Boots - hot spots

[adkayaker]

I've been thrilled with my new Keene Growler insulated hiking boots worn up several mountains on snowshoes, warm even when around 5 degrees, lightweight, and no issues until now. Ordered a full size larger to acommodate wide feet and thicker merino wool socks with liner. Perfect fit-not loose or tight. But now after 5 day full days (spred out over a month) of comfortable wear, there are sore hot spots felt on the outer smallest toes, worse on one foot than the other. Only felt when these boots are put on, not with all shoes. No blisters-just painful areas when the boots go on. A quick remedy is moleskin or equivalent but puzzling why issues have arisen after break-in. Suggestions?

 

[Little Rickie]

My right toe sometimes get rubbed the wrong way and I lose the toenail. Putting a band-aid on it seems to prevent it.

 

[Kevin Rooney]

They might be a bit "too" comfy, and with the thick socks you're getting some friction. Give your feet a week or so to heal up, and try them again. And try snugging them just a bit to see if that fixes the hot spot issue.

As for hot spots themselves - I use duct tape if I can catch it before it blisters. Comes off much easier than mole skin, and since it's slippery, it moves a bit instead of my skin.

 

[BillyRay]

I use a stretcher for similar problems

I bought this thing a couple years ago and have been very pleased with the results:
FootFitter Premium Professional Boot Stretcher
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000PMNS3E/ref=ox_ya_oh_product
I had problems just like you mention (wide feet and all.)
Amazon says it's out of stock, but if you can find one it could solve your problem.

 

[Chip]

Ordered a full size larger to acommodate wide feet and thicker merino wool socks with liner.

This is really tricky. I did this for years before I understood the correct size and width of my feet. Socks wouldn't require a full size larger, maybe not even a half size larger, I don't think, if you were starting with the correct width. Boot choices drop precipitously as the width widens.

Foot width in inches chart.

You'll see from that chart you're picking up very little width by going up a size in a D/Standard width shoe vs moving to a wider width, and that chart only goes to Wide/E. I'm a EEEE width in the correct shoe size.