Shoe Fitting 101 (at least men's shoes)

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A hidden fact of men's shoes that there is a relationship between the

length of a show and the width. As the width increases -- D to E to 2E

-- the length of the shoe also increases. If I wear an 11 D, I could

also wear an 10 1/2 E or a 10 2E. This quirk means that if you need a

wider shoe, you should decrease the size by 1/2 for each increase in

width. In my closet I have New Balance model 900 shoes in both 10 5E

and 10 1/2 4E. I bought the different sizes based on price, They both

fit the same.

More important to comfort is the selection of style and last. My high

instep foot fits in a bulcher toe style. This style has band of

leather around the toe that is sewn to the leather across the instep.

I can't wear most shoes where the instep meets the sole directly. The

last of a show defines the internal architecture of the shoe. Over

time I have found that New Balance SL-2 last work for me. The New

Balance website can be searched by last with a surprising number of

selections in each last. I just bought an SL-1 last shoe for the first

time. It fits a bit differently that the SL-2, but so far it works OK.

Fitting an AFO into a shoe usually requires a wider shoe and/or a

deeper toe box than your usual shoe. Using the information above,

buying a wider shoe in a shorter size may work for you.

Hitchcock shoes specializes in wide shoes. They explain which of their

lasts works best for each foot type, and most of the shoe descriptions

include the last style. Their website is www.hitchcockshoes.com.