I Just Found Out I've Been Wearing the Wrong Shoe Size For Over a Decade
After experiencing Road Runner Sport's Fit Finder experience, I walked away with some surprising revelations — and some really comfy insoles.
I review footwear — amongst other technical gear — for a living, so you would think after a decade of experience, I would know my own shoe size. After all, it’s a pretty important aspect of testing shoes, no? But recently I was invited to Road Runner Sports’ headquarters to try out the company’s tech-forward, sophisticated Fit Finder experience — and I walked away with an increased understanding of my own feet, as well as a new size of shoes to keep in mind. Here’s what I learned during my experience.
What is the Road Runner Sports Fit Finder experience?
Road Runner Sports launched its Fit Finder 3D foot scanning technology across 46 stores in April 2023, and since then, thousands of customers (including yours truly) have taken part in the cutting-edge fitting experience.
The Fit Finder process includes a meet and greet with a Road Runner Fit Experts guide, followed by stepping onto a 3D foot scanner, a short filmed run to analyze feet further and a brief questionnaire designed to address your cushion preference, sock style of choice and more. The entire process takes less than 10 minutes, and when it’s complete, you’ll know your exact foot size, arch type, foot width and more.
I’d never had an analysis like this done before, and I was excited to learn the results of my Fit Finder experience. After I had my feet scanned, my brief run on one of the Road Runner treadmills filmed and I answered a few questions, my results were in.
What I learned from my experience
I already knew that my left foot was bigger than my right — I could see it just by looking down at my feet while standing — but I didn’t know just how large or small the gap between the two was. It turns out my left foot is a true 7.5, while my right foot is somewhere between a 6.5 and a 7 — making it almost a full size smaller than my left, which confirmed what I had already suspected. I’ve worn a 7.5 for years, which isn’t technically the wrong size for me, but my Fit Expert reminded me that because feet swell during physical activity, I could easily wear a size 8 and might possibly be more comfortable.
Thanks to the 3D foot scanner, which maps six critical foot measurements, including foot size, length, width, arch height, instep, heel width, and a balance and pressure points map, I learned a lot more about my feet than just their size. I found out that my foot width is a B, which is average according to Road Runner’s scale. My arch height is higher on my right foot than my left, and my right ankle is more rigid than my left. Overall, my left foot is bigger in every measurement than my right, but the arch is lower. While my discrepancies are pretty minor, the custom insoles that I walked away with will help to even out the differences in my left and right feet, and will hopefully mitigate any future health issues that could result from my minor imbalances.
With my foot data and cushioning preferences input into the system, I was given a selection of brands that would work best with my particular foot shape and size, as well as shoe preferences. I ended up going with the Saucony Endorphin Speed 4 with custom insoles, and have been walking on clouds ever since my fitting.
What does the Fit Finder Experience cost?
While the Road Runner Fit Finder in-store experience is free, the custom insoles that take all of your data and bring it to life will run you $120. If you purchase a pair shoes along with your custom insoles, as well as some socks, you’re looking at roughly $350-$400 for the entire experience, depending on the shoe you choose. During my visit, the Road Runner team highlighted that while $120 may sound like a lot for a pair of insoles that will need to be replaced each year, competitors can charge up to $800 for a similar product.
If you’re an avid runner (or walker, like me), are on your feet all day or suffer from foot issues like neuropathy, I would wager that investing in a pair of custom insoles is well worth the $120 yearly investment. Not only will they make your running shoes last longer, but they’ll make each step feel better, for just around .32 cents a day.