Footwear: Toe length vs arch length (discussion)

[HkNewman]

Going thru Arizona, I got sized by a local store carrying Altra. From the heel, my toe length measured 11.5 in but the arch (side) measurement measured 13. I settled on 12.5 after the 13’s felt a bit floppy on the fake boulder run. Read a bit online about the greater length is recommended (example was 8.5 inches over 8.0), but 1.5 inches borders on clown shoes (doubly so for Altras). Problem: Most national chains do not carry half (1/2) sizes above 11.5, especially for “sale” events. Does anyone here use the longer shoe with a large disparity between the two lengths and how does it work for you?

[Ben H.]

People in my family have been told by shoe salesman that we have “short toes.”  It sounds pretty similar to what you were told.  I am not a big fan of getting longer shoes than your feet.  I little extra length usually fits nice, but you quickly get into floppy clown shoes.  Getting wide shoes sure seems to help.  Not too many shoe stores have them in stock, so I resort to buying online and returning what doesn’t fit.  I’ve gotten pretty good at looking at a shoe on-line and determining if it will fit my foot.

[John G]

I buy all my shoes based on the arch length. But not based on the measurement.

I just try on the shoes, and buy the one whose arch support fits my foot the best.

I have short toes, so this is usually 1-1.5 sizes larger than my measured foot size.

I get ones that lace up securely enough that they don’t slide around on my foot.

The toe of the shoe IS about 1″ off the end of my foot – but you get used to it VERY quickly.  It’s only annoying when trying to climb rocks and you need to use the toe rather than the ball of your foot – which isn’t that often :)

[Todd T]

I have bony, narrow, curved feet. To me the most important characteristic is the distance between heel and the outside bone at the ball of my foot. Shoes not long enough drive that bone into the footbed; shoes just right are clowny. The last thing I want is someone to “measure” my foot with one of those all-feet-are-alike measuring devices. Try ’em on.

[Stumphges]

The purpose of the traditional arch length measurement is twofold. One reason to take this measurement was to match the length of the arch with the length of the ramp from the raised heel to the ball of the foot. If the ramp is too long, your 5th metatarsal head will be elevated relative to the rest of your metatarsal heads (ball of foot)t. The effect of this is similar to a valgus or lateral post on a cutom orthortic – it will promote pronation, or induce a pronation moment. Most people won’t like this, and neither will their knees and hips. Conversely, if the foot is longer than the shoe arch, the lateral border of the foot will not be congruent with, and won’t be supported by, the ramp of the shoe. With traditional shoes, I consider arch length to be more important than overall foot length.

The second reason for the arch measurement was to match the presumed widest part of the foot (ball of the foot) with the widest part of the shoe.

Since Altras are zero drop, and therefore have no ramp, the first reason isn’t relevant. And since some Altras might be wider at the toe than at the ball of the foot, the second reason isn’t really important either. So for Altras, I think, you’re free to choose whichever size feels best.

And this might be the way to go with any kind of shoe, really. Just as the length of shoes varies by brand, such that you might be a 9 in one brand and a 9.5 or 10 in another, the length of the arch or ramp of shoes varies by brand as well, because each company uses different lasts (forms) around which their shoes are built.

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