Bont shoe input desired

[weiwentg]

Originally Posted by l0n3rider

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to my knowledge .. only bont and lake are truly wide design .. other brands normally use the same sole as the standard version .. and put more material to the top for more space ..

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Just adding a bit of info. This article on Bike Radar seems to corroborate what you said. They list Bont and Lake as actually having wide lasts. They state that:

There’s a big difference between wide, as Lake and Bont do, and ‘extra volume’ as virtually every other brand is doing.

Bont and Lake are both creating shoes that embrace forefoot width and expansion, while leaving the rest of the shoe alone. This requires them to make different shoes than the standard versions, which is not cost effective for them, but is a benefit to riders.

Contrarily, most companies take the extra volume route because it allows them to add material to the upper without creating a new lower — this is simply a cost equation. They claim that allowing riders to ‘spill over’ the edge is a solution.

Anyway, they say that Shimano, Sidi, and Bontrager all seem to use the high volume approach in their wide shoes. Giro wasn't discussed, but they have some high volume shoes (suffixed with HV), and I'm going to assume the lasts are identical to the regular shoes.

[ultraman6970]

They claim that allowing riders to ‘spill over’ the edge is a solution. <--- which pretty much is not the best for many riders or bont and lake would have been dead upon arrival to the shoe market. At the opposite, looks like they have been taking market from everybody, specially lake.

But the main problem with both brands is that their distribution chain is bad IMO.

[weiwentg]

Originally Posted by donevwil

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- Many here appear to have tried Bonts, but only a bit of feedback exists. There have been quite a few for sale in the classifieds (bad sign?).

- Online consensus appears to be when they fit they are the best, but they don't always fit and the heat moldability can only make minor adjustments. Quality also appears to be merely OK.

- Should I purchase from Bont's online store? I've tried multiple times to try/buy locally (or even semi-locally, SF, East Bay) and no shop that sells them was even remotely interested in ordering a 50 Wide for me to try even after I committed to buy if they fit.
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I ordered a pair of size 40 standard Bont Riot MTB+s from Worldwide Cyclery on eBay. 365 Cycles also will sell mail order.

I sized myself using Bont's online calculator. Lengthwise, it appears accurate. I was going for a tighter fit lengthwise than my current shoes.

Width-wise, I measured myself at 95mm, and the size chart said the shoes fit up to 97mm width. I was disappointed here. The shoe's bathtub is pressing on my big toes. The uppers are a bit tight around my little toes.

I have somewhat flat feet. The bathtub is pressing on my arches. I don't have super-flat feet, so I was hoping to escape this issue.

I might try size 40.5 or 41. The size 41s will actually be as long as my current road shoes (which are a bit long). However, I may just give up on Bonts entirely because they fit so strangely. I might try Lakes in a wide 39. I tried a standard 40, and it was fine up front but too loose in the heel.

The two retailers I mentioned do stock wide versions of some Bont shoes, but not in all sizes. I called both to talk about fit in general, and neither seemed willing to order the wide versions of a specific size. You could press the issue with them and see if they're willing. They don't appear to stock the narrow or Asia fit versions at all. If Bont wants to get more traction, they have to do something different about their US distribution channels.

[Alaska Mike]

This thread was a large help to me.

After 15+ years of wearing through several pairs of Specialized Pros (in a 45 wide), the supplies of NOS or lightly used shoes in my preferred versions had pretty much dried up. Attempts to find other shoes that worked as well failed to varying degrees. Specialized, Sidi Megas, Bontragers... nothing was really working and I don't want to think about how much money is sitting in boxes, unused on the shelf.

But, based on this thread and a little research, I picked up some Lake CX218s. Just an amazing shoe for my malformed flippers that doesn't completely break the bank. I'd had Lake winter boots before, but these were light-years better fitting.

Thanks again.

[donevwil]

Question for the Bont savvy:

I purchased a pair of Riot MTB+ in 50 wide for a great price during their Black Friday sale. This is likely my only opportunity to try Bonts for a reasonable sum. A day after purchase Bont emails informing me that they do not stock 50W and would I please forward my feet measurements (whaaa??). I do and they reply I need custom, a 50W won't fit. These are the same numbers that yield 50W on their online size calculator, reduce any dim by 1mm and the calculator yields 49 regular.

I asked repeatedly why they achieve different results than the calculator and receive only vague replies.

They will send the 50Ws in 5-6 weeks if I want, but don't recommend it. Why?

Anyone with large and/or wide feet have negative experience with the online sizing calculator?

I had written off Bont since no one carries 50W or would work with me to try one and purchased a pair of Lake MX237s in 50W, but the fit is merely OK.

Should I just go with the Riot MTB+ in 50W or get a refund?

[donevwil]

Anyone have an opinion?

Probably safest to get the refund, but that'll mean custom is now my only option.

[oldguy00]

Originally Posted by donevwil

Anyone have an opinion?

Probably safest to get the refund, but that'll mean custom is now my only option.

If you really want them, then go ahead and order?

I ordered a pair of shoes from them last December during their black friday sale, and they messaged me saying they weren't in stock but would make them and send them in 5 weeks, which they did.

This year, I wanted to try another pair. Same thing, emailed back saying it would take 5 weeks. I messaged them back and asked if they were making them fresh, is there any chance they could make the toe box volume a few mm's higher than usual. I did not expect them to say yes, but they wrote back and said for a $30 upcharge for the custom work, they would. I thought that was pretty fair on top of the 30% BF discount (Bont Zero+ tri shoes).