Understanding whether your feet are narrow or wide can be tricky, as these terms are quite subjective. However, most barefoot shoe brands tend to have what we can call an “average” width. While this “average” is not the same as the average for conventional shoes, it is a useful term for our purposes because conventional shoes are often too narrow for standard feet.
If you find that your feet move around excessively in all your shoes, including barefoot shoes, you likely have narrow feet. Conversely, if your feet frequently spill over the edges of your barefoot shoes, you probably have wide feet. If you are unsure about your foot width, it’s a good idea to start with one of the average width brands listed below. Opt for a brand that offers free shipping and returns, to be safe. This approach is particularly helpful if you have only worn conventional shoes until now, as they can give you a skewed perception of your actual foot width.
To assist you further, I have devised a guide and a calculator to help you gauge your foot width. This method uses a simple ratio and may not be 100% accurate, serving only as a guide. For an accurate measurement, follow these steps:
- Place a blank piece of paper on the floor.
- Stand on the paper with your weight evenly distributed on your feet.
- Using an upright pencil, draw around each foot, ensuring you do not change the angle of the pencil.
- Measure the length between the furthest points of your foot.
- Measure the width across the widest part of your metatarsals.
Input these two measurements (in centimetres) into the fields below to calculate your foot width. This will help you determine whether you have narrow, average, or wide feet and guide you in selecting the appropriate footwear.
<!DOCTYPE html>
<html lang="en">
<head>
<meta charset="UTF-8">
<meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1.0">
<title>Foot Width Calculator</title>
<style>
body {
font-family: Arial, sans-serif;
display: flex;
justify-content: center;
align-items: center;
height: 100vh;
background-color: #f0f0f0;
}
.calculator {
background: white;
padding: 20px;
border-radius: 8px;
box-shadow: 0 0 10px rgba(0,0,0,0.1);
text-align: center;
}
input {
margin: 10px 0;
padding: 10px;
width: 100%;
}
button {
padding: 10px;
width: 100%;
background-color: #4CAF50;
color: white;
border: none;
border-radius: 5px;
cursor: pointer;
}
button:hover {
background-color: #45a049;
}
.result {
margin-top: 20px;
padding: 10px;
border-radius: 5px;
background-color: #e7f3fe;
}
</style>
</head>
<body>
<div class="calculator">
<h2>Foot Width Calculator</h2>
<input type="number" id="length" placeholder="Enter foot length (cm)">
<input type="number" id="width" placeholder="Enter foot width (cm)">
<button onclick="calculateWidth()">Calculate</button>
<div id="result" class="result"></div>
</div>
<script>
function calculateWidth() {
var length = parseFloat(document.getElementById('length').value);
var width = parseFloat(document.getElementById('width').value);
if (isNaN(length) || isNaN(width)) {
document.getElementById('result').innerHTML = 'Please enter valid numbers.';
return;
}
var ratio = width / length;
var category = '';
if (ratio <= 0.35) {
category = 'Extra Narrow (A)';
} else if (ratio <= 0.39) {
category = 'Narrow (B)';
} else if (ratio <= 0.44) {
category = 'Standard/Medium (D)';
} else if (ratio <= 0.49) {
category = 'Wide (E)';
} else if (ratio <= 0.54) {
category = 'Extra Wide (EE)';
} else {
category = 'Extra Extra Wide (EEE)';
}
document.getElementById('result').innerHTML = 'Your foot width category is: ' + category;
}
</script>
</body>
</html>