Telemark Talk / Telemark Tips Forum

I am the beginner guy trying to find boots and I got recommended this boot and I liked how it read, because it sounded roomy, claimed a roomy toebox and my toes are spread together because I don't use shoes outside of sports, not even in winter, crocs+socks/barefoot.

I got the 43 even when the reference pointed me at a 41-42; and in some places and in the ankle region it was actually quite loose, toes were fine, finally not squeezed, but on the midfoot it was going to kill me; like it was just painful, specially my left side.

I put it on half an hour, I just couldn't cope with it.

I took some measures and checked against some averages I found online and it does seem like I have tall arches with an even wider foot circumference than average, yet skinny ankles; now I also have wide, spread apart, toes but that wasn't an issue with this specific shoe which is why I got it, but I never expect it to just kill me in the mid section, specially my left which was even bigger of a feet despite same length.

I thought the fit was going to be like cycling shoes, but I was wrong; I contacted Lundhags and they told me my choice was to get custom boots.

But are there alternatives?... why do my cycling boots and shoe do just fine, granted, I don't think they'd work for skiing, but maybe that's why, they have stiff soles only and while tight they are soft like wrap my shoe; skiing stuff is all hard and my foot cartilage can't win.

Now I understand why the Solomon XC boots I tried were killing my ankles (I mentioned that before), they just weren't snug there and my feet was spinning inside; these weren't snug there either but they were killing my midfoot in turn an even worse fit.

I take the insoles off and they are still tight; I take the whole felt insert away and it's finally not tight there and is just right, but everywhere else is a loose mess.

I think some boot like the alpina alaska has a chance to work with my foot, because it looks like it can expand in those problem areas of mine, it has laces all the way to the bottom; I am just wondering if it's a warm boot that will do in the -25C sometimes it gets to here; I also notice it has no inner liners which is sad to make it easy to dry in case since I like the idea of longer trips and I am going for that, slowly, as I learn.

I don't know what to do currently.

I have a little bit the same problem as you, and have a difficult time finding comfortable footwear.
I like to go barefoot or sandals when I can.
I like my toes free and the ball of my foot (your mid-foot?) not squished.

I tried the Alaska, and found it too narrow across the ball of my foot.
I then tried the ALFA Guard, in the same size, and found it very comfortable, except I have noticed on a longer outing, toes 4 and 5 can get a little sore.
I have a low volume foot, so have had to make adjustments to deal with the somewhat loose fit that results, but the boot works well for me. Many people complain about the heel of the boot causing blister problems, and it did me, also, but again, I’ve been able to deal with it.

But, even that boot may not be wide enough for you.
If you are buying from Varuste, and can send back returns for a reasonable price, buy and try would be one option.

From one footwear challenged person to another — good luck!

Stephen wrote: ↑

Fri Dec 22, 2023 5:38 pm

I have a little bit the same problem as you, and have a difficult time finding comfortable footwear.
I like to go barefoot or sandals when I can.
I like my toes free and the ball of my foot (your mid-foot?) not squished.

I tried the Alaska, and found it too narrow across the ball of my foot.
I then tried the ALFA Guard, in the same size, and found it very comfortable, except I have noticed on a longer outing, toes 4 and 5 can get a little sore.
I have a low volume foot, so have had to make adjustments to deal with the somewhat loose fit that results, but the boot works well for me. Many people complain about the heel of the boot causing blister problems, and it did me, also, but again, I’ve been able to deal with it.

But, even that boot may not be wide enough for you.
If you are buying from Varuste, and can send back returns for a reasonable price, buy and try would be one option.

From one footwear challenged person to another — good luck!

I live in Finland so varuste should be cheaper to return from here.

What does the ball of your foot mean?... even when I have spread toes, it's not that wide actually; I checked average circumferences, and it's mostly the one of my midfoot which is 2.5cm bigger circumference than average for my size (an inch).

Are you positive the alfa guard is roomier in that area, it also seems to have a wider ankle/upper region and that I just happen to be smaller than average; I basically have duck feet.

If you happen to use a size 43, by pure sheer chance, can you give me the measurements of your feet; https://innovateistore.com/shared/image ... ements.jpg 4 and 5 more specifically, just in case.

Sorry, I’m a 47.
Ball of foot is closely related to measurement #8, in the chart.
When you say “Midfoot,” which measurement or area in the picture do you mean?

Let’s make sure we are talking about the same thing when you say:

Are you positive the alfa guard is roomier in that area

For me, I was referring to the width at measurement #8.
(I believe Ball of Foot is more accurately along the red line I added to the picture.)
. Like the area between 1 and 2 on the right side or A and D on the left side:
.

Stephen wrote: ↑

Fri Dec 22, 2023 7:15 pm

When you say “Midfoot,” which measurement or area in the picture do you mean?

4 and 5

My foot are still comparatively wider at the top than yours, granted I am not a 47, but yours draw inwards after a while, mine do not.
The beefy part nevertheless is ahead, it even seems like I am tiptoeing in that pic but it's just the odd shadow from the height.
Similar here my foot is laying flat it also has weird shadows, or maybe is all the stuff I walked over; either way I am at the limit of high arches (still normal), so there's pressure on the red arrow that's the main problem for me.

I think my feet are rather beefy in a sense, which, I don't care; they work, but damn it with the tightness.

I am just noticing a pattern all the shoes I own that fit me, are fully adjustable all the way to the bottom, including cycling shoes, which I just realizing, my favourite expand a lot; Lunghags is not adjustable there, so that's why I was thinking of giving alpina alaska a shot, it has laces all the way down.

Before sinking myself onto custom made, I don't have much problem with shoes when they fit decently, even if they are uncomfortable, I have problems finding shoes that fit without squeezing the life out of me.

Which boot are talking about here-
the Guide BC or the Expedition BC?

sheep wrote: ↑

Fri Dec 22, 2023 3:22 pm

I contacted Lundhags and they told me my choice was to get custom boots.

How much more for a custom-made boot?

I think some boot like the alpina alaska has a chance to work with my foot, because it looks like it can expand in those problem areas of mine, it has laces all the way to the bottom; I am just wondering if it's a warm boot that will do in the -25C sometimes it gets to here; I also notice it has no inner liners which is sad to make it easy to dry in case since I like the idea of longer trips and I am going for that, slowly, as I learn.

The Alaska BC/75 is not a wide last- though it is roomy for its width.
The Alaska BC/75 will not stretch due to its full-wrap rubber rand; and the synthetic waterproof liner-bootie.
The design is such that you might be able to get an oversized boot to work though- due to its countoured heel-ankle, and its lacing.
The Alaska BC/75 is definitely warm enough for active skiing at -25C- it is not warm enough for standing around at -25C.
The Alfa Guard BC is warmer than the Alaska BC.
The Alaska BC is warmer than the Svartisen BC.

Can you go try on any of these boots?

Hello @sheep, because you mentioned custom boots, and you mentioned cold conditions, along with an unusual foot shape, I am offering an outside the box solution. It incorporates a moldable liner that allows for custom fitting, along with additional warmth. In North America Intuition liners are easy to order, although the are not cheap. It may be a more expensive option than a custom boot, but it is another option.
Here is a link to the thread:
https://www.telemarktalk.com/viewtopic. ... Watermelon

For what it's worth, my feet look more similar to sheep's than to stephen's and having tried rossi, alpina, alico and crispi boots, the crispi are the only ones that I think _really_ fit well, though I can easily make do with the others (the rossi was a full size larger than my foot size if not more, was the only way I could get my foot in; alpinas are a bit tight, alico in wide fit pretty darn good too, but regular width a bit tight). Not sure crispi makes a really warm boot though.

lilcliffy wrote: ↑

Sat Dec 23, 2023 10:49 am

The Alaska BC/75 is not a wide last- though it is roomy for its width.
The Alaska BC/75 will not stretch due to its full-wrap rubber rand; and the synthetic waterproof liner-bootie.
The design is such that you might be able to get an oversized boot to work though- due to its countoured heel-ankle, and its lacing.
The Alaska BC/75 is definitely warm enough for active skiing at -25C- it is not warm enough for standing around at -25C.
The Alfa Guard BC is warmer than the Alaska BC.
The Alaska BC is warmer than the Svartisen BC.

Can you go try on any of these boots?

I guess all arrows point towards the Alfa Guard BC.

Looks wide enough, people are saying in reviews works good for wide feet, it's on xmas sale currently on varuste, people claim it to be wide.

The Lundhags was also claimed to be wide however so I am wary.

Oh and I forgot to said, they claimed 450 euro total; custom made fitting; while that sounds reasonable I am wary since I never had such a bad fit in a shoe in my life, it could be some incompatibility with the design itself.

@sheep, not that it matters, but that was not a picture of my foot, just something I found on the internet. I used it for the diagram of Ball of Foot.
My foot looks more similar to yours.