Boys’ to Men’s Shoe Size Conversion Charts, Measuring Guide

Whether you’re a new parent putting your baby boy in booties for the first time or the longtime guardian of a growing adolescent on the verge of transitioning to men’s shoes, your next step starts right here! On this page, we’ll introduce you to the full spectrum of boys’ shoe sizes and tackle the basics of boys’ to men’s shoe size conversion. You’ll also find clear, easy-to-understand and even-easier-to-use boys’ shoe size charts.

• Boys’ to Men Shoe Size Conversion
• Boy’s Shoe Size Chart
• International Kids’ Shoe Size Conversion

Boys’ to Men’s Shoe Size Conversion

Want to learn how to do your own boys’ to men’s shoe size conversion? All you have to do is let your fingers do the walking to our mind-bogglingly easy-to-understand chart.

As you can see, the boys’ shoe sizing scale is identical to the men’s. The sole difference is that occasionally sizes 1–7 are designated as youth sizes with a “Y” following the number. Consequently, all you need to know for a boys’ to men’s shoe size conversion or youth to men’s shoe size conversion is there is no break in the continuum from youth sizes to men’s. However, this is only true for the youth shoe sizes. Shoe sizes for smaller kids follow a different logic, running from 1C to 13C. For these sizes, conversion is unnecessary, since adult males are almost never able to wear them.

Boys’ Shoe Size Chart

Consult this boys’ shoe size chart to find the exactly right fit in shoe size.

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At a Glance

• The boys’ shoe sizing scale is identical to the men’s scale, with the only difference being that sizes 1-7 are designated as youth sizes with a “Y” following the number.
• For toddler shoes, sizes run from 0-13 and are marked with a “T”.
• Youth shoe sizes range from 1 to 7 and are for bigger boys.
• Boys should start considering purchasing men’s shoes around the age of 12, when they will typically be wearing a size 6Y-7Y shoe and can fit into a man’s size 6-7. There is some overlap between the biggest youth sizes and smaller men’s shoes and the switch should be made around this time as it is difficult to find men’s shoes under size 6 in most men’s stores.

How Do Boys’ Shoes Sizes Work?

How boys’ shoe sizes work depends on the age of your boy. When he is a toddler, your boy will wear “small kids’ shoes,” which run from size 0-13. Most boys will wear toddler shoes all the way up to 4 or 5 years of age. Some 4-year-old boys, for example, will wear a size 11 toddler shoe. Toddler sizes are often marked with a “T”, so a size “11T” would simply translate to a size 11 in toddler shoes.

Next come the “youth” shoe sizes. These range from 1 to 7 and, as previously mentioned, are often labeled with a “Y,” so a size 1Y would be a size 1 in youth shoes. Youth sizes are for bigger boys – a size 1Y shoe is bigger than a size 13T shoe. After your child outgrows the largest 7Y shoes, it’s time to move onto adult shoe sizes.

When to Start Buying Men’s Shoe Sizes for Boys

This is a common question and literally a big step. Unfortunately, there’s no one clear-cut, universal answer. There is some overlap between the biggest youth sizes and smaller men’s shoes, even more so between brands. Your boy could very well wind up wearing some shoes in youth sizes, while wearing men’s shoes in the same sizes.

As a rule, your boy should start considering purchasing men’s shoes around the age of 12, when he will typically be wearing a size 6Y-7Y shoe and can fit into a man’s size 6-7. It’s pretty difficult to find men’s shoes under size 6 in most men’s stores and men’s sections, so this is the right time to make the switch.

FAQ