M77 Norwegian army boots sizing

[Bert]

Hello all,
Are there many people here who have experience with the M77 Norwegian army boot?
I've bought a pair in helsinki, and that armystore had a real good description for these boots, even for the sizing they advised.
I took a pair of insoles from my old boots, and measured the longest distance, and compared to their sizetable.
Which is also my regular footsize, a 44.
And that pair I ordered.

I took them out of the box, and was positively suprised, nice made boots, all++
even when I put my feet in (with a thin and thick sock, as descibed) they felt well.
Now, three days later, I start having a doubt if they are not TOO big?
When I put my toes completely in the front, i can put my index and middlefinger behind my heel before touching the leather, is that the deal for wintersizing with these boots?
The black insole is the boots insole.
I'll try to put some foto's here.
Otherwise a perfect boot!

 

[baggins]

Do they have insoles in them? For colder weather you want space for 2 layers of thicker socks or an extra felt insole.

 

[Bert]

They come with the standard black insole as seen on the foto.
And with these two pairs of socks, (didn't try yet) how much room do you need lengthwise? do your feet swell up in winter as they do in summer?

 

[chimpy leon]

I think even taking winter sizing into account; wearing extra thick/double socks they are still about 1/2” too big. Should’ve got EU42 (263mm) maybe?

 

[Bert]

so, you think 2 sizes down? On the foto it's a bare foot.
if that is so, I might have a almost new pair for sale, it's size 44 (277mm)
wore them only 3 days around the house.

 

[chimpy leon]

I reckon so but don’t take my word for it, Everyone’s feet are different. The next size down only reduces by 7mm. I’m a size 10 in trainers and like you 9.5 in most boots, I’d go for the eu42 for my feet.

 

[Tor helge]

We got some fuzzy insoles issued with the boots, and used one pair of thin socks together with a pair of thick wool socks (all year around).

 

[c.c]

I've not seen these boots for yrs, so much better than those issued to us for Norway, think I've still got mine somewhere! As Tor helge said thick liner and X2 pair of socks

 

[Bert]

I've not seen these boots for yrs, so much better than those issued to us for Norway,

? As far as I know these are the same as they issue to the Norwegic army, even has the typical Norway shield moulded into the soles.

 

[c.c]

? As far as I know these are the same as they issue to the Norwegic army, even has the typical Norway shield moulded into the soles.

Reason i said that I've not seen them for yrs was because the Battery i was in used to spend between 6 to 9 weeks a yr in Norway, Jan through March doing arctic warfare "plus lots of drinking" & most of us bought these boots because the army issue ones were let's say not very good!

 

[Tor helge]

Let me add that the quality of the boots have declined during the years.
You could get a pair of good boots, but very often they are crap.
One problem when I was in HV (National guard) was that the sole disintegrated during storage. I`ve not had the problem on mine, but plenty of other guys had to get new boots because of this.
I have however had new boots getting a large hole between the sole and upper whitin a weeks use (inferior leather quality).

 

[Bert]

Well, That's the sickness of this day and age we are living in!
business have to sell the max, products are to be produced costing next to nothing, so that the members of the board are payed the maximum!
that these boots fall to pieces within two weeks or so doesn't interested anybody apart of the buyer.

It seems to me that buying a good product this day and age, is quite a challenge!

When the Dutch army transferred to Meindl army boots, I got one pair of the early production, and quite recently I replaced that pair with one from recent production, I find that I can spot the difference, they seem the same, but the way the sole is attached, looks more like the cheap CHINA way of doiing.

or what about the sole separation of the Meindl desert fox? within two months of buying. as said before, the only thing important here is the maximum gain moneywise.

 

[MarttiJ]

I believe that the new ones are made by a Estonian shoe company Samelin, and the quality is pretty bad comparing the originals

 

[MarttiJ]

If you want the originals, try the alpha m77 perform.

 

[Bert]

?? I don't know, just heard bad opinions of those Alpha's???
and they don't have the Norwegian shield and date logo on the bottom, which supposed to stand for NorwegianArmy quality standard .

 

[Tor helge]

Only the armed forces ones have shield and date.
The boots sold to civilans don`t.
Made by Protex, Estonia nowadays.
Alfa still make this shoe, but also in factories abroad.

 

[Bert]

My shoes are made by Foxberg it says on the box. and they have the shield and date.

 

[Tor helge]

I believe Foxberg (in Estonia) is one of the factories making the M77 for Protex.

 

[Erbswurst]

My impression is that Rangers BM65 Argueyrolles as well as own brand Decathlon shoes and hiking boots are minimum half a size smaller than German boots if they declare the same size!

Perhaps the length is identic but not the width or whatever. I don't know that. But obviously the sizing isn't really identic in Europe. And even in one country we find several shapes of course.

The prêt-à-porter clothing sizing also isn't identic by the way, because the shapes of the usual clients differ from country to country.

 

[Bert]

I followed their recommendations: drawing around your feet, and measuring diagonally, and ended up with one size too big (I think) it is good to have room for extra socks, I tried, but lengthwise it was too long (had a thumb wide between the leather and my foot, while I shoved my feet as far forward as possible, still not touching the nose of the shoe.)

From their website, concerning the sizing:

First the standard French/EU size, then recommended foot length in millimetres. Measure by drawing the outline of your foot on a paper, then measuring the distance directly from the big toe to the centre edge of the heel.
The sizes run large. Additionally, the last is wide. These are designed to be used with double or even triple woollen socks and this is taken into account in sizing!