Alfa vs. Alpina sizing

[paulzo]

Can anyone comment on Alpina vs Alfa sizing? I have no way of trying either on without ordering them, and in looking at various boots I noticed that on the REI site they have size charts to convert from EU to Us shoe sizes, and for the Alfas the chart says a 45EU is a 12.5 US mens, while for the Alpinas the chart says a 45 EU is an 11 US mens. So are the REI charts wacky, or is there a really a big difference in how the different brands run true to size?

[jyw5]

I don't have alpinas but I have the Alfa Quest Core (Rondane Core) and just got my Guard Advance this week and also tried the Kikut Perform and they all fit differently. (These are all NNN BC)


Alfa Quest Core size 42 - perfect fit for my wide feet but a bit long (a Chenna Barree winter warmer footbed fixed the problem)...no blisters, no heel lift... have worn them 2 days/wk since November.

Alfa Kikut 41 - perfect fit with the stock footbed (which is really thin)...but only tried it at REI.

Alfa Guard Advance 41 - too loose/big without footbed. With the footbed, the forefoot is snug but still have heel lift that caused blisters. I will try it with a different thicker sock which may solve the problem...or use the thicker wool liner from Chenna Barree. put a total of 18 miles and 3000 vertical. heels hurt...but I am confident I can resolve the heel lift problem with different socks. They feel great the moment you put your feet into the boots...will try them out again this weekend.

So with such variation, you may have to go the store and try them or order from REI and expect at worst to return them... I thought for sure the Kikut and Guard would fit the same but they did not.

For a good reference point, I have the Fischer OTX 5 in 41 with the stock footbed that fits great. I wear a US size 9.5-10. EU 42-43.5 shoes/boots.

Brands and models have always varied greatly. Footbeds and sock combos can solve some of the fitting problems.

[GuillaumeM]

I normally use EU 44 for Crispi and Alpina and they fit very well. I tried an Alfa Guard and an Alfa Kikut and they felt very different and not at all adapted to my feet. A lot of room and short in length. The length was right for a EU 45 but then the volume inside was way to big.

So I think that Crispi and Alpina are for thin to normal feet, Alfa for strong and large feet.

[fisheater]

I wear a US 11 shoe. My Alpina Alaska fits as though it was custom made. That tidbit isn’t as good as this thread:
viewtopic.php?f=21&t=2155

[bgregoire]

Guillaume is right, the Alfa's are for strong, wide feet. The widest nordic backountry last available IMO. My wide feet feel right in an Alfa boot but not in so in the Alaska (narrower, but not as narrow as others such as rossignol or crispi).

Fisheater pointed to a decent thread with good info. We went a little crazy about boot sizes there. Once.

Be very careful with the Alfa chart. The one I posted on that other thread was bogus. Order your size in EU and you should be good to go, if I recall right.

My guess is that ALL Alfa nordic backcountry lasts are the same (Exept for the polars). To follow through with my guess, the reason the Kikut feels more spacious is that it has less insulation, so more room for the feet. Its leather is also quite soft, so conforms to your foot rapidly.

[lilcliffy]

I own one Alpina boot- the Alaska.
Two Alfa boots- Kikut and Guard Advance.

The interior length of the lasts are consistent (i.e. a 42EU Alaska has the same-length footbed as a 42EU Kikut/Guard Advance).

The Alfas are most definitely larger volume than the Alaska.

I have a medium width foot and do not find the Alfas too wide- due to the quality of the leather and the excellent lacing.
I have a small-volume foot and use a thick wool insole in my Alfa boots- this completely solves the volume issue for me. The quality of the leather and excellent lacing gives me a perfect fit. The Guard Advance is the most comfortable BC-XC Nordic touring ski boot I have ever owned.

[paulzo]

Licliffy - thanks and whatsize US mens are you usually?

[jgurtz]

I emailed Alfa support, enquiring about the "W" models for my extremely narrow feet. They confirmed that the W models are narrower. I also typically where 9.5-10 US mens size and had decided to wait until a 43W became available after doing the centimeter measurement on their site. Now I wonder if I should just order a pair of 42W and go for it!?

[lilcliffy]

Licliffy - thanks and whatsize US mens are you usually?

I am typically a size 9US.
My left foot is slightly longer than my right and measures 26.5cm.
My experience is that the EU sizing is consistent in terms of footbed length in all of these Euro Nordic touring boots- the US conversion charts can be wacky though.

A 42EU is really a tad short for my left foot- it is perfect for my right. A 42EU is fine for me as long as I can lace them up effectively and get a good fit.

I have a small volume foot and a 43EU can be a real problem with fit in a large-volume boot. A 43EU Alfa would be ginormous inside for my skinny feet! On the other hand, I have a 43EU Alaska and they have been fine- though I still think that a 42EU in the Alaska might have been better...

I wear a 42.5EU in my Scarpa hiking/mountaineering boots. I wish I could get a 42.5EU in a leather ski boot.

Anyway- what I can say is that if my skinny feet were a bit longer- and I needed a 43 EU- then I doubt I would be able to get a good fit in the Alfa.

The idea of wearing the women's last had not occurred to me...I would think that a 42W would not only be narrower, but also be less volume?

[lilcliffy]

I emailed Alfa support, enquiring about the "W" models for my extremely narrow feet. They confirmed that the W models are narrower. I also typically where 9.5-10 US mens size and had decided to wait until a 43W became available after doing the centimeter measurement on their site. Now I wonder if I should just order a pair of 42W and go for it!?

If you are a 9.5-10USM- the 42EU is going to be too short for your foot- you will get toe-bang and your toes will be cold.
I would think you need the 43EU.
The idea of going with the 43W is brilliant!! Don't know why I never think of that!

My feet aren't really narrow though- they are skinny! My foot is often too wide for a narrow last...
But- I would think that the women's boot is not only a narrower last- but also smaller volume?