Hiking Boots | Feet Asymmetry

[mikeincousa]

I have a new pair of Ariat hiking boots.

Composite soles: New Buck uppers.

The left fits almost perfect while wearing a heavy sock.

Even after adding a second thick sock the right is still significantly loose.

I have not seen significant improvement with foam bed liners or tighter lacing.

Is there some combination of shrinking and / or leather inserts that could offset the asymmetry?

Thanks for any thoughts.

[zuludog]

I have been hiking & backpacking for >40 years (not continuously!) and have experienced dealing with slightly different shaped feet, for myself and friends. You have done all the things I can think of, so if you still don't have a satisfactory result, why not look at the problem from a different angle?

There are companies and organisations that will supply and match up different sized boots & shoes, or individual shoes & boots. You could see if they would exchange your right boot for a smaller one, though you probably wouldn't get the same model; see if they will trade in both boots and supply an odd sized but matching pair. Or contact them for advice anyway; they might have other ideas to make your existing right boot fit properly

I've searched Google for 'buying individual shoes' and found

odd shoe finder.com; disabled-world.com; national odd shoe exchange; amputee coalition

Some of these organisations have further listings of other suppliers

In Britain there is a company that will make and/or pair up odd sized boots from new - Altberg; there may be someone similar in USA

Just one more thing, obvious once it's mentioned - check that your boots are actually pair, and that you haven't been supplied with a mis - matched pair in the first place! Look at the labels, and also compare them against each other, and do some measurements. I worked in an outdoor equipment shop for 5 years, and it has been known.

You can have individual insoles/footbeds moulded, but that's usually expensive

 

Edited March 19, 2017 by zuludog