June 03, 2009

The Escape GTX (courtesy, Scarpa)

Do you have a question of your own?

Hmmm, that's a tough one. A boot that is too long should cause blisters on the soles of your feet, or the heel, as your foot slides around and lifts. Shouldn't cause blisters on ends of the toes. And a 12, from the same maker, isn’t THAT much smaller.

So I'd pursue two tacks. One, there are makers out there that make a 12.5 boot. Scarpa does, for instance. Its Escape GTX ($220) is a good-fitting, extremely comfortable boot that's good on all sorts of terrain with a variety of loads, even heavy loads. I've worn these boots and like them a lot. You might also look at the La Sportiva Cascade GTX boots ($180). Not quite as heavy-duty as the Escapes, but a sturdy boot that should have the right size for you (both the Escape and Cascade are Euro-sized, but their 46.5 should match a 12.5 U.S.).

The other thing to do is find a good outdoor shop with a good boot-fitter. Ask around. There are lots of things you can do to improve the fit of a boot—add after-market insoles like Superfeet, stretch out the toes, add tongue pads to suck up volume, etc. There are all sorts of tricks. Get fitted late in the day, when your feet have swelled up a bit, and take your OWN socks to the store.

So if you take the time, and find someone who will be patient with you, I think you'll find a good fit.

RECENT QUESTIONS What set of walkie-talkies should I get for a three-month trip on Hawaii’s Big Island? Who makes the best three-season one-person condensation-free tent? What’s the best boot for a Denali summit? What’s the best altimeter for a winter ascent of Mount Rainier? What day pack should I use for winter adventures on the Gaspe Peninsula? Search the Gear Guy

GEAR GUY FEATURES Check out the bio of Douglas Gantenbein, aka the Gear Guy. Readers' Mailbag: The Gear Guy digs into some of your more bizarre, obscure (and let’s face it, downright weird) posts from years gone by to see if he can make sense of it all, or if it’s just time to run up the white flag. Previous column: Beat the Cost of Gear. The Gear Guy reports from the 2005 Outdoor Retailer summer trade fair, with his rundown of ten products to watch in 2006, plus the inside scoop on what shook down at the bi-annual gearapalooza.

MORE GEAR The Outside Gear Blog 2005 Buyer's Guide State of the Art: 2005 Bikes