Size Guides

If you are caught between 2 sizes it is best to order both and send one back once you have tried them on. Although you are committed to sending one back, you do get to try both on at home and get the best fit for you.

* The waist size for shorts is the same as for trousers

Garment Sizing Information

The charts above will help you select the proper size.  If you have questions, please call us.

If you are caught between 2 sizes it is best to order both and send one back once you have tried them on. Although you are committed to sending one back, you do get to try both on at home and get the best fit for you.

Shoe fit

A rock climbing shoe should fit “comfortably tight” throughout and never cause pain at any one particular point (especially in the toe box). Shoes fitted in this manner will stretch and produce a personalized fit after a while. Boots that produce painful “pressure points” usually won’t stretch out after the initial breaking in period.

The Last

The most important factor affecting the shoe’s fit is the shape of the last, the model “foot” around which the shoe is constructed. Boreal incorporates certain anatomical shapes in its lasts to achieve various effects depending upon what each shoe is designed for (technical edging, sport climbing, competition, long routes, etc.). The two most important characteristics of the last are the amount of “Flex” it has and the shape of its “Sole”.

If you are caught between 2 sizes it is best to order both and send one back once you have tried them on. Although you are committed to sending one back, you do get to try both on at home and get the best fit for you.

Measurements refer to body size, not garment dimensions. Please note that all measurements are in cms. The charts will help you select the proper size.  If you have questions, please call us.

Did Mallory and Irvine really reach the summit way back when? Who has the best kung fu? What is up with these Pokémon things? These are questions with easier answers than that of how to size your rock shoes. The V15-climbing gym rat will tell you that if your toes feel anything but searing pain, the shoes are too big. But what does he know — he’s probably only 12 years old anyway. The veteran trad will insist that you need to leave room for three pairs of wool socks. Should you completely trust someone who might suffer from altitude-induced brain damage?

While it isn’t a black or white issue, a general rule dictates that soft shoes require a tighter fit, two to three sizes smaller than your street shoe size. We recommend you fit your trad shoes one to two sizes under your street shoe size. A thick midsole creates a platform on which you stand, while a slip-lasted slipper-type shoe relies on your crammed toes to create an edging platform.

Once you determine your needs, try on several boots in that genre. Different last types fit different feet — that’s why we make lots of lasts. If it feels good, it probably is. Remember to factor in stretch. Unlined slip-lasted shoes tend to stretch a bit more than lined shoes — about one full size. Lined shoes stretch about a half size. Remember: a well-fit comfortable shoe will work better than an ill-fitting tighter shoe.

La Sportiva’s diverse last families have been specifically designed to conform to the widest possible range of both foot shape and climbing use. We constantly strive to revolutionize climbing shoe development and to provide every individual absolute freedom of choice in finding a shoe that is perfect for both their foot AND their climbing style.

SIZING YOUR HIKING/BACKPACKING & MOUNTAIN BOOTS

And you thought buying a new car was tough… Getting the perfect fit in a pair of hiking boots is rarely as simple as relaying your size. Most good boot fitters will measure your foot on a Brannock device. Overall length is actually a minor element of boot fitting. In the ideal world, our left foot would be a mirror image of our right, while the ball of our foot would line up exactly with the last-makers idea of the perfect foot. This is almost never the case because other factors such as heel to ball length, volume, and width are critical in gaining a perfect fit. A good salesperson will address each of these issues.

To use our size chart to fit mountain boots, find your American size then go across to your European size, and then add one half size. When trying on boots make sure to bring the socks you would normally wear and any orthotics or custom footbeds you use. Another note: our shoes are handmade, and you can experience minor variations in sizing from pair to pair in a given size. What you’re looking for is the size that holds your toes ever so slightly away from the front of the boot while the lacing system is snug across the top of your arch. To check the length, you should be able to slip one finger behind your heel when you are standing up with the boot unlaced and your toes touching the front. The fit across the top of your arch is the single most important factor. If the lacing system here does not hold your foot in place, the boot will not be stable on your foot while you walk. If the boot is too short, your toes will get smashed walking down hill. Too long and your heel will slide up and down and give you blisters. Be patient, ask questions and make sure you’ve got the right size and the right fit and the right boot before you hit the trail.

Here are a few tips to make sure your new boots fit properly:

• Try your boots on with the socks you intend to wear in the field.
• Try them on later in the day since feet are prone to swell slightly as a day progresses.
• Wear them only indoors until you are confident about the fit.
• Your foot should feel snug (not tight) from the arch back into the heel pocket with just a minimum lift as you walk. If your heel lifts make sure the lacing is snug and not too loose.
• Your toes should not touch the front of the boot, but when you kick the toe into the floor, you should know where the front of the boot is. You want just enough room to wiggle your toes.
• If your toes or sides of your feet feel squished, most likely the width is too narrow.
• If your toes touch the front of the boot, most likely it is too short and you need the next half size up.
• Retain all original packaging which came with the boots until you are sure that you are happy with your purchase.

If you are caught between 2 sizes it is best to order both and send one back once you have tried them on. Although you are committed to sending one back, you do get to try both on at home and get the best fit for you.

Garment Sizing Information

The charts above will help you select the proper size.  If you have questions, please call us.

Care Instructions

Marmot does not recommend dry cleaning for any of our products. Gore-Tex® fabric products, MemBrain® fabric products, down insulated products, and fleece are all machine washable. You should use a commercial front loading machine and follow the care instructions.

If you are caught between 2 sizes it is best to order both and send one back once you have tried them on. Although you are committed to sending one back, you do get to try both on at home and get the best fit for you.

If you are caught between 2 sizes it is best to order both and send one back once you have tried them on. Although you are committed to sending one back, you do get to try both on at home and get the best fit for you.

Garment Sizing Information

The charts above will help you select the proper size.  If you have questions, please call us.

If you are caught between 2 sizes it is best to order both and send one back once you have tried them on. Although you are committed to sending one back, you do get to try both on at home and get the best fit for you.

Boot Lasting and Sizing

All quality boots are built around a carefully crafted foot shaped model – known as a “last”. It is the last which gives a boot its fit characteristics. The quality of the lasting, and the time that each upper spends on the last, is crucial in giving Scarpa boots their renowned shape and fit. Scarpa develop a last to specifically suit the end use of each boot. As a result, when you step into a SCARPA boot, you can be sure it has been carefully designed to suit you and your activity. Additionally, SCARPA were the first company to develop a purpose made last for women’s boots. Today every ladies specific model has a dedicated female last. These lasts are slimmer in the mid foot and heel areas (Note: This female last may also be appropriate for a slim, low volume male foot and conversely a high volume, broad female foot may be better suited to the standard last).

Foot Preparation

Correct foot preparation is a key component in getting comfortable performance from your boots. Try to buy good performance socks. A few guidelines to look for in a good sock are:

• The tightness of the knit – a good sock will normally be a tight and smooth knit.
• Make sure there is good shaping to the sock – tube socks should be avoided.
• Check that the sock has good stretch and elasticity.
• If possible try to use socks that wick moisture away (the foot puts out around 50ml of sweat per day)

Socks are an ideal way of making small adjustments to the volume and fit of the boot so be prepared to experiment with combination and density of socks you use to get the best fit – but we believe that you should never wear more than two pairs (A liner and an outer sock). If you need more than two socks it is likely that you need to take the next boot size down.

Initial Fitting of the Boot

The start point in fitting the boot is to ensure that you have the right size and remember that it is possible to customise the fit of a boot that is slightly too large but it is virtually impossible to do anything about a boot that is too small. If in doubt go for a size that is slightly large rather than one that is too small. Bear in mind that the critical size element is the length. Boots will often give or can be modified in width terms but it is virtually impossible to modify the length of a boot. When trying the boot on make sure you do so with your usual sock combination. You should also bear in mind the end use of the boot. For example if you are going to use your boots when you are likely to be carrying a heavy rucksack then this will alter the loading and shape of your foot. You should therefore try wearing the boots with a loaded sac on. Also boots used for the mountains will be used in an uphill and downhill mode. You should therefore simulate this when trying the boots on. The key points to bear in mind are that when testing the boots in a down hill mode, properly laced up, your toes should not be pushing against the front of the boots. Equally, there should not be as much of a finger width at the heel otherwise your boot volume is too large for you.

Lacing up the boot

Even the best fitting boot will not give maximum performance unless it is correctly laced up. Correct lacing ensures that boot fits snugly and will prevent ‘forward slip’ of the foot in the boot and will reduce friction that could otherwise lead to blisters. When lacing the boot ensure that you start from the toe and gradually tension the lace between each set of hooks. Lace locks allow for the tension to be held over the fore foot whist giving a separate level of adjustment and tension around the ankle of the boot.

Be prepared to adjust your lacing as you go. It is common to find that as you need to re-tension the lacing after a short distance even in boots that have been well broken-in. Also the foot shape will adjust during the day with temperature, terrain and load carried.

Boot modifications

It is not uncommon to find that some modification to the boot is required to get an optimal fit. There are several ways to achieve this:

• Footbeds – There are now a variety of high performance footbeds available to suit differing needs. Scarpa offer a variety of footbeds with which you can customise the fit of your boot.
• Volume Adjusters – Scarpa also make a Volume Adjuster which is a thin insert which can be added under the footbed to reduce the overall volume of the boot. This can make up to a half size difference in fit.
• Rubbing Bars – Some people have specific foot problems (e.g. swollen toe joints) which can cause problems when fitting new boots. It is worth knowing that boots can often be ‘stretched’ in specific areas to ease any painful rub points. Some specialist shops have rubbing bars specifically designed for this purpose. It is also possible to modify slightly heel and toe shapes to improve the fit of a boot. However this is a job best done by a trained boot fitter and we would recommend that it is done as a ‘retro fit’ adjustment.

Breaking Boots-In

As a general rule high performance hill and mountaineering boots are made from thicker leathers and have stiffer midsoles than do lower level walking boots. It is therefore essential to break in higher performance boots. To do this you should start by wearing them for a short distance and progressively lengthen the walks that you do. Never be tempted to take new boots and go out for a long trip in them. always break them in over time. It is often easier to prevent rubbing or blister problems. A piece of elastoplast or Second Skin put on early will often prevent a blister forming. If a blister does occur in the breaking in process then there are now excellent treatments available of which Compeed is probably the best known. A good pair of boots correctly fitted will give you many miles of comfortable use but it is worth remembering that almost as much of the comfort lies in the fitting and adjustment of the boot as in the boots themselves. We hope this information is helpful to you and wish you years of comfortable use from your Scarpa Boots.