Alico Ski March Boot

[bgregoire]

So I got my pair of Alico Ski March boots (8UK Regular) today

Great! Interesting that the 8UKs also fit me well as do the 9US Teletours that were too large for you.

One of the great mysteries of life! Bud, why do you think your Teletours are 9US and not 9UK? Have a look at the imprinted size on the tongue, I believe is says 9M. Loook at the sizing of your ski march, 8M? Are the boot soles of both the same length?

My 8M Teletours have the same sole length as my Ski march 8M (8UK), my Crispi Sydpolen EU42 and my Arkos Greenland 8UK/8.5US. I must admit the Teletours don't feel exactly as long inside as the others...but not small enough to be considered a 8US. If I had to give it a new size, it would be a big 41.5EU, a small 42 or a 8.5US.

[Buda]

... why do you think your Teletours are 9US and not 9UK? Have a look at the imprinted size on the tongue, I believe is says 9M. Loook at the sizing of your ski march, 8M? Are the boot soles of both the same length?

My 8M Teletours have the same sole length as my Ski march 8M (8UK), my Crispi Sydpolen EU42 and my Arkos Greenland 8UK/8.5US. I must admit the Teletours don't feel exactly as long inside as the others...but not small enough to be considered a 8US. If I had to give it a new size, it would be a big 41.5EU, a small 42 or a 8.5US.

Only because the Teletours were advertised as 9US and they fit me like I'd expect 9USs would. It does say 9M on them and the sole looks more like the soles on the SM 9UKs but the boot seems a bit shorter. The SMs only have 8 and 9 printed on them. No letter M.

The SM 8UKs fit with thin socks, the Teleltours with normal socks, and the SM 9UKs with thick or double socks. The Teletours fit me best. Why am I talking about this so much? It's because since you owned these Teletours I use your sizes as a benchmark: I'd probably fit in Crispi Sydpolen EU 42.5 or EU 43, Arkos Greenland 9US although I'm confused that you chose size 10 (EU43 or 280m) for the Baffin Guide Pros

[bgregoire]

Only because the Teletours were advertised as 9US and they fit me like I'd expect 9USs would. It does say 9M on them and the sole looks more like the soles on the SM 9UKs but the boot seems a bit shorter. The SMs only have 8 and 9 printed on them. No letter M.

3b.jpg

The SM 8UKs fit with thin socks, the Teleltours with normal socks, and the SM 9UKs with thick or double socks. The Teletours fit me best. Why am I talking about this so much? It's because since you owned these Teletours I use your sizes as a benchmark: I'd probably fit in Crispi Sydpolen EU 42.5 or EU 43, Arkos Greenland 9US although I'm confused that you chose size 10 (EU43 or 280m) for the Baffin Guide Pros

Don't compare the Baffin sizing with those other teleboots. Its another beast entirely. It has a massive plush liner that will probably mat out with time.

Those teletours were also advertized on ebay as 9US but that does not mean anything really as they are old and used. How they fit is what counts. I remember feeling they were slightly too long (didn't like how they bent on the toes I believe) and surely too narrow for me, that was before I purchased a boot stretcher. I'm guessing if I still had them today, I would have stretched them and wore them with very thick socks??? Actually, I wish I had kept them!!!

My guess is the "M" stands for medium not Men (like in 9US). I don'T think there is a men/Women sizing difference in UK (surely not in EU). The wide ski marches should have a "W" instead? I'm sticking with my hypothesis (But i could be wrong, have been many times before!) that those Alicos have UK sizing on them and they are a little small for their size (compared to the ski march for example). Say half a size smaller.

What is your foot length again? Mine are 263mm and probable a EE.

There are no Crispi half sizes, you'd have to choose between a 43 or a 42!

[Buda]

Don't compare the Baffin sizing with those other teleboots. Its another beast entirely. It has a massive plush liner that will probably mat out with time.

Another reason I was surprised you chose size 43 is that my Baffin Apex's are size 42. I wear them with thin socks and they're comfortable. With thicker socks 43 would be better.

Those teletours ... I wish I had kept them!!!

Sorry

My guess is the "M" stands for medium not Men

That's what I was thinking as well.

What is your foot length again? Mine are 263mm and probable a EE.

265mm

Cheers

[bruski]

I just got my first pair of Ski Marches. I'm not a telemark junkie yet so I can't say much about the performance of the boot. However,here is some sizing info for anyone who was in my position of ordering something they've never tried before with no option for returns. The boot is certainly sturdy and well-built af.

My pair are 11M. So 12US and I would assume M means medium based on previous posts and because of the way my duck feet fit in them. I'm normally an 11.5US or 45EU with a wide, but not extremely wide, foot with high volume. Boot fits great with a thin sock, a little tight on width with a thicker sock but nothing dire. With the added inserts the fit feels nicely snug, but maybe too tight on width. We will see with more use.

[Nick BC]

Well I got my first day out on the Ski March. Our local area, Cypress Mountain is in a Provincial Park and has some mellow rolly polly side country, which you access through the resort. I was skiing them with G3 Stinger XCD and a Rotte ST. I had a much thicker sock than usual, but they felt like boats, however no blisters. My wife was on her Rossi BC 70s, and we both agreed that Rossignol has the totally crappiest no-wax bases ever. On the way back we switched skis and she was loving it.
Then I decided to take a ride on the chairs, as we have passes. I tried a tele turn and promptly wiped out on a green run. So it was parallel turns for the rest of the way down.

So, do I put them up for sale and move on, or use them for mellow tours with a thicker sock?

First world problems.

For reference my other set-ups are:
Salomon QST 99/Meidjo 2.0
K2 Talkback/Dynafit Radical/Kreuzspitze TeleAlp/Voile X2 back end
Voile Vector BC/Dynafit Radiacal(shared with ski above)/B&D Plate/Hardwire backend.

I'm thinking if Scarpa comes up with a lighter boot
I'll ditch all the three pin stuff and go totally NTN

[fisheater]

Well Nick, if you don't like them by all means sell them. I have ski my Ski March boots with 3-pin cables on advanced and intermediate terrain. I have skied them with a ski as wide as 78 mm underfoot, a Fischer S-112. The S-112 is not a good Ski for the piste, it just lacks torsional rigidity. I have also skied advanced and intermediate terrain with a 62 mm underfoot ski, the Asnes Falketind 62. With that ski, I will abmit the boot does have a limit in chunder. Snow has not been great in Michigan this year, I have missed a few good opportunities. I am hoping to use this boot to ski a ski that is 86 mm underfoot. I am quite confident it will not disappoint in soft snow. I may require more boot in crusted snow.
While the boot is a bit heavy, i don't believe it to be heavier than my T-4. It is more pleasurable for me to kick and glide in. While I do use cables for the majority of my downhill skiing, and no cables when kicking around, most of my XCD downhills are without the cables. I am fortunate that my Ski March fit me well. The sole is very powerful. I do not anticipate any problem turning 86 mm underfoot in soft backcountry snow. If it doesn't work for you by all means sell it. I think you will be very hard pressed to find a boot that allows for ankle movement and has that turning power. You can certainly find 75 mm leather boots that are lighter and snappier on the kick and glide. The thread on 75 mm leathers has me thinking about some of those. However I have just started skiing an Alaska BC NNN boot. It certainly is light and snappy. I am surprised that I am able to make Telemark turns on an Asnes USGI ski. For me I may not "need" anything between the two boots. I guess I'll find out.
Good luck, if you want that snappy feeling on k&g you probably will not get it in the Ski March. It does better ball of the foot feel, and leather flex, so in my world skiing comfort and pleasure over my T4 boot. It isn't as powerful as a T4, but it is very powerful.
I just reread your post. If the boot has too much volume the felt insoles really help. Happy tours

[lilcliffy]

I have made a serious commitment lately to make this boot work for me.
A key piece in it are the EzeeFit ankle booties that arrived this week:
https://www.ezeefitsports.com/
(BTW- these miraculous things have also solved my ankle torture in the Svartisen BC boot)
.........
Anyway I have come up with a specific combination of insole; ankle bootie; and double socks that work in this boot...
I went on a most excellent tour with this boot and my Storerind ski today in hero snow!!!

When I took them off and removed the insole to dry them out, I- for the first frackin time- noticed the number and letter stamped on the tongue for the first time:

8L:

Did I buy the wide or "Large" as in "L" version of a size 8UK?

Has my source of frustration been born out of being sent a wide, large-volume version out of an already large-volume boot?!!!!!

[lilcliffy]

@Nick BC-
Sorry to hear you were unsuccessful with your first outing with this boot.

I am wondering why you would give up on it and settle on NTN after only one short ski?

[Nick BC]

Thanks for the responses guys. I think I’ll give ‘em another few outings with thicker socks. I already have the custom foot bed from my Scarpa TX Pros in there, as well as the footbed which came with the boots. Thanks lilcliffy for the tip on checking the size on the tongue. Mine say 7W. So they are the Wide. I have a narrow foot so that explains a lot, I really felt I was swimming in them. Never say die I’ll work on it.