7 Things You Need to Know About Your Own Feet to Get a Perfect Fit

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1.

Materials

If you're really looking to take your game to the next level, wearing the right pair of shoes on-court can't hurt. We've informed you of what shoes to check out if you have

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2.

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No. 1 - Your True Size

This seems like common sense but you'd be surprised at just how many people don't know their actual true size. We see it all the time... "I can wear anything between a 10-11." Actually, you can wear anything as it is but your actual size can only be 10, 10.5 or 11... not any of the three that could be available. Getting down your actual size is the first step to getting the perfect fit out of your shoe.

3.

Materials

No. 2 - Materials

Materials can play a pretty big role when it comes to fit... especially for wide footers. New models feature a lot of synthetics, these synthetics usually don't stretch. Most wide footers may want to stick with shoes that feature raw materials so that they'll be able to properly break-in a shoe and thus have more fun and less pain. The opposite can be said for regular or narrow footers. These new synthetics are wonderful for players that wish to keep their shoes fit snug and secure during the duration of their lifespan so when that is the case... plastic works well.

4.

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No. 3 - Construction

This sort of ties into the shape of the shoe but overall, we are talking about actual construction. Stitch points, material overlays etc. These can create hot-spots and once your skin is moist those hot-spots will turn into raw patches that you'll feel a lot more once you hit the showers. The tongue is usually the worst culprit so you'll want to be weary of shoes that have a ton of stitch work and knots where the tongue and ankle meet. SprintFrames, forefoot overlays and so on all have an effect on certain wearers as well so make sure you are looking at more than just a shoe’s aesthetics.

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No. 4 - Width

This one is a killer. Wide feet have been hindering many players’ options with the new plastic based synthetics that are applied to new performance models. These synthetics rarely stretch and if they do then it's not significant enough to make a huge difference. Knowing which materials are best for those with wide feet can help you narrow down your options as will a reliable sneaker reviewer in order to help you figure out which shoes are build narrow or wide without needing to try everything on the shelf on.

5.

LeBron 10

No. 5 - Arch

Your arch can sometimes clash with certain sneakers. Some shoes are built with a molded arch while others remain fairly neutral by adding an external shank with a molded (and removable) insole for those that wear Orthotic insoles. Only you know your foot in a way that would determine which shoe will or will not work so be sure to keep a keen eye on construction as well as reviews available all over the net.

6.

Nike KDVI

No. 6 - Shape

Most people don't ever consider the shape of the shoe when thinking of fit but it is useful. The KD IV is a perfect example as the shape started off normal but by the time you reach the midfoot, the shoe suddenly took a sharp turn inward and the shoes over shape was thrown off for a wide variety of players. This wasn't something extremely noticeable until you tried them on... your pinky toe probably noticed this faster than the rest of you... of course your brain followed suit soon after the chafing took its toll. Flip the shoe around when you are in-store and just look at the overall shape. Does it curve inward or is it shaped fairly normal. This coupled with a simple try on can spare you a lot of pain and discomfort.

7.

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No. 7 - Accessories 

If you wear Orthotic insoles, ankle braces or anything else that can ruin a shoe’s intended fit... bring it with you when you go to try shoes on. This is the only real way to know whether or not your bulky ankle brace will work well with your next potential purchase. What about those shoes that you want but are online only? Either try to find something similar to them in-store so you can try that on instead or just accept the fact that it just wasn't meant to be.

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