Shoe/Boot Sizing Frustration Rant

My foot size has changed over the years. When I was 18 I wore a 9.5-10, now I'm 10.5 -11.

Semi - Rhetorical question. Is there a "standard sizing?

I've seen 10.5, 10.5E, 10.5R, 10.5W, 10.5EE, 10.5L, 10.5D, 10.5M,

There's even variations within manufacturers. Like a 10.5 will not fit the same from one pair to the next, at least for me.

Most stores, don't carry a selection of width variations. I get it, there'd be a lot of money tied up in inventory.

Shoes, like hi-tops are one thing, boots another, I have to get those right! My feet have gotten a bit wider like an "e" or "w", but I can't find those in what I want to wear. I have to get an 11, take out the insole, put a thicker one in and wear thicker socks. Then I have to get used to walking in a boot that's a little longer so I don't trip over everything.

Here's the strange thing, I have a pair of boots from the mid 90s that are size 10s, they fit great, but they have worn soles that are non replaceable and they hurt my feet if I walk in them too long. I got the same boot from the same company, last week in a 10.5, but it's tight on the sides with room on the top. Now I have to decide to return them or play with insoles.

Looking at the older boot, you can see that it's physically smaller but it fits great! Go figure.

Anyway 1st world problems. Thanks for reading.

I don't think there is anything standard in shoe/boot/general clothing....one 9.5 boot fits fine, another company same size is to tight. That's why I never purchase these items online....gotta try it on......

Excellent boot.. with true fit..

Boots | Men's | Red Wing

dben002 said:

I don't think there is anything standard in shoe/boot/general clothing....one 9.5 boot fits fine, another company same size is to tight. That's why I never purchase these items online....gotta try it on......

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Exactly right.
My wife found a really nice leather motorcycle jacket at a garage sale for a great price. Marked 4X - which should have been plenty big enough to fit since I have several 3X jackets that fit fine, maybe even a little loose.
She brought it home and I tried to put it on. I swear it is more like a big XL or a small 2X.
Then I noticed the tag - Made in Viet Nam.
Apparently a Vietnamese 4X isn't the same as an American 4X.

I think the variation is even worse in women’s. I have shoes and boots from size 8 1/2 to 10 1/2, some wide width some regular. And the best fitting pair of western boots are a men’s size 7 1/2. Clothing is worse yet.

Yep. They're all different. I now wear 11.5, or 12 depending on the maker. Long years back it was 10. I think our feet get a bit longer and wider as we age. I know mine have.

Gotta obey gravity. It's the Law!

There is a shoe store in Lancaster, Ohio called Walker's Shoes. They specialize in hard to fit feet. They can get you anything you need: Like two different very different sized shoes! If you can get the correct sizes for each foot, they could have shoes shipped to your door.

The family has been in that part of Ohio for several generations and had the first shoe business West of the Alleghany Mountains. I met them just under 50 years ago, they are a couple of generations further down the line now, but still dedicated to making sure you get both what you need and the styles you want.

Ivan

I miss the days of me mum taking me to Ipswich and letting me play with the shoe-fitting fluoroscope.

Ματθιας;142180345 said:

My foot size has changed over the years. When I was 18 I wore a 9.5-10, now I'm 10.5 -11.

Semi - Rhetorical question. Is there a "standard sizing?

I've seen 10.5, 10.5E, 10.5R, 10.5W, 10.5EE, 10.5L, 10.5D, 10.5M,

There's even variations within manufacturers a 10.5 will not fit the same from one pair to the next, at least for me.

Most stores, don't carry a selection of width variations. I get it, there'd be a lot of money tied up in inventory.

Shoes, like hi-tops are one thing, boots another, I have to get those right! My feet have gotten a bit wider like an "e" or "w", but I can't find those in what I want to wear. I have to get an 11, take out the insole, put a thicker one in and wear thicker socks. Then I have to get used to walking in a boot that's a little longer so I don't trip over everything.

Here's the strange thing, I have a pair of boots from the mid 90s that are size 10s, they fit great, but they have worn soles that are non replaceable and they hurt my feet if I walk in them too long. I got th same boot from the same company, last week in a 10.5, but it's tight on the sides with room on the top. Now I have to decide to return them or play with insoles.

Looking at the older boot, you can see that it's physically smaller but it fits great! Go figure.

Anyway 1st world problems. Thanks for reading.

Click to expand...

Boots? Are you talking lace up boots or western boots? Riding boots or walking boots?

Kevin

StrawHat said:

Boots? Are you talking lace up boots or western boots? Riding boots or walking boots?

Kevin

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Lace up work boots.

I won't wear pull on boots.


Edit - I do have a pair of tanker boots, they are VERY conformable, AND they have two leather straps to tighten things up.

I have had difficulties with my feet and shoes, and have learned a lot over the years

Foot sizes change with time. I am two and a half sizes larger than when I graduated high school, about 55 years ago. People believe that they know their size, and don't realize their size changes with time.

Further, different makers will have different sized shoes marked the same size. The same brand will have different sized shoes marked the same size depending on the factory/country the shoe was made in.

My feet have also grown wider with time.

Then there're inserts, and finding a size/arch support that works for you.

Finally, a good podiatrist recently explained to me that a shoe that fits you well should have a thumb's worth of empty space at the toes. Meaning, when you are standing up, someone else should be able to press on the toe of your shoes so that the width of their thumb can press down to the interior of the shoe sole without impinging on your toes.

One approach is to go to a shoe store that will measure your feet carefully, and that also has an easy return/replacement policy. Another is to buy online from companies with a no charge return option.

Earlier in life, I just assumed new shoes hurt, and accepted that. No longer.

pawngal said:

I think the variation is even worse in women’s. I have shoes and boots from size 8 1/2 to 10 1/2, some wide width some regular. And the best fitting pair of western boots are a men’s size 7 1/2. Clothing is worse yet.

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Yeah, women's clothing sizes make no sense.
Size 6? Or 8? Or 12?
6 or 8 or 12 of WHAT?
What do those numbers correspond to?

At least a lot of men's sizes are in INCHES.
Like 48" waist and 32" inseam for pants or 19" neck & 35" sleeve length for shirts.

I never understood why women's clothing sizes aren't that way. At least the numbers would mean something.

pawngal said:

I think the variation is even worse in women’s. I have shoes and boots from size 8 1/2 to 10 1/2, some wide width some regular. And the best fitting pair of western boots are a men’s size 7 1/2. Clothing is worse yet.

Click to expand...

That's the truth. Mrs. swsig is now disabled and cannot shop for herself, so our daughters buy shoes for her. The labelled sizes of shoes that end up fitting her correctly are all over the place, also ranging from 8 1/2 to 10 1/2. That is incredibly annoying.

Back when I was in grade school I had a good friend whose feet were several sizes different. His mother somehow found another kid in another state with the opposite sizes. She would buy two pairs of shoes and send the oddball pair to the other kid. His mother would do the same. They did this until one of them died. I've got to try mine one before I buy. Mail order shoes don't work for me, either too large or too small.

I like Skecher shoes....

...with the built in shoehorn. I bought a pair 9 1/2 because the 9s were too tight. Bought another color of the same model. The 9 1/2s were too big and the 9s fit, but I had to wear them to stretch them out. So, no, they aren't even consistent within the same manufacturer and model of shoe.

If the shoe fits...

Rustyt1953 said:

If the shoe fits...

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Which brings to mind the old juvenile naughty joke about the Foo Bird...

When I was younger I was a 10 1/2. I’m now a 13 and the last pair of Double H boots I probably should have gotten a 13 1/2. I’ve been ordering Double H the last few years and had good luck with them fitting.

When I was 20 years old in Basic Training I walked many a mile in size 9 combat boots and wore the same shoe size. By age 58 and after playing a lot of Racquet ball my shoe size had increased to 10-10.5. I attributed this to most all athletic shoes being made in Asian countries. I still had two pair of my old size 9 boots, one used and one new. I decided to wear them again and found that I couldn't even get them on. I believe our feet naturally get bigger as we age. I have bought shoes on line in 10.5 size that fit but all 10.5s are not the same. Better quality shoes are a bit larger in size than cheap athletic shoes.

American made shoes and boots 13, if its imported 14. If I am buying a boot its only going to be American Made. Justin just recently had elephant hide in stock, I bought two pairs. I love Lucchese, but my pocket book does not.