Skate shoes sizing : in doubt, a little bit big or a little bit small???

[Trilogy]

Sometimes shoes don't fit perfectly when you buy them, and sometimes one size is a bit small and the next one is a bit big, so in doubt, what do you choose???

[roba]

if it's a vulc shoe then i'd go with the smaller one

[Mean salto]

I wear 13s but for years getting 13s was a pain in the ass. Usually only choices were either some wacky dunk or plain black vans authentics so I'd wear 12s or 11s. Anyway now my toes are all crooked and I wish I hadnt. Look after your feet.

[krookedjuice]

I'm in between sizes in most brands for a long time i went smaller. horrible decision looking back.

[Bupstop]

I go smaller because at least for me skating will stretch the shoes out a bit. I normally wear 9.5 but I always buy 9 in shoes I’m going to skate in.

[Solex]

I actually wear 12.5 (47EUR) but I recently discovered I feel way better in an adjusted fit where both ends of my feet slightly touch both ends of my shoes, so I now stick to 12 (46EUR), daily or skate shoes.

[pizzafliptofakie]

If my shoes are even a half size too long I feel like I'm skating in clown shoes.

[Mantracker]

I prefer to wear some extra socks if need be, rather than shave off the tips of the toes

[Goblinoid]

Been having huge issues with this - extremely wide feet and my right foot is a full size larger than my left.

I always wanna go snug but over time it's actually caused bad lingering pain in my cramped right foot. But, if i size for the right foot, my left feels like a clown shoe and any kickflip foot placement feels fucked.

Recently I bought 2 pairs of fastbreaks, 10 and 10.5. Accidentally mixed the sizes (10.5 on right foot, 10 on left) and now I'm stuck with an extra pair of shoes with the wrong matching sizes haha

[Gray Imp Sausage Metal]

Been having huge issues with this - extremely wide feet and my right foot is a full size larger than my left.

I always wanna go snug but over time it's actually caused bad lingering pain in my cramped right foot. But, if i size for the right foot, my left feels like a clown shoe and any kickflip foot placement feels fucked.

kinda in the same boat, back in the day I could do tight shoes and now it makes even 1/4 size bigger feel baggy but my right foot needs the extra room… I honestly wish there were such thing as 1/4 or 1/3 sizes, that’s kinda why I like LRAB sizing, feels like it’s a tad bigger than tts

[Wizard0f0dds]

I won't settle for either personally. I've had enough shoes that I know when a shoe fits or not, and it needs to fit right. That's the reason I didn't buy any LRAB even though I think they are sick, one size is too big and the other is too small. 

[Ok]

Used to go too tight.
Unsolicited advice from an old person: wear the shoes slightly larger. You will thank yourself for doing this, later. Your skating will adjust to the larger shoe, I promise.
Wearing a thicker sock (doesn’t mean warmer, just thicker), or those super weird toe sock gloves, helped me get used to the slightly larger shoe sizing.
Going to get my feet measured for shoes at a proper running shoe store also really helped. Running shoes are obviously different than skate shoes, generally less arch/support in skate shoes, comparatively.
**edit/add: with running shoes I have been consistently fit with no less than +.5 size and up to +1.5. I’m not trying to flick anything when I jog, so I get that it’s not some 1:1 comparison, but the takeaway, for me, was to not fear sizing up. I think one of the reasons I hated skating gaps/drops before (now too old) was wearing shoes a whole size to small made everything much more painful than it needed to be.

[ish_wav]

I skated Janoskis exclusively for years and years. I wear a 10.5 but I would buy them in 10s “because when they break in they fit perfect” but looking back I really regret it. I’ve been just buying all my shoes in 10.5s now and my feet are much happier.

[Xen]

I won't settle for either personally. I've had enough shoes that I know when a shoe fits or not, and it needs to fit right. That's the reason I didn't buy any LRAB even though I think they are sick, one size is too big and the other is too small. 

[Skatebeard]

Sometimes shoes don't fit perfectly when you buy them, and sometimes one size is a bit small and the next one is a bit big, so in doubt, what do you choose???

Sizing up is preferable so you don't hammer your toes. As a teen and in my early 20s I'd often wear and skate in 11s rather than my actual size of 10.5, just because 11s were more easily available... had a bit more room than i needed but never mashed my toes up.

That said it depends how the brand sizing is and whether they are TTS... I skate Adidas these days and i could deffo size up to 11 if I had to as the 10.5s run a little snug out of the box.

[Frontside Slappy]

Always prefer a shoe be a little bigger than too tight, the less I hammer my toes or risk getting an ingrown toenail the better.

[phlap]

I used to size up back when I could double flip. Mobbed all my kickflips 'til I wised up and got my actual size.

[GT]

Most brands in Australia don't do half sizes. I am usually 10.5 and forced to stretch out 10s.

I always have the same question to people how a shoe should fit?
How much room should be left infront for toes?

I see some wear even a size bigger and call it their size.

Saying that tight shoe actually now makes me skate better (not that that's hard I'm shitty anyway)

[Skatebeard]

Most brands in Australia don't do half sizes. I am usually 10.5 and forced to stretch out 10s.

I always have the same question to people how a shoe should fit?
How much room should be left infront for toes?

I see some wear even a size bigger and call it their size.

Saying that tight shoe actually now makes me skate better (not that that's hard I'm shitty anyway)

About a thumbs-width is the general rule AFAIK.

[botefdunn]

when in doubt, don't buy'em, take the time to get the right ones.

skateboarding barely requires any gear, get shoes that fit.

[freidnly guy]

I'm in between sizes in most brands for a long time i went smaller. horrible decision looking back.

I regret going REALLY small at times because "they'll stretch" and better fit = more control and precision, which I picked up from cramming into hockey skates and ski boots as a kid.

Now I wear normal size shoes. if I have to pick with slightly loose when they are new, because I think as the material breaks in and the heel packs in your foot slides forward in the shoe. Ends with toes bashing the front in shoes that felt just "snug" in the store. Also some give in the fit helps the board stick to your feet and flicks better.

[DarkPools]

ALWAYS go as close to true or leave a little room. You never want your shoe cramming your feet and giving you crunched ass toes, bunions (I have one [hereditary]) even if you claim it makes you skate better. It's not worth it in the long run.

[Hyliannightmare]

Slightly smaller

[eSK3]

I’d rather have a bit extra room and just tighten the laces a bit than my feet cramped. I feel more injury prone if I’m not comfortable if that makes sense.

[Allen.]

Smaller.

[IusedToSkateMore]

Y'all are like some Japanese foot binders up in here. Crushing your feet is horrible for your whole body, no way around it. 1/2 size up is where its at. I control my gait at that point. Toes need to be spread apart to function properly and maintain anatomical neutrality and provide support

[Solex]

Y'all are like some Japanese foot binders up in here. Crushing your feet is horrible for your whole body, no way around it. 1/2 size up is where its at. I control my gait at that point. Toes need to be spread apart to function properly and maintain anatomical neutrality and provide support

I assume having an adjusted shoe or a squizzed foot is not the same thing.

[OldCandy]

always a bit bigger

used to do lil bit smaller thing with vans and my knees and shit started hurting (im 18...) a little bit bigger never hurts but it slides a bit when you push + add a thin insole/thicker socks and your good to go (anything with a puffy tongue always makes for a great fit imo)

[Frank and Fred]

Used to go a little too small in the hope that they would stretch but no way these days. I have broken a few toes and a part of me thinks squeezing my toes into too small shoes might have made them more vulnerable...

[SaySo]

A little big.

I try to get shoes that have a bit of wiggle room for my toes, but not excessive. About 1 cm or so, max.

...But shoe brand sizes are all over the map...

In Adidas cupsoles I'm an 8/26.0, but in Adidas vulcs I'm a 7.5/25.5.

Old Vans pro model vulcs I was a 7.5, but the new pro skate vulcs I'm an 8.

Cons are jacked, I'm like a size 7.

NB depends on model.

Other industries have standards for sizing, why does the apparel industry have to be all screwed up (and the skate industry as well...)