The challenges of fitting sandals

Every year as soon as the sun comes out in the spring our thoughts turn to sandals at Happy Little Soles.  At the start of the spring it is so exciting to look forward to the coming months of being able to kick off our boots and socks and run free in lighter, cooler and less restrictive footwear.  However, the challenges of fitting sandals give us a real headache at Happy Little Soles as every year the sandal rush also results in an increased return rate as customers struggle to get the right sized sandals.  So why are sandals so much harder to fit than boots and shoes?

The reasons for this are numerous.  Firstly, sandals are usually worn without socks, so this means that there is less tolerance to the fit.  If a pair of boots or shoes is a little on the bigger size you can use an insole or pair of thicker socks to ensure a good fit which has the added bonus of keeping little feet warm and cosy in the winter months.  This just isn’t possible with a sandal where the fit has to be perfect or it will cause slipping, blisters and tripping issues.

In addition, sandals do appear to be the Tardis of the shoe world, often fitting bigger than the sole measurements would indicate and often bigger than the same sized shoe on an identical sole!  This is because the way sandals are constructed is different to shoes, they are more open in style so there is less room taken up attaching the upper to the sole.  Even in the case of a cage style sandal the upper often curves away from the sole and therefore seems to give more wriggle room than you would expect.

So how do you get the right sized sandal?   We never recommend just sizing up from a current pair of shoes as the fit is so different.  It is essential to work from the cm measurement of the foot allowing less growing room than you would for a shoe.  We usually recommend no more than 0.8cm of growing room and this is usually perfect for a cage style sandal. We would only aim for around 0.5cm in an open-toed style to be worn without socks.

Have a look at the fitting notes for each sandal on our website as we try to give an indication of any issues we have found with the fit and whether you need to adjust up or down in terms of growing room to suit this particular style.  If you have any problems or queries, please do get in touch with our experienced Customer Service team.  They have been advising on the fit of sandals for many years and can help you find the perfect pair for your little one.