Why have your footwear fitted?
With 15 years of experience fitting footwear in our Church Stretton store, we pride ourselves on our fitting service and are continually challenging the misconception that blisters and discomfort are to be expected when walking long distances. We have many fantastic reviews and happy customers who return to us and recommend us to family and friends, and who travel from all around the UK and further afield to use our free service.
It is worth bearing in mind that as there is no universal sizing standard for footwear, sizes vary between brands and also within brands between their different models. Some are voluminous and wide but with a narrow heel while others may have a wider heel and a standard toe. We stock both extra wide and extra narrow models. Just as our feet are all different shapes, so are the boots on offer. We have spent many years choosing a specific range of boots to offer as many different fit options as possible, and further more we can customise the fit once a good fit has been achieved by gently stretching the boot (for example around bunions). We are also one of just a few stores in the UK to have a Superfeet Fit Pod which enables us to make custom orthotics in store while you wait. Picking the wrong footwear can be a costly and painful mistake, everyone's feet are different, we aim to take the guess work out of the process by chosing a boot that suits your shape not what looks good, is reduced in the sale or has had a great review.
We work closely with a local podiatrist so we have a good understanding of foot bio mechanics and the trauma that can be caused by ill fitting boots to those who suffer from existing ailments such as Morton's Neuroma or Hammertoe. If you have any existing foot problems please advise us when booking in for your fitting.
Appointments
Please note that we sell footwear in our Church Stretton store through our fitting service appointments. This allows us to provide our customers with the full attention of our boot fitter and ensure the shop is covered by another member of staff. We appreciate that this is not what happens in all stores and that many outdoor chain stores allow you to try on footwear to fit yourself, but as an independent we believe we can do better and with our fitting service we belive we are able to provide a better service. Appointments can be made by phoning us on 01694724293. Whilst we sometimes get booked up a couple of weeks in advance, we do sometimes have availability on the day so feel free to call and check. Church Stretton is based in the heart of the Shropshire Hills with a wealth of beautiful walks on the doorstep. The town also has a great selection of independent shops and cafes, so why not make a day of it.
What to expect from your appointment:
Firstly we will chat with you about how you will use your footwear so we have an idea of what you are looking for. Next it's all about the feet. We take our time and measure your feet weighted (standing) and un-weighted (sitting) and will be looking at the width, shape and volume.
Using these measurements and our knowledge of the brands, we will then select the footwear that we think may work with your shape. Think of a jigsaw piece fitting into the puzzle. We stock brands such as Hanwag, Altberg, Meindl and Scarpa and carry half sizes in many of the boots. Once you have tried on the boot we can start to fine tune your fit with shaped insoles, stretching around lumps and bumps, and/or volume reducers. We are sometimes asked if we stock a Bunion Boot, however although we have access to these boots we prefer to stretch regular boots ourselves which allows us firstly to choose the correct shape of boot rather than being limited, but also to place the bunion pocket exactly where you need it as not everyone has the same shape/size bunion in the same place. We use steam, bunion pliers and a rubbing bar to stretch the boot/s and are happy for customers to pop back for further stretching should they need it.
Boot/shoe fitting is not an exact science and although we can not offer a fit guarantee we work closely with the customer relying on their feedback about the way the footwear feels on their feet. We can not replicate a 10 mile walk on the Shropshire Hills in our store, so we recommend customers wear their purchase around the house to ensure they are happy with the fit before heading out in them, as once footwear has been worn outside it cannot be exchanged.
Of course our service doesn't end there. We will advise on how best to look after your new purchase and, if needs be, we can do further stretching or tweaking of the fit once you have had an opportunity to get to know your boots.
The footwear that we fit is all of a certain quality and you should expect footwear purchased from us to cost from £180 upwards for shoes, and £220 upwards for boots. We fit using Superfeet insoles which give shape and support underfoot for a ture 360 fit. These cost around £45 however we can make custom insoles using our Superfeet Fit Pod for £80 and host Superfeet 3D days throughout the year when customers are able to purchase 3D printed insoles which retial at £150. The majority of our footwear can be resoled if it is looked after well, and a re sole costs around £100 so it is worth taking the time to look after your purchase.
We do not charge for our fitting service, however we sell all our footwear at RRP. If you are a member of our rewards scheme you can earn rewards on your footwear purchase to use on your next spend in store or online.
If you are interested in booking an appointment, or have any questions please get in touch by phoning us on 01694724293. Please leave a message if we are busy and we will get back to you to book you in.