New Balance MT810 Review

[Stephanie Jordan]

Companion forum thread to:

New Balance MT810 Review

[John Coyle]

Roger, do these shoes seem true to width? I have a D width as measured by the metal device in the shoe stores, but sometimes a companies regular, or D width, pinch my little toes. I'm wondering if I should get the wider size even though I have a D width foot.

[Roger Caffin]

Hi John

Yeah, there can be a problem there, but the causes are MANY.

For a start, the taper beyond the widest part can affect the tip of your toe. Look at those pointy street shoes for example (especially lady's shoes!).

Second, when they measure your foot with a Brannock device, they often do so on a bare foot or with only a thin sock. Fine, but you may be wearing a thick wool sock in the field, which has not been allowed for.

Third, some brands of shoes seem to differ from the Brannock device anyhow. They use a seriously different last, or they just don't conform. Or the factory gets the mould slightly wrong so the shoes are all undersize.

Fourth, and this is the killer: your feet will grow at least one length/width in the field over what is measured in the store. This alone can cripple you. If you are a 10D in the shop with thick walking socks, buy a 10.5 E fitting. Yep: up in both length and width. As I mentioned in the article, shoes which are slightly too big are not much of a problem compared to shoes which are too small.

Fortunately, if you experiment by buying end-of-run joggers from the web sites which specialise in them (heavily discounted), you can usually afford to experiment a bit in shoe sizes. It is worth doing so.

Cheers
PS: yes, mostly true to size.

[John Coyle]

Hey Rodger,

Right you are. It's like a crap shoot to get good fit in a shoe any more.

I bought a pair of Montrail Rockridges a while back, and they were problematic. They fit well at first, but then after a few weeks when they were too scuffed up to return, they started pinching my little toes. It was a shame, because I liked them in most ways, but I can't abide a pinched toe on a hike Unfortunately they did not offer them in wide.

On the other hand, I have had good luck with with the regular versions of the Merrell Moab Ventilator, the Brooks Cascadia series, and the Montrail AT Plus. They all seem to be a true D width.

I suppose the secret is that once you find a shoe that works for you, just clean out the store, although there could be variations even in the same model and size of shoe.

Anyway, good luck with all your endeavors (endevours?) in Australia and abroad.

BTW, why do you guys down there call Australia Oz. Is it like the city at the end of the yellow brick road in the movie?

Slainte- that's Irish for cheers, I have some Irish relatives

[Roger Caffin]

Hi John

Yeah, one man's fit is another man's pain. I know.

> why do you guys down there call Australia Oz
Australian accent: Oztralia…

Cheers

[Roger Caffin]

Hi all

After completing the Via Alpina Purple route July-September 2012 with these shoes, I have added an Addendum highlighting how well they went. See the end of the article.

Cheers

[Author]

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