Sneaker Sizing Explained: Why Nike Fits and Adidas Doesn't

You order sneakers in "your" size, they arrive, and either your toes hit the front or you're swimming in them. That's not bad luck: there is no shared standard, and every brand builds its last its own way. The good news — once you know how they differ, you can nail it first time, even online.

Measure your foot, not your shoes

Stand on a sheet of paper, trace your foot, and measure heel to longest toe. Do it in the evening (feet grow 3–5 mm during the day) and measure both — most people have one bigger foot. Add 8–10 mm of room. That millimetre figure is your real size; EU and US numbers are just conversions each brand does slightly differently.

How the big brands differ

Nike uses a narrower, slightly shorter last — on Dunks and Air Force 1s going half a size up often helps, while Air Max 90 and Vomero are fine true to size. Adidas mostly fits true (Samba, Gazelle), though Yeezy 350s ran half a size small. New Balance is the widest and most forgiving; take 990s or 2002Rs in your normal size. Asics and Salomon run slim, so half a size up won't hurt. And Converse Chuck Taylors are famously big — go a full size down.

Buying online? Do this

Always check the manufacturer's millimetre length, not just the EU or US number. Read reviews for that exact model — phrases like "true to size" or "runs small" tell you more than any chart. And if you're between sizes, go up on narrow shoes and down on wide ones.

The right size is half of loving your sneakers; the other half is choosing well. At DOPESTORE every model carries a note on whether it fits true or runs small — and shrink your order receipts into one PDF with FileTools so a warranty claim a year from now takes a minute.