Choosing the right shoe size is always tricky, and even more so when it comes to hiking shoes. Let's take a moment to look at the all-important question of shoe sizing.
When buying hiking boots, getting the material, ankle height and sole right is only part of the job. You also need the right size. More than with everyday shoes, poorly fitting boots can quickly lead to blisters and discomfort, even pain, when hiking. Too-large boots can rub, while too-small ones can crush your toes. Finding the right size is not always easy, especially if you are unfamiliar with the manufacturer or buying online without trying the boots on first. The familiar advice to “go up a size for hiking” is becoming less reliable, and sizing can vary between manufacturers and even countries. Fortunately, a few practical tips can help you choose. Let’s take a look.
Measuring your foot length
Sizes vary between manufacturers, brands and sometimes even models from the same brand — particularly with hiking boots. Your usual shoe size is therefore a poor guide. With more manufacturers offering half and even quarter sizes, the choice can be confusing. If you are ordering online, or want to arrive at the shop prepared, the best starting point is to measure the length of your larger foot. If possible, ask someone to help. It only takes a few steps:
- Get yourself a sheet of paper, a pencil and a ruler.
- Place the sheet of paper on the floor, flat against the wall.
- Place your bare foot flat on the sheet of paper, with your heel against the wall.
- Stand up straight, back against the wall, and keep still.
- Ask the other person to draw a line at the tip of your longest toe.
- Finally, measure the length of your foot in cm — from the wall (i.e. your heel) to your longest toe, keeping a right angle of course.
Most manufacturers provide their customers with a size conversion chart matching foot lengths in cm to shoe sizes for the products they sell. Once you have measured your foot, all you need to do is refer to a similar chart. If you fall between two sizes, we recommend opting for the larger size and adding an insole if necessary.
Trying on shoes and checking whether the size fits
Once you have measured the length of your longest foot, all that remains is to find the corresponding size as determined by the manufacturer and order your shoes!
The only way to be certain your boots fit is to try them on. Whether you are in a shop or at home, put on your thickest pair of hiking socks, then put on and lace up your boots as you would for a trip into the mountains. Walk around for a while. If possible, go up and down a few steps. With the right size, you should feel no rubbing, discomfort or painful pressure points, and the boots should soon feel comfortable. A well-fitting hiking boot must give your toes enough room to move. They should not feel cramped, but the boots must not be so large that your toes hit the front on steep descents. Check, too, that your heel does not lift too far from the sole as you roll through each step.
Bear in mind that when hiking you will be wearing socks of varying thickness, that your foot may swell slightly, that you may encounter particularly steep gradients, and that it is therefore necessary to allow for a margin of around ten to twelve millimetres — something manufacturers take into account in their size conversion charts, and which you will notice at the heel when you try on your shoes.
There you go — you now have all the tools you need to determine the ideal size for your next pair of hiking shoes, without making mistakes or spending hours deliberating or reading every review written about the pair you have set your heart on. Finally, if you are not sure about the size you have chosen or think you may have got it wrong, remember that most retailers accept returns or exchanges provided the shoes are in perfect condition and have only been worn for fitting purposes. So there is nothing to worry about if you need to order online.
