Spantik Fit and Advice

I have a boot fit question. I am going to fill you in on my boot
fitting journey to give you a little background information to so you
can get an idea on what I have tried on.

First off, this is what I own. I have the Nepal Evo's for my single
boot. I love them, they fit great. They are a size 44.5. I wanted
to get a double boot and was able to get a pair of Nuptse's on sale,
they are a 45.5, but they are too big. So I am on the quest for a new
double boot.

I tried the Baruntse's (44.5) first, but they didn't fit right, felt
sloppy. So I moved onto the Spantik's. I first tired the 44.5 and
they were too small, so I returned them. I am now onto size a 45.
They fit pretty good. I can wiggle my toes, no heel slippage, but I am not sure if they are a little tight. Should try the 45.5. I figured they would be too big if the Nuptse's I have now are 45.5 and don't fit. Your thoughts on the matter would be greatly appreciated. I have been wearing a smart wool
mountaineering sock for this entire boot journey.

Have you thermo-molded the liner yet? If not, that can increase the volume in the boot by a little bit, and will make it conforum to your foot shape and feel much better.

I have not had them thermo-molded yet. I was kind of holding out to make sure this is the size I want to go with, because once I get them molded I won't be able to return the boots. The other issue I am running into is where to get them molded. I live in Ohio and I don't have a good gear shop near me. So you think size 45 is the way to go? Thanks.

You can heat-mold them yourself either in an oven or by microwaving dry rice. I think telemarktips.com has good instructions, or there are a bunch of videos floating on the internet.

Thanks for the info.

Here's a lot more info:
coldthistle.blogspot.com/20…

I'de say make sure the length of the boot is correct. If there are minor volume/shape issues you're not totally happy about, molding liners will improve this, but if there's any major fit issues, it probably won't.

As Nate mentioned previous. (appreciate the link Nate :) You need to heat mold the liners on both boots to get a proper fit as inteneded.

Nepal Evo comes in true half sizes.
Double boots don't. None that I am aware of anyway.
44 and 44.5 in a Baruntse and Spantik are the same boot.
45 and 45.5 is the same boot. Shells change on the full size iirc.

If you truly need a 44.5 you'll need a 45 in a Baruntse or Spantik and you'll need to mold the liners properly to get a good fit.

I suspect most buy the boots too big. And try to use too much sock in them. I did originally as well.

Thanks for all the advice!

Dane wrote:Nepal Evo comes in true half sizes. Double boots don't. None that I am aware of anyway. 44 and 44.5 in a Baruntse and Spantik are the same boot. 45 and 45.5 is the same boot.

This is an interesting observation. I worked at a mountaineering shop for a couple years and worked quite a bit with the Spantik/Baruntse. The La Sportiva rep told us that to his knowledge, the shell sizes come in half sizes. My experience shell fitting these boots depicted a change in shell length per half size, though the results were not nearly as consistent as shell fitting ski boots. This is probably due to the fact that feeling a half Euro size of 3mm with your finger behind someone's heel is tricky, and consider the customer may not have his/her foot in the exact same location in the shell between shell fits.(Ski boot shells definitely do not come in half sizes, even though you can technically buy them in half sizes. All you are getting is a liner that is pre-molded a touch longer or a touch shorter).

The liners of the Spantik/Baruntse do not come in half sizes, only whole. You will notice that the liners will typically say, for example, 43.0/43.5. This specific liner is pre-molded from the factory to be either a touch longer (43.5) or a touch shorter (43.0) depending on what shell it is paired with. I guess you could argue that the pre-molding process allows the end user to aquire a liner that is shaped into half sizes, but technically it is still the same liner. And once you heat it up all bets are off.

This is usually the case with ski boot liners as well. Even though a ski boot liner may say, take Scarpa for example, 27.5 vs 28.0. These are the same exact liners but are premolded in the factory to be slightly different sizes, depending on what shell it is paired with.

Out of curiosity I even measured a few Spantik/Baruntse sole lengths and found variations between boots of the same size, and even on two occasions found a larger size boot shorter than a smaller size.

I do not mean to complicate the situation but I feel these high end hand made Italian boots have slight variations within each batch, and even boot to boot. It would be nice to hear others chime in with their experience, and perhaps if someone could actually confirm if the shells come in half sizes...though my experience is that they do.

Dane wrote:As Nate mentioned previous. (appreciate the link Nate :) You need to heat mold the liners on both boots to get a proper fit as inteneded. Nepal Evo comes in true half sizes. Double boots don't. None that I am aware of anyway. 44 and 44.5 in a Baruntse and Spantik are the same boot. 45 and 45.5 is the same boot. Shells change on the full size iirc. If you truly need a 44.5 you'll need a 45 in a Baruntse or Spantik and you'll need to mold the liners properly to get a good fit. I suspect most buy the boots too big. And try to use too much sock in them. I did originally as well.

Are you sure about this Dane?

I just did some pretty extensive fitting to get the right fit in a pair of Spantiks. I had a pair of 41.5 and 42 (both the inner and outer were labeled with the respective half-size) and there was an obvious difference in the length of both the inner and outer boot (crampon fit definitely confirmed the difference in the outer boot too). 42's fit but the 41.5's were definitely too short. LS advertises true half sizes in both the inner and out boot for Spantiks.

csproul wrote:
"I had a pair of 41.5 and 42 (both the inner and outer were labeled with the respective half-size) and there was an obvious difference in the length of both the inner and outer boot (crampon fit definitely confirmed the difference in the outer boot too)."

If the boots upsize on the full size, in this case 42, then this would make sense as the 42 would be larger than the 41.5.

Just as an update for folks looking for sizing help. I use 44.5 in all of LS running shoes and 10.5 (44.5) in Asics runners. In Asics the 11 (45) are too big. I use a 44 Nepal Evo.

Using a SW liner, SW mountaineering sock and orthothodic, I stared with a 43 Spantik and went to a 43.4, 44 and ended up going all the way up to a Spantik 45 and having them cooked and fitted by a boot fitter in Redmond's bike and ski shop (forget the name Dane knows them). I used them on 3 routes on Rainier in a weeks time. They started off great but by the end of the week they were loose and sloppy so I sold the 45 and went back down to the 44.5 in the Spantik and stayed in the 45 in the Oly Mons.

So for a 10.5 Ascis and 44.5 LS runner wearer a 44 or 44.5 will be perfect depending on sock and footbed.

I have a pair of brand new never worn LS Nuptse's in 44.5 if anyone wants them. allen(at)Livinginswflorida(dot)com

"Dane wrote:
Double boots don't. None that I am aware of anyway. 44 and 44.5 in a Baruntse and Spantik are the same boot. 45 and 45.5 is the same boot. Shells change on the full size iirc."

Are you sure about this Dane?

I am sure on the fact Spantik shells don't come in half sizes. As I said IIRC..which I didn't for the Spantik. Spantik breaks on the 1/2. It is 44.5 and 45 that have the same shell. Same 45.5 and 46 shell...and so on for every shell and half size on a Spantik. Other boots break on the full size..45 and 45.5 are the same. Can't rememebr which it is on the 6000 or Baruntse. Info is listed in detail on Cold Thistle. Ski boots do the same. Just be sure to find out where they break the shell size. I had to go back and look it up on Cold Thistle for the Spantik myself. Too many boots to keep in my head these days.

My apologies for the initial confusion. And why you found this to be true.

"I had a pair of 41.5 and 42 (both the inner and outer were labeled with the respective half-size) and there was an obvious difference in the length"

I did the same intially with a 45.5 and a 46 which is how I originally found out the 11/2 shell difference and realised the reps and La Sportiva didn't always know their own products as well as one might have hoped.

Just remember most doubles..Scarpa/La Sportiva/Lowa/Zamberlan don't come in half sizes. Easy to get a great fit though with a good boot fitting effort and a heat modable liner.

Dane,

This makes no sense and contradicts itself. I have read several of your posts regarding the this issue and in some you say Spantiks break on the whole size and on others the half size. Has there been a determination? In my experience, I measured a difference on both the outers and the inners but I do not recall if I was checking 44 to 44.5 or 44.5 to 45.

In the below examples both you and the OP would not have experienced any difference in a 41.5 and 42 if the size difference broke on the half size as you indicated in your post. And... either would you have in the 45.5 and 46.

Sounds like they change, if they change, on the half meaning 45 and 45.5 are the same. 45 & 45.5 would be the same otherwise your statements would not be right;......or am I missing something here?

Please clarify

Dane wrote;
"Spantik breaks on the 1/2. It is 44.5 and 45 that have the same shell. Same 45.5 and 46 shell...and so on for every shell and half size on a Spantik."

"My apologies for the initial confusion. And why you found this to be true.

"I had a pair of 41.5 and 42 (both the inner and outer were labeled with the respective half-size) and there was an obvious difference in the length"

I did the same intially with a 45.5 and a 46 which is how I originally found out the 11/2 shell difference and realised the reps and La Sportiva didn't always know their own products as well as one might have hoped. "

Hey Allen,

What you have quoted/credited to me makes no sense.

FACT:
44.5 to 45 are the same size shells in a Spantik.

45.5 and 46 are the same size shells.

Never said it made any sense. And between ski boots and doubles, companies break the half were they choose. Some companies do it both ways. Easy to get confused when you see as many boots as I do and just doing a drive by here on the forums. I have to look it up half the time if I've not had my morning coffee.

Measure twice and buy once.
Quick check with boot in hand is measure the sole or try a crampon on them..which is why I know a 45.5 and a 46 Spantik is the same. And a 45 is a smaller shell.

Don't be afraid to try several sock/footbed combinations to dial things in. I've got two different sized feet, and went through massive experimentation with my Spantiks - I think I tried 6 different footbeds and three different mountaineering socks.

Finally locked in on a thin set of footbeds, a Darn Tough sock on one foot and a Fit sock on the other - plus a set of thin sock liners. Made it up and down Rainier with no blisters - so far so good...

Dane,

Your right what I quoted you said makes no sense and that is the point, you were making no sense. Well kind of. You were making sense just contradicting yourself in several places on several forum posts.

Let me try to explain again. I was not questioning your always great info only trying to request a clarification as several of your statements contradict each other. My point was that your quotes in this post and the "other" post on Spantik sizing make "no sense" as they contradict each other.

In at least one post, and maybe more, you state that the Spantiks change on the 1/2 size ( check your post on Oct 30th) where you state that a 44 and 44.5 in a Baruntse and Spantik are the same boot but on other posts you state that the Spantik's change on the full size ( Check your post on Dec 9th) where you state a 44.5 and 45 and a 45.5 and 46 are the same shell.

Plus you made the comment that;
"My apologies for the initial confusion. And why you found this to be true." meaning that this person had a pair of 41.5 and 42 and found them to be the same size. If the 41.5 and 42 are the same size then your statement that the "44 and 44.5 in a Baruntse and Spantik are the same boot and your statement that the 45 and 45.5 is the same boot" cannot be true.

You also said that is how you figured this out as "I did the same intially with a 45.5 and a 46 which is how I originally found out the 11/2 shell difference". If as you stated the 45.5 & 46 is the same size then how would you have seen any difference? They would have been the same size ;')

Either the half size is the same as the next size DOWN or the half size is the same as the next size UP, but NOT both.

I was just asking which it was, up or down?

Allen

Dane wrote:Hey Allen, What you have quoted/credited to me makes no sense. 44.5 to 45 are the same size shells in a Spantik. 45.5 and 46 are the same size shells. Never said it made any sense. And between ski boots and doubles, companies break the half were they choose. Some companies do it both ways. Easy to get confused when you see as many boots as I do and just doing a drive by here on the forums. I have to look it up half the time if I've not had my morning coffee. Measure twice and buy once. Quick check with boot in hand is measure the sole or try a crampon on them..which is why I know a 45.5 and a 46 Spantik is the same. And a 45 is a smaller shell.

Perhaps the confusion is due to the whacky cobbler language that's being thrown about? "Break the half, break the whole". This confuses me more than daylight savings time...

Below thread with La Sportiva NA seems to jive with Dane's comments and posts from what I can tell.

(just forget about the half / whole break'age).

Me: "Hello – Quick question on Spantik sizing. I have heard and read that Spantik shells, although marked with half sizes are made only in full sizes. I need to size up my 45.5 a half size (to a 46), but worried that a 46 will be the same size shell as the 45.5. Can you confirm?
Thx much!"

LS NA: "Hello Graham,
Yes, you are correct. The size 45.5 Spantik is the same shell size as the size 46. The size 46 liner will be slightly bigger.
All the best,
Customer Service Dept.
La Sportiva N.A,. Inc.
3850 Frontier Ave - Suite 100
Boulder CO 80301
303-443-8710
www.sportiva.com"

Great thanks, so it seems that the half size is the same outer shell size as the next full size UP. So in my case a 44.5 shell is the same as the 45 shell.

Thanks.

For the record:
Today I tried on Spantik size 45.5 and size 46. The shells on these two boots are NOT the same size. Maybe this is different from the original release.

The finger test shows more room in the 46. The 46 is also noticeably longer when both are placed against a wall.

The 45.5 fits me well for the most part but my toe just gets pressure at the end of the boot when I walk. I'm concerned this will be an issue even though the kick test seems to pass. The 46 is a little more roomy with my low volume feet but I'm thinking some creative fitting should be able to solve that. Any thoughts? The Baruntse is too high volume.

Sportiva is releasing a new technical climbing boot this fall/winter called the G2 SM, named after Simon Moro. They rank it one boot below the Oly Mons and one above the Spantik. You may want to wait to check this double boot out before making a purchase. Should be available in the next few weeks.

Chmielowiec wrote: The finger test shows more room in the 46. The 46 is also noticeably longer when both are placed against a wall. Any thoughts? The Baruntse is too high volume.

A larger liner will effect the finger test. What I would do is to measure the sole lengths with a cloth tape measure for the half size up and down, or use crampons, to see if both shells measure the same or different and then proceed from there.

Most people initially buy the Spantik 1/2 -1 full size too large. I think most of us have done that and found the mistake after moving back down once or twice. Insoles and sock common make a huge difference as well.

If you wear a 44 in the Nepal EVO you will use a 44 in the Spantik.