2019 ALFA Guard Advance GTX M Boots Review

[Johnny]

My only gripe are the laces, which could be easily swapped. They abrade bare hands when trying to lace up tight!

Ahahahah! SO funny!!! I almost forgot about it... I had bloody hands for a whole week when I first got the Guards... Really! It took me a few days to realize it was coming from the laces...

[fisheater]

I created an account on this website just to give my 2 cents on the sizing as well for these.

The info. on the website is wrong if you are going by their US sizing chart unfortunately. The chart on their site says size 43 is the same as size 11 US, but when I received my size 43, they are way too small, and the tag actually says size 9 US, which is extremely disappointing.
Returning is not an option due to customs and cost of shipping, as well as the fact I have used them.

I'm likely more of size 45 which should be equivalent of size 11 US.
Other than that I like them very much - build quality and materials are top notch.

I only used mine once and am willing to sell mine for a good price as well so I can purchase some in the correct size for me.

Jaybo,
That is so disappointing to purchase from overseas and not have the correct fit. Although not an Alfa, my Alpina Alaska are 45, I am a US 11. I am always a US 11, it doesn’t vary. The Alaska 45 is an ideal fit.

[bgregoire]

I created an account on this website just to give my 2 cents on the sizing as well for these.

The info. on the website is wrong if you are going by their US sizing chart unfortunately. The chart on their site says size 43 is the same as size 11 US, but when I received my size 43, they are way too small, and the tag actually says size 9 US, which is extremely disappointing.
Returning is not an option due to customs and cost of shipping, as well as the fact I have used them.

I'm likely more of size 45 which should be equivalent of size 11 US.
Other than that I like them very much - build quality and materials are top notch.

I only used mine once and am willing to sell mine for a good price as well so I can purchase some in the correct size for me.

The fact that they (Alfa) have not yet fixed this issue is astounding to me! I advised them via e-mail when I first found out 2-3 years ago and the issue is still there. They have an international online shop and they same to north america, so they should have a responsibility to fix this. If I were you, I would contact their customer service and have them sort this out for you. I would expect a replacement pair for free with free return shipping as well. This is not your fault.

[Cannatonic]

European companies seem to struggle with the conversions - can't say I blame them. Once your know your EU size (the number in the 40's) it's always better to try to use that number to order, I've found.

The Italian boots from Andrew and Alico are often mis-marked - they often confuse UK and US sizes, or equate them to the same number. I have some Andrew SHoes boots marked "UK 12.5/46.5" but 46.5 is US size 12.5, not UK, and the boots are sized accordingly. The Alico boots from Sierra Trading Post are marked either US or UK size depending on the batch, no way to tell until you get them. Sierra and Alico won't mark them in the EU size which is frustrating. Return shipping costs more than ever these days.

[shromatty]

Interesting Jaybo's were too small and mine were too big. I however wear a lot of euro shoes in euro sizes, like vivobare, birkenstocks, etc... and am nearly always a 43 in those, and with these the 42 fits better. My wife is usually a 42 and it was so big it she had bad heel slip and they gave her blisters with 2 pairs of the thick smartwools on, and we ordered a 41.

Jaybo, how small is too small in terms of the fit on yours. In us sizes i am usually a 10.5-11 eee. I'll get actual measurements up later. the tags on mine say 43 us 9 uk 8.5, and 42 us 8.5 uk 8.

[shromatty]

My only gripe are the laces, which could be easily swapped. They abrade bare hands when trying to lace up tight!

Ahahahah! SO funny!!! I almost forgot about it... I had bloody hands for a whole week when I first got the Guards... Really! It took me a few days to realize it was coming from the laces...

Yea, the laces are evil! its actually amazing how adept they are at tearing up the hands. the rest of the boot is great, aside from them being a size too big.

[shromatty]

I created an account on this website just to give my 2 cents on the sizing as well for these.

The info. on the website is wrong if you are going by their US sizing chart unfortunately. The chart on their site says size 43 is the same as size 11 US, but when I received my size 43, they are way too small, and the tag actually says size 9 US, which is extremely disappointing.
Returning is not an option due to customs and cost of shipping, as well as the fact I have used them.

I'm likely more of size 45 which should be equivalent of size 11 US.
Other than that I like them very much - build quality and materials are top notch.

I only used mine once and am willing to sell mine for a good price as well so I can purchase some in the correct size for me.

The fact that they (Alfa) have not yet fixed this issue is astounding to me! I advised them via e-mail when I first found out 2-3 years ago and the issue is still there. They have an international online shop and they same to north america, so they should have a responsibility to fix this. If I were you, I would contact their customer service and have them sort this out for you. I would expect a replacement pair for free with free return shipping as well. This is not your fault.

How did the sizing end up for you? I feel like the 43 is pretty accurately an 11 or more. Not the 9 they have it listed as. I have never found a us 9 or 9.5 that was big enough for my feet. but really, us sizes are all over the place, its pretty frustrating. Euro sizing seems to have less deviation from a size than US does. I wish they would list last widths and insole length, but even then, the insoles in these Alfas are pretty much a size too small. The 43 insoles fit in the 42 perfectly, and the 42 insole is too small for the 42, though you cannot feel it with your toes and it does not seem to slip. If you put your fingers in you can feel the gap.
My longer foot is 277mm (heel to the back of a wooden step, standing) not swollen, after bumming around in the house, not work.

Here is another link to the infamous chart. https://alfaoutdoor.com/service-center/size-guides

[Jaybo]

How did the sizing end up for you? I feel like the 43 is pretty accurately an 11 or more. Not the 9 they have it listed as. I have never found a us 9 or 9.5 that was big enough for my feet. but really, us sizes are all over the place, its pretty frustrating. Euro sizing seems to have less deviation from a size than US does. I wish they would list last widths and insole length, but even then, the insoles in these Alfas are pretty much a size too small. The 43 insoles fit in the 42 perfectly, and the 42 insole is too small for the 42, though you cannot feel it with your toes and it does not seem to slip. If you put your fingers in you can feel the gap.
My longer foot is 277mm (heel to the back of a wooden step, standing) not swollen, after bumming around in the house, not work.

Here is another link to the infamous chart. https://alfaoutdoor.com/service-center/size-guides

The 43 is certainly smaller than an 11. I would say maybe size 10 - certainly smaller than every pair of shoes that I have that are size 11 US. Or size 9 if you want to wear very thick socks. Either way they aren't very useable to me. One the heel support is very tight and chafing, giving me a blister my first time out and on the other foot one foot, too narrow, givingf me cramps the one time I used these boots.. although I have marginally wide feet, some brands fit some don't without wide width. No room for thick socks for sure.

In any case, here's a link to what I consider size a standard 11 insole that I use in many of my footwear, to the Alfa size 43. Obviously much smaller, and I can't even put it into the boot:

I did contact Alfa and I am awaiting their response as to the inconsistency of the boot label to their chart.

[jyw5]

Euro sizes are not consistent.

I have La Sportiva shoes and boots in 42-43.5 and also Alfa Guard 41 vs Alfa Quest Core 42. They all fit differently and have different sole lengths.

Guard 41 is larger than Kikut 41 and larger than Quest Core 42.

I am still hoping my Guard eventually fits with the right sock/sole combo.

[scottS]

Oh no, I thought I was sold and ready to pull the trigger on a pair of ALFA Greenlands 75mm then I saw this thread about sizing snafus!
My largest foot is 27.7cm so with the added ~1.5cm at 29.2cm I'm either looking at a possibly tight 44 or a roomy 45, would ya'll say thats accurate or is all trust lost in ALFA's sizing chart?
I'll take any help I can get!
Thanks,
Scott