The answer can be having a last made for your foot and shoes produced from that last. One craftsman who produces custom athletic shoes is Bart Hersey. Bart earned his credentials in the shoe industry with Bass Shoe Company, Hyde Athletic Industries and New Balance. Then he dropped out to open his own custom shoe workshop in Maine.
Bart's custom athletic shoes aren't just comfortable, they were rated #3 in 1984 and #1 in 1985 by Runner's World Magazine. The magazine then decided to change its criteria so the small workshop could not compete.
Custom shoes are not cheap, but neither are they out of line when you consider the number of shoes the hard-to-fit person goes through before finding a pair that fits OK. It is money well spent to get a shoe that fits like a glove and feels like heaven - and is great for walking, racewalking, hiking and running.
Bart has been rewarded for his efforts - with 90% of his customers giving him repeat business, he doesn't need to advertise. In fact, forget that you are reading this article - I want Bart available to work on MY order, not on any new customers!
Ordering the Shoes
Ordering your custom shoes takes a tape measure, a friend and a pencil to measure your feet according to Bart's instructions. You also note any foot problems you have such as corns, bunions, Morton's toe.
Then you send the foot tracings and order and payment to Bart and receive back a postcard telling you when to expect your order - generally 10-12 weeks.
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