qiuyidio

Hi everyone,

Hope you are all doing well. I'm a newbie and was hoping for some feedback... I just got the DC Judge 2013 boots... in size 10, 10.5, and 11. In regular shoes I wear a size 10 but in all my times renting snow boots, I have always gone with an 11 so I figured I would cover all of my bases.

Results:
The 10s were way too small.
The 11s felt fine but slightly loose.

Which leaves me with the 10.5. Testing it out in my living room I found the following:

1) If I don't put any pressure on them, they feel good.
2) If I stand straight up, then my big toe digs into the front of the shoe uncomfortably... almost curling. Likely because of the built-in forward lean.
3) If I go onto my toes, then it feels good
4) If I go onto my heels, it feels slightly uncomfortable again because it pushes my big toe into the front of the boot. While it's bearing just in the house, I could imagine being sore if I was going back and forth onto heel all day.

My question is... do I go with the 10.5s and hope they pack out and accommodate my foot a little more? Or should I just go and try a brand new pair of boots? Also, the insoles can be molded... is that worth doing?

If I do go for a new pair of shoes, what are the things I should look for? I've read sites like thegoodride.com and others since I had no other starting point.

Any help would be tremendously appreciated!

wrathfuldeity

get some good footbeds and try the 10.5 again. A good foot bed ought to help keep your foot from sliding forward when you go heelside

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Extremo

My personal preference is to go with a boot that allows the toes to touch without curling.

Like wrathful said, get some insoles and go with the 10.5. If you find there is too much space, fill it with boot fitting foam. It's better than having a boot cause pain because it's too short.

qiuyidio

In the 10.5, I don't think my foot slides around too much... really, my left foot feels great, but the big toe of my right foot is not so happy, especially when standing straight up or going on heel.


Will the footbeds / insoles increase the amount of space for my toes up front?
I saw in some of the pictures it looks like the footbeds would elevate the back part of my heel. Which products do you recommend?

wrathfuldeity

ime, having high arches, a proper fitting foot bed that support the arch; preventing the arch from going flat and helps hold the foot back in the heel pocket...i.e. from sliding forward...so kind of makes more room for the toes.

Somethime you have to trim the foot bed for length, or even shave it down (underside).

another thing, if big toe is scrunched...perhaps heat mold a toe cap or stretch it out to gain a bit of space

recommend a foot bed that fits your arch, as noted someplace here sometimes it takes a while to get your foot accostumed to a foot bed, i.e., put them in your regular shoes...wear and then transfer them to your boots

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Extremo

If your toe is digging into the 10.5 I'd personally go with the 11. If it fits a little spacy then you can add shims to fill the space. And as the boot leather softens up you'll be able to pull the laces tighter around the foot.

I use Superfeet insoles and Tognar fitting foam. I have relatively thin feet so I use a piece of foam over toe on top the the liner. And if the liner packs out I'll use a piece of foam behind the heel like this

http://www.snowboardingforum.com/boo...s-faq-etc.html.

This way the boot fits compact without jamming up all day.

TXBDan

My toes hit the front of my boot while walking and standing. If i walk a lot it can cause a little discomfort. Once im on the board though and squatting a little, its totally gone and they fit like a glove. I wouldn't say my toes are curled while standing/walking though. If they're truly curled up, then i'd say that's too small.

If not are hitting the spot, i'd return them all and try a different brand/model.

qiuyidio

Actually what you are describing is what I am feeling mostly... standing up its uncomfortable. Squatting a little on my toes, it feels fine. For you, when you lean back on your heel, was it also uncomfortable when you were breaking it in?

tanscrazydaisy

There may be something funky going on with your feet, that you're unaware of. I would suggest going to a boot fitter that also moonlights as a pedorthist. They tend to be more expensive than a regular boot fitter, but you'll likely get more out of that session and their results.

wolverine

I had the exact same issue with these boots. In my case, 9.5 felt very uncomfortable and 10 felt like it's not snug enough. Ended up returning the boots.

I am size 10 US in my regular shoes and I got Nike Kaijus in size 10. They are softer than DC Judge Boa and have slightly larger footprint. I don't even feel like I'm wearing snowboarding boots when I am on the mountain. I tried all major boot brands (Salomon, 32, Burton, Ride, K2 etc) before deciding.

Not saying you should get the same boots, but you should probably try on some other boots to see if you can find a better fit.