The shoe liner test is a great way to find out if shoes are wide enough for you, especially in the toe box.

Read on to find out more.

Feet vary considerably in width, especially width across the toes. Some toes splay out wider than others, and some feet are considerably wider for their length than others. The width and shape of your feet becomes particularly important when you are trying to find shoes with an anatomical toe box.

An anatomical toe box, one of the most important features of a barefoot shoe, allows your toes to sit in an optimal position, therefore allowing the foot to function properly (see Benefits of Barefoot Shoes to find out why this is important).

But there is no ‘one size fits all’ anatomical toe box. Because feet vary so much in shape and width relative to length, what constitutes an anatomical toe box for one person will not suit another.

Conventional shoes in high street stores vary greatly in their toe box width, and if you’re trying to find wide toe box shoes in these stores, the shoe liner test will be very helpful to identify if there are any shoes suitable for your feet.

Even amongst barefoot shoe companies, few produce a range of widths, which means you may have to shop around for a while to find brands that suit your feet. Again, the shoe liner test can be helpful in this process.

Be aware that this test is not infallible. Sometimes shoe liners are not perfectly aligned inside the shoe, but you can check for this by putting your hand inside the shoe to check. However, it does help you get a much better sense of whether a shoe is wide enough where your foot needs it than using standard foot measuring devices (Brannock device).

How To Perform The Shoe Liner Test

To perform the shoe liner test, remove the liner or insole from the shoe, place it on the floor and stand on it. Ensure that your weight is evenly distributed through your feet and see how it fits onto the shoe liner.

If your toes / feet spill over the edges of the shoe liner, then the shoe is not right for you. If the shoe liner seems too short, try sizing up and repeat the shoe liner test.

Once you have about a centimetre of space in front of your longest toe, you have found the correct shoe size, but you may still find that the sides of your toes/feet spill over the edges of the liner. In this case, the shoes are not wide enough for you.

Note whether the liner is too narrow all the way from heel to toe, or just in the toe area. This will help you to find a better fitting shoe.

Using Toe Spacers for The Shoe Liner Test

If your toes do not naturally sit in an optimal anatomical position, and you plan to wear toe spacers to help correct this, make sure to wear your toe spacers whilst performing the shoe liner test.