SCARPA Men's Cyclone GTX Boot

For mountaineering boots, upsize (1/2+ sizes) depending on desired fit.

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 different combinations and densities of socks you use to get the best fit - but SCARPA 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.

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 backpack then this will alter the loading and shape of your foot. You should therefore try wearing the boots with a loaded pack 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. An increasing number of specialty shops are now providing 'incline boards' for you to test boots on (all Bivouac Outdoor stores have these). 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.

Most SCARPA footwear is based upon the Euro (Continental) size scale, where one whole Euro size equals 6.6mm. Compared to the standard US size scale, where one whole size equals 8.46mm, the Euro size scale offers smaller increments between each size, so that you can find a more precise fit.