Bought these for my wife. 5 1/2 is what she wears in shoes and boots.  One boot fit well, the other was way too tight.  I bought the same boot at a shop during Americade and it was the same story.  One boot fit well and the other did not. Tried on a different pair and got the same thing on different feet. So I got the right boot from one set and the left boot from another set and now I love them.  What's up with that Bates??