Startrite children's shoes - fitting question

[saoirse86]

My sister bought one of their size gauges to use at home and I've used it too on my dd. But now I'm really confused, I've read their measuring instructions very carefully and my dd who has the widest feet of any baby I know, and was measured at a H in Clarks a while ago, is coming out at a C. My niece has wide-ish feet and also came out as a C.

I'm confused, if she's a C, then all these other babies must be an A at most, and I can't even imagine what a child would look like who measured at an H! Surely they'd have to have circular feet!

Has anyone been to startrite to have a child measured or bought shoes from them and what kind of measurement were they coming out at?

I'm really reluctant to buy shoes from their website now as I can't work out what size to order.

They measure smaller than Clarks in size (so a 6.5 in Clarks is a 6 in Start-rite) but I have found the width fitting to be the same.

My DD1 who measured a 11G in Clarks is wearing a 10.5G in Start-rite and there is a bit of room for growth.

That doesn't sound right at all, I would recommend you get her measured, or I would order half a size down but same width fitting and return them if they aren't right.

DD is an F in Startrite and an G in Clarks. I asked in Clarks and they said that Startrite shoes are wider.

Is there no way you can get into any shoe shop to get a general idea?

I just got one of those startrite measuring gauges too.

It does not seem very accurate though, especially the width fitting.

DS measured 12C! We were at a shoe shop yesterday and they measured him as 11.5F which is the size I thought he would be (he is currently wearing size 11 F startrite which the shoe shop checked and said still fitted)

The width thing is DEFINITELY not right and the size seems too generous any way - they say it allows for growth but seems almost a whole size off (I measured my own feet to check. I am a 6.5 or 7 but have plenty of size six shoes and I measured an 8 on the startrite gauge.

I plan to use it to measure size and just go for an F fitting.

I would go with a G fitting in your case OP

I wanted to buy from start rite because I knew their fitting was wider so I thought they'd be good for dd's wide feet. She did come out at half a size smaller than I thought she was so that helps clear up that bit of confusion, thanks.

They only seem to have stockists rather than shops, so how do they get measured for startrite shoes fathers than the other brands? Or is it just a try and see kind of situation?

I've just checked on a size guide chart my sister had emailed to her by customer services and according to that, at a size 3.5 her width circumference would have to be at least 145mm to be a G and she's nowhere near that wide. When I make the gauge go to 145mm it just hangs off her foot iyswim.

Thanks for that Gilmore, I'm glad it's not just me! I'll ignore the width and I'm going to email to say how wrong it seems.

If you go to one of the stockists they list they will measure her feet and then fit the shoes to ensure a good fit as different styles in the same size can fit differently.

I have bought DS a lot of shoes from the startrite website (generally those that are in the sale and especially when they do free post and packing!) and even before I bought the gauge I managed to get the right size. I either based it on his previous size or I went to a shoe shop, got him measured and then bought online. Sadly the independent shoe shop near us closed down which is a shame as they were happy to check his shoes even when I had not bought them from there as I did buy some stuff.

There is a video on the startrtie site which shows you how to fit the shoes.

I reckon you should order a few pairs in 3.5 G (they do free returns and the postgage cost is the same for one or three pairs so makes sense) and see how they fit her as based on what you say in my expert shoe fitting opinion that is likely to be the right size (despite what the gauge says).

I am convinced there is something wrong with the width measurement thing on their gauge as I measured DS's feet several times and each time it came up as a C or D fitting when he has always been an F or a G. I had a look to see if I could put the tape thing on a different way but seems that it is just wrong! Hope you get some suitable shoes.

I downloaded their fitting gauge from the internet and could not even get DD a C even with adding a bit on! I phoned them to ask and she didn't believe that I was doing it right. She also said their C widths are being discontinued.

Their fitting gauges are WAAAAAY out as DDs were measured as Es in three independent shoe shops the same day.

I emailed them earlier and they replied saying they'd look into it. I wonder if they'll actual do anything about it though. They're probably in an office full of adults and they'll need to check with actual real life children. Ah well!

I think you're right gilmore I'll go for a 3.5G and see how they are. I was also hoping to buy in the sale too, my thinking was that surely there's going to be an end of summer sale and I could get some for cheap. Why is it I need to spend more on my one year old's shoes than I do on my own, and then she outgrows them in a few weeks?! They're just crazy prices!