Hiking and Footwear
Why don’t my shoes fit?
Did you know feet change over time…they can get longer and wider. Maybe you gained or lost weight since you last used them? Are your socks the same thickness as before? Perhaps your hammer toes and bunion have become more prominent and are more sensitive? Have you been less active in recent months…some muscles can tighten up and create a change in your walking pattern that affects your feet and where the pressures are against the boot.
Solutions: We’ll evaluate whether your footwear can be modified by stretching, modify your footbeds, or a recommendation of model and size to replace the current footwear.
How do I know when it’s time to replace my footwear?
New styles of lightweight footwear have much less durable soles and can easily show excess wear after very few miles. Other areas of visible wear may be in the insoles…ie excessive toe depressions or at the heel and ball of the foot area. We look at the uppers ( what surrounds your feet) to determine if the shoe is pushed to one side especially at the heel and the ball of the foot. Lastly, we evaluate how much the midsole cushioned layer has compressed, thus compromising the support and stability for your activity.
Solutions: We’ll evaluate whether your needs are being met with a similarly designed replacement or if a simple insole replacement may address your needs using the same footwear.
What’s the best shoe?
Simple…it’s the one that fits your specific shape and activity. Remember, what works for your walking partner may not be for your foot. Also, there are often different lasts and fits offered within a brand and can often frustrate the search for a replacement pair.
Solutions: We keep up on the latest changes in fit and design to better recommend the replacement options for your favorite model.
What if I can’t find anything that fits?
It can be impossible to find footwear that fit your feet “out of the box”. Some people upsize or downsize for comfort when trying them on, only to find out after wearing them that they don’t fit right!
Some companies specialize in the hard to fit foot shapes ie. wide or deep toe box, narrow heel, extra wide widths.
Solutions: We specialize in modifications of footwear by stretching pressure areas (we stretch all footwear including leather, nylon, plastic, rubber). Often the footbed can be thinned to give more room in the toe box. If there is too much heel slipping, we add pads in areas that are too roomy and often modify the laces to accommodate high and bony insteps, narrow heel or wide forefoot.
At Feet First we are passionate about finding solutions that work for you!! Contact us today to schedule an appointment.