Footwear fitting at Mountainfeet

The American Podiatry Association found that 74% of people raised in shoe wearing cultures such as the UK have on-going foot problems, while only 3% of people raised in non shoe wearing cultures experience any problems. Troubles don't as such arise from the inherent use of shoes but from wearing ill fitting footwear over a number of years. So the message is; don't settle for an improper fit...

Here at Mountainfeet we take a pride in our customer service and in particular our footwear fitting. As internet sales cause many small specialist shops to struggle it's becoming increasingly hard to get the right kind of attention needed when purchasing walking, climbing and running footwear. We are aiming to help reverse that trend and give a service that we know the superstores can't offer...

We haven't in the past sold our footwear online. However, we realise from speaking to customers that many would welcome this facility to deal with us from outside of our shop locality. We are currently working on a method of bringing our specialist knowledge to the customer online to enhance and add value to their purchasing experience. For now however, you can see a selection of the footwear we sell by clicking above on the 'footwear range' button.

The noble art of footwear fitting...
It's thought that a significant number of people have feet which suffer some form of pronation problem, resulting in instability when walking. That's why it's important to buy boots and shoes from shops and staff who understand the biomechanics of the foot and can fit and customise boots competently.

Unsupportive and ill fitting boots will cause extra fatigue and often result in inflammation or blisters that ruin a good days walking. Luckily, most folk don't begrudge spending both time and money on their feet and the results for those who do can be almost life changing!

If you visit us then please remember that what you think is your normal shoe size is only a rough starting point for us. The 'last' (footshape) used by different manufacturers to build their boots varies greatly and you could well be a size 10 in one boot and a size 11 in another. We will measure your foot on a 'Brannock Device' which more importantly will let us gauge the shape and volume of your foot. At the end of the day it's the fit that matters, not the size. It's also important to let us know what the footwear will be used for and where you'll be taking it. The majority of walking boots and many of the walking or approach shoes have waterproof membranes which are ideal for most UK conditions but don't suit every use. You may be better with something more breathable where the onus rests on you as to how waterproof it can be made.

We recommend that once you've found a boot that has a good fit and seems to suit you but have others to try, leave it on one foot and try further models on the other foot. You'll immediately know whether another product is going to be more suitable.

Remember, a boot that's a tiny bit too big is capable of being modified to fit but a boot that's too small will usually ALWAYS be too small. If you're unsure between two sizes you should usually go for the bigger one – we can always snug it up in the future.

If you've got pain under your feet then most people assume they need lots of soft cushioning and buy a cheap foam insole. It's not necessarily the case and often the best remedy is to stabilise the foot using a Superfeet or Sole orthotic insole which actually feel fairly hard to the touch. We're experienced Superfeet and Sole fitters and are happy to explain the science to you if you're interested. For more details see our Superfeet and Sole orthotics article. Remember also that an incorrectly aligned skeleton is often a result of an incorrect stance caused by a lack of support at foot level. So if you have knee, back, hip or even neck aches and pains, they could quite possibly be caused or at least exacerbated by incorrectly fitted or unsupportive footwear.

We would recommend that most people who spend a lot of time on their feet consider some sort of properly fitted orthotic insole in their footwear – don't wait till you've GOT problems, work at PREVENTING them in the first place! The right orthotic can not only prevent certain problems and injury but can reduce fatigue which will help you perform better when walking or running.

Lacing footwear properly can transform the fit of a boot and most people with comfort problems in our experience don't lace boots up correctly. Various 'zones' of a boot can be laced up with different tension using a couple of tricks we can show you.

We often get a good fit 'out of the box' but if you have problems like heel spurs or bunions then the boot may need modifying. There is much that can be done to improve the fit of a standard boot and we always look carefully at a customers foot before starting to look at individual boot models.

One of the things we experience on almost a daily basis are customers who are wearing footwear that is too small for them. Because of changes in an individuals age, weight and fitness, the foot can change shape as it gets less able to support the body properly. This needs recognising and if necessary, extra room should be made available in footwear – often we advise customers to go up a complete UK shoe size to allow their feet to function properly. For more details of our fitting process, see our 'footwear fitting method' section of the website.

Bear in mind that you may have particularly wide or narrow feet that will suit a certain manufacturers boot but preclude you from wearing another. Come in to the shop with a fairly open mind and let us suggest some models that should suit you. There's such a lot of very good footwear from a diverse range of manufacturers and you shouldn't get hung up over just one!

The sock worn with a good quality boot is an essential part of the package. In the good old days, socks were used as 'padding' to improve the fit of a boot that probably wasn't very anatomically designed. Consequently the old 'two pairs of thick socks' advice should really be disregarded. We stock a great range of high spec, specifically designed walking socks in a range of thickness'. Wool is blended with high tech yarns designed to work in conjunction with modern boots to keep feet warm in winter but cool and dry in Summer. You may wish to wear a thin liner sock under the walking sock to alleviate blister problem and to help keep your foot dry and fresh. In winter, a thermal liner sock will give an extra layer of insulation.

How can our staff help?
All our staff have trekked and travelled abroad in many climates and if you're buying for your first big trip then we're happy to give you the benefit of any experience we have. Conversely, we love talking to those who have travelled widely and are always keen to learn more ourselves! Our staff are all active folk who use our range of footwear and understand it. From walking the dog to high altitude mountaineering – we will endeavour to help. We also have experience in running – both on and off road. We supply running shoes from la Sportiva and Inov-8 and are currently looking to put more range into the shop.

We're not saying that we can help every single person achieve the perfect fit but we are able to serve most people's needs and we have hundreds of satisfied repeat customers who have put their trust in us.

Come and talk to us – we're at your service...