Tight Or Loose Shoes [How Tight Should Shoes Be?]


Snug Shoes

Are you considering buying a new pair of shoes? Whether it’s for sports, outdoor, or casual wear —the shoes should be comfortable enough. However, even though the shoes are comfortable for you, you need to consider the perfect fit for your feet. In this case, how tight should shoes be?

Your shoes should feel snug on the sides and at the laces, but not tight. Your heel should not move as you walk and your toes shouldn’t touch the front of your shoe or feel squeezed tight.

We’ll discuss more about getting the right fit and tips on buying the perfect-fitting pair of shoes. Then, with a little extra time and effort, you can get the shoe that you will be happy with for a long time to come.



Measuring Your Feet

First of all, you need to measure your feet. Ensure you get an accurate measurement before buying your ideal shoe, especially if you plan to buy through the internet. There are mainly three essential components in getting your feet measurement. They are mainly:

  • Length
  • Width
  • Depth (arch measuring)

Please note that not all shoes have the exact measurement and cut, given that every shoe company has its own distinctive design. You will notice this feeling every time you try each other shoe brands. So, it’s better to know your feet’ measurements.

The best way to know the measurement of your feet is by using the Brannock Device, which is available in any department store. Although, the only downside for this is that it doesn’t measure the inset.

If you don’t have any Brannock Device, you can measure your feet with just the pen and paper method. It’s accurate, yet it’s very effective and pretty easy to do.


How Tight Should Shoes Be?

Now that you know how to get the measurement of your feet, there’s a question that needs to be answered: how tight should shoes be?

Should you strictly follow the measurement of your feet when selecting a nice pair of new shoes or have an allowance for space?

Going back with my answer, it should not be too loose or too tight, but it should be a snug fit but not crushing.

Meaning that there should be adequate space for your toe to wiggle but not loose enough that your feet will slide. Also, it should not be too tight to the point your toe is hurting and your ankle has blisters.

It’s important that you know the difference between having tight or loose shoes and snug fit shoes. So I am going to elaborate on those characteristics in a bit.

The wrong size shoe for your feet will not be comfortable but may cause blisters, especially if you intend to use your shoes during outdoor activities or sports activities.


Loose Shoes

If the shoe is too loose, there’s a tendency that your feet will slide, causing a lack of support when walking or running.

Loose shoes can be quite uncomfortable in the long run. Also, you don’t want your shoe to fly so unexpectedly just because it’s too loose.

In addition, having a loose pair of shoes are prone to accident. You can slip easily because of the lacking support from your shoes.

There will also be a case where your shoes are starting to loosen due to regular wear, which is pretty normal. You can just buy some foot padding if you think your shoe is too loose.


Tight Shoes

The same goes with tight shoes. It will make your feet suffer due to the tightness of the shoe to the point your toe doesn’t have room to wiggle a bit and that your midfoot will swell, especially when it is too tight.

Not only that, but you might also feel the burning sensation on your heel.

It is so easy to know if the shoes are tight just by wearing the shoes. Also, you will feel that you won’t be able to squeeze your feet much when wearing the shoes, which is a clear indication that it is too tight for you.


Snug Fit Shoes

When selecting a new pair of shoes, you must find the perfect fit, or in other words, it should be a snug fit. Some shoes are close to your typical size but may seem smaller due to the design and material used in the store.

You will encounter this case when you are ordering online.

That’s why the best way to figure out if it is the right fit for you is to find a shoe store and check if the shoes are perfectly fit.

Fortunately, shoe companies guarantee you that their measurements are a snug fit. But eventually, they will loosen a bit due to frequent use, which is bound to happen in any shoes.

To give you an idea, when choosing a leather shoe, you want to choose a pair that has a snug side. While you think it’s more comfortable wearing leather shoes with more room, it will create discomfort in the long run as they stretch and relax.


Tips on Finding the Perfect Fit for You

Get A Perfect Fit

There’s no doubt that choosing the ideal shoes, be it for casual, sports, outdoor, or others, can be overwhelming. This is because there are tons of shoes out there on the market and because finding the perfect pair is a bit difficult daunting.

Worry no more. I have listed some useful tips in finding the perfect fit for you just to make sure you won’t have a hard time choosing your ideal shoe. Below are some of the tips.


Get the Measurement of your Feet — There’s no better way to ensure getting the perfect pair of shoes when you know the measurement of your feet. 

Knowing your feet measurements accurately will make sure that you will get a comfortable, snug fit size.

Also, every time you get a new pair of shoes, make sure to get your measurement first because you can’t rely on a fixed size, given that your foot shape and size can change in the long run.


Always Try the Shoes in the Store — Even though you know the measurement of your feet and the shoe, each shoe can fit a little differently. 

Again, every shoe company has its sizing and distinctive cutting, and they will vary from shoe to shoe. There will be an instance that your shoe size is 10 but on the other shoe is 9.5.

The best thing to do is always try the shoes first before purchasing them to ensure you won’t have any regrets later on.


Wear the Right Socks when Trying A Shoe — For example, if you are buying a pair of winter boots, make sure that you are wearing thick socks. And if you are considering dress shoes, better to wear dress socks.

So, it would help if you considered wearing the right socks when buying a new pair of shoes. Make sure that your ideal shoes won’t be tighter or looser but snug and comfortable fit.

This also makes a huge difference in ensuring that your chosen pair of shoes is a perfect fit.


Go with the Bigger Foot — It might not be noticeable to others, but some people have a larger right foot than their left and vice versa.

That’s why it’s best to measure both feet. Also, you can’t rely on the shoe size itself, which is the same with clothes. Instead, the size of the shoe is just a start in finding the right size for you.


Make Sure to Walk and Stand Around in the Shoes — Because trying out just by wearing it won’t do any good. 

You need to stand and walk around with your preferred shoes to know if it’s a comfortable feel and doesn’t rub or chafe anywhere.


Final Thoughts

Bear in mind that when buying the perfect pair of shoes, they should be a snug fit, not tight nor loose. Because this will give you comfort feel, provides enough support, and that your toes can wiggle a bit, as well as your heel and ankle, won’t cause any blisters or feel constricting.

This is important, especially if you will use your new pair of shoes in extreme activities such as sports, camping, trails, backpacking, etc.

That’s why it is really important to measure your feet first, and there are ways to do this, which you can refer to above. Much better if you could measure your feet with a professional so that you know your accurate measurement.

Thanks for visiting Helpshoe.com.


References:

https://www.footcaremd.org/

https://www.clarks.co.uk/

Eyr Miscaux

Eyr is a content writer, outdoor enthusiast, and shoe collector, who loves to craft his own adventures be it by reading books or going on outdoor trips. At home, he enjoys reading, watching classic films, and sometimes playing with his adorable feline.

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