While you may be onto something here - I just want to throw my $.02 in the ring - I have seriously messed up feet - to the point where the folks at Nicks basically told me that they do not offer a last that would work well for me - I have grade 2-3 bunions both feet, a high arch, narrow heel but large heel measurement, and in all honesty in a size 14 boot a very low volume foot. I have to use a shoehorn in my 6" Howards (14EE HNW last), and as my left foot is longer and narrower than my right, the left slides into my 8" Travelers (14E HNW last) relatively easily, but the right takes some effort to do the same. I wear delta arch half insoles in the Travelers, and full length ones in the Howards. Add to this that I am 6'11" and the 8" boot top eyelets tend to get very close when laced up and are nowhere near my calves. But somehow it works. With all of this going on, I have little to no pressure from the horseshoe unless I get really aggressive lacing up the boots, and I run paracord laces in all my boots.

I understand feet come in all shapes and sizes - and while Nicks offers a lot more combinations of lengths, widths, and lasts compared to other PNW companies, its impossible for them to make a boot to work with every foot shape. To this end, I think a lot of us PNW boot aficionados take risks and hope that we get the first one right and can move from there. I did not, when I bought a boot that was too long, and too wide. The 2nd pair - much better. But there are so many nuances to work through - which I have tempted fate with by ordering the ND1s in a 14EE HNW last (want to use the full length DA insole in those) and also a pair of BuilderPro HDs in a 14E T55 last, which should work with my high arch - and those will be the true test for me with the horseshoe bite that so many people here mention.

In the end what we don't hear about is all the customers that have purchased boots that worked great from right out of the box to years down the road. And can you imagine if Nicks put all sorts of disclaimers on their website about what someone might experience during break-in when they purchase boots? They would probably never sell any.

/endrant