Jim Green Advice
Reaching out to folk who have experience with Jim Green boots - I recently bought a pair of Barefoot African Troopers from them after doing a fair bit of research on barefoot shoes that can be resoled, and barefoot boots that can be versatile. Also looked for taller boots as I live in Scotland and many hill walks don't have established paths, so the height really comes in handy. Was looking at leather specifically for longevity and the ability to apply wax for water resistance, as well as zero-drop and adequate width (not too fussy about ground feel for a boot I'd be using on wet/rock/mud trails). The thicker, nubuck-quality leather, speed hooks and resole-ability are all what I'm after!
I bought a size UK 9.5 after reaching out to them for advice on sizing, as the guidance isn't very helpful on their website. My feet measure 27.6cm in length and 10.8cm across the ball, with a ball circumference of 26.8cm (medium/high volume?) - but I don't have a wide toe splay so that's definitely the widest part of my foot. Definitely not a super toe spreader and a shoe like Realfoot's last would not be appropriate!
However, after wearing them it's clear that the width isn't nearly enough. I absolutely love everything else about these boots so I'm a bit torn and looking for advice.
The picture shows where the ball of my foot (circled) and my pinky (arrow) press against the side.
My options seem to be:
-I COULD wear these as is, and count on the leather stretching to accomodate.
-Or I could size up to a UK 10, which would give me a bit more width, but would also include more length and the sole already overhangs a fair bit on these.
-I could look at their AnatomX line up, which don't have the toe cap (which are good for kicking rocks on trails!) and only the new 719 limited run has decent height to it.
-Other brands? Nicks? Turiff? Bearfoot?
Hoping people can provide some help or guidance on what might fit for me! Otherwise ordering online is a game that can cause headaches.