An entire reversion of shoe fitting ideas should be made and the shoes
made to fit the feet instead of the feet to fit the shoes. The feet are
not to be carelessly jammed into any sort of a container. A good shoe
cover must protect the foot, it must give security and be comfortable
and durable without changing the foot shape in any way. To secure these
things the fitting should have precedence over all other conditions.
Properly fitted the shoe allows the foot to take practically the shape
it would if it were not encased in a shoe. The last should be straight
and from the outset do not regard the sole as too broad. There should be
sufficient width at the end to allow the toes to lay on the inner sole
of the shoe in a normal position, for when the weight of the body is
placed on the foot the toes spread apart a little. Nature thus demands
toe room. With the full weight of the body on the foot the toes should
be able to wriggle about freely in a shoe. Walking causes the feet to
lengthen one-half inch and broaden at the toe one-half inch. Provide for
this swelling caused by the flattening of the arch and congestion of
blood in the exercised region. The shoe should be long enough to extend
well forward of the toes--two-thirds of an inch longer than the longest
measurement of the naked foot; the inner sole border should be straight,
broad across the ball and for average work on the roads need not be
heavy but above all things it should conform to the foot. Have the heel
fit snugly but across the ball or front of the foot arch no compression
at all.
The tendency is to overdo foot covering, getting the shoes too heavy.
There is no need of lugging around extra weight. Aim for the minimum in
leg weariness. Thick soles interfere with the leverage action of the big
toe. The tramper covers territory and must look for ease, flexibility
and lightness if at a sacrifice of the durability of the heavier goods.
The proper shoe should conform to the following specifications:--it
should have a soft upper, making the total shoe height five inches,
there should be no lining or box toe cap, the heels should be broad and
welted and only three lifts high, the sole of one thickness. The shoe
should be loose enough for free wriggling of the toes within and permit
of the insertion of a cork innersole which serves as a kind of cushion
for the tread and can be removed at night to dry out.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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