing the centimeter measurement on their site. Now I wonder if I should just order a pair of 42W and go for it!?
If you are a 9.5-10USM- the 42EU is going to be too short for your foot- you will get toe-bang and your toes will be cold.
I would think you need the 43EU.
The idea of going with the 43W is brilliant!! Don't know why I never think of that!

My feet aren't really narrow though- they are skinny! My foot is often too wide for a narrow last...
But- I would think that the women's boot is not only a narrower last- but also smaller volume?
Cross-country AND down-hill skiing in the backcountry.
Unashamed to be a "cross-country type" and love skiing down-hill.



Post Reply