Jan 17 2008
Custom Made Shoes
One visit is all you need for ordering as many pairs of custom made shoes by the Left® Foot Company of Finland. And the price? About $300 per pair of shoes. The process starts with the customer pulling on neon yellow and green checkerboard socks and stepping on an imaging platform. A 3-D scanner images the feet producing a 3D copy of each foot and then transfers the information to an ordering system. The 15 different measurements taken are then analyzed and individual characteristics of the foot are taken into account. The information is then used to design the custom shoe. The customer can then browse online and choose from over 350 styles of shoes. The type of leather and sole is also custom picked. The Left® Foot Factory then stretches the leather and a computer cuts the exact size. Workers then hand-stitch the shoe together. All measurements stay in their system and further orders can be placed online.
So, what could possibly be wrong with this system? Well, for starters, they do not have any retailers in the U.S. - yet. Also, the shoes are only for men?!? Yes, they believe that their system’s minimal retail contact is more likely to appeal to men than women.
Custom made shoes are great for those with unusual foot types. The current types of shoes on the market are sized mostly by length, with only a few companies including varying widths. For those with wider feet, shoes can be difficult to find. Most shoes on the market today also do not account for a high arch or a low arch. So individuals with high arch feet end up squeezing their foot into a shoe which is simply too tight on the top of their foot. Individuals with low arch feet may find themselves lacing their shoes as tight as possible to tighten down the top of the shoe. Yet, these same flatfooted individuals generally have a wide forefoot, and even if the top of the shoe feels loose, their forefoot may feel squeezed. Lastly, for those with two different sized feet, custom made shoes may be cheaper than buying two pairs of the same shoe. Custom made shoes will help with a better fit for these specific shoe problem. But, they are not necessarily the solution to common foot problems like plantar fasciitis, posterior tibial tendonitis or ball of foot pain. A better fitting shoe may help, but is certainly not the solution.
Do you have a system in Belgium or in a neighbouring country so I can test the system a,nd maybe start your system in Belgium ?
Instead of custom shoes, a less expensive alternative is custom orthotics. I found some at the Orthotic Shop that I’m thinking about buying. Do you think that it’s a good idea?
Custom shoes and custom orthotics have different functions. A custom made orthotic is designed to control abnormal motion and assist in pathologic foot conditions. These orthotics need to be molded by a podiatrist or physical therapist.
But, if you are simply looking for better comfort and fit, then yes a custom orthotic, purchased over the internet, would be cheaper than custom shoes.