How to Choose Sandals Size Online

Start with fresh measurements

Online shopping removes the fitting room, so your measurements have to do the work instead. Measure your foot length and width in the evening, barefoot, standing on paper, and work out your arch height with the wet test. Write all three numbers down before you open any product page, because a size chosen from memory is a guess, and a guess is what leads to a return. Our how to measure for sandals guide covers each step.

Do not rely on the size you wore last summer. Feet change, brands change, and a sandal that fit two years ago may not match the same size number today. A fresh measurement takes five minutes and saves a week of waiting for a replacement pair. If you have old measurements, check them against a new tracing before you trust them.

Use the calculator, then the brand chart

Enter your measurements in the sandals size calculator to get a starting US size with strap, arch and footbed notes. That starting size is a general guide, not an order. The next step is the brand chart, which is built for the sandals you are actually buying. Open it and find the row that matches your foot length, then read the size in the system the brand uses.

When the calculator and the brand chart disagree, trust the brand chart. The calculator works from broad general ranges, while the brand chart works from the actual last those sandals were built on. If the brand chart also lists insole length, compare that too, especially for a slide or a toe post sandal where a small length error shows at once. For the wider method, see how to choose shoe size online.

Read the strap style on the product page

Match the strap style to your foot. If your heel slips, look for an ankle strap. If your forefoot is wide, look for adjustable straps across the ball. If you have a high arch, a strap that crosses the middle of the foot can press on the arch, so a style with the straps further forward or further back may suit you better. Our sandals straps and adjustability guide compares the styles in detail.

Check the footbed shape and the heel cup

Read the product description for the footbed. A flat footbed suits a medium arch and a short walk, a contoured footbed suits a low or high arch that needs support, and a wedge footbed raises the heel a little and shifts weight forward. If the description says nothing about the footbed, the photos may show it: look for a raised area under the arch in the side view. Our sandals arch support and footbed guide explains what to look for.

Check the heel cup too. Some sandals have a raised cup that wraps the heel, and some have a flat back edge. A heel cup helps a foot that slides forward, while a flat back suits a foot that finds cups uncomfortable. If you know your heel slips in sandals, a cup or an ankle strap should be on your list. If you know cups rub your heel, look for a flat back instead.

Read reviews for fit clues, not for size numbers

Reviews can help, but only if you read them for fit clues rather than for size numbers. A review that says a sandal runs narrow, or that the straps run short, or that the footbed is flat, tells you something useful. A review that says to order a size up tells you very little, because you do not know that reviewer foot length, width or arch. Look for patterns across many reviews rather than trusting one.

Pay attention to reviews from people who describe feet like yours. A wide foot reviewer who says the straps barely close tells you more than ten reviewers who say the sandals are true to size. If most reviews mention the same fit issue, believe them, and adjust your choice: a narrow running sandal may need a wide width, and a short running sandal may need a half size up.

Check the return policy before you order

Even with good measurements and a careful read of the product page, an online sandal can still fit wrong, because you cannot try it before it arrives. Read the return policy before you order, not after the sandals arrive. Check how long you have to return them, whether returns are free, and whether the sandals must be unworn or can be tried indoors. A policy that allows indoor trying is worth more than a small saving on the order.

When the sandals arrive, try them on a clean indoor floor and do the walk test from our how sandals should fit guide: ten minutes of walking, checking toes, straps, heel and arch. If anything fails, return them rather than hoping they will break in, because sandals have little material to stretch. If the fit is close but not right, use what you learned to pick the next size or strap style instead of ordering the same pair again.