Who the shoe fits

…pull it on.

Let me introduce myself: "Hello, shoe size 45." When I was younger, this often led to the comments "size boat" or "men with large feet also..." where a certain size of genitalia was implied. Regarding the latter, I can inform you that this folk wisdom is not always true – scientifically established.

Measuring the right shoe size back then was an empirical study. Tight shoes, limping were direct causes to visit the shoe store again. They usually took the right foot, slid a shoe on it, pressed with the thumb on the toe of the shoe, and if the toe gave just enough, the shoe and size were established. Cobbler happy, me happy, mom sighing about yet another pair of new shoes – how much does all that cost today?

Well, this knowledge stays with you for the rest of your life, growing from size to size until it turns out that growth has stopped and only wear and tear require the shoe to be repaired or replaced. Then, I have empirically established, there is a 1:1 relationship between growth and wear. Over time, the replacement of a shoe due to growth is almost equal to wear and tear. Ergo, sighing yet again over a new pair of shoes – how much does that cost?

Oh, and can repairs not be more economical? No, also confirmed in practice that: A. a cheap shoe cannot be repaired or at relatively high costs and B. an expensive shoe can be repaired 1 or 2 times, but converted, 2 or 3 cheap new shoes would have sufficed as well. Sustainability excluded from these comparisons.

And then I started walking more seriously.

Consequently, I bought serious hiking shoes, of course in my size 45 and confirmed with the thumb test that the toe offered just enough space. I got some information from the seller about foot width (which turned out to be important) and lacing techniques. The shoes were then purchased with a wide footbed and sufficiently large for my foot with hiking socks 🙃.

I call this ShoeA, no brand names for 3 reasons: 1. I am not sponsored, 2. everyone has their favorite brand, and 3. brands are qualitatively comparable within a price range (there are exceptions ☝️).

In the beginning of my serious hikes, this was still at a modest frequency: rather 4 times a quarter, than the intended once a week, and even a modest maximum of 10km. Excuse me, still fully engaged with my career paths. My ShoeA fit me perfectly, I was super happy with them, and another brand of shoe? Why? The frequency of hikes eventually increases and a next pair of hiking shoes is urgently needed. Confidently, like a shoe salesman (type Al Bundy), I headed to the outdoor shop, hiking section, for exactly the same pair of shoes from ShoeA. It didn’t take me long to walk out of the store proud with a new pair of ShoeA. Didn't even look at ShoeB or ShoeC – this is called efficient shopping.

The hiking then quickly intensified, almost daily in frequency and at least 20 to 35km distance – wonderful. What soon became apparent is that my feet didn’t find it so wonderful. It hurt at the toes, especially at the little toe. No, I tell myself, it can't be the shoes, because they are great. Maybe I need to get used to them and break them in. And maybe a bit of pain is also part of it, right? After all, running is by definition suffering pain. 🤨

It literally and figuratively got out of hand (read: foot). During a multi-day activity, a huge blood blister was discovered on my little toe during a foot check, painful and red toes. The next day, I limped to the train, homeward bound to measure my feet at the outdoor shop a week later. My ShoeA turned out to be too small and too narrow. So, no wide footbed at all, which was also not the characteristic of ShoeA. Either shoe salespeople learn quickly or I didn’t hear or understand it correctly during my very first purchase.

Observation: ShoeA has no wide last. The measurement of my foot gives the surprising result of left just under size 45 and right size 45.5. My feet are thus not equal! And of course, I know that this is the case for most people, but for me? My lifelong experience of size 45 and the thumb test has thus become a source of frustration.

ShoeB, ShoeC, and also ShoeD pass my feet: re-lacing again, back on the catwalk and oh, feel free to take another lap, again the slope test. With sweat on my forehead, clammy hands, and a nervous look, it becomes ShoeC.

Size 46.5, wide last, a wonderful shoe and I am super happy with it. My feet can grow comfortably during the walk without becoming uncomfortable. I just purchased my second pair of ShoeC, which did not go entirely smoothly, because yes, the salesman (type Al Bundy) insisted that I really needed size 46 – clearly, he lacked life experience or it was the end of his workday. The successor carefully fished out a nice size 46.5 from the warehouse. 👏

In short, substitute your shoe brands with ShoeA, B, C, and D and know that a hiking shoe must always be bought larger. Good for your feet, more comfortable walking. Camino, here I come.

ShoeA