Last week I ordered a pair of Under Armour running shoes in size 9 1/2...my size. I have another pair of UA running shoes that actually are a tad loose. The pair that came, although marked correctly were tight! And I mean tight! I sent them back.

I then ordered a pair of Saucony running shoes also in 9 1/2. I also have another pair of them and they fit well. The pair I received today are oookay, but snug....not tight. I think the material will stretch a bit, but next I'll go with a 10.

Or at 65 years old are my feet still growing?

Yes, I believe so.

I had to go from buying size 13 to size 14, on all my different brands of shoes and boots, when I was about 60 years old. Maybe your feet get bigger just like your ears and nose, when you get older.

I'd always heard that your feet, once you're through your teenage growth spurt, don't get any bigger. Not sure I believe it. For all my adult life I've been a 8 1/2, but lately I've been having to buy either 9 or in certain brands 9 1/2. I learned many years ago that I can't buy footwear online, I have to try them on first. My feet are short, very wide, and have very high arches. All of which conspire to make it nearly impossible to find really well fitting shoes or boots.

While your feet can widen and lengthen as you age, I don't guess it's enough to really noticeably change your size. Foreign manufacturing would be my bet. Try buying Carhartt T-shirts. Ones made in Guatemala are completely different sizes/dimensions from ones made in Honduras (or wherever they have their multiple factories).

I am 63 yo and all of my old shoes, still in great condition, do not properly fit me anymore. My feet actually increased in size, flattened out, bones and other "infrastructure" relaxing. Just last month for shits and giggles, I tried to fit into my two pairs of biking shoes, I haven't worn them in over 10 years. They are now impossibly small to wear.

I had a podiatrist tell me that feet don't actually grow, instead, the ligaments and tendons that hold your feet in an arch will loosen and the length and width increase.

Everything else sags, so I suppose it's true !

Thanks for the replies, fellas.

I guess I have to account for the changes.

I just bought 3 prs of shoes from 3 different sellers, all size 13. 2 prs fit fine but the third was too tight.

I bought a pair many years ago. They fit fine then. Found them a few weeks ago and now they are tight.

They were mostly for indoors, but today I wore them to the hardware store and they are great for driving.

They might not last long, but now I know to order a size larger for road trips.

I wore size 10 1/2 shoes when I was 40. 30 years later I wear 12 EE's.

My arches fell. Feet flattened.

quote:

Originally posted by oddball:
I am 63 yo and all of my old shoes, still in great condition, do not properly fit me anymore. My feet actually increased in size, flattened out, bones and other "infrastructure" relaxing. Just last month for shits and giggles, I tried to fit into my two pairs of biking shoes, I haven't worn them in over 10 years. They are now impossibly small to wear.

Working in orthopedics I can agree that over time our feet do widen, as ligaments and other structures weaken. I often tell, especially older women do not expect your shoes to be the same size at 65 as they were at 25.
Also as someone mentioned, I think all the off shore manufacturing and variability in lasts has something to do with it.
It can even vary by model of shoe from the same manufacturer
I am a huge fan of hoka trail shoes, they have something of a cult following with health care workers.
I have 3 pair different styles, and all 3 are different sizes

I have gone from a size 9 in my 20's and now wear a 10 or 10.5 in wide. My left foot is a half size bigger than my right. Just Mother Nature's way of compensating for all that extra weight over there.

The "stuff spreads out as it ages" sounds pretty valid. Applies to other body parts as well.

I just gave two pair of older great shape Nike running shoes size 10.5 to the humane society thrift store.
I usually wear boots so they haven’t been used much.
They’re too small, the new brooks I just bought are a full size bigger.
I’m late 60’s so I guess I’m in the same boat as some of y’all.

It is well known that feet and ears continue to grow.

Go to Fleet Feet and have your feet scanned by a computer vision system. Use data to make decisions.

quote:

Saucony running shoes also in 9 1/2.

For a few years now, I’ve tested prototypes for Saucony. Always a size 9. Invariably I’ll receive a pair that are comfortable and the next pair are tight.

After 25 years of running, 34,000 miles and 75 pairs of Sauconys that I’ve purchased, they’ve been fairly consistent in sizing. Oddly enough the laces vary in length.

25 years ago I always bought size 10 shoes.
Now at 73 I'm up to 13 -13 1/2 wide.
Another cruel joke from Mother Nature.

quote:

Originally posted by oddball:
Just last month for shits and giggles, I tried to fit into my two pairs of biking shoes, I haven't worn them in over 10 years. They are now impossibly small to wear.

Well shit…I haven’t tried on my insulated Danner boots for a long time. I hope they fi, they weren’t cheap.
The non insulated ones I already went to a 12 wide when I replaced them.

quote:

Originally posted by 6guns:

Or at 65 years old are my feet still growing?

More like changing.
Past age-50 usually closer to retirement age, your arches will flatten, resulting in loosing maybe a half-size in length but, increasing in width. This is normal, just a matter of recognizing your body's changes and adapting to them. My father didn't have this until he was well into his 70's, my mother has size-6 boney feet, her issue is her heel isn't pronounced enough so she's constantly having to find shoes where heel-lift ins't as bad and others.