How to choose the right sports shoes for your feet with the Sidas Fitting Lab?

Many of us experience foot pain in our sports shoes: blisters, black toenails, pressure points or chafing. And we often end up getting used to it, as if this pain were just part of the deal. But that’s not right! Whether you’re running, hiking or skiing, foot pain is by no means normal. Solutions do exist.

Your feet are a vital point of support during your activity. They carry your body weight, help you maintain your balance and absorb some of the impact. Look after them. When they’re in pain, the cause is often the same: a boot designed for a ‘standard’ foot. That’s why it’s worth having a foot analysis carried out to get bespoke sports footwear.

It was to meet this need that SIDAS created the SIDAS Fitting Lab, a network specialising in bootfitting and shoefitting. Bootfitting involves adjusting ski boots – the shell, liner and insole – to suit the skier’s foot and skiing style. Shoe fitting involves adjusting running or hiking shoes. In both cases, at the SIDAS Fitting Lab, we analyse your foot and then help you choose the right shoe. And if needed, we’ll create bespoke insoles for you, whether for running or skiing.

Foot analysis, bespoke insoles, what happens during a session at the SIDAS Fitting Lab, the benefits of bootfitting and shoefitting… We’ll explain all of this in detail in this article.

Whether you’re running, hiking or skiing, sore feet are never normal. Solutions do exist.

Bootfitting involves adjusting ski boots – the shell, liner and insole – to suit the skier’s foot and skiing style.

Shoe fitting involves adjusting running or hiking shoes.

Why have your feet analysed before choosing sports shoes?

Your foot is unique. It really is. You might wear the same size as someone else but have a completely different foot. One might be wide, the other narrow. One might have a high arch, the other almost flat. Your two feet aren’t always identical either. The reason is simple: shoe size says nothing about the width, volume or arch of your foot.

Yet we often choose our sports shoes based on size and appearance. So naturally, you might wonder: does analysing the shape of your foot really make a difference when choosing shoes? The answer is yes. Very clearly.

A foot analysis can help you to:

• Better understand the specific characteristics of your foot
• Identify which styles to try on
• Find out whether an insole or an adjustment might be helpful

Just to clarify: ‘made-to-measure’ doesn’t mean your shoe is made exclusively for you. It is chosen based on your foot and then adjusted if necessary. The insole, however, can be made to measure. That’s the whole point of a foot analysis: choosing the right shoes.

Does analysing the shape of your foot to choose your shoes really make a difference? The answer is yes.

‘Made-to-measure’ doesn’t mean your shoe is made just for you. It’s chosen to suit your foot and then adjusted if necessary.

How do you know which shoes are suited to the shape of your foot and your gait?

Let’s be honest: figuring out on your own which shoes suit the shape of your foot and your gait is tricky. Your feet give you clues. An insole worn down on one side, redness always in the same spot, or a toenail that turns black after a run. But to know how to choose shoes suited to the shape of your foot, it’s best to dig a bit deeper.

This is where a specialist can help. First, they’ll look at the shape of your foot. The aim is to find a shoe that supports it well without constricting it. Then, using a sports-specific foot pressure analysis, they’ll identify where your foot exerts the most pressure. This is often where the shoe ends up causing discomfort. These pressure points also provide information about your stride, in other words, the way you roll your foot. With all this information, the expert knows which shoes to recommend. That’s the whole point of a foot and stride analysis, whether for running or skiing.

One important question remains: what sport do you practise? You don’t choose a hiking boot in the same way as a running shoe. And certainly not in the same way as a pair of ski boots. Do also remember to bring along your old shoes: the wear and tear on them can help the specialist understand your habits and identify areas for adjustment. It’s by combining all these factors – your foot, your pressure points and your sport – that we can answer the real question: which sports shoe should you choose based on the shape of your foot?

Do also remember to bring along your old shoes: the wear and tear on them can help the specialist understand your habits and identify areas for adjustment.

It’s by combining all these factors – your foot, your gait and your sport – that we can answer the real question: which sports shoe should you choose based on the shape of your foot?

What’s the difference between standard insoles and bespoke insoles?

A standard insole is the one that comes with your shoes. It isn’t moulded to your foot or individually fitted.

In contrast, a bespoke insole is tailored to your foot and your sport. Its aim is to provide a more personalised fit. They aren’t necessarily essential for everyone; it’s the analysis and consultation with a specialist that determine whether they can enhance the shoe.

Custom-made insoles for running and skiing offer several benefits:

• Stability and good support, so you can keep going until the last kilometre or the final run without getting tired
• Keeping your foot securely in place within the shoe, even on descents and when accelerating
• Reducing chafing, blisters and black toenails

Need custom-made insoles? SIDAS has developed Custom Live technology. The principle: thermoforming an insole to the shape of your foot, in just a few minutes, directly in-store at a SIDAS fitting lab.

Conversely, a bespoke insole is tailored to your foot and your sport. Its aim: to provide a more personalised fit.

Bespoke insoles for running and skiing offer several benefits

Bootfitting and shoefitting: what are the advantages and what happens during a session at the SIDAS Fitting Lab?

Are you a skier, a hiker or a runner? At the SIDAS Fitting Lab, we’ll help you find a fit tailored to your foot and your sport. For skiing, we call it bootfitting. For running or hiking, it’s shoefitting. In both cases, a specialist assesses your needs and advises you on possible solutions.

Here are the main steps of a session:

1/ Analysing the foot

On the day of your appointment, bring along the footwear you intend to use for your sport, or your old shoes. After asking a few questions about your needs, the specialist will analyse your foot: in particular, they’ll measure its length, width, volume and arch height. They’ll also assess the balance between both sides of your body and the pressure exerted whilst walking.

2/ Creating the insole

If a bespoke insole is recommended, the specialist can take a mould using the SIDAS Vacuum System. They then adjust it based on the information gathered during the analysis, so that it fits snugly into the shoe.

3/ Choosing the socks

Socks are also part of the fitting process. At the SIDAS Fitting Lab, new technical socks are provided to ensure the boots are fitted correctly.

4/ Choosing or adjusting the boots

Are you keeping your current pair? The specialist can examine possible adjustments. For ski boots, this may involve the shell or the liner. For hiking or running shoes, it’s more likely to be the width or the lacing. If you’re looking for a new pair, they’ll advise you on which model and size to try on. And if you’re sensitive to the cold, heated options may be available.

5/ Choosing or replacing the liner

This step applies to ski boots. The liner is the flexible part that wraps around the foot inside the shell. The specialist will help you choose the one that best suits your needs. Replacing it can also be a way of giving it a new lease of life.

Feeling comfortable in your boots, both literally and figuratively: that’s the aim of bootfitting and shoefitting. The service is based on three elements:

1. Customisation: the solutions offered – insole, sock, boot or inner liner – are chosen based on your foot and your skiing style.
2. Precision: your foot and your boot become one. The result: your movements are smoother and more comfortable, and you gain in both precision and responsiveness.
3. Comfort: this is one of the aims of bootfitting and shoefitting – to minimise any discomfort caused by an ill-fitting boot. This allows you to enjoy the moment to the full during your sporting adventures.

At the SIDAS Fitting Lab, we’ll help you find footwear that’s tailored to your feet and your sport.

Feeling comfortable in your shoes, both literally and figuratively: that’s the aim of bootfitting and shoefitting.

The solutions on offer – inlays, socks, shoes or liners – are chosen based on your feet and your sport.

Where can you have your feet analysed? Discover the SIDAS Fitting Lab network

Now that you know – or almost know – how to choose shoes that suit your feet, the next step is to find out where to have your feet analysed. Some specialist sports shops offer bootfitting or shoefitting services. To find out what services are available, the easiest way is to enquire directly at the shop.

For a comprehensive service, the easiest option is to visit a centre in the SIDAS Fitting Lab network. At each centre, a footwear specialist will assist you. What to expect: a foot analysis, advice on choosing the right pair and, if needed, bespoke adjustments. And these centres aren’t chosen at random. All are audited and certified by the Sidas Academy. So, from one Fitting Lab to the next, you’ll find the same high standards and the same quality of expertise.

And these centres aren’t chosen at random. All are audited and certified by the Sidas Academy. So, from one Fitting Lab to the next, you’ll find the same high standards and the same quality of expertise.