Do you want a pair of quality leather boots made in the USA? Are you looking for a choice of styles, from Chelsea boots, combat boots, engineer boots or western boots? Here is our Frye boot sizing and fit guide.
Frye has been making American heritage leather boots for 155 years and have a range of styles for men and women.
Let’s look at some of the styles they offer, their sizing and how they fit.
Styles of Frye Boots
Frye offers many styles of short and long boots, including pull-on, zip up and lace-up boots. Here are some of the more popular styles and a few of their individual size features:
- Harness Boots: These pull-on boots have a 12-inch or 8-inch shaft, a 15-inch opening and are available in medium and wide fittings. There is also a harness boot with a back zip and an 8-inch shaft. Women’s styles are also available, like this knee-high harness
- Chelsea Style Boots: Chelsea boots are a staple classic style, loved by many. Frye has several styles of this pull-on boot with elasticated panels. The ankle level shaft is ideal for wearing under jeans or suit pants.
- Engineer boots: This is another pull-on boot with a longer shaft, at 10 inches. The consensus is that these boots have a lot of room at the instep, perfect if yours is high. If not, insoles can fill the gap.
- Western Boots: Western-style boots are another popular choice. These from Frye come in different colors and leathers and have a 10-inch shaft with a 14.5-inch calf circumference.
- Lace-Up Boots: Frye has many ankle height lace-up boots, such as the Tyler model for men and the Sabrina model for women. Both come in a range of sizes and colors, with a medium width fitting.
Frye Size Chart
Frye has some sizing guidance on their customer care page. It’s suggested that if you’re between sizes, you choose the larger size.
Frye also suggests going up a half size could be an option if wider widths are needed but not offered in your choice. But, in our experience, sizing up is not always a good idea to compensate for width. A medium width will be very similar, no matter the size. It’s the actual shoe length that differs.
You can see a Frye sizing chart here, to check the length of your foot against the sizes they offer.
Fitting Tips for Frye Boots
Here is some guidance for fitting your Frye boots:
- Try your boots on wearing the socks you intend to use. Socks take up room in your boots and can affect the sizing.
- If you wear an orthotic or insole, then put this in the boots before you try them on. Again this affects the sizing of your boots.
- Feet can swell after a long day, so try shoes on late in the day. That way they won’t end up being too small.
- Whichever type of closure the boot has, make sure you walk around in them, to check if they pinch, or if there is pressure anywhere on your feet.
- In lace-up styles, your heel should not slip—it should be held firmly in place. For pull-on and zips, a little slip should be felt in the heel. This should be minimal and your heel will seat properly once you wear the boots in.
- Whatever style boots you choose, you need room for your toes to move. You shouldn’t feel any pinching or seams rubbing the toes.
Pro Tips
Lace-up boots can be easily adjusted, using different lacing techniques. You can see some of them in this video. While these are for running shoes, the same techniques can apply to boots.
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Standing on the boots’ insole can indicate how well your boots fit. Your heel should fit comfortably, there should be no overspill at the widest point and about a quarter-inch spare in front of your longest toe.
Additional Tips for Pull-On and Zip Boots
These styles of boots should not slip on easily, it should take a little gentle pressure to push your foot through the heel section into the boot.
The instep should feel quite snug, but not tight. Use your thumb and forefinger to gently try and pinch the leather above your instep. You should see a small wrinkle but not be able to pinch it.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do Frye Boots Run Small?
This seems to depend on the individual styles. Some run about a half size small, while others run true to size. The best thing you can do is try on your normal size and use our tips to see how they fit. If they are tight or loose in any way, then try the next size.
How Do Frye Boots Fit on the Legs?
The calf circumference of longer boots in their ranges is noted on each model. In general, they are quite roomy and should fit most calves. If you are unsure, check the calf width and measure your own calf, to decide if there will be enough room.
Rounding It Up
Frye boots have a number of classic and contemporary styles for both men and women. The company has a long history of producing quality leather boots.
Many of the styles run true to size, but if you have wider feet, check the width fittings. Some models can run a little narrow. Using our tips for Frye boots sizing and fit, you can be confident in the knowledge that you will find a pair of Frye boots that are a great fit for you.
We hope you enjoyed our guide and picked up some useful information. Please leave us a comment, we would love to hear your experiences and insights. If you know of others that can benefit from our guide to Frye boot sizing and fit, please share.
