Bowling Shoe Size Chart: US, EU, UK and JP Conversion

Bowling shoes are sized like everyday shoes: in most cases you order the size you normally wear. The size chart below converts EU, US men’s, US women’s, UK and Japanese sizes, and the following sections show how to measure your feet and check the fit of a new pair.

Why bowling shoe size matters

Choosing the right bowling shoe size comes down to one thing: your foot must stay in place while you walk to the foul line and slide into the release. If the shoe is too big, your heel lifts and your foot moves inside the shoe during the slide. If it is too small, it pinches after a few frames and your concentration drifts. This guide shows how to measure your feet, how US, EU, UK and Japanese sizes relate to each other, and how to check the fit.

If you are still deciding which kind of shoe to buy, start with our bowling shoe buying guide.

Bowling shoe size chart: US, EU, UK and JP

This conversion table shows the full BOWLIO size run. EU, US Men, US Women and JP are the values listed for each size in our shop; the UK column is calculated from the foot length in the JP column, as described below.

There is no single international standard for shoe sizes, and conversion tables vary from brand to brand. A few relationships hold in most tables, though:

• EU sizes are based on the length of the last (the form the shoe is built on) and rise in steps of two-thirds of a centimetre.
• US men’s sizes are customarily one size above UK sizes: a shoe marked US 9 is typically a UK 8. Some manufacturers use a difference of half a size.
• UK sizes count in thirds of an inch. For adults, a common approximation is: UK size ≈ 3 × foot length in inches − 23. The UK column applies this formula to the JP foot length and rounds to half sizes, so in some rows it differs from US Men − 1 by half a size. It is a guide rather than an exact value.
• US women’s sizes are commonly 1.5 sizes above US men’s sizes for the same foot length. Some brands use a difference of one size.
• JP sizes state the foot length in centimetres, which makes them the easiest to match with your own measurement.

For other brands, always use the size chart of the manufacturer whose shoe you are buying.

How to measure your feet

Measure your feet before you order, rather than relying on the size of a shoe you already own. Size tables differ between manufacturers, so a size that fits in one brand is not automatically right in another.

1. Measure later in the day. Feet tend to be slightly larger in the afternoon or evening than in the morning.
2. Wear the socks you bowl in. The thickness of the sock changes how the shoe fits.
3. Stand on a sheet of paper. Put your weight evenly on both feet and mark the back of the heel and the tip of your longest toe – which is not always the big toe.
4. Measure the length. Measure the straight distance between the two marks in centimetres.
5. Measure the width. Measure across the widest part of the forefoot, at the ball of the foot.
6. Measure both feet. If they differ, go by the larger foot.

Then compare your foot length with the JP column: the value closest to your measurement shows the matching row, and with it your EU and US size.

Women’s bowling shoe sizes

BOWLIO bowling shoes are unisex: women and men wear the same models in the same size run. If you usually buy women’s shoes in US sizes, read your size from the US Women column rather than US Men. The EU and JP values in a row stay the same – only the US number changes. The size run starts at EU 38, which corresponds to US Women 7.5.

Shoe width

Length is only half of the fit. In US sizing, width is marked with letters: for men, D is the standard width and E or 2E (EE) are wider; for women, B is the standard width. Several bowling shoe manufacturers, including Dexter and Brunswick, offer some of their models in a wide version.

If your forefoot often feels tight in standard shoes, read our guide to bowling shoes for wide feet.

Checking the fit

A good bowling shoe sits snugly without pinching. When you try on a new pair, check three things:

1. Heel: walk a few steps. Your heel should stay in the shoe and not lift noticeably.
2. Toes: stand upright. Your toes should have a little room and not press against the front of the shoe.
3. Slide: on a smooth floor, move your sliding foot forward as you would at the foul line. The shoe should feel stable and your foot should not shift inside it.

Leather shoes also adapt over time: the more often you wear them, the softer the leather becomes. More on the first weeks with a new pair in our tips on breaking in bowling shoes.

Sizes at BOWLIO

BOWLIO bowling shoes run true to size, so order the size you normally wear. The size chart with EU, US Men, US Women and JP values is also shown on every product page next to the size selection. The upper and the full-length sole are genuine leather, and the leather becomes softer the more often you wear the shoes.

Further reading: Beginner and pro bowling shoes compared · Bowling shoes for wide feet · Why your own bowling shoes make a difference

Frequently asked questions

What size bowling shoes should I buy?

Usually the size you wear in everyday shoes. Measure your foot length in centimetres and compare it with the manufacturer’s size chart. BOWLIO bowling shoes run true to size.

How do I convert men’s to women’s bowling shoe sizes?

In the common US scale, a women’s size is 1.5 above the men’s size: a US Men 9 corresponds to a US Women 10.5. Some brands use a difference of one size, so check the chart of the shoe you are buying.

What EU size is a US men’s 9?

For BOWLIO bowling shoes, US Men 9 is EU 42, which is US Women 10.5, about UK 8.5 and JP 26.5. Other brands may convert slightly differently.

What does the Japanese size mean?

The Japanese size (JP) states the foot length in centimetres. If your foot measures about 26.5 cm, the JP 26.5 row is your starting point.