The case of the shrinking boots...

...or perhaps swelling feet.
My 15 year old heavy duty Garmont backpacking boots that I have loved and sworn by are suddenly mistreating me. I have worn them without so much as a hot-spot for years on day hikes and week long trips through the Rockies. Started training on some steep stairs here in Seattle about a month ago. Last Saturday I climbed Mailbox Peak, carrying 30 pounds, and beat the living hell out of my toes coming down: jammed, bruising, blisters, the whole deal. A week later I can't even get my feet comfortably back into the toe box. I have another set of Garmont boot, exact same size, and I can slide into them just fine.

Assuming some of it's my feet, but anyone have any ideas about the boots? I don't recall getting them real wet or exposing them to extreme sun or heat. Maybe I need to get them softened up with some wax or oil or something so they'll loosen back up? Thoughts?

I am betting that your feet grew. As you get older your ligaments and tendons stretch and your fleet flatten out and grow longer. Are the other garmont boots the exact same model? Different model boots from the same maker can have different lasts for the same size.

have you gained any weight since you bought them? since i've started climbing i lost about 45 pounds or so, and my feet got smaller in volume to compensate, might have something to do with it

They will not "stretch out". Chances are they are just to small. Sometimes boots do shrink over time but its also likely your feet are just flattening and growing longer. If you dont already use superfeet or another similar insole you could try that to keep your feet from elongating. good luck.

Same shit happend to me a coupla years ago. Had a pair of makalu's, didn't wear them for a few months. Wore them on a day hike and damn near had to crawl back to the car.It's a shame too, i had them for 8-9 years. Had to buy ANOTHER pair of Nepal extremes for the same damn reason.