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http://www.forums.alpinezone.com/showthread.php?t=132234
What makes Richelsons so great is his method of measuring your feet and his database of boot measurements. He doesn't just take the limited data provided by the manufacturer. He gets in many different models from each major company and hand measures them in several locations inside the boot to feed all that information into his database. He has essentially a mathematical system for finding the best boot matches for every foot shape. By doing this he knows exactly what boot models will work for such things as high instep like you have.Last year, I bought some heat moldable boots. I was told that they may not work for me as I have a pretty high instep. But previous boots were never really able to address this. I got the Saloman X-Pro 120. I noticed that the 2nd buckle from the toe could be moved, it had three positions, which enabled me to move the buckle slightly above the hot spot.
You can see the metal plate with the extra hole in it, actually has 3 holes. Score one!!!! That was nice, being able to move the buckle off the hot spot.
Then I went in to have the boot heat molded. But before I went in, I took some foot bed orthotic material that I had bought some years ago from Jeff Bokum (now deceased). I wore the boots for an hour to raise some red marks on my feet, which I promptly outlined with a sharpie. I cut some of this material to match the outlines I had drawn. Then I headed over to my belt sander and sanded these down on the edges, essentially making a little .... "mountain" or rounded pyramid that I could tape over the hot spot for molding purposes. We are talking about a quarter inch of slightly compressible material over the hot spot, tapered to nothing on the edges, about the size of a quarter or half dollar.
Then at the shop, while they heated up the boots, I duct taped the material to match the sharpie outlines, then rolled my socks up over my feet. Strap the boots on and assumed the position. Extra uncomfortable with the extra material in there, but the next day, it was kinda nice having that area of relief, if ever so slightly.
I had one area on the outside of my foot that needed just a little extra room. so I put my foot in the boot, and waited until I could feel it, then marked it with little dots from a sharpie. Took off the boot and removed the liner. Took a heat gun on low to the boot to soften it up, then from the inside, I took a 3/4" socket and rubbed it against the inside of the boot, slightly bowing out the boot, where I had put the black dots. Not much, just a tiny bit, enough for the final amount of relief.
When Jeff Bokum fitted my boots years ago, he was plenty talkative and explained how he did what he did. Biggest thing was he did just tiny amounts of adjustment. Being handy with my hands, I said to myself, I could do this stuff.
I am now sold on the heat moldable boots. I am also sold on the moveable buckle. I find it interesting that it happens often enough that Salomon felt the need to engineer it into their boots. This year, the outer shell is also heat moldable, not just the inner liner. Any boots I buy form here on in will likely be Salomon or similar heat moldable with the moveable buckle. Sure, they cost a little more, but you can get these boots to fit right in the shop that you buy them at. Without paying for the boot fitting service. A net balance equal. Many shops provide this as part of the service anyways. Buy a better boot with the features your foot needs, you'll be much happier.
Just sharing my experience.
