The Footer Family Foot Measure Company has developed a number of products which are not only sold to wholesale companies, but to individuals as well.  You may have never heard of this company, but if you’ve ever bought a pair of shoes from a store and had your foot measured for correct sizing, you have probably used one of their foot measuring products!  We received the RITZ Kids Toddler and the fOOter for the purposes of review.

The Original RITZ Stick was created in 1913, and its devices debuted a measuring standard for the U.S. that is still used today.  The RITZ Stick is a strong wooden ruler-like device, which has a raised wooden rest to place the heel against, with a sliding wooden toe rest.  The RITZ Kids Toddler foot measure is based on that original design, but is smaller for little feet.  It is a sturdy, narrow wooden lath, approximately 9” x 1 ½.”  At one end is a wooden heel rest which rises 1 ½.”  The wood itself is smooth and sanded, with no rough edges to scratch tender feet.  Children’s shoe sizes from 0 to 13 are marked in both whole and half sizes on the face of the device.  Just like those they’d find at an actual shoe store, parents can use the RITZ Kids Toddler at home to measure their children’s feet accurately.  Parents simply place the RITZ Kids Toddler on the floor and have their toddler stand with his heel against the heel rest.  The child’s toes will line up with the shoe size appropriate for his feet.  It’s simple and easy on both parent and child to get a correct measurement of shoe size!

The fOOter Family Foot Measure is another excellent measuring device.  This one, however, is portable!   It is sturdy green plastic and is approximately 7” x 1 ¾.“  However, it unsnaps on one end to unfold to become a 14”-long foot measure.  Directions are printed on the outside.  The heel stop and toe slide are both folded down until they’re needed for measurement.  The heel stop is stationary but the toe slide moves back and forth along the length of the foot measure.  Men’s, women’s and children’s feet measurements are all marked.  And there is even a place on the fOOter to measure foot width!  Unlike the RITZ Kids Toddler measure, the fOOter is designed to be used when a person is sitting down.  The plastic feels very strong but probably wouldn’t hold an adult’s weight without breakage.  The person simply unfolds the fOOter, lifts the heel stop, and places it on the floor.  Then, while seated, he places his heel against the heel stop and moves the toe slide until it rests against his longest toe.  Next, he removes his foot from the fOOter and notes the number that the toe slide is resting against.  This will indicate the shoe size necessary!  And, because foot width can also affect shoe size, there is a place for measuring width along with a chart which reflects the correct shoe size.  The fOOter Family Foot Measure then folds easily for storage and fits nicely into purses, backpacks or totes.

In this day and age, where many of us order from catalogs or over the Internet, Footer Family Foot Measure’s products will take the guesswork out of shoe purchases.  They’re very simple to use and understand, and they’re priced very affordably.  I found them to be both well-made and useful.  The fOOter in particular fascinated my son.  (He thinks that it is a great measuring device!)  The RITZ Kids Toddler Foot Measure costs $9.95, and the fOOter Family Foot Measure costs $13.95.  Both are available from http://www.footmeasure.com.

-Product Review by Melalie Reynolds, The Old Schoolhouse® Magazine, LLC, March, 2015