How running shoes should fit

Most people who tell us a shoe did not work for them describe a fit problem, not a shoe problem. Fit is also the one thing you can get right before you order, so it is worth five minutes.

Length: a thumb’s width, not a thumb

Stand up, put your weight on the foot, and check the gap between your longest toe and the end of the shoe. You want roughly a thumb’s width — about 10 to 15 mm. Less than that and your toes will hit the front on downhills. Much more and your foot slides forward on every stride, which is how people lose toenails over a marathon.

Note: your longest toe is not always your big toe. Check the one that actually reaches furthest.

Width and volume are two different things

A shoe can be wide enough across the forefoot and still feel tight, because the problem is height, not width. If the laces feel like they are pressing down on the top of your foot, that is volume — and going up a half size often fixes it better than a wide fitting does.

If the outside of your foot spills over the edge of the midsole, that is genuine width, and a wide version is the answer where one exists.

Try them at the end of the day

Feet swell over the course of a day, and they swell more during a run. A shoe that fits perfectly at 9am can feel short at kilometre 15. Try shoes on in the evening, with the socks you actually run in.

The half-size rule, and when it is wrong

“Always size up half a size in running shoes” is repeated everywhere and it is not a rule. It depends on the shoe:

• Daily trainers — usually true to size. Size up half only if you have a high-volume foot or wear thick socks.
• Race shoes — deliberately snug. Sizing up defeats the point and lets your foot move on the plate. Take your normal size.
• Trail shoes — half a size up is often right, because long descents push your foot forward.
• Max-cushion shoes — often narrow through the toebox regardless of length. Half up for width.

Lacing fixes more than people expect

Heel slipping is almost never a length problem. Use the extra eyelet at the top — the one most people ignore — to lock the heel down. Pressure on the top of the foot can usually be solved by skipping one eyelet rather than loosening everything.

Sizing across brands

EU, US and UK sizes do not convert cleanly, and brands differ from each other by up to half a size. Our size guide has the conversions we use, and every product page tells you how that specific model fits — true to size, narrow, roomy — because it varies.

If you are between sizes and unsure, write to us before you order. We reply within 24 hours, and it is a great deal easier than sorting it out afterwards. Our FAQ covers delivery and returns.

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