How much space are you leaving your feet/toes in your shoes?

[MyUserName]

I recently had the realization that I might have been purchasing the wrong shoe size for years. I should have gone with half a size bigger.

Anyone else cramming your feet into shoes that are too small? Or knowingly putting up with ones that are too big?

[Texas_Tone]

Here before @skateboarder4life starts talking about barefoot shoes

[Plungerman]

go pop into a footlocker or some shoe store and measure your feet with a brannock device. not some bs digital scanner. the lil metal foot measure thing. only way to know your shoe size for sure. good to note your actual foot width too. struggled for years w this and finally measured my shit and now can put my size crisis to rest. been wearing my true to size ever since and it is the best

[The Huffer]

I wore shoes a little too small for me for years. Not sure why but I thought it would impact my skateboarding to have too big of a shoe or shoe overhang...  They usually broke in nicely but at times with certain brands it took too long and with age my feet also spread out a little... All to say I broke my big toe twice and one or two other toes over a few years period... and also developed bit of a bunion....

I cannot be 100% about shoe size causing those injuries but  I am pretty sure it was the cause...

So now, I err on the side of going a little too big of a shoe... and it hasn't impacted how I skate at all...

Side note, I once had a toe x-rayed and they found a break ontop of another break... broken toes aren't a huge deal but you don't want to do it too often...

[swongolianbbq]

I used to skate 9s

My foot measures like 26.3cm but they're like 120mm wide

For some odd reason for a couple years recently I was mashing my feet into 8.5s, swapping in superfeet insoles, thinking if I was mad locked in, that would be tight(lol)

Now I'm back to just buying 9s and sometimes a 9.5 works if it's a thicker cupsole

It's kinda like climbing shoes

For bouldering and for shit my toes are at the end or as close as possible in a thin, downturned, flexible sole

But if I'm using like, a trad shoe like TC Pros, since the sole is so thick and stiff I can size up a lil bit no problem

So I guess I can get away with a bit more room in stiffer, narrower cupsoles

But if there's too much room in a vulcanized shoe, it gets floppy and sloppy

For skate shoes, I got about a centimeter of space between my big toe and the end of the shoe. Probably a little less than that actually

My feet are wide so I gotta size up

If my shit wasn't so wide I could wear 8s if I wanted a real snug fit, but 8.5 would be more chill.

[hiljentaa]

I wear size 9.5 shoes for skating and 10.5 for hiking/work.

I am a big long distance hiker, and having space for your feet to expand after all-day efforts is essential.

I could probably smash my foot into a size 9 if necessary, but 9.5 is the reasonably smallest I can get by with.

[Chalupa]

I’ve experimented but I’m a 9.5 in everything except for running shoes, which I’m a 10.0, and a 9.0 in CTAS. With 9.5, I have a thumb’s width or slightly more than that of space between my big toe and the end of the shoe. Barefoot shoes are a different story.

I’ve sized down in LRABs based on other posters’ advice and when shoes have minimal padding, but it was always too narrow for me, despite being the perfect length. I rather have a little bit of extra length than hope that shoes eventually expand in width over time. Sizing down doesn’t work for me and sizing up on narrow shoes gives me heel slip.

It’s better to find what shoe brands and models work for you and stick with it. LRAB and IPATH fit me perfectly in 9.5 for every model I’ve tried, so those are the brands I’m sticking with.

[DarkPools]

I've shifted from 11 up to 13 depending on the shoe models/brand in the last 6 years. Granted, I probably *should* have been a 12 in a majority of those shoes I skated/wore back then. My understanding of "ideal fit" back then was more snug than it is now. What I *thought* was my size was unwittingly doing my feet a disservice since they were not my ideal size :/

Some brands/shoes *do* run small due to their chosen lasts/rubber toe cap uppers, for example. Meanwhile, others run large for those same reasons. Which has led many of us astray and confused in our pursuit of the optimal skate shoes.

Now, I'm confidently a 12 or a 13 and I look for at least 1/4 inch of room for my toes to spread & wiggle. I also look for a sole where my foot doesn't spill over the sole egregiously. That's a definite sign the shoe doesn't fit as well as it could.

[swongolianbbq]

I wear size 9.5 shoes for skating and 10.5 for hiking/work.

I am a big long distance hiker, and having space for your feet to expand after all-day efforts is essential.

I could probably smash my foot into a size 9 if necessary, but 9.5 is the reasonably smallest I can get by with.

Currently backpacking in 9.5 altra timp 2s, which fit like a 10(tagged sz 43 instead of 42.5 like most 9.5s)

Skate shoes are 9s

Yerrrp

[Roisto]

My feet are 26.7 cm, so like 8.75ish. However they are somewhat wide on the toes with the big, index and middle toes being almost equally long.

I can’t use 8.5s, 9s or even 9.5s comfortably without my toes banging on the end. I use mostly size 10 for skating and size 10.5 for casual wear. Seems crazy to have 1.3cm “extra” in my skate shoes and 1.8cm in my casual shoes but anything else is a terrible time with crushed toes in the long term.

I had a whole shoe size crisis two years ago due to finding out I’ve been snowboarding in boots too big. Tried sizing down in skate shoes as well but that ended up not working out more than half a size to size 10 instead of 10.5. I can deal with mild crushing of my toes when I’m skating as I’m gonna change shoes anyway once I’m done instead of just hanging out in my skate shoes.

[WashingtonNECKTIE]

I got thin skinny feet in a size 9, pretty universally. Sometimes Cons need to be 8.5. Wider shoes i just tighten the laces in the middle.

My toes are pretty bumped up to the end, but definitely not forced or squished.

I always had this idea that a shoe longer than your foot could give you extra flick cause of the extended toe. but naturally that fucks up the rest of the fit of the shoe, and is probably complete nonsense any way

[gringo_viejo]

I appreciate when a shoe company posts a size chart that includes the insole length in addition to the size.

12-15 mm of toe space all the way across would be ideal for me… but like a lot of others, I end up sizing up. That means 22mm or more at the big toe, with my 4th and 5th toes still squished and curled under.

I’ll spare you the photos of my messed up feet.

(Putting the insole width on the chart would be nice too…a fella can dream.)

[Mbrimson88]

I've shifted from 11 up to 13 depending on the shoe models/brand in the last 6 years. Granted, I probably *should* have been a 12 in a majority of those shoes I skated/wore back then. My understanding of "ideal fit" back then was more snug than it is now. What I *thought* was my size was unwittingly doing my feet a disservice since they were not my ideal size :/

Some brands/shoes *do* run small due to their chosen lasts/rubber toe cap uppers, for example. Meanwhile, others run large for those same reasons. Which has led many of us astray and confused in our pursuit of the optimal skate shoes.

Now, I'm confidently a 12 or a 13 and I look for at least 1/4 inch of room for my toes to spread & wiggle. I also look for a sole where my foot doesn't spill over the sole egregiously. That's a definite sign the shoe doesn't fit as well as it could.

Sounds very similar to me.

Wore 11 for a long time, would use shoe stretchers on them, for length and then increasingly to push out the big toe side as well because these shoes I had were too small and gradually gave me ingrown big toe nail issues that I ended up being unable to ignore.

Had 12s for chillers for quite a while too, but at some point, just gave up on size 11 (maybe around 2016) and I think I am way better for it, even though the size 12 shoes I have are usually a little too big in the end for flip tricks.

Even got a couple of pairs of 13 for chillers recently too, but I can live in size 12 comfortably enough, some more than others.


I am sure some shoes did just fit differently back in the day, but I also had a few old pairs I had tried on, which were way too small now.

I just wear Vans now, but I recall some other brands were always a bigger / smaller fit for the similar numbered size.

[DarkPools]

Expand Quote

I've shifted from 11 up to 13 depending on the shoe models/brand in the last 6 years. Granted, I probably *should* have been a 12 in a majority of those shoes I skated/wore back then. My understanding of "ideal fit" back then was more snug than it is now. What I *thought* was my size was unwittingly doing my feet a disservice since they were not my ideal size :/

Some brands/shoes *do* run small due to their chosen lasts/rubber toe cap uppers, for example. Meanwhile, others run large for those same reasons. Which has led many of us astray and confused in our pursuit of the optimal skate shoes.

Now, I'm confidently a 12 or a 13 and I look for at least 1/4 inch of room for my toes to spread & wiggle. I also look for a sole where my foot doesn't spill over the sole egregiously. That's a definite sign the shoe doesn't fit as well as it could.

[close]

Sounds very similar to me.

Wore 11 for a long time, would use shoe stretchers on them, for length and then increasingly to push out the big toe side as well because these shoes I had were too small and gradually gave me ingrown big toe nail issues that I ended up being unable to ignore.

Had 12s for chillers for quite a while too, but at some point, just gave up on size 11 (maybe around 2016) and I think I am way better for it, even though the size 12 shoes I have are usually a little too big in the end for flip tricks.

Even got a couple of pairs of 13 for chillers recently too, but I can live in size 12 comfortably enough, some more than others.


I am sure some shoes did just fit differently back in the day, but I also had a few old pairs I had tried on, which were way too small now.

I just wear Vans now, but I recall some other brands were always a bigger / smaller fit for the similar numbered size.

Makes sense! In the last few years I've definitely paid attention to your comments & tips about sizing, among other posters on XYZ shoes and making them work. Rad!


I never did the shoe stretcher trick, I just wore my shoes in and believed they were supposed to be that snug until they were broken in. Now, I know that's not how it should be and they should fit comfortably from the jump. I can always tie my shoes tighter or put a thicker insole in to improve snugness as the shoes stretch. Can't do the same if the shoe is too small from the beginning.

Es, emerica, etnies are the three brands I wear & skate the most currently. Some Dunks & Japan Pros a little bit now, but that's mostly it. It's wild! 7-10 years ago I was skating in 10.5 One Star Pros/Chuck Taylor Pros/NB 213's. Then 11s for my various Vans Pro vulcs/wafflecups & Blazer Mids. Anything else I dabbled wearing or skating (State, Fallen, Adidas, NB#, etc) were usually an 11 or an 11.5.

 I'm 20-ish pounds heavier now so that likely also affected how my feet fit in shoes as the years passed. Now it's quite clear that 12 is my ideal size for most shoes and 13 for the narrower last ones. I don't wanna fuck up my feet any more than I may already have unintentionally.

Let it be known: having slightly more room in your shoe is definitely better long term for foot health, Pals!!!

[swongolianbbq]

Anybody remember that Templeton interview where he talks about stuffing a bunch of cotton balls in the end of his shoes, cause he was jumping down shit and his feet kept getting bashed against the end of the shoe

Reminds me of how a ski boot is fit to be as small as possible, and if you're getting toe bang, your boots are prolly too big

I always wonder about people that hike downhill in running shoes so loose they can slip em on and off

Or ppl skating in shoes too big/loosely laced and jumping down stairs and their shoes fly off and shit

I got a thing called "Christmas Toe" once

Hiking a long downhill, toes banging into the end of the shoe

I couldn't feel my big toe at all for months, it was like it didn't exist

They call it Christmas Toe cause it'll happen in like, July and you won't be able to feel your toe again until Christmas

It was freaky

After that I started lacing my trail shoes tighter at the top and using the runner's lace lock holes and shit

[Mbrimson88]

Makes sense! In the last few years I've definitely paid attention to your comments & tips about sizing, among other posters on XYZ shoes and making them work. Rad!


I never did the shoe stretcher trick, I just wore my shoes in and believed they were supposed to be that snug until they were broken in. Now, I know that's not how it should be and they should fit comfortably from the jump. I can always tie my shoes tighter or put a thicker insole in to improve snugness as the shoes stretch. Can't do the same if the shoe is too small from the beginning.

Es, emerica, etnies are the three brands I wear & skate the most currently. Some Dunks & Japan Pros a little bit now, but that's mostly it. It's wild! 7-10 years ago I was skating in 10.5 One Star Pros/Chuck Taylor Pros/NB 213's. Then 11s for my various Vans Pro vulcs/wafflecups & Blazer Mids. Anything else I dabbled wearing or skating (State, Fallen, Adidas, NB#, etc) were usually an 11 or an 11.5.

 I'm 20-ish pounds heavier now so that likely also affected how my feet fit in shoes as the years passed. Now it's quite clear that 12 is my ideal size for most shoes and 13 for the narrower last ones. I don't wanna fuck up my feet any more than I may already have unintentionally.

Let it be known: having slightly more room in your shoe is definitely better long term for foot health, Pals!!!

Feet do get bigger, wider and or longer as people age too, some more than others.

I think going from earlier years (teen years through 20s) it seemed like all size 11s were really good and no issues, then when older (30 to 40s) things started to have a tighter than comfortable feeling, so I guess like my eyes going for reading in my 40s, my feet got bigger then too.

People would often say for skate shoes, get the size down or the just right size, as they would stretch and most shoes did, along with needing tighter shoes for flip tricks, as those older vulc shoes got really floppy in the ends after a bit, so from that I guess it could go either way really - sometimes if a shoe is too tight it is going to cancel out all the benefits of the snug shoe feel.

I also skated a lot of Es, Etnies and some others in the "in between" eras mid 90s, as they were more accessible and skated really well, Accels in particular, which always worked really well.  I do recall early 2000s I got a pair of solid leather Vans Fairlane shoes, cupsole type and wore them on a skate trip we went on.  They never stretched out and were so tight they ended up pushing off both big toe nails, which grew back fine after a while, but I think that might have been the first time a size 11 shoe was just completely too tight, whereas the vulc shoes like Old Skools in 11 were still good back then.


On the topic of getting bigger shoes to fit better, yes adding a thin "extra" flat insole did help, usually the simple department store versions, or changing out insoles for a thicker version of something else, along with more often than not reusing some old tongues I would rip out of old shoes, but having very flat feet, I think this is maybe more a me thing than a regular foot type of thing.  At least this gave me just a little more insulation on both the top and the bottom, which did help.


@swongolianbbq

I always do my shoes up nice and tight for anything, really only having a couple of pairs as "slip ons" for doing quick things round the house, but I notice if my toe keeps hitting the front inside of the shoes, I am going to end up with more issues with my big toe nails.