Since I learned about ovens, I never thought I'd use one to bake shoes instead of food! I got a used oven cheaply and it's been great for its intended purpose.
I own two pairs of Bont Vaypor+.
Before that, I tried Shimano S-Phyre, Specialized Torch, Northwave Lake, and Pearl Izumi. I have more experience with cycling shoe brands than athletic shoes.
There was something missing when I used those shoes, so I tried Bont and was very satisfied. I now own two pairs.
The stack height is low and the last of the shoe is deep like a bathtub, which creates a great sense of unity.
Wearing them, you can really feel the power transfer.
My forefoot is quite wide, and while Shimano's S-Phyre is close to being the best in terms of stack height and power transfer, the switch from the R300 series to the Escapade changed the last shape to be closer to an Interfit. This caused some discomfort even when I wore a wide size. The Specialized Torch was pretty good, but the fit still wasn't perfect.
Pearl Izumi and Lake offer wide models with separate molds for the last, so the fit is decent. However, I found the heel cup on the Lakes to be flimsy, and the stack height on the Pearl Izumis was a bit high.
The most notable feature of Bont shoes is their heat moldability. I had two pairs in the same size: one that wasn't heat molded and one that was molded into a different shape than my foot. Both were disappointing.
There are rumors that if you wear them for a long time, they will mold to your feet even without heat molding. However, after wearing them for about a year, I found this to be untrue. It seems like your feet adapt to the shoes rather than the other way around.
Bont recommends removing the cleats and insoles, preheating the oven to 70 degrees Celsius, baking the shoes at the same temperature for 15 minutes, then putting on socks, inserting the insoles, and tightening the Boa dials slightly more than usual. They advise sitting in a chair with your weight slightly forward on your toes and leaving them to cool.
However, I found that 70 degrees Celsius wasn't enough to heat the shoes properly. So, I set the oven to 80 degrees Celsius and baked them for 15 minutes. This softened the upper and even the carbon heel cup was pliable enough to bend slightly.
The unmolded shoe fit comfortably after one session. The previously molded shoe required three cycles of heating, setting, and cooling to become significantly more comfortable.
Heat molding isn't just about making the shoe hug your foot tightly. It improves comfort by addressing hotspots and creating a natural, enveloping fit.
My foot measurements suggest I should wear a 44.5 wide according to Bont's sizing chart. However, my forefoot is about 3 millimeters wider than the chart indicates. This difference was easily corrected through heat molding.
I have repeated this process several times and found it to be straightforward and effective in improving fit. Therefore, I highly recommend heat molding.
However, be cautious when molding. Direct heat from a radiant oven or heater can damage the shoes. It's safer to use an oven with a convection setting. Use an oven thermometer to verify the temperature, or if you don't have one, start at a lower temperature and gradually increase it until you find the optimal point.
