Dear Customer,
I’ve been fitting shoes to “problem” feet for more than 20 years, and in
that time I’ve seen a remarkable variety of feet, but more interesting than
the differences are the similarities. As wide shoes specialists, there are
certain things we look for in shoes – certain features, certain
characteristics – that make our job a little easier. These same rules of
thumb should help as you attempt to shop for a fit-based product without
actually trying it on.
There are several basic things you already know: size (meaning length) and
width (meaning across the ball of the foot), but don’t forget depth or girth
– meaning from bottom to top. The depth of a shoe is often the difference
between a decent fit and a great fit.
Certain shoes on our website are distinguished as “depth” meaning that they
have been designed to provide more depth than is usually provided. These
models often have multiple liners built in that allow you to adjust the
depth even further.
Another characteristic to look for is the difference between the two types
of lace shoes – bal and blucher. “Bals” are stitched across the bottom of
the instep (top of the foot) and the two sides are held very close together;
however, “bluchers” are designed with a “butterfly” style opening and allow
the shoe to open both wider and deeper.
Once upon a time, there was a standard U.S. “last” and a person shopping for
shoes could be measured for both length and width with confidence.
Unfortunately, this time has passed. Today, every shoe manufacturer in the
world uses their own last and, in most cases, they use several different
lasts. Because of this and a few other factors, it is my professional
opinion that size measuring devices work only moderately well in determining
length and not at all in determining width. Knowing the differences between
certain lasts can be vital in fitting shoes. For example, New Balance uses
two basic lasts when designing shoes; these are most commonly referred to as
the SL-1 last and the SL-2 last, and can be found printed on the insole of
every pair of New Balance shoes. The difference is that the SL-2 is deeper
in the instep, broader in the toes, and fuller in the arch. Whenever a style
is made on a specific last that affects the fit, we have distinguished it as
such on our website.
Similarly, there is no longer any “standard” width designation that can be
counted on. For example, what Florsheim marks as a W fits exactly the same
as the styles Florsheim marks 3E, while Hush Puppies W (for men) is actually
an E width and their XW is the 3E. To further complicate matters, both
Florsheim and Hush Puppies use the 5E designation for their next width. How
do manufacturers expect the consumer to keep track? One of our goals at
McCulloch’s Wide Shoes is to act as translator. Please see our width cart
for our complete translation.
Whenever you attempt to fit an orthotic or arch-support into a shoe, the
most important thing to look for is whether or not the style has a removable
liner. Without a removable liner, the likelihood of the style being able to
accommodate a custom or after-market inserts is very low.
When attempting to fit a foot with any type of deformity (bunion, hammer
toes, etc?) it is always best to select a style with as few seams ass
possible. A plain-toed shoe will mold itself to the foot much easier and if
a seam hits the foot in the wrong place it can cause serious irritation.
I hope these tips help out, and if you have any questions more specific,
please email me.
Thanks,
J. Graham McCulloch, C.Ped
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