Boot & Shoe General Widths

Over 90% of the population is a normal width.  If you are not sure of your width, chances are wear a normal width.  If a size is listed with just a number, this means the size is only available in a normal width.  Below are some common notations that indicate a width measurement.  We get these notations directly from the manufacturer of the footwear.

Men Widths

D or M

Men's Normal or Regular Width

EW, EE, W

Men's Wide Width

EEE, EEEE

Men's Extra Wide Width

B

Men's Narrow Width

Women's Widths

B or M

Women's Normal Width

C or W

Women's Wide Width

A

Women's Narrow Width

Getting the Right Fit

Recommending Sizes

No two feet are alike. Obviously, because only you know what feels right on your feet, it is very difficult to recommend sizes. Some people like a loose fitting width, some people like a snug ankle. Comfort and feel is a very subjective and is genuinely an individual decision. Only you can be the ultimate judge and that is why we have a 100% return and exchange guarantee. For “What Size to Order” read our guidelines below:

What Size to Order

We carry a broad range of sizes and brands as part of our commitment to give our customers the selection, style and fit they are looking for. We cannot guarantee a certain style or size will fit, but here is a general advice that should help you find the proper fit.

•  Whenever possible get your foot measured. Most boots and shoe stores use a foot-measuring device called a Brannock, which offers the most accurate foot measurements.

•  If you are familiar with the brand, order the same size you usually wear in that brand.

•  If you own another brand of boots, this size will usually do! If you don't remember the size, look inside the shaft of the boots or on the inside bottom.

•  If it is your first pair of western boots, usually start with 1/2 a size down from your normal shoe size.

•  If you are between sizes, order a 1/2 size up.

•  Some Brands tend to run slightly small or big. If this is the case, we note this in the boot's description.  Yet, this is only a guideline and we can't guarantee that this recommendation will work for you.

 Finding the Right Fit

•  Try your boots on in the afternoon, after you have been on your feet for an extended amount of time.

•  Try your boots on inside on carpeted floor first.  Give them a try.  This will allow you to feel how they fit without showing any signs of wear on the boots.  

•  Remember to wear the socks that you plan to wear with the boots.

•  On Western Boots, the boot must slip slightly in the heel. When a boot is new, the sole is stiff. As you wear the boot, the sole is "flexed". With time most of the slippage you feel will disappear. If the slip feels excessive you may want to wear a thicker sock or you may need a narrower fit. Note though that slight slippage is necessary to obtain a proper fit.

•  With leather boots remember, that as you continue to wear the boots they will stretch slightly and soften over time.  

How a Western Boot should fit:

Please note, this following is a guideline only and not a fit guarantee. 

What Size:  When comparing shoes to boots, remember, a shoe has laces or a strap to hold the foot in place, a boot, only has the instep to do the job. Therefore a snugger fit is needed. When looking for the right comparison in sizing for women, you would wear the same size or possibly down size, ½ size. Example: if your shoe size is a 7 M, you will wear either a size 7 M or a size 6 ½ M. The same applies to men. 

How Your Foot Fits:  The boot should fit the foot from the heel to the ball of the foot. The ball of the foot (the widest part of the foot) should be at the widest part of the outsole. The toes should be at or just entering the toe box area, which is approximately 1 to 2 inches from the tip of the boot.

Is Slipping Good?  The single hardest thing for the first time boot wearers to over come, is the fact that a boot must have slippage in the heel to fit properly. Most, if not all, first time boot wearers feel that the boot does not fit correctly if there is any slippage in the heel. There should be slippage in the heel, anywhere from ½ inch to as much as 1 inch, up and down. This is perfectly normal. If the heel does not slip, the heel will develop a blister because the boot too short (small). As the leather stretches, and conforms to your foot, (insoles included which this is called “the flexing of the sole”) the slippage should subside or go away in about a weeks worth of wearing.

Tightness on the Top of the Foot:  The leather should be snug across the instep, but not too tight, which would be considered a pinching or a biting feeling. Snugness on the instep is vital for a proper fit and will stretch out and go away.

  International Footwear Size Conversion Chart - Guideline Only

Women's

Men's

U.S.

Europe

U.K.

Japan

U.S.

Europe

U.K.

Japan

4

35

2 

21 1/2

6

38

5

24

5

36

3 

22 1/2

7

39 1/2

6

25

6

37

4 

23

8

41

7

26

7

38

5 

24

9

42

8

26 1/2

8

39

6 

25

10

43

9

27 1/2

9

40

7 

25 1/2

11

44 1/2

10

28

10

41

8 

26 1/2

12

46

11

29

--

--

--

--

13

47

12

30

Frye Boots Company Suggested International Conversion Chart

Women

Men

USA

EURO

UK

JAPAN

USA

EURO

UK

JAPAN

5

35.5

3.5

22

8

41.5

6.5

26

5.5

36

4

22.5

8.5

42

7

26.5

6 

36.5

4.5

23

9

42.5

7.5

27

6.5

37

5

23.5

9.5

43

8

27.5

7

37.5

5.5

24

10

43.5

8.5

28

7.5

38

6

24.5

10.5

44

9

28.5

8

38.5

6.5

25

11

44.5

9.5

29

8.5

39

7

25.5

11.5

45

10

29.5

9

39.5

7.5

26

12

45.5

10.5

30

9.5

40

8

26.5

13

46.5

11-11.5

31

10

40.5

8.5

27

11

41.5

9-9.5

28

Hat Size Chart 

Hat Size ( USA )

Hat Size (S-XXXL)

Head Size in Inches

Head Size in Metric

6 1/8

19 1/8

49cm

6 1/4

19 1/2

50cm

6 3/8

19 7/8

51cm

6 1/2

20 1/4

52cm

6 5/8

20 3/4

53cm

6 3/4

21 1/8

54cm

6 7/8

21 1/2

55cm

7

Small

21 7/8

56cm

7 1/8 

Medium

22 1/4 

57cm

7 1/4

22 5/8

58cm

7 3/8

Large

23

59cm

7 1/2

23 1/2

60cm

7 5/8

X-Large

23 7/8

61cm

7 3/4

24 1/4

62cm

7 7/8

XX-Large

24 5/8

63cm

8

25 

64cm

8 1/8

XXX-Large

25 1/2

65cm

Ladies General Jean Guide

Sizes 

Waist

1 or  2

25"

3 or 4

26"

5 or 6

27"

7 or 8

28"

9 or 10

29"

11 or 12

30/31"

13 or 14

32"

15 or 16

33/34"

17 or 18

34/36"

19 or 20

36/38"

Product Care

Lengthen the life of your boots and improve their appearance by following these easy steps:  

1. Wipe Off Dust

Remember that leather is skin and will react the way skin does, so the most important thing you can do in caring for any piece of leather footwear is to KEEP IT FREE OF DUST. Dust will settle in the creases of boots and shoes. It acts like sandpaper; cutting at the finish with every step you take. Sooner or later, it will cut through not only the finish but the fiber itself and the leather will split. WIPE YOUR BOOTS OFTEN, not just before you shine them, but also every time you take them off. You don't need a special cloth or brush. Make it a habit to wipe them off with anything you have handy. You can't wipe boots too often.  

2.  Wash Off Loose Dirt

After you wipe them, clean your boots.  You can use leather cleaner that cleans boots just as well as saddle soap or better and other time worn methods. What's more, this cleaner has an oil base and is good for the leather.

3. Condition Your Boots

Leather conditioning is a lot like skin conditioning. You put in oils and conditioners to replace those that have dried up since the leather was originally tanned. Some leathers will need more than others. It needs to be done more often in dry climates or when leather is subjected to repeated dryings. If you shine your boots regularly, you don't have to use conditioner EVERY time you shine them. Try every other time. Apply the conditioner right after you clean them while the boots are still damp because moist leather absorbs more conditioner. Keep in mind, though, that the leather can only absorb so much. If you put too much on it, it just gets sticky and dull, a case of too much of a good thing. 

4. Apply A Coat of Shoe Cream (Polish)

This is different from wash or liquid polish. It should match the color of the boot and should be rubbed into boots. Give the cream a few moments to dry and then brush or buff the boots to a shine.

Additional General Hints On The Care & Feeding of Boots

(Be sure & check a small area with each treatment suggested before you proceed to clean & condition your boots)

• Many spots and marks on leather can be cleaned off with an ordinary pencil eraser. This is true especially on white leather.
• Many spots can be cleaned with a solution of 1/2 white vinegar and 1/2 water. This treatment is particularly effective on "sugar" or "alcohol" spots.
• Oil and grease can be cleaned off leather with a spray-on spot remover.
• Rubber cement is another good "oil spot" remover. Put it over the spot and let it dry. Rub it off and the spot is gone. (DO NOT USE THIS TREATMENT ON SUEDE BOOTS).
• Never put wet boots near heat to dry.
• Unless you sit at a desk in an air-conditioned office, never wear the same pair of boots every date. They need to rest and air out.  

Care of Special Leathers

Distressed Leather (Apache Leather)
Distressed leathers have extra oils added just like oil-tanned leathers.  Brush the boots off to get them clean, then apply our Distressed Leather Cleaner and Conditioner (item # 03615BB)
Lizard, Alligator, Turtle, Hornback, Anteater, Elephant, Snakeskin and Antelope
These leathers are usually dryer than cowhides and they all have an irregular surface. They need more conditioners, more often, to prevent splitting. They are also more vulnerable to dust settling in creases and doing damage sooner. The very fact that they have a hard surface and look so pretty makes it hard to get much conditioner down into the skin. So, use thinner coats, more often. These boots can dry out just sitting in the closet.   Boot Trees are also a good investment to help care for these exotics and keep the skins the correct size when they're not being worn.
Sharkskin
This leather is the harvest of many people in many different places, so you can experience a great deal of difference from skin to skin. This tough, scuff resistant leather can dry out. When it does dry out, it splits and tears. Sharkskin boots need extra oils and conditioners to keep the leather soft and flexible. Put a little extra oil around the edge where the sole is sewn to the foot.
Goat, Eel and Calf
These leathers can be treated the same as regular cowhide. However, they are lighter weight, thinner and softer. They cannot take rough wear. They crease more easily and sharply and dirt here causes greater damage. They must be cared for more often.
Ostrich
This leather is truly "fit for a king" but it must be treated as such. While it does not need any special attention, you cannot afford to neglect ostrich boots. If you give them reasonable amounts of care, you will be richly rewarded.
Pig Skin
Obviously you treat smooth pigskin and sueded pigskin differently. For Smooth pig, we recommend the same care in general as calf and cowhide. It will help to treat a NEW pair of smooth pigskin with 3 coats of silicone 24 hours apart before you wear them.
The Sueded pigskin is, of course, quite different, but 3 coats of silicone before you wear these boots are beneficial, too. After that, a good nylon brush used with a spray or suede cleaner is about all you can do.
Suede
Rub corn meal in a circular motion, let stand overnight, and then brush. Most dirt, and oil will be lifted out. This should be used on split cow or "on hair" boots only.
Suede Shoulder
Mild soapy water (use Lexol, Woolite), gently wash, then rinse out all soap. Brush when dry.  
Oiled, Tanned and Work Leathers
These boots have a lot of extra oils put into them at the start, but because of where and when they're usually worn, it gets pulled out. These boots will work hard for you but you have to care for them. Unlike the other leathers, you can use a HEAVY coat of oil on work boots. These leathers are prepared to soak it up. Mink oil is probably the best but there are many others. If work boots really get soaked in snow or water, clean them and oil them immediately. It slows the drying process, but helps get the oils down deep into the leather where they belong. Be sure to allow them to dry at room temperature -- speeding up the process will cause cracking. Oil tanned leather work boots are not purchased for their looks. The tanner has prepared them for rough wear and very little care. Boots made of this leather can withstand almost anything short of outright abuse.  

How Boots are Made

The Make Up of a Boot

Regardless of the style, boots are far from simple. Boots have a lengthy construction time, often necessitating dozens (if not hundreds) of individual steps until they are fully made. For instance high quality hand crafted leather western boots can have about 300 individual steps from the time the leather is cut for the boot until the boots are inspected and boxed. This can mean dozens and hundreds of people are often involved in the production of every single boot. From stitching up vamp (front) of the boot to the counters (back) of the boot to attaching the outsole (bottom) of the boot: boots take teams of specialists. This can make the labor costs of producing a boot quite high. But, the clichŽ "you get what you pay for" really applies when it comes to western boots. The same is true for work, motorcycle, casual and fashion boot styles. If you'd like to learn more about what goes into the making of a boot we recommend reading Art of the Boot by Tyler Beard and Jim Arndt. 

Material
Leather is often the choice of material for boots. Because leather is known as a luxury material, leather boots and shoes are considered high quality, durable products. These aren't tennis shoes! Leather is prepared in a number of different ways from suede to distress to rough out. Each prepared style gives the boot quite a different look and feel. Add on to the obvious fact that besides cowhide, leather can come from a variety of sources from pigs to snakes to birds to elephants. 

Main Components

Outsole
The Outsole is simply the bottom of the boot and gives your feet some "grip". The occasion that you wear boots and the style will greatly influence what type of outsole is on the boot. For western boots, you generally have leather or rubber-like outsoles. Leather outsoles are for traditionalists and are good for dancing. The general trend for western boots is heading more and more towards rubber. Two reasons are rubber generally tends to last longer and it is making the boots less expensive. Don't forget the new cushy crepe outsoles of which the material allows extra comfort for standing and doesn't slip as much when riding on horses.
On work and motorcycle boots the outsole will likely be a rubber material that has special trends and properties depending on your needs. For instance a work boot may have an outsole that is specifically designed not to track mud and dirt or it can be designed to be slip and oil resistant. There is no standard tests that brands use to determine if a boot is slip resistant, oil resistant, water resistant, etc.  Generally, brands use their own standards to determine if a boot meets one of the above requirements.
Insole
Insoles give your feet a little cushion to add some extra comfort. Different brands use different insoles. Each brand offers the latest technology and patented designs for their insoles. Sometimes insoles will be just a light EVA pad to cushion and form to your feet or it will be a multi-layered signature system by a leading brand name. There are many who prefer not to have insoles and often remove them.  We don't recommend removing a boots insoles.  Just remember, insoles are not required on boots, but they do help provide some extra comfort.  
Construction
Construction often refers to how the outsole is attached to the boot. Outsoles are generally either pegged (or nailed), sown or cemented onto the bottom of the boot. Outsoles that have been cemented or directly attached to the boot are generally more flexible to begin with, but often these boots can not be resoled. Often outsoles that have been welted or pegged can usually be resoled.
Shank
Shanks aren't needed in every boot. Depending on the need, boot makers insert a "shank" in the middle of the bottom of the boot to give it extra form and strength. The shank is usually a small metal, plastic or fiber piece of material that gives extra form and strength to a boot.   Boots that have shanks are not as flexible on the outsoles as those boots that don't have shanks.
Heel
Adding height and style to a boot, heels range from less than an inch to many inches. On western boots cowboy heels are slightly sloped and are generally 1 5/8" in height. Roper and Walking Heels are usually a bit larger at the base and slightly smaller with a flat, uniform slope. Occasionally work boots will have an extra padded heel to prevent slipping, while fashion styles may have small treads on just the heel for the same effect.
Toe
Toes can mean style or function. For example western boots are typically either a narrow toe, medium round or wide round toe. Narrow toes give a unique style and look while wider toes offer more room or comfort. On the toe some boots can even have a small stitch pattern referred to as a medallion and can have a toe rand (metal piece) at the tip of the boot. Motorcycle boots are generally round or square-like (snoot or snip). Casual styles can be all of the above and more. When it comes to work, extra functions such as safety and non-safety apply. Some prefer non-safety toe to comfort and a lighter weight boot. Yet, some professionals need the extra protection of safety toes. Safety toes have a small steel plate or composite plate on the top of the toe region of the boot. These toes pass the ANSI test, meaning that the toe can withstand 75lb impact & compression up to 2500lb.

Children, Youth, Infant and Toddler Size information

As all parents know, children grow at different rates and at different times.  This makes giving size recommendations online very difficult.  The following is only a guideline to what boot makers consider Toddler, Infant, Children and Youth Boot Sizes.

Toddler or "Pre-Walk" Sizes

Size Range

Small (1), Medium (2), Large (3), X-Large (4)

Age Range

Less than 0-14 Month Old

Infant Sizes - The word "infant" will be in boot description if the boot is considered an infant style

Size Range

4,4.5,5,5.5,6,6.5,7,7.5,8

Age Range

12-24 Month Old

Children Sizes

Size Range

8.5, 9, 9.5,10,10.5,11,11.5,12,12.5,13,13.5

Age Range

2-4 Year Old

Youth Sizes

Size Range

1,1.5,2,2.5,3,3.5,4,4.5,5,5.5,6 (size 6 is often considered equivalent to a women's size 7.5)

Age Range

4 years old and greater.