when shopping for boots or anything saftey related for that reason, I usually toss money aside and go for fit & quaility, yes it costs a lot more for the good stuff but all it takes is one good smack, and when you get up off the ground, take a look at what just happened and smile because you just walked away with the wind knocked out of you and a bruised ego, you WILL smile and thank yourself for buying the best. new boots feel like $h*t, but after there broken in there your best friend. next time your planing to go out, toss your boots in the bathtub for about 20 min to 1/2 hour and ride them dry, they will break in way faster. a friend told me this once and I told him that I not tossing my new $320.00 boots in the damn tub! but after about 8 rides we went for a thunder shower ride, and after that the boots fit like a custom set. since then all my boot come out of the box and go for a swim prior to there first ride. I hope you can get your boots to fit because I've crashed in hikers before and it really sucks. sorry so long, but you'll remeber this someday when lighting reflex's just wern't enough. try the water thing. :)