Tips When Buying Shoes
Have you ever bought shoes that wore out quickly? How about shoes that your children outgrew while they were still new? Today we’ll be giving you some simple tips to keep in mind while shopping for shoes.
Want to learn more? Click on each tip to read an explanation!
If you’ve ever worn shoes that seemed to be a perfect fit in the morning, but felt tight by afternoon or later, then you’ve experienced the natural swelling of the feet. As we use our feet, our feet starts to swell/expand over the course of the day, sometimes growing up to half a shoe size!
To prevent the issue of shoes that become too tight later in the day, shop for your shoes in the afternoon or later, as then your shoes will be fitted to expanded feet.
Make sure to leave some space on the insole above your toes when buying shoes to prevent tight fit or children outgrowing shoes too quickly.
For adults, the space should be roughly the width of an adult’s index finger.
For children, the space should be at roughly the width of an adult’s thumb in order to allow room for growth.
Check to ensure that your shoe sizes are still suitable after half a year to a year.
The best insole materials are the ones that can provide both comfort and support. While soft insoles may feel more comfortable at first, they are quickly flattened by our weight because of lack of support, thus not solving the issue of pain in the long run. Hard insoles, on the other hand, are more durable and therefore more reliable in supporting our feet.
The counter – or the back part of the shoe – is what holds your foot firmly in place to protect your foot. However, too low of a counter means insufficient protection. Make sure the counter is firm and covers the heel!
Also, avoid stepping on the counter, as that wears it down faster.
As shoes age, they begin to loosen. Wearing shoes with laces or velcro straps keeps the shoes from becoming too loose, thus continuing to protect your feet.
Rubber helps with slip resistance. Make sure to pick shoes with rubber bottoms!
The higher the heels, the more weight is placed upon the forefoot and toes instead of the heel. Avoid overworking your forefoot and toes!
The materials you should consider for your shoes are:
- Ethylene-vinyl acetate (EVA)
- EVA with rubber
- Thermoplastic rubber
- Polyurethane
- Pure rubber
- Lightweight rubber
Your feet may not be exactly the same size as each other. Make sure to test shoes out with both feet to ensure that both feet can fit comfortably.