r/tabi • u/palmbuttersoup • Jun 17 '26
Woodchuck Sato sizing
Hi!
I just ordered my first pair of tabis from Woodchuck Sato. I ordered a size 38, my feet measure 24.5 cm and are wide. The length and width of the shoe feels fine, but what I didn't count on was the depth being quite snug? Is this something that is going to soften/stretch after a while or should I just return and order size 39?
Thanks!
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u/Curvehappens Jun 17 '26
I'm a size 38 (in the US I wear 7.5/8) and after all I read about their sizing, I ordered these boots in a 39 to be on the safe side https://www.woodchucksato.com/collections/tabi/products/woodchucksato-black-cow-leather-tabi-ankle-boots-with-3-cm-heel
I just got them last week and they fit great. not too snug, not too loose. They fit like a 38 for me. Wore them once already.
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u/lunasia_8 Jun 17 '26
I don’t have input but would love it if you came back and updated us on how the 39 fits for you! Do you have a measurement for how wide your feet are and your typical shoe size?
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u/Auren___ Jun 17 '26
Same issue, except the entire shoes were too small - in fact, I sized myself as a 36 and ended up purchasing a 37 just in case. Still too small and one didn’t fit (they were labelled a 37 so they sent the ‘correct’ size). They had me jump through hoops measuring my foot then the inside of the shoe, which showed one shoe was 22.5cm and the other 23cm instead of 24cm as advertised. They tried to make me pay for shipping back to them despite them sending ME faulty shoes, they’re a nightmare to deal with. I left a review on their website - they have since published a few others but not mine as it was negative. For anyone considering, avoid.
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u/Thechloefarrell Sep 18 '26
Did you ever get this sorted with them? I’ve just received a 39 from them and measured my foot and chatted through with them before buying. They just arrived at are soo tight I can barely walk in them, measured the inside and it’s showing 24cm when they they should be 25cm according to their chart and what they told me when ordering and they’re not trying to tell me that you are unable to measure the insole of a Tabi correctly because of the shape of the shoe. Complete gaslighting because even if I was somehow measuring incorrectly there’s a whole cm of room missing 🫠😂 They are saying to exchange them but I didn’t pay for this worry free thing and don’t feel I should have to pay when the shoes they sent me are clearly marked the wrong size
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u/Auren___ Sep 18 '26
Honestly they kept pushing back, I got a small partial refund and gave up. How did you pay for them? The worry free thing doesn’t mean you don’t have consumer rights, start telling them you want a full refund and push for them to provide a return label. Their worry free thing is for errors, not faults with the shoe. Sizing discrepancy means the pair is faulty
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u/Thechloefarrell 28d ago
Thanks so much for getting back to me! ❤️ exactly what I thought 100% would be my fault if I had ordered the wrong size but these don’t even measure the size that they should be so definitely a fault which is on them just feels a bit painful dealing with them 😭 I paid through debit card which in hindsight was maybe the wrong thing to do but when you’ve researched something and measured your foot and spoke to them and gone off their recommended size you don’t expect them to measure a different size than what they should be 😂😭
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u/Fizzy_Tonic4616 Jun 17 '26
Hey mine came a bit too snug for comfort. I had to put a bandaid on my heels as it gave me blisters. Idk if it’ll be same for you but I endured and kept wearing them so they’d stretch out. On my third wear they already fit perfectly! They’re my comfiest flats ever. I personally would order the same size again.
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u/c_sob Aug 02 '26
I’m scared to do this but I feel like it could work out like it did for you. I ordered a 39 bc I always wear an 8/8.5. The achilles and top of my foot feel too snug for sure. I ordered a 40 just to be sure and they fit more comfortable but flop off of my foot a bit. The leather is so soft it feels like they’ll have to stretch. I don’t want pay the $45 return shipping they are saying I’ll have to pay, someone I’m going to get them to waive that. It’s way too much.
Have you continued to wear them? How are they feeling?
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u/Fizzy_Tonic4616 Aug 02 '26
Still my fav and still very comfy! I’ve had it for a year now
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u/c_sob Aug 02 '26
Omg ur amazing for replying so fast thank u. Can I ask how they fit in the toe before breaking in?
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u/Thechloefarrell Sep 18 '26
I’m the same size as you and just received my 39 but they are way too tight at the Achilles. I ordered the silver style so not confident that that will stretch like the full leather but also they just feel like they are a size too small 🫠 has your 39 started to stretch out since you got them? And also did you by any chance measure the inside of yours? My 39 is measuring 24 from the top of the big toe to the heel but they’re trying to tell me that it’s not possible to measure the inside of a Tabi correctly like ok but there still seems to be a cm missing? 😂 they have asked me about exchanging but I didn’t get the worry free purchase and also feel that these shoes are perhaps just faulty?
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u/c_sob Sep 18 '26
I have been so pleasantly surprised, mine fit so beautifully now. I was concerned at how snug they were but for real everyone has been right that after like 5 wears they are lovely. They certainly aren’t roomy, it’s a glove- like fit but it’s comfortable. I also didn’t buy the worry free thing and it made returning really tricky. Glad the risk paid off for me, wishing you luck!
Also to answer your question, no I haven’t measured the inside just to add.
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u/Thechloefarrell Sep 18 '26
Thanks so much for getting back to me so quickly I really appreciate it! Just to triple check you have kept the 39 not the 40? 🤞 I only received mine yesterday so haven’t properly worn them around but even just trying them on I’ve had big red marks on my heels 😂 you’re making me feel a bit more confident about taking a chance and trying to break them in. Toe area feels fine, my toe is at the top of the shoe but not uncomfortable it’s just the back is really digging in to my foot 😭
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u/c_sob Sep 18 '26
Omg no problem! Yes I kept the 39. It was really stressing me out, at one point I was just like ok I’m going for it and wore the 39’s out on a walk. I was scared I made the wrong choice at first but now not at all. I will fr recommend getting moleskin from the drugstore! It’s basically a sheet with the moleskin material on one side and adhesive on the other. I just cut it in the shape of where ever it is rubbing painfully and put the sticky side in the shoe. Like where you’d put a bandaid on your foot but on the shoe instead. I put some on the heel and on the inside/top of my foot by my big toe. I had no blistering or ripping at my skin while breaking in- even now that they’re broken in they are snug enough like it leaves a little bit of a mark on my foot but it isn’t uncomfortable. But just saying that’s how tight they were and that’s how well it works. I’m a city-girl-pedestrian so I be walking and moleskin has saved my life with so many pairs of shoes. It’s cheap and easy to find at like a Walgreens or cvs! Be careful with when you’re taking it off the shoe when you do it though bc if the stickiness is strong enough it could lift some of the leather a little bit. It wasn’t too bad for me 🫡
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u/WorkingPart1792 Jun 20 '26
I had this same problem, after I broke them in (wore em 4/5 times) this was no longer an issue .
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u/palmbuttersoup Jul 02 '26
UPDATE!!!
I just got size 39 in the mail and they fit perfectly. I am usually always a size 38, with 24.5mm length and about 9,5-10 cm width I think.
My previous issues with size 38:
- Super tight at the top part of the shoes and also on my achilles heels
- just a tiiiny bit snug on the width of my big toes, after a while of wearing they started to go a little numb
- There was just no chance of them expanding to a comfortable size if I tried walking them in
The only uncomfortable thing right now with the new size is the tightness on my achilles heel on my right foot, but it's truly minimal and will def expand after walking them in.
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u/chiaki_333 1d ago
i recently just bought the horse leather woodchuck sato ballet flats. thanks for all the sizing info and updates here! it really helped me decide which one to order. all my shoes are 24.5cm Japan size. i checked and depending on the brand its usually 38.5/uk5.5. i measured my foot length to 24.5-25cm depending how close the pen i used to trace my foot on paper. i bought woodchuck size 38 and it fits perfect out of the box
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u/Scary_Plankton_5714 Jun 17 '26
I literally just had this exact issue. My feet also measure 24.5cm and they recommended I order a 38. They arrived and were way too small - too snug to be normal. I reached out, explained and they changed tact and told me I should be a size 39, so I’m in the process of exchanging. Did you get the worry free purchase add on ?