After 200 days, give or take over the last 2 seasons I literally just spent a couple hours with my boot fitter. I opted for the same boot brand I’ve been in (K2 spyne) since the 2015/16 season. I could have switched liners but I wanted a bit stiffer boot (going from 110 to 130) and a narrower last going from the 100to the LV at 97 and for me, at least, the Spyne just fits my foot really well.
I have fairly narrow feet but a bunion on my left foot seemed to necessitate a wider last, but I found that I missed the snugness of a LV boot, particularly around my heel. The 2018 K2 Spyne 130 has a slightly larger toe box than previous models but the real decision for me was the info that my boot fitter gave me in regards to what he could do with that specific boot to make it fit and he was right.
Out of the box there was no way I could ski in it, (not the left one anyway) but after he was done, which included heat molding, punching, grinding and custom foot beds it was like a different boot, comfortable as house slippers yet snug as a high performance boot should be. I hope I don’t have to go back after I’ve skied on it, but if I do it’s no big deal, they will take care of me.
I guess the moral of the story is with all of the different brands and models out there and what a competent boot fitter can do with them there is no reason your skiing should be impeded by poorly fitting or uncomfortable ski boots. I have no idea how many boots I’ve owned and skied in but I do know the vast majority were out of the box, (until recent years) some hurt others didn’t to which more than one race coach in my youth reminded me that “if it didn’t hurt it didn’t fit,” sage advice at the time, or so I thought...
Wearing them around the house is fine, I do that a bit too, mostly to figure out where I want the buckles adjusted as I rarely change those settings to a significant degree once I find the sweet spot which only skiing in 20 degree weather will finalize.
Like many of you I am in ski boots 5-7 days a week for up to 10 hours a pop, sometimes never even unbuckling them from dawn to dusk. Comfort is important but so is performance. I have found that if you take the time and have a good boot fitter one dos’nt need to be compromised for the other but it is a process to get there.