Finding larger size shoes or getting them shipped for pickup in Europe

September 2, 2011 4:02 PM

Finding size 14 / 48.5 shoes in Europe filter: I'm in Paris and soon to be in Amsterdam. I need some shoes for traveling and normally I buy online to avoid exactly this problem of finding my size. Barring some miracle of someone knowing a place in one of these cities where I can for sure get something, what would be the European equivalent of Zappos.com where I could arrange pick-up as a shipping option?

I'm at a net cafe I will respond tomorrow!

posted by dino terror to Shopping (8 answers total)

Well, there's zalando.nl. These are size 49. Can't find 48.5 though I didn't look very long. They have 48s, but I figured better a little big than too small.

There's also a French site (and one in English, but they only deliver to the UK). If you'd like to pursue this and need help with ordering in Dutch, memail me.
posted by likeso at 4:35 PM on September 2, 2011

When I lived in Europe, I used to go to big sporting goods stores and inevitably they'd have something in my size (close to yours). It was not always an ideal selection--for some months I wore bright yellow Nike clown shoe-looking sneakers, for another stretch it was enormously clompy hiking boots--but it is a potential solution.
posted by Ghostride The Whip at 5:48 PM on September 2, 2011

High & Mighty sell shoes in 'larger' sizes as well as clothing. They have a store in central Amsterdam. They tend to stock higher-end stuff, and the pricing always seems to reflect that.
posted by paulash at 6:21 PM on September 2, 2011

What about Amazon, next day delivery to your hotel/hostel etc.? Either use amazon.co.uk, or amazon.fr if you speak some French/reckon you can navigate around the site anyway.
posted by djgh at 7:17 PM on September 2, 2011

We have a Big Shoe shop in Amsterdam. I've never shopped there but know it well, it's been around for years. Leliegracht 12 in the Jordaan, the number is 020 622 66 45 if you want to check first that they have what you're looking for.
posted by rubbish bin night at 11:58 PM on September 2, 2011

The Dutch equivalent of Zappos is Omoda, and they sell men's shoes (herenschoenen) up to size (maat) 50. You can probably arrange delivery to your Amsterdam hotel.
posted by neushoorn at 4:00 AM on September 3, 2011

Try a Decathlon in a large city (I know paris has 2 or 3 big ones, and I'm pretty sure Amsterdam does too). They often carry larger sizes, and their house-brand shoes tend to be a little on the large side of things--I'm normally a 47, but I fit very comfortably into their 46, and could probably squeeze into the 45 in a pinch.
posted by tkfu at 4:11 PM on September 3, 2011

Response by poster: Finally got some Crocs after visiting about 20 stores between Paris and Amsterdam.... Ugh. Thanks for the help!
posted by dino terror at 6:23 AM on September 6, 2011