Did you choose the right size, but the shoe still doesn’t fit properly?
Posted on18 Hours ago
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In this post I'm going to tell you why you can measure your foot perfectly, choose the correct size, and still put on the shoe and think: —Something is off. And nothing has to be wrong: not the chart, not the size, not your foot.
The mystery of 27 cm
A few days ago, a Portuguese client wrote to us. She had bought a pair of Mustang Free Gym for a 27 cm foot. The chosen size had an inner length of about 28-28.2 cm.
On paper, perfect: between 1 and 1.2 cm of extra space, the margin we usually look for so toes have room and the foot can move inside the shoe.
But there was a problem: they didn't fit her well. And the client was clear on her explanation: the measurements couldn't be right.
So we did what we've been doing since 2011 when something doesn't add up: measure. We pulled out the insole, measured it, checked the interior, and then went to the official Mustang size chart. For a 27 cm foot, Mustang also recommends size 43.
So... what was going on?
Your foot is not just numbers
Something we see continuously and that's worth understanding: you can measure 27 cm in length, you can have 10.5 cm in width, and we're still missing an important part of the movie: volume.
Think of two feet seen from above: they can have the exact same length and width. But now look at them from the side: one has a low instep, the other looks like it has a hump. And this changes everything, because footwear is three-dimensional and your foot is too.
That's why measuring length and width helps a lot to choose correctly, but it cannot guarantee that any shoe with those measurements will fit you well. Likewise, two people with the same height and waist line don't necessarily have the same body. With feet, the exact same thing happens:
- Flat feet.
- Feet with high insteps.
- Narrow heels.
- Long toes.
- Dominant second toe.
- And endless combinations.
After more than 15 years of measuring shoes and examining feet, we've learned something important:
The size chart is a map, not the territory. It serves to get you very close, but afterwards your foot is in charge. That's why if you've chosen the correct size and length is adequate, but you feel too much pressure on the instep, sides squeeze, or simply your foot tells you it's not comfortable there... you don't always need another size: many times you need another model.
Featured recommendation: Mustang Free Rebel Vibram
For training, gym, CrossFit, or simply for anyone looking for a sports barefoot shoe with a very well-achieved fit, I have something new between Vibram and Mustang:
Measure your foot. Use the chart. Leave the necessary space. But afterwards listen to the one who has the final say: your foot.
Indeed.
Health starts in your feet.
— Antonio Caballo
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