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.
Choosing the right composition, the right ankle height or the right sole is not everything — when you are about to buy a pair of hiking shoes, it is equally essential to choose the right size. Even more so than with everyday shoes, hiking shoes in the wrong size quickly become synonymous with blisters and discomfort, or even painful irritation. To avoid rubbing caused by shoes that are too large, or risking crushed toes from shoes that are too small, it is important to get it right. It is never easy to decide on the right size, especially if you are not familiar with the manufacturer or if you are buying your shoes online without being able to try them on first. Not to mention that the well-known saying "when hiking, you should go up a size from your usual size" is less and less true, and that sizes tend to vary from one manufacturer to another, or even from one country to another. Fortunately, there are a few tips and tricks to help you avoid making the wrong choice. Let's explore them together.
Measuring your foot length
For hiking shoes even more than for everyday shoes, sizes are not necessarily equivalent from one manufacturer to another, from one brand to another, and sometimes even from one model to another within the same brand. That is why it is practically pointless to rely on the size you normally take. All the more so as manufacturers are making increasing efforts to offer half sizes and even quarter sizes — a real headache. If you want to order your shoes online (or arrive at the shop prepared), the best way to find the ideal size is to measure the length of your longest foot. If possible, ask someone to assist you with this quick process, which only requires 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 completely sure you have chosen the right size is to try the shoes on. Whether in a shop or at home, put on your thickest pair of hiking socks, slip on your shoes and lace them up as if you were heading out into the mountains. Take the time to walk around. If possible, go up and down a few steps. If it is the right size, you should feel no discomfort, irritation or painful areas, and quickly find yourself feeling comfortable. A hiking shoe in the right size should give you enough freedom in the toe box. Your toes should not be too compressed and should be free to move, without the shoes being so large that they knock and press against the side of the shoe on steep descents. This is also why you need to check that your heel does not lift too much off the insole as your foot rolls 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.
