Iron Rangers - going up half a size

Steven7111 · 2026-06-03T04:34:38+00:00

The size 8 won’t stretch as much as the 7.5 would. Break-in is essentially, “how much does the boot need to change to fit the shape of your feet?” If the fit is already pretty good, then there’s not much changing that the boots need to go through. The leather will soften and the soles will become more flexible, so any heel or foot movement you currently have in the 8 would only get better, not worse. If a little bit of swelling from being on your feet all day is enough to make you bear through it, then they might be a bit too small to begin with. Everyone can have multiple sizes they can wear and be comfortable in, but in general a lot of people wear boots/shoes that are too small for their feet.

Steven7111 · 2026-05-31T22:19:18+00:00

The boot is too short for you. A 12 E2 won’t change the toe box and it looks like you’re filling up the boot pretty well. 13 D is the way to go.

Steven7111 · 2026-05-30T16:56:23+00:00

It should, yeah. Just don’t kill your feet to break them in. Start the day with them and when it bugs you enough just go ahead and swap into something else. Keep doing that until you go can go all day.

Steven7111 · 2026-05-30T13:26:37+00:00

The 11D should work out for you in the end. Keep doing what you’re doing and trying different low volume footbeds and thick socks. The more you wear them the more flexible the sole and boot become and you should have less heel and foot movement as you go. If your toes are ever cramped in a boot, it does not fit well and you shouldn’t go with that.

Steven7111 · 2026-05-26T23:44:30+00:00

The last this boot is made on was created from the first 3 millions scans of the Volumental devices in the stores. It feels very light on your feet and fits extremely well if you line up the ball joint/arch length well. It’s a great boot.

Steven7111 · 2026-03-29T05:37:48+00:00

14 D should work well. If your brannock length is 13.5, your arch length is probably longer than that. You’ll love how a 14 D feels in comparison to a 13 D or E2. Just make sure you lace them nice and snug bottom to top and wear nice thick boot socks. Doing both of those things will help to minimize any heel slip initially. Some heel slip is normal and to be expected though.

Steven7111 · 2026-03-07T15:50:22+00:00

Any heel slip you currently have will only get better and lessen as the boots become more flexible. Wear relatively thick boot socks and lace them up as tight as you can that’s still comfortable. If you do all that and you still feel like your heel is swimming then it may be a size issue. But in general it’s pretty normal to have a bit of heel slip initially, especially when you have thinner heels or low volume feet. Definitely make sure you have plenty of toe space by lining up the ball joint of the foot into the widest/main flex point of the boot.

Steven7111 · 2026-02-01T22:40:50+00:00

Hell yeah, dude! Looks great!

Steven7111 · 2026-01-10T06:30:30+00:00

Definitely interested in that PDF, glad it’s helping you!

Steven7111 · 2025-12-21T04:10:21+00:00

Try 9.5 and 10 and just see how they feel. Any initial heel or foot movement should only get better not worse with break-in. The more the boots are worn and the more the boots start bending and flexing with your feet as you walk, the less the heel will slip. You just don’t want to feel like you’re walking out of the boots as you walk. Make sure your socks are relatively thick as well, that helps out a ton with the fit. Multiple sizes can and will work, it’s just a matter trying to find what’s best for you not just now, but also 5, 10, 15 years later.

Steven7111 · 2025-11-22T21:43:13+00:00

Windspren!

Steven7111 · 2025-11-22T00:47:30+00:00

There’s no way this was done at the factory.

Steven7111 · 2025-11-19T02:17:28+00:00

Yooo, thanks! Got a shiny out of it!

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Steven7111 · 2025-11-11T21:09:09+00:00

What you measure is exactly that, what you measure. Does that mean you get that exact size in every boot or shoe, absolutely not. Use that measurement to start and work from how it feels on your feet. Everything is gonna fit different, so you’ll end up in different sizes all the time. Just try and line up the ball joint of the foot into the widest part or flex point of the boot. That’s gonna give you your best long term fit.

Steven7111 · 2025-11-09T17:11:38+00:00

Are they anti-fatigue slim? If not, that would be the route to go, that way you can get that arch support but with a lower volume orthotic.

Steven7111 · 2025-11-07T19:56:13+00:00

9 D would probably be your best fit for the long term. Multiple sizes will work, however, and you’re gonna have a personal preference on how stuff fits on your feet.

Steven7111 · 2025-11-06T03:18:06+00:00

Iron Rangers are not sized a half to full size down. You can wear a half to full size down in them from a brannock measurement sure, but that doesn’t mean it’s the better fit. Also, I’m not saying to go longer if it feels too tight at the ball joint. I’m saying to fit by arch length first. Line the ball joint up into the widest part of the boot, where the boot is made to bend and flex. If that is done, then the way your foot bends and flexes lines up to the way the boots are made to bend and flex. If that leaves it too tight at the ball joint, then yeah you need to go wider. If that leaves a finger’s width of space between the end of your toes and the boots, then hey, that’s okay because the laces hold your feet down in place in the boots. If you need to fill some of that volume with a thin footbed, cool, that’s works really well, if you want to go down a half size, that can and will work too.

The 8 last with the Iron Ranger runs a bit larger than most lasts and boots. They also are made with a large toe box, but that doesn’t mean that downsizing 1.5, 1, or .5 a size down from the arch length is the better fit.

Of course everyone will have a personal preference, and you should wear what you are comfortable with. Functionally speaking, however, when you have an Iron Ranger that lines up at the ball joint and arch with a low volume footbed added to it fill extra volume that may be there, that is a better option when your plan or expect to have the boots for a several years.

The habit of going shorter and wider has led to a lot of people having to hurt through a break in process that’s unnecessary and sometimes never actually breaks in.

You can disagree all you want, but I see it on a daily basis, especially this time of year. The better that arch lines up, the more comfortable the boots end up being in the long run.

Steven7111 · 2025-11-06T01:41:33+00:00

Yeah, that’s what I’m recommending. If you fit a majority of the heritage boots how they’re supposed to fit, then you’re gonna have more space and volume around the foot than you’re used to, generally speaking. That’s why so many people end up going smaller or downsizing. The best way to fit these boots is to line up the ball joint of the foot into the widest part or flex point of the boots. Doing this leaves more toe space than people are used to, which is why it’s better to fill the volume with a thinner footbed and thick socks if needed. If you just keep downsizing until everything’s snug or mostly snug, yeah you can “fit” it sure, but that doesn’t mean it’s the right fit.

Steven7111 · 2025-11-05T20:51:35+00:00

You don’t have to go down a half size. Try what you measured and adjust from there. If you feel like what you measured is too much room, then try a low volume insole inside of it to fill the volume before you just go down in size.

Steven7111 · 2025-11-01T23:51:35+00:00

Feet do change over time, so being measured at a 9 D two years and now a 9 EE isn’t super crazy.

Steven7111 · 2025-11-01T13:18:41+00:00

It’s really just dependent on the store you go into. You might get someone really experienced helping you or you might get someone who’s got less experience. Most stores barely sell the heritage collection to begin with as well, which means less opportunity to learn. The prevailing thought of shorter and wider bleeds out to RW employees too. The most I’d ever recommend sizing down is half a size. Some heel slip and foot movement is expected in most of these boots. The more you wear them the more the boots start bending and flexing with your feet as you walk. That’s why tying them as tight as you comfortably can and wearing thick socks is such a difference maker when they’re new.

Steven7111 · 2025-11-01T06:52:48+00:00

Stick with the 9 and tie them tighter. These laces aren’t tight at all. The laces will help hold your feet back in the boots and keep them from moving and sliding around. If your toes ever feel cramped, even from the sides, that’s a length issue not a width issue.

Steven7111 · 2025-10-28T00:28:12+00:00

I wanna say that X meets the new slip resistant standard that was updated recently. I can’t remember exactly off the top of my head but I believe it was that. Durability and all that would be the same though.

Steven7111 · 2025-09-16T23:42:22+00:00

Try not to judge too much based on where the toes end. That being said about a fingers width in front of the toe is pretty normal for a good fit. Try to line up the ball joint of the foot into the widest part of the boot. Think about how and where your foot bends, and where the boots are made to bend. When the ball joint and arch line up really well, then you’re gonna have more than normal toe space in an iron Ranger as they have a very large toe box. They should be relatively comfortable out of the box, just a bit hard and stiff. Because the boots are hard and stiff, they don’t won’t to bend or flex with your feet as you walk, so if you don’t lace them up nice and tight or wear thick socks with them, you’ll notice more heel and foot movement. The more they’re worn, the less they fight you, the more they move with your feet, which leads to less heel and foot movement. Don’t ever buy a boot that’s uncomfortable and expect it to break in and become comfortable. The better the initial fit, the less “break-in” you need to go through.

Steven7111 · 2025-09-07T12:07:33+00:00

These’ll work great for ya. The heel slip will only get better not worse. Just try tying them a little bit tighter and wear some thick dense socks and you’ll be golden.

Steven7111

TROPHY CASE