Running shoe size guide

Size matters… especially if you are a runner. I am on a mission to try every running shoe out there and collect data from out in the field to help you find the right shoe size across brands and models – so you can avoid blue toe nails, blisters and mis purchases.

Supplier Size Chart comparison

How to use the “Supplier Size Chart comparison” :

First of all, use it, but at the same time don’t. My recommendation would be to use it as a starting point – it will work wonders 80% of the time.. but it will by no means be perfect.. For instance, my Nike Vaporfly Next 2% fits perfectly (meaning it leaves some room for my big toe) in EUR 45.5 / US 11.5 which is 28.3 centimeters.. This table would suggest that I should go for EUR 44 / US 10.5 (28.5 centimeters) in Mizuno. However, after testing Mizuno Neo Vista I find that EUR 44 is waaaaay to small.. I ended up buying Mizuno Neo Vista in size EUR 45 / US 11.5, which fits me perfectly.
A nice way to sanity check if it makes sense is to also check out the section “shoes that I have tested” – which gives you another data point for finding your right size.

Alternative 1: Using a the size of a brand you know your size in

Step 1: Look up the size for a brand you know your size, and note down what length that size is in centimeters (cm) for that brand
Step 2: Find the brand you want to know your size in and find the size that is closest to the centimeter you found in Step 1 (I typically go with the largest size if I am in between sizes).

Example (I want to know my size in Asics as I consider buying Novablast 5):
Step 1: I’m a 45.5 in Nike Vaporly Next 2% (v2), which is 28.3 centimenters according to the table above
Step 2: For Asics, 44.5 is 28.25 centimeters and 45 is 28.5 centimeters. Both could probably work (going down for a tight fit and up for a looser fit), but knowing that my Nike shoe could not be a nanometer smaller, I would personally go for size 45.

Alternative 2: Measure the size of your foot using pen & paper or an app

Start by measuring your shoe size in centimeters. You can either to it using a piece of paper, a pen and a wall (see description below), or using an app that e.g. Hoka provides (link here).
Once you know your size in centimeters (NB! Measure both feet and use the largest one to determine your size), use this table to find the size that suits you best (again, I would personally size up if between sizes).

  • Tape a sheet of paper to a hard, flat surface to keep it from slipping.
  • Stand on the paper with weight evenly distributed (one foot at a time).
  • Have someone mark the tip of your big toe and the back of your heel with a pen held vertically.
  • Step off and measure the distance between the two marks—that’s your foot length.
  • Repeat with the other foot; it’s normal if they’re slightly different.
  • Use the longer measurement with our size chart. If you’re between sizes, we recommend sizing up.
1. Tape the paper to a hard surface to keep it from slipping
2. Mark tip of toe and heel with a pen
3. Step of and measure, then repeat with the other foot