I got some La Sportiva Spantik boots on line for 20% off. I've researched these boots for the last year. Now I have them and found that they feel too tight in the forefoot area. Heard some comments about La Sportiva being narrow, but guess I needed to find out for myself. So now back to the drawing board. I'm looking for a comfortable mountaineering boot that is not as narrow in the forefoot area. I've tried Koflach Artis Exp and felt like Herman Munster. Was looking for something more advanced in technology and lighter on the feet.

Any help is appreciated.

Generally speaking, Scarpa fits wider feet better than La Sportiva. If you don't need Alaska warm boots, something like the Scarpa Phantom may work for you. Dane1 has an excellent blog with well considered opinions and information on clothing, gear, and boots: http://coldthistle.blogspot.com/2011/09 ... boots.html

I got Spantiks for dirt cheap and they are comfy and I do not find them too narrow.
I had a pair of Intuition Denali liners that I got moulded to fit. Not ideal but even with the Intuitions, I was comfortable when wearing thick wool socks. Needless to say my feet were toasty warm all season and I generally always have terribly cold toes and fingers when ice climbing.

+1 for EB's recommendation re: Dane's site. Cold Thistle is the bomb.

http://mtntools.com/cat/alpineice/boots/04doubleboots.html

I reckon these guys have the best boot choices. You could also look at the comfort fit version of the high end Salewa boot on backcountry.com. further afield you have the Zamverlan denali and the Millet Shivling. Lowa also has an equivalent boot.

Hmm and if you are an AAC member and join up with promotive.com, i think they have a deal going on the Zamberlan Denali.

Dan, Anita, thanks for the plug. Much appreciated! Dan, hope you are doing well these days!

Spantik?

First? The boot was intentionally designed to be fit with very thin socks. You shouldn't need much to stay warm in them. You don't want much sock generally (Anita has a issue with typically cold feet so it is understandable) so you can a dry your socks more easily over night.

Second? No way to really tell how narrow a Spantik or any heat modable boot is by simply trying the boot on. You need to size the shell. Not the liner in the boot. The liner you can easily make bigegr the shell you cna 't easily but even it is possible.

I see the same mistake all the itme with ski boots as well as big double boots. Really dumb on the buyers/seller's part if you don't fit the shell first. Done all this WRONG myself more than once. Just trying to pass on what I have learned, generally the hard way for feet and pocket book. No need for you to repeat the process. Go back and try the Spantik shell only on and see if it really is too narrow. I suspect it will be pretty obvious quite quickly...or not.

The Boreal GI LITE may be worth a look as well.

I seem to have wide feet, for most plastics I tried were too tight. In the end, the ones I liked (entirely subjective of course) were the Trezeta TFK 201 and the Lowa Civetta GTX, and both have gone out of production ages ago.

And then I came across the Boreal GI LITE. I tried them on Ramada and in the Rwenzori mountains, and found them both warm and comfortable. In addition, they are well thought out and convince in terms of quality and longevity (used on a couple of expeditions, and so far virtually no signs of wear). Just my two cents.