The Official Carmina Sizing Thread

[schomin]

Hi

I am in a situation where I don't own any higher quality shoes yet so I don't know how various lasts fit me for comparison. I am normally a size 12US. It seems that a lot of shoe makers with recommend either 11UK or 11.5UK depending on the last. I was trying to decide between these two shoes(one meermin and one carmina):

http://www.shop.carminashoemaker.com/articulo.asp?idarticulo=5387056
http://www.meermin.es/ficha_articulo.php?id=1967

I was recommended I get an 11.5UK in the Meermin New Ray last by them (I guess it is narrower in the toe). So my question is what are others experience on here with the INCA last from Carmina? If you are consistently a 12US in tennis shoes/other popular shoe companies etc what worked for you on the INCA?

Thanks for your help.

 

[konda]

^I would go to a store with Allen Edmonds shoes and figure out my AE size first. It's considerably easier to give tips when you have some reference to some real men's shoes. You need to know your width and your length size.

 

[schomin]

^I would go to a store with Allen Edmonds shoes and figure out my AE size first. It's considerably easier to give tips when you have some reference to some real men's shoes. You need to know your width and your length size.

Alright makes sense. We actually have an Allen Edmonds store in Denver so I will run by there. Thanks

 

[schomin]



^I would go to a store with Allen Edmonds shoes and figure out my AE size first. It's considerably easier to give tips when you have some reference to some real men's shoes. You need to know your width and your length size.

Ok so I dropped by AE and they said I'm a 12 B. The guy was actually pretty suprised by how skinny my foot was. Tried on a couple brogues that were like the ones I posted and they were 12 B and fit well.

 

[konda]

Ok so I dropped by AE and they said I'm a 12 B. The guy was actually pretty suprised by how skinny my foot was. Tried on a couple brogues that were like the ones I posted and they were 12 B and fit well.

Did he say anything about your instep? I.e is it low or high?

Based on your feet being B, the workable Carmina lasts are most likely:

Simpson UK 10.5 or UK 11
Rain (made narrow) UK 10.5 or 11
Uetam UK 10.5 or 11

Possibly Alcudia, can't comment on size more specifically
Possibly Robert, can't comment on size and last more specifically

The Simpson, Uetam and Rain lasts are longer so taking your UK size of 11 (US 12 B is UK 11 D) might leave them too big for you.

As a comparison I am US 14 B and wear:
Simpson derby UK 12 (snug)
Uetam UK 12 (snug)
Simpson chukka UK 12.5
Rain (narrow) UK 12.5
All AE lasts in US 14 B (some with high instep require tongue pads)
Meermin New Rey UK 13 and 13.5
Meermin Olfe UK 13

Other shoemakers:
With an exception to C&J 348 last, you can forget about all UK shoemakers. They are arrogant and only make regular and wide lasts. Stick with Alden, AE, Carmina, Meermin and VTG Florsheim for fitting shoes.

 

[schomin]

Did he say anything about your instep? I.e is it low or high?

Based on your feet being B, the workable Carmina lasts are most likely:

Simpson UK 10.5 or UK 11
Rain (made narrow) UK 10.5 or 11
Uetam UK 10.5 or 11

Possibly Alcudia, can't comment on size more specifically
Possibly Robert, can't comment on size and last more specifically

The Simpson, Uetam and Rain lasts are longer so taking your UK size of 11 (US 12 B is UK 11 D) might leave them too big for you.

As a comparison I am US 14 B and wear:
Simpson derby UK 12 (snug)
Uetam UK 12 (snug)
Simpson chukka UK 12.5
Rain (narrow) UK 12.5
All AE lasts in US 14 B (some with high instep require tongue pads)
Meermin New Rey UK 13 and 13.5
Meermin Olfe UK 13

Other shoemakers:
With an exception to C&J 348 last, you can forget about all UK shoemakers. They are arrogant and only make regular and wide lasts. Stick with Alden, AE, Carmina, Meermin and VTG Florsheim for fitting shoes.

Sorry her actually didn't say and I forgot to ask, but from past experience my instep is lower.

I guess INCA would be completely out of the question then because of the width. I may end up looking at that Meermin New Ray since I hear that it is closer to a B width and has low instep.

 

[konda]

US B width and a low instep -> you can wear the Simpson and Uetam at ease as well as the New Rey.

 

[schomin]



US B width and a low instep -> you can wear the Simpson and Uetam at ease as well as the New Rey.

Awesome thank you very much for your help.

I know this is off topic so I'll keep it short but I posted in the Meermin thread and got only 1 response. I see that you mentioned new ray as a last you've tried and wanted to know how it fits a half step up vs true to size since you are narrow as well

 

[konda]

Awesome thank you very much for your help.

I know this is off topic so I'll keep it short but I posted in the Meermin thread and got only 1 response. I see that you mentioned new ray as a last you've tried and wanted to know how it fits a half step up vs true to size since you are narrow as well

Well first off if the last of a shoe is good for the foot, then 0.5 size bigger makes no difference at all. A good shoe fits because the last is good and only then because of the "correct" size. A bigger size of 0.5 merely moves the tip of the shoe further away from the end of the toes. Movement of the tongue by some millimeters is insignificant.

In New Rey monks the UK 13.5 I have (i.e 0.5 sizes bigger than my normal size of UK 13) doesn't work well without insoles and tongue pads because the design of the monk shoe is poorly made: the tongue is almost 2 cm further towards the toes than it is on the UK 13.5 oxfords I have. The oxfords then again are the best fitting shoes I have after the AE 5-65 lasted ones.

As there is no telling how the New Rey works for you, I would take size UK 11 if I was you.

 

[schomin]

Yeah thanks. You actually are spot on with why I was asking about the half size larger fit. I don't want to get a larger size to make the shoe fit. It will just push the end of the shoe out farther.

I will probably go for 11UK in the New Ray and hope it works out. If not I guess I will have to pay the shipping to exchange. I'd probably rather them be a bit tight than too big.

Thanks again for your help. It is very much appreciated.

 

[konda]

I'm sure someone in the US is in a need for for a pair of New Reys if they end up not fitting you. Your size is fairly common so I doubt you need to go through too much trouble to sell them forward.

 

[MGD83]

Anybody have experience with the Rain last ordered in a wider width then standard? I'm a US 10.5 but when I tried on a Rain 9.5 it felt unusually roomy and the 9 felt too tight over the instep. I'm guessing that a 9 EE would be the sweet spot. Can anybody chime in?

Thanks

 

[bsarosi]

Could someone assist with some Carmina sizes.

The following fit me:

8.5E in CJ 348
8E in CJ 337
42.5 in Vass U
9/9.5 in EG 888
US 9.5D in Ferragamo
US 9D in Santoni
US 9.5D in AE Park Avenue

What size am I in:

Rain
Alcudia
Simpson
Forest
Robert
Inca

Thanks!

 

[sevenfoldtieguy]



Could someone assist with some Carmina sizes.

The following fit me:

8.5E in CJ 348
8E in CJ 337
42.5 in Vass U
9/9.5 in EG 888
US 9.5D in Ferragamo
US 9D in Santoni
US 9.5D in AE Park Avenue

What size am I in:

Rain
Alcudia
Simpson
Forest
Robert
Inca

Thanks!

8 for Inca.

 

[hentaisan]

Has anybody noticed they had to size down a full size going from Simpson to Rain/Inca?