Have you ever walked into a shoe store and got confused about the size which will fit you best? Well, you aren’t the only one facing this problem while buying boots.
Sometimes, the boot feels too tight and the other times, too loose. So, how exactly should a boot fit? In order to buy the right size, it is essential to know how much toe room you should have in your boot.
In general, a half-inch to an inch of toe room is usually great. If you take my advice, excess toe room is never a problem if the flex point and heel of your boot is right. What acts as the main culprit is the excessive small toe room which tends to make your foot swell at the end of the day.
How to solve this problem? Should you size down the boot to reduce your toe room? Never! Before you decide to buy your own work boots let me tell you a little about the toe room, how to decide the perfect room and stay comfortable. Stick with me till the end if you don’t want to compress your foot.
How Much Toe Room Do You Want in Work Boots?
I am sure this is the number one question a lot of people ignore whenever they purchase a pair of work boots. And trust me, this is their biggest mistake! This neglection can sometimes set your feet up for injuries, swelling, discomfort, ingrown nails, bunions etc.
With time, these injuries might even become permanent setting you back from doing any sort of physical and outdoor activities.
To be honest, there is no precise measurement you would require for your work boots. In the end, it all depends on your own comfort level. While wearing your boots if your toe has enough space to wiggle then you don’t have to look anywhere else.
However, sometimes it is necessary to have a measurement in mind, even if not precise. Therefore, considering the rule of thumb, there must be a thumb’s gap between the end of your boot and the tip of your longest toe.
While applying the rule, always keep one thing in mind, our one foot is usually larger than the other so put on both the boots and not just one.
You can also try another rule which is placing a finger between the ankle and the end of your boot. If even after fitting the finger in the boot there is still more room left then you should probably consider buying half size less than the size you are already wearing. And if your finger doesn’t move in then it’s time to buy a boot of large size.
Why Buying a Proper Working Boot Important?
Are you curious about buying new work boots but still don’t know the significance of proper work boots? Let me solve your doubt through the following points:
1.) While walking, your toe pushes forward and if you are wearing tight shoes then chances are you can feel intense pain by the end of the day. If your boots are loose then there will be an absence of proper grip. In such a case you will slip around and might hurt yourself.
2.) Always confirm that there is enough room in the toe area. Why? This is because while working or doing any other outdoor activity, there is extra flow of blood that gets retained if it doesn’t get sufficient space leading to foot swelling. That is why you need that extra space.
3.) While trying the boots always focus on the middle portion which should fit like a glove in one go. If the middle area of the boots fit well, there is a high probability of you to feel comfortable which will obviously enhance your performance.
4.) A boot that fits accurately will automatically stabilize your feet and will keep you energetic by preventing fatigue thus improving your posture and gait.
Why Should you never overlook the toe box area?
Whether you go for custom work boots or factory boots, an appropriate toe room definitely matters. There are certain disadvantages that you might experience in case you are going to ignore the room.
1.) Lengthwise if your toe box is too short then toes can crimp and can lead to hammertoes. This condition can permanently damage your toe muscles and cause painful corns. And trust me it’s a bit painful!
2.) A high heel when combined with a cramped toe box can squeeze your nerves leading to numbness of your toes and you might even develop nerve pain.
3.) Forget the length, too narrow a width is also a problem as may deform your feet! In short, inaccurate width can cause bunions in your feet which is a bony growth of your feet.
The cure? Well, let’s have a toe to toe with custom work boots!
How to Measure Feet Accurately?
Follow these steps to know the correct size of your feet so that next time when you go to a shoe shop you don’t have to be all Greek to the person at the shoe store.
1.) Firstly, just place a sheet of paper on a flat surface and put your bare leg on it.
2.) Next, take a pencil or pen and draw an outline of your foot.
3.) Measure the length of the foot which is the distance from the tip of your longest toe to the midpoint of the heel curve.
4.) The width is the widest area of your feet below the toes which you can measure using a scale.
If you still end up buying a bigger size then try to fit it with insoles to adjust the difference. One more thing, many times people believe that boots stretch over time which is only true in case of the width of the boot. You must remember that the length of the boot never increases. So be careful.
What are the Steps to a Proper Fitting?
If you want a proper fitting work boot then here are the steps that you would like to follow just to ensure that you have enough toe room to let your foot work freely.
1.) Try your boots with your socks on.
Most of us wear cotton or nylon-try socks on a daily basis. But if you are working in a cold snowy environment then only the thickest pair of socks will work. So, the first thing that you have to do is to put on the pair of socks that you would normally use and then wear the work boots.
Once you have worn the boots, just wiggle to move your toes and check for the space room. Try walking with the boots on and if you don’t feel comfortable, look for a new brand.
2.) Try to buy the boots at the end of the day
With all the activities that you perform right since the morning, there are high chances that your feet will get swollen at the end of the day.
So the best and most accurate time to try on your work boots is at the end of the day when your feet are naturally a little swollen from the day’s activities.
So, your slightly bigger feet will show you a more perfect fit in the evening as compared to the morning, remember that.
3.) Perform the Toe-Tap test
Once you have selected the boot after following the above steps, just unlace the laces and stand and tap your toe firmly on the ground. The toe will reach as far as it can from the front part of the shoe and will slowly slide down.
Just put two fingers side by side on the heel of the boot and check whether they are adjusted comfortably behind the heel or not. If not then get a bigger size. If still space is left then go for a smaller one.
How to Increase or Decrease Toe Room of your Boots?
Tried all the above steps and just purchased a pair of boots that looked comfy at the store but now they feel too tight or loose from the toe area? Don’t worry let me tell me some quick hacks.
When the boots are tight
1.) Try using a boot stretcher. It is a magical device that relieves the pressure in the toe area and at the same time stretches your boot to give you a more comfortable fit.
2.) If you are wearing leather boots, go for leather oil conditioners that have the ability to soften the leather to enable stretching and ultimately making a proper room for your toe.
3.) You can also use your blow dryer. The heat from your dryer can do wonders by speeding up the stretching process. All you have to do is just put on your boots and point a blow dryer at the toe area and hold for about 30 seconds. The heat will allow your feet to expand so that the boot can mold to your foot shape.
When the boots are loose
1.) If you want to tighten your boots then I would suggest you go for insoles as these are a safe bet. You can just place this extra padding inside your boot to add comfort or tighten the fit.
2.) You can also wear a thicker or additional pair of socks that can add extra bulk to your feet and can provide a tighter fit, especially from the toe areas.
3.) Lastly, a definitive way is to use a padded toe cushion. Just stick a small piece of this padded foam in at the toe. It’ll definitely close the gap between the point of the boot and your toe thus allowing you to move freely.
Final thoughts
While shopping most of us look at the price, the brand name and other important features. But what we generally ignore is the proper sizing. Even if you managed to buy boots that look decent you have to make sure that they also fit you well especially on the toe area otherwise you yourself give invitation to injuries.
With that being said, if you know how to check if the toe room is enough I guarantee that you won’t have any issues finding the right pair of work boots. Just stand strong and fit!
