AT Boot Fitting

[Below Zero]

Can't search for "AT" so I couldn't find much.

So is AT shell sizing the same as alpine boot shell sizing

Also, can the removable thermoflex foam insulated liners be cooked more than once?

Any other boot fitting tips? Yeah, Yeah, I know go to a boot fitter but I'm looking to purchase some used.

[Pow4Brains]

BZ - My Alpine shell is 312 and AT is 307. I have found that with AT boots you want a little tighter fit (one finger or less from the back of your ankle to the shell with the liner out and your toes just bumping the front). MOST liners can be cooked at least twice. If the shell is a little big, you can use something like an Intuition liner to make up some room.

[Below Zero]

Thanks P4B!

No other replys?

[pechelman]

hmm
personally, I fit my AT boots at 1.5-1.75 fingers and it feels fine.
Id rather have more of a "comfort" fit on my AT boots considering Ill be hiking\touring in them and generally on my feet more than when riding lifts.

Also, maybe the smaller size p4b suggests of the AT boots helps make it buckle up stiffer to compensate for a flexier shell?

im no expert, but thats just me.

edit: also, I seriously think the same bootfitting rules apply...its just that with an AT boot you're going to be doing different things and requiring it to behave in a certain way. I guess really its up to you to decide if you want to fit it at 1finger or slightly under or closer to 1.5-2 fingers. I think a rule of thumb is that those thermo liners can compress down to .125" thickness. Since you have that both behind and infront of your foot, make sure you have at least .25" behind your heel when shell fit unless you plan to punch out the shell in the toe.

[mtnbikerskierchick]

The liners can be cooked at least a couple of different times. I think the sizing is just a matter of your own preference. Shell sizes can vary between brand and how they fit on you. I prefer a tighter fit. 1.5 fingers max if you can get it. But I like my alpine boots even tighter. It's all a matter of personal preference.

[mntlion]

fit them about the same, then take them to a boot fitter to help if you need some.

liners can be cooked a few times. toe cap them and pad pressure points

shell fit 1cm, NO MORE THEN 2.

[upallnight]

BZ - My Alpine shell is 312 and AT is 307. I have found that with AT boots you want a little tighter fit (one finger or less from the back of your ankle to the shell with the liner out and your toes just bumping the front). MOST liners can be cooked at least twice. If the shell is a little big, you can use something like an Intuition liner to make up some room.

FYI...this is a myth. The old 'foam-fit' custom liners worked well in taking up space.

Using the thermo liner to "take up room" never really works. If the shell's too big, it's too big. You'll spend a ton of time monkeying around, using shims and other foam to keep your ankle from sloshing around, but it will never really work.

Although people say the thermo liners will "expand", this never really works in practice (or it could be that the expanded areas just pack back down really easily/quickly). Whatever the reason, you need to get the shell size that fits. A used deal is no deal at all if it's the wrong size.

Also...p4b's "shell size" numbers seem like boot sole numbers, not shell size. The boot sole of an alpine boot will always be longer for a given shell size because the plastic toe extends out further to mate with the alpine binding.

My experience w/ intuition liners (which i highly recommend over all other AT manufacturer-supplied liners I've used) is that the first cook lasts about 120 days; the 2nd cook lasts around 100; and the third cook lasts about 80 days...then the liner's absolutely done.

Your mileage may vary.

Generally people size their AT boots a tad larger than their alpine boots (which is another reason why folks complain that AT boots don't ski as well). Me? I size them just the same as I would for alpine boots. You sacrifice a tad on general standing-around comfort (although AT boots are inherently a bit more comfortable), but the downhill performance is worth it for me.

AT boots that "fit like a glove" also feel stiffer to me than ones that have a bit of room.

[FrankZappa]

As I recall, I went with 1-1/2 to 2 fingers on my Mega-rides. Course when I ordered 'em I had checked my foot size against the size chart Garmont has - and wouldn't you know, the foot I checked is a half size smaller than the other. Had to send 'em back for the next half size up. So ones perfect and the other is a lil' big. But it works fine for me.

And seems the liner/bladders go by 1/2 sizes and the shells by the whole sizes with most makers. Dont forget, it's easier to stretch a shell/boot to make it a lil' bigger than to fill the gap.

[mntlion]

what up said.

[Pow4Brains]

FYI...this is a myth. The old 'foam-fit' custom liners worked well in taking up space.

Regurgitated from Larry the Bootfitter. I figure he knows what he's talking about with 30ish years of fitting feet. Seems to have worked for me, but time will tell.

Edit 4: FWIW – My Adrenalines where 1 ½ fingers and too big. Megarides at 1 seem right. Could be the difference in boot though.

[upallnight]

Regurgitated from Larry the Bootfitter. I figure he knows what he's talking about with 30ish years of fitting feet. Seems to have worked for me, but time will tell.

i know they always say that, but i can cite just as many bootfitters that speak to the contrary.

how much time do you have on the thermo liners, how big were the shells, and which thermo liners are they?

i don't have 30 years of boot fitting experience, but i do have 13 years of personal experience with thermo liners on my feet + AT boots...and the liners NEVER took up enough space if the shell size was wrong. (this happened as i used to buy boots to fit the smaller (1/2 size) foot; now i buy to fit the larger foot.)

foam/silicon-injected liners: yes.
thermo: not in my experience, not for any reasonable amount of use.

no disrespect to larry.

[Pow4Brains]

how much time do you have on the thermo liners, how big were the shells, and which thermo liners are they?

Intuitions, shells where 1 size too big and had ~25 days on them. They still packed out, but it seemed to be less than the stock liner (G-fit 2 I think). They could have just felt better due to being a fully “custom” liner though.

[upallnight]

Intuitions are better liners than G-Fit2s (or any G-Fit), but if the shell size is 1 size too big, that is even too much to ask of them for the long-haul.

I've been there and tried to do it...but while it made the booter "better" it was never "right".

[Tony]

For AT boots, I prefer an itsy bitsy more of a "comfort" fit (half mondo size). As Pechelman said, you are going to be hiking\touring in them so they can't be vacum-tight as alpine boots.

IMO, thermo liners take some space but if the shell size is wrong don't ask liners for miracles. They tend to take space towards the inside of the liner, not towards the shell.

[AsheanMT]

This question has come up for me. I've decided that I really want to get the Garmont Megarides but I can't figure out the size I want. Here's the story; my wife recently got a job where she can order them at a super cheap price but once we buy them we can't take em back. I haven't been able to find anywhere that carries these boots so I haven't been able to try them on. I did however find a used sporting goods store and found an older pair of adrenalines in a 29. I tried them on and liked them but I noticed that my big toe was touching the front more than I would like. So I'm thinking that a 29.5 would do the trick but the wife thinks that I should give myself even more room than that. What say you maggots? Is it better to have more room?

[AsheanMT]

Oh, I almost forgot. Will the megarides fit into my large Naxo's? I can't seem to find any beta on megaride sole length anywhere. Any of you's have a megaride 29.5? What is your sole length?

[mntlion]

what was the shell fit like on the adrenalines? dont worry what they feel like with the liner, that will pack out.
remove liner, foot in shell only, toe touching the front, 1-2cm behind the heel (NO MORE)

29 = 330ish sole lenght

[corn dog]

Shell, fit 1.5 fingers or so. And Garmont 29 and 29.5 are the same shell size.

[davep]

Bump to ask about shell fitting.

When you measure the fit in 'fingers', are you talking about the wider 'width' of your finger (about 1.5cm per davep finger) or the narrower 'thickness' of the finger (about 1cm per finger)?

For the shell fit, do you weight your foot? My foot seems to lengthen 5mm when I weight it.

[hemas]

Bump to ask about shell fitting.

When you measure the fit in 'fingers', are you talking about the wider 'width' of your finger (about 1.5cm per davep finger) or the narrower 'thickness' of the finger (about 1cm per finger)?

For the shell fit, do you weight your foot? My foot seems to lengthen 5mm when I weight it.

At least I always use the "thinner" side of my fingers... Hence my shell-fit is around 1.5cm.

I also have 'em semi-weighted... Meaning that I'm standing equally on both feet.

But WTF do I know... Teleboots fit complitely differently than alpines or ATs, and the only ATs I have, I bought only after measuring my Mondo-size back home and picking that size.