Finding boots to fit?

Gez

Well-Known Member
With the prezzie season coming up, I've been looking at a new pair of boots and on Saturday I tried on a pair of Le Chameau Mouflon boots. Unfortunately, they felt (especially with thick socks on) a tiny bit too short and a tiny bit too narrow (I've got quite wide, flat feet). I tried the next size up, but my feet literally rattled around inside!

Has anyone else had this problem and found any other make of boots slightly more generous in size? I 'could' try to put up with it and hope as they soften that they will be more comfortable, but those are the 2 places that boots tend to have the least give, and if I'm spending £175 on them, I don't want to find in a few months time that I can only wear them for a couple of hours before they get too sore.

I was thinking of trying Lowa Mountain GTX (but to be honest would prefer brown to black boots) or Meindl Dovre Extreme (but they are a little to high for my liking). Also I don't know of any local stockists of these two boots making it tricky to try them!

Gez
 
Gez
Try the meindls.If you don't like height then they do a boot called the Glockner (or something like that!)I have many boots over the years ,plus work in the highlands and meindls are well worth the money.I've got wide,flat feet too.
 
Getting good well fitting boots if you have wide feet is a nightmare, as are hunting clothes if you happen to be shorter and lets say, more robust in stature.

I bought Danner Santiam in a wide fit from Schnees in Montana, they arrived within a week fit like a glove and are a quality to be envied.

European boots are great but all are a bit on the narrow side and they do not offer different widths.

Try www.schnees.com/
 
I had the same problem and was always in between sizes with most boots. I eventually resolved it with a pair of Lundhags boots. Great boots.
Battle tested in the Falkands war by some of our units.
They are a naturally wide fit and in addition have removable felt inserts that you can trim down until you get the perfect fit.
Failing this for an additional charge they used to make them to measure. Expensive but you will get what you want in terms of fit and if looked after they will last a lifetime.

Try giving them a call for advice. It is a family owned and run business and have been in business for 80 years.They are very helpful.

Their website is http://shop.lundhags.se/

In the UK Bushwear sell them. http://www.bushwear.co.uk/index.php
 
Gez

I can validate the opinions of both doghound and Gurube62.

I bought a pair of the leather and cordura Danner boots when I lived in the US in the late 80's. They are still going strong, as waterproof as ever and cope with everything thrown at them. I've used them everywhere from West Texas to Sutherland and apart from a bit of tlc with Nicwax and a new pair of laces they are as good as new.

I also have a pair of the high-leg Lundhags that I tend to use if the weather is colder. They are great boots, tough as old nails and, as Gurube62 says, very comfortable. I bought a pair slightly too large, so that I can wear an extra pair of socks or drop in some of the sheepskin inserts - warm as toast!

The only issue I've had is that the conditioning cream Lundhags send out with their boots stinks to high heaven! I didn't know whether to rub it into the boots, smear it over my face as midge repellant or put a match to it when lost on the Hill and surrounded by the enemy ;)

willie_gunn
 
Depending on where you live in the country try Altberg in Richmond North Yorkshire.
Best boots I've ever had, hand made to measure and very reasonable prices.
Regards
Andrew
 
Agree about Altberg...my step daughter uses them for her police work and loves them.

I have the wide flat problem too. Useful thing to remember...Italian boots are made on a slimmer last as, apparently, they have dainty little feet!

Always go for Northern European or American boots. Having said that I've had a pair of Gronell Hunters for the past 5 years and they been great. Starting to get a bit tired and leaky now.

If you order Meindl from Cabelas, they have a wide fitting version.
 
gez i have a pair of le chameaus for the last 4 years they take a long time to wear in and for stalking i personally dont like the vibram soles i think there too hard and are noisy on hard tracks etc just my 2
penneth wonder if anybody has found the same problemb
 
Thanks guys, I forgot about Altberg - I have no experience of them myself, but have heard a lot of good things said about them on other sites in the past... Its handy that they are in Richmond too - I've just started shooting in Catterick only a couple of miles away so could pop in and have a look when I'm down that way.

I've had a bit of a browse around the other sites mentioned, but I'm loath to order something like boots online without trying them on first, as comfort and fit really is a matter of personal taste.

I'm going to try and hunt out a local stockist of the Meindl Glockners too, see how they feel.

The other thing I was maybe considering was a half a size up with a custom footbed/insole to make it a snug fit. Has anyone tried this route?

Gez
 
I have a pair of Le Chameau Mouflon for a few years now and I agree they do take a bit of breaking in. However having said that when they are broken in they are, to my way of thinking, very comfortable and surprisingly light for a tall boot. I just scrub them off under a running tap, that would be an outside tap, and when they are dry treat them with nikwax. I never wear them two days on the trot, I always leave them a whole day to dry off properly, I alternate with other boots if I am stalking on consecutive days.

John
 
I have had a pair of Le Chameau Mouflons for perhaps 5 years now and they are excellent in the winter but perhaps a bit heavy for all year round use. They are in excellent nick considering their age but thats something to do with the fact I have worn out another two pairs of lighter boots in the same time period (that should tell you something)
I currently use a pair of goretex Rocky boots I picked up in the states and they are excellent and having been used for almost two years they are still in good condition and withstood 4 hours of standing in 4" of water the other day without the slightest leak. My only gripe is that with the other boots I have used in the past the soles wear down quite quickly.

Remmy7
 
Please beware of the NEW LE CHAMEU MOUFLON
as a gunshop owner we have sold a few pairs this year for them to be returned under warranty of which have been refused due to the look of the boot being worn .
now these are local keepers and stalkers who wear these boots everyday and i dont like selling goods which look to have been made cheaply .

we now sell the chiruca boot which is slightly more expensive for the boa style
but the boot is very well made and very light too


cheers

steve hunter
 
I had a pair of chiruca hunter boots, the most comfortable boots i had tried on from new BUT after a trip out the leather 'blew ' on one boot and took over 4 days to try out. Had treated them as per manufacturer using their products. They went back got a second pair and the tongue stitching came away before an outing. Now have Mouflon's.

Just my experiance of these boots.

Jonathon
 
I have Lowa Men's Tibet GTX . I tried many boots for hunting but this Lowa Boots are great . This particular 100 % Nubuck boots are built sturdy and comfortable with an anatomically contoured tongue and Vibram sole that allows you to carry a heavy load of 50 lbs. or more, this in turn, is a nice benefit when hauling pack loads of equipment into the wilderness. They are constructed with seamless, Gortex lining to keep your feet cushioned and dry, while the perforated interior lining keeps them moisture free and cool during those long, hard treks. In addition, the Flexfit design provides natural ankle flex and heel fit for easy movement .
 
+1 here for Altbergs.

Mine have been great, Just ordered a pair for the wife for dog walking, she is also impressed.
 
Altberg make good boots (I have been using Mallterstangs now for about 150ish days out) and clearly if you can go to Richmond and get a fitting etc. then that has to be a big plus and would probably be the decider. However my view is that they aren't quite as well made as my Scarpas though I've always worn SLs which are now the "old" model and I can't say if the new Activ (i think they are called) are as good. I've had 3 pairs (maybe even 4 now i think about it) of Scarpa SLs with two pairs still in use and literally thousands of days wear on them and I regret not buying up several pairs when they were selling them off as end of line.

If sizing is a problem for you then it is also worth looking at the military surplus boots. They currently issue Haix and Altberg boots. I have a pair of the Haix and they are comfortable, wide, quiet and well made though they did take a little bit of breaking in. At £50 you can't go wrong with them.

I also have several pairs of Meindl including the Douvre Extremes and I don't rate them against the others, the mil surplus Haix are a better boot in my opinion.
 
Altberg make good boots (I have been using Mallterstangs now for about 150ish days out) and clearly if you can go to Richmond and get a fitting etc. then that has to be a big plus and would probably be the decider. However my view is that they aren't quite as well made as my Scarpas though I've always worn SLs which are now the "old" model and I can't say if the new Activ (i think they are called) are as good. I've had 3 pairs (maybe even 4 now i think about it) of Scarpa SLs with two pairs still in use and literally thousands of days wear on them and I regret not buying up several pairs when they were selling them off as end of line.

If sizing is a problem for you then it is also worth looking at the military surplus boots. They currently issue Haix and Altberg boots. I have a pair of the Haix and they are comfortable, wide, quiet and well made though they did take a little bit of breaking in. At £50 you can't go wrong with them.

I also have several pairs of Meindl including the Douvre Extremes and I don't rate them against the others, the mil surplus Haix are a better boot in my opinion.


+1 for Haix that's what I use now. They come in a couple of width fittings I believe. At £50ish they are easily a third of the cost of chameau etc.
 
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