January 5th, 2012 8:54am - Posted By: Kara
I am always amused at how many customers (mostly men) are surprised to find out that we measure feet in our store as a matter of habit. They are often even more surprised to find that their foot size has changed in the years since last measured. Some are shocked to find that one foot is larger than the other or that their narrow foot has morphed into a wide.
There is also confusion when their size in one shoe style is different than another. Shoes, like clothing, vary in size. You may wear a 38 in a Dansko sandal, but a 39 in a Dansko clog. And you may wear an 8 ½ in a Merrell Jungle Moc but a 9 in a Keen hiking boot.
Measuring and proper sizing are critical to healthy f
eet. Here is an example. I have found that, without proper measurement, people with wide feet tend to always choose a size bigger than they need. Recently a man whose foot we measured at 8 ½ wide told me he had been buying size 10 for years. He thought he had to go bigger to accommodate his wide feet and have room for his toes. But his feet still hurt and he could not figure out why. Well his feet hurt because he was wearing a 10 medium instead of an 8 ½ wide. The arch of the shoe was totally misaligned with the arch of his foot! We fitted him with an 8 ½ extra wide pair of New Balance shoes and the fit was perfect! They hit his arches in the right spot and he had just enough room for his toes. For the first time in years, his feet felt great.
An important factor to remember is that one cannot get hung up on the size of shoe as measured by a number. The difference between each half size is 1/6 inch longer and 1/8 inch wider. So when trying on a shoe and walking around the store make sure that the arch feels like it is in the correct support area and make sure your toes aren’t hitting the very end of the shoe. This is especially important for our terrain. Most stores have a small ramp that you can walk down to make sure that the toes aren’t hitting.
Sometimes the shoe will meet a person’s needs but they may still need some extra support. We offer a wide selection of premade and custom orthotics that can enhance the footwear. We also have an assortment of pads to customize shoes for the individual “personality” of your feet.
After shopping at big boxes for years, many of us have forgotten what good customer service is all about. But the next time you are in The Good Sole or any full service shoe store, ask to have your feet measured. You might be surprised to find out your true size!
