The boot thread

[scrub]

They fit well out of the box for me,

If you like a true 8/10, no dice. They're around a 6 in reality.

Nice! Thanks, one more question: are you a 9 on the Brannock device (is that the foot measure thingy?!)

Breaking in to a 6/10 is fine by me!

[Spenser]

Barely shy of 27cm. I've had a few 8.5s (last one was 10 years ago) but 9 works out better in most boots for me.

[Spenser]

Other thing I would note, which is not the same as saying "they'll fit you well," is that the internal shape is very smooth and uniform. On my ions and some other boots, there are often weird points that push into my foot for no apparent reason. Usually I can isolate something in the liner or on the inside of the shell. For example, on my current ions, there'a a seam between the plastic shell toe and the rest of the boot, which has sort of a ridge on the inside, which presses down where my toes start. It roughly corresponds with the area on the liner where the tongue attaches in the same area. I could feel it before, but after riding the transcend, it really stands out. The transcend is just so smooth inside. My previous ions (1 model year earlier) don't have that, nor the model year before that.

As mentioned earlier, hoping to try on some different boots in Montana, but if I can't find anything better than these or a pair of t-rice for cheapish (I missed a new pair for 200 recently), I imagine I'll be sticking to the transcend for now. There are a couple little things I like more about ions (slightly shorter footprint, better toe/heel angle, maybe a little better "heel feel" on edge) but they're pretty negligible considering the better fit. I am also still really liking the H4 cooler boa. Great grab for $170 shipped.

[scrub]

I managed to try on a bunch of boots today which is always interesting.

I tried a pair of Burton SLX in 9, Photon in 9 and 8.5 and I don't think they fit me right and I am not a fan of speed lace. The 9s felt like they would end up too big after break-in and there were some spots on top of my foot that felt odd.

Ride Fuse in 8.5 felt too long and I wasn't feeling the ankle BOA.

The DC Transcends in a 9 felt pretty good actually, @Spenser is right about there not being any funny business inside so they should break in without heat molding, the BOA felt like it tightened in all the right spots and they do look pretty darn good in black. I need to try them with my other insoles.

[Spenser]

Yeah, the boa tightens nicely on them, granted I don't have any other boa experience - but I have experienced other dual zone speed systems that aren't very uniform (for me at least). Mine are still working out well with the tongue stiffeners - still no change since the out-of-box flex broke in on day 1-2.

I tried on my friend's size 9 infuse (2023) yesterday and was surprised how soft they felt to me, and he has the stiffeners in. He probably has 15 days on them max. Not sure if I did something "wrong," hah. They fit me okay, but vans just doesn't seem to do the trick. I do like the external boa ankle thing.

[Kevington]

I bought some Nidecker boots today. Not a sentence I thought I'd ever type but they are very, very comfortable. Medium+ flex, plush and supportive. They feel like the Vans Infuse but a better fit for my feet, cheaper and lighter. The asymmetric tongue is a potential game changer for me. The first boots I've been able to just put on and immediately tighten the lower section with causing pain on top of my feet. Let's see how they break in.

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Footprint is bigger than Adidas but not by much

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I found some brand new Kaijus in my girlfriend's size for €50 so it's boot fitting night tonight. And they say romance is dead.

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This also means I have some new with tags, never worn Adidas Lexicons in a US9.5 EU 43 1/3 that I don't need so I'll put them up in the for sale thread for those who are stocking up for a lifetime.

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[kimchi]

@Kevington how's the Nidecker fit? Pretty narrow I'm guessing if you're comparing them to Vans?

Not sure if I ever tried on a set of Flows (and I believe Nidecker just adopted that program wholesale).

Also LMAO @ "And they say romance is dead".

[Spenser]

Those nideckers look nice. Another brand I can't try on

[Blessed420]

isnt nideckers head desingner some burton dude who redesigned everything?

[Kevington]

@Kevington how's the Nidecker fit? Pretty narrow I'm guessing if you're comparing them to Vans?

Not sure if I ever tried on a set of Flows (and I believe Nidecker just adopted that program wholesale).

Also LMAO @ "And they say romance is dead".

I think it is more the supportive yet not super stiff feel that felt similar to the Infuse specifically.
The fit is semi-wide in the front, like Adidas I would say. I really like the toe box, its roomy but has a nice snug fit on top of the toes, good for heelside turns. It's also the longest (internally) 275 mondo boot I've tried. The mid foot and heel is average in width. I have a narrow ankle and calf but I can get good enough heel hold. I might need to add some foam around the ankle area as it breaks in to keep that hold. In general the fit feels good, I had Ride Fuse before and it is similar. The liner feels ultra plush, the first layer in contact with the feet is soft so there's a cosy snugness filling all gaps that then gives way to support. I don't think I'll need to heat mold.
I think for the Adidas lovers, Nidecker could probably work in terms of width. I got them at my local shop which also stocks Burton, Vans and Adidas so I had a Nidecker on one foot and tried some others for direct comparison.

Vans Aura Pro: narrower in the front, more aggressive and slightly painful ankle grab, softer flex.
Nidecker Altai: lower price point than the Rift but supposedly stiffer. It was softer, felt like it could fold in a critical situation, foam outsole with a small rubber bit at the toe.
Adidas Samba: Similar in the toe area, more pressure on top of the instep, particularly when flexing forwards, noticeable absence of anywhere for my heel to go, softer flex.
Burton Ion: Generally uncomfortable in comparison, a bit vague fitting all over but several hard bits inside causing pressure points, especially on top of the foot. Had to go up to 280 mondo for comparable inside length.