How to Measure Your Foot Correctly for the Perfect Barefoot Fit
Finding the right barefoot shoes starts with knowing your exact foot size. 👣 In this detailed guide, we’ll show you how to measure both length and width, understand your child’s foot proportions, and use simple tools like the Plus12 gauge, a box, or a pencil and paper. With a few minutes of careful measuring, you’ll avoid sizing mistakes and ensure every barefoot step feels naturally comfortable. 🌿
🦶 How to Measure Your Foot Correctly
We’ve put together a detailed step-by-step guide on how to measure both the length and width of your feet — so you can choose the perfect barefoot shoes with confidence.
📏 Why Measuring Matters
Without accurate measurements, it’s hard to move forward. 🙂
If you’re measuring a child’s foot, we recommend repeating the process at least three times (even using different methods) to make sure your measurements are correct.
⚠️ Even a 3 mm difference in length can make a big impact!
There’s a noticeable difference between buying shoes with a 12 mm allowance and those with 15 mm — it can affect both walking comfort and fit.
If you’re unsure after following our instructions, don’t hesitate to contact us — we’re happy to help. 😊
💬 Online Consultation
If you’d like to use our online fitting service, please send us:
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Photos of the feet from all sides
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Measurements — length and width
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A short note about what you’re looking for (e.g. year-round shoes, sandals, etc.)
📸 How to Take Foot Photos
Even though photos can sometimes distort proportions, they’re crucial for choosing the right shoe.
Measurements alone aren’t enough — for example:
A foot measuring 18 cm x 6.5 cm with a high, robust instep will need a different shoe model than the same-sized foot with a low, slender instep.
The shape, proportions, and instep height all influence the final fit — so please, take clear photos and provide detailed info.
🧰 1) The Plus12 Measuring Device
The Plus12 gauge is your best friend when it comes to accurate foot measurement! 👣
Many people find it tricky at first — the adding or subtracting of millimeters can seem confusing. Don’t give up! 🙂 It’s all about a little practice and understanding how it works.
Once you get the hang of it, you’ll be using this tool until your child starts buying their own shoes. 🥿
With the Plus12, you can easily measure both:
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the length of the foot, and
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the inner length of the shoe — to make sure there’s enough growing room.
📐 Measuring the Actual Foot Length
If you want to find out your child’s real foot length, here’s how it works:
The blue part under the heel of the Plus12 gauge measures 12 mm — which means the device automatically adds 12 mm when you take a reading.
👉 Therefore, when you’re measuring your child’s bare foot and want to know the actual length of the foot, simply subtract 12 mm from the number shown on the gauge.
👟 Measuring to Find the Right Shoe Size
When measuring to determine the ideal new shoe size, it’s important to follow these two basic steps:
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Measure without socks.
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Make sure your child is standing up unassisted, with their full weight on both feet — that’s when the foot spreads naturally to its true size.
Then:
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Have your child stand on the gauge.
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Place the heel into the blue back section, and check that it’s touching the back wall of the device.
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📏 Slide the red pointer (the little “beak”) forward until it touches your child’s longest toe — usually the big toe.
This way, you’ll get an accurate reading of the foot’s full length from heel to toe. 👣
✅ Finishing the Measurement
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Double-check that your child is standing upright without support and that there are no gaps behind the heel or in front of the toes.
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Look at the number shown behind the heel on the gauge.
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This number represents the ideal shoe inner length (in millimeters) your child currently needs.
👟 Tip: Shoes should have about 10–12 mm of extra space (known as the growing allowance).
If the new shoe is just 1–2 mm shorter than the measured length, don’t worry — that’s perfectly fine!
For first walkers, open shoes, rubber boots, or slippers, a 1 cm allowance is actually the best choice.
📦 2) Measuring Inside a Box
Place the bare foot inside a shoe box so that the heel lightly touches the back wall — not too firmly, just enough to make contact.
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✏️ Take a pencil and make a mark in front of the longest toe.
Aim the pencil slightly under the toe, not straight ahead — this prevents creating an extra 4 mm “pencil gap”, which can really make a difference! 🙂
This little detail ensures your measurement is as precise as possible, helping you choose a shoe that truly fits. 👣
📦 Measuring in a Box
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Measure the distance from the back edge of the box (where the heel was) to the pencil mark you made at the toes.
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✅ This measurement represents your child’s actual foot length.
🧱 3) Measuring Against a Wall
This method is nearly identical to the box method.
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Take a sheet of paper — ideally cardstock or thin cardboard so it won’t wrinkle or slide.
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Place the paper flush against the wall.
💡 Tip: Secure it with tape so it doesn’t move.
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Have your child stand with their heel gently touching the wall (no pressure).
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Make a mark in front of the longest toe.
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Hold the pencil slightly angled under the toe, to avoid adding an unnecessary 4 mm pencil gap.
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Measure the distance from the heel to the mark.
✅ The result is your child’s real foot length.
✍️ 4) Foot Outline (Tracing Method)
This method helps determine both foot length and width — but accuracy depends on careful tracing.
⚠️ Be mindful of the extra space caused by the pencil line.
When you trace around the entire foot, each side can add 2–3 mm.
That means a total of up to 6 mm extra, which could equal one shoe size larger than reality!
Here’s how to do it right:
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🦶 Ask your child to stand still on a sheet of paper (it might tickle a bit! 😄).
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✏️ Trace carefully around the foot, keeping the pencil close and angled slightly inward.
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📏 Measure both length and width at the same points as shown in the photo below.
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✅ The result gives you the true dimensions — length and width — of your child’s foot.
👟 Checking if Your Child’s Shoes Still Fit
⚠️ Important! Never check shoe size by having your child stand on the insole — the insole often has a different shape and length than the actual inner shoe space!
The same applies to placing the foot against the shoe’s sole — it’s not accurate.
📏 How to Check Shoe Length
1️⃣ Using the Plus12 Measuring Gauge
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Insert the Plus12 gauge into the shoe.
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Place the blue heel part at the back — without pressing too hard (just like the heel shouldn’t be jammed into the shoe).
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Slide the red pointer to the spot where your child’s longest toe reaches (usually the big toe).
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Gently press the gauge forward, align, and then release slightly so it sits naturally.
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The number you see on the scale (in millimeters) is the actual inner length of the shoe.
Now compare:
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If your child still has about 5 mm of extra space in front of the longest toe, the shoe still fits.
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If there’s less than 5 mm, the shoe is too small and should be replaced.
👶 Shoes are often replaced too late — meaning the shoe becomes shorter than the foot itself! Check regularly. 🙂
2️⃣ Using a Skewer (or Stick)
If you don’t have the gauge and don’t know the inner shoe length, you can do an approximate check using a wooden skewer or straw:
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Measure your child’s foot length.
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Cut or mark a skewer to the same length.
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Place it inside the shoe, from heel to the longest toe (usually heel–big toe).
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Move it gently back and forth to feel how much space is left.
If the remaining space is less than 5 mm, it’s time to size up.
📏 Shoe Fit Guidelines
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👟 New shoes should always have a 1–1.2 cm allowance in length.
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🔁 Replace shoes when the space in front of the toes is 5 mm or less.
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🚫 Don’t rely on your favorite brand’s sizing — foot shape and proportions change as your child grows!
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↔️ When buying new shoes, ensure at least 4 mm of width allowance for comfort and flexibility.
🧮 Practical Example
Scenario: I want to check if my daughter needs new year-round shoes.
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I measure her foot with the Plus12 gauge → it shows 18 cm.
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Since the gauge adds 12 mm, the actual foot length is 18 cm – 1.2 cm = 16.8 cm.
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I then measure the inner shoe length using the gauge — it reads 17.5 cm (no need to add or subtract).
Now calculate:
17.5 cm (shoe) – 16.8 cm (foot) = 0.7 cm (7 mm) of remaining space.
✅ Since she still has 7 mm, the shoes still fit — I don’t need to replace them yet.
Once there’s only 5 mm or less, it’s time for new shoes.
📐 How to Measure Foot Width
Measure width just like you measure length — using the box or tracing method.
Be as precise as possible; even a few millimeters can make a big difference in comfort.
↔️ Don’t Forget About Foot Width
In a newly purchased shoe, there should always be at least 4 mm of extra space in width for natural toe splay and comfort. 👣
Remember — it’s not just about the measured numbers, but also about the overall proportions of the foot.
A shoe that fits one child perfectly might not suit another with the same length and width but a different instep height or foot shape.
🧠 Always consider both measurements and proportions when choosing the type and brand of shoes — that’s the key to a truly comfortable barefoot fit.