Low Instep Shoes Thread

[niidawg3]

Originally Posted by patrickBOOTH

That means that your arch is high. It seems that some people on this thread are confusing instep with arch. The instep is the top of your foot (the opposite side of your arch). The arch is the bottom of your foot. You could try to get some arch supporters for your shoes, or with future shoe purchases get shoes that have a tighter waist for more support. G&G are great for this, but they go hand in hand with the higher instep. AS are good as well as Barker Black.

i honestly dont know the terminology so i cant argue with you. however it appears that when i flex my foot upward, it seals the gap, so that would make it seem like my arch is rather lower.

Working on the pic ... busy day ... but will like to know what remedies i can apply. I hate looking at my feet today.

 

[niidawg3]

This is a pic i just had my co-worker take ... see the gap there. It is more pronounced on my left foot than on my right ... but i hate both of them equally!!!

What issue am i having ... and is there a remedy? I have it on some shoes and not on others:

 

[JamesX]

It does look like your insteps are too low. I am not an shoe expert though

Have you tried tongue pads?

 

[Wes Bourne]

Funny this thread was bumped. I just happen to have picked up some Pedag 3/4 insoles at a mall shoe repair counter yesterday. They're quite similar to the Bergal I posted about earlier in this thread, but are actually better made. These have a thin polypropylene bottom unit vs. Bergal's fiberboard bottom. Wore them today and they work great. They're available on ebay, seller has all sizes.

I also have Powerstep 3/4 orthotics, but I find them too bulky for dress shoes...

 

[longskate88]

Anyone tried the small "Cookie" inserts from Feetrelief.com? (No spam, I'm not affiliated with them and they're probably available elsewhere).

Theyre just a small half-circle that you stick into the arch area. I like the idea since they don't add any extra material under your heel, which is what causes my heel to slip. I should be getting them soon, I'll report back in this thread.

EDIT: They're also made the Pedag company above, and Tasso (sp?) is another maker that look exactly the same.

 

[patrickBOOTH]

Originally Posted by niidawg3

This is a pic i just had my co-worker take ... see the gap there. It is more pronounced on my left foot than on my right ... but i hate both of them equally!!!

What issue am i having ... and is there a remedy? I have it on some shoes and not on others:

Hmm, yeah it looks like the lack of arch support is making your feet flatten out maybe. A tighter waist shoe might help, or a simple arch support might do the trick. Is the ball of your foot too loose? If so maybe getting a size narrower would provide some more support?

 

[jackdaw]

Alden Indy boots in a C width have proven to be a good fit for my AE/Brannock Device 11 B feet. The Aldens are labelled C width B heel. Another surprise shoe in low volume/width is the LL Bean Maine Guide ahoe in narrow width.

 

[david3558]

I figured this would be a good thread to keep going!

I think the Plaza Last works relatively well for a low instep IMO.

 

[slimjohnil6]

Bummed right now -- my AE Shell Leeds were waiting for me when I arrived home. When I laced them to be just 'snug' - the two ends were almost touching. I think I must have a low instep. I have had to use tongue pads on my closed laced shoes (Strands, Cambridges), but was hoping that these bluchers would have enough of a gap to be OK. If the two laced sides are almost touching new, I can only imagine that they'll stretch a bit, rendering the shoe too wide for me. Guess the 5 last fits me better than 1.

 

[MJHoo]

I've got rather challenging shaped feet: long and pointy first toes, normal arch, minimal instep, average width ball of foot and narrow heel. I'm US 12D if you measure just width and lenght but the volume and shape of the feet make it almost impossible to find a pair of shoes that fit.
So any suggestions for shoes with low instep and room for long first toes? So far the best fitting shoe I've tried was Wolverine 1000 mile boot in US11D – they have indeed plenty of room for first toes and narrow heel:

But I'd rather have some a bit more sofisticated shoes as well, right now preferrably British country boots and tan broge derbies (stylewise and since I'm living in EU, pricewise as well) but it seems to difficult. Recently I've tried Barker 29 and Loake Colt – no chance.
I've discovered recently that Alden has that Modified last that looks just like the one made for my feet and they do have fab lookin cordovan shoes of them, but the price being 800€+ is quite high you know… Any ideas gentlemen?

 

[manasdirge]

I've got rather challenging shaped feet: long and pointy first toes, normal arch, minimal instep, average width ball of foot and narrow heel. I'm US 12D if you measure just width and lenght but the volume and shape of the feet make it almost impossible to find a pair of shoes that fit.
So any suggestions for shoes with low instep and room for long first toes? So far the best fitting shoe I've tried was Wolverine 1000 mile boot in US11D – they have indeed plenty of room for first toes and narrow heel:

But I'd rather have some a bit more sofisticated shoes as well, right now preferrably British country boots and tan broge derbies (stylewise and since I'm living in EU, pricewise as well) but it seems to difficult. Recently I've tried Barker 29 and Loake Colt – no chance.
I've discovered recently that Alden has that Modified last that looks just like the one made for my feet and they do have fab lookin cordovan shoes of them, but the price being 800€+ is quite high you know… Any ideas gentlemen?

I think it's best to go bespoke/MTM, if you find a satisfied fit, stick with that maker and use your own last.