Hotter Shoes - are they different or is it just me?

I bought some Hotter shoes a while back and it's funny but I had the opposite problem - they were a bit loose. I placed an insole in them which helps but they're not the most comfortable shoes I've ever worn. Have you tried Clark's at all? I find them to be better.

I have never bought them but I remember similar comments on a thread a few months ago.

I’ve got wide feet with bunions and I’ve always found most Hotter shoes too narrow.

I think I read somewhere that Hotter have changed their manufacturer to somewhere overseas. I too have a few pairs of their shoes and haven’t bought any in a while. I was a perfect size 4, but who knows now.

Ladyleftfieldlover

I think I read somewhere that Hotter have changed their manufacturer to somewhere overseas. I too have a few pairs of their shoes and haven’t bought any in a while. I was a perfect size 4, but who knows now.

That explains it! The quality may have gone down.

I agreelovetopaint A friend told me hers were the most comfortable shoes she had ever had so I discovered them for myself . I'm on my 2nd pair of the laceups now but when I went to the shop and tried on other styles, nothing fitted and the colours were horrid.
The same thing happened with Echo shoes.

Just checked and it seems they are still made in the UK, but there seems to have been some changes and they are expanding into fashion as well.
Hotter to sell fashion

Forgot to post this.

Hotter have started to do different width fittings - just three, I think, and not for all styles. I'm pleased because, although they were comfortable, some styles were a bit wide for me. It does mean checking to see that I've picked the right fitting, though.

Most of my shoes are Hotter. I buy the extra wide ones. I usually buy them on eBay so they have often been worn a few times and are nicely softened up by the time they get to me.

I have a pair of shoes and a pair of sandals and both pairs rub just one of my heels and make them sore. This doesn’t happen with any of my other various makes of shoes.

Make it sore I meant.

I have found the opposite! I find them more comfortable now than before.

I have two pairs of the Wispa boots. My dark green ones are about 5yr old and still in great condition, My tan ones are 2yr old and definitely made by other manufacturer. They are beginning to look scruffy although I have always used the recommended cleaner and seem to be made of inferior leather which has never really softened. They are quite comfortable but not quite the same as my first pair.

I think Pavers and Rieker are better. Clarkes fit well, but they don't have as much variety.

Either my feet have shrunk, or they have changed their sizes. I used to order size 5, but, finding these too big, I took to ordering 4.5, wide fitting and these, so far, have been a perfect fit. A package is due to arrive on Monday, with a pair of navy 'Chase' shoes which I already have in grey.

Thank you all for your input. As said before I have always praised Hotter’s and used to say that I had wasted money on other makes so only bought from them. But these recent buys have disappointed me due to the tortuous effort to get my feet into the shoes. I am wearing all the other Hotter’s shoes and boots aware now that my new shoes just don’t seem the same. One pair may be a blip but not three. I am wearing a pair of them as I post to try to soften them up. They don’t feel bad when they have been on for awhile but am hoping that I don’t have to continue to spend ages struggling to get into them. When I asked about a wider width I was told it wouldn’t help as they would be too wide for my heel!!!
Sorry Grammaretto that you were also disappointed and hope things improve meanwhile I won’t be ordering any more and will only try them on in the shop to make sure they are accessible. Last September I bought a pair of their boots in the shop and they were lovely. So perhaps all is not lost!!!

Deedaa

Most of my shoes are Hotter. I buy the extra wide ones. I usually buy them on eBay so they have often been worn a few times and are nicely softened up by the time they get to me.

Love your style Deedaa. That’s a great idea.?

LovetoPaint I been buying them for about 5 years now but nothing for over a year except for another pair of their Ridge II GTX walking boots a month ago.

I take a size 9 and can rely on Hotter's size 9 to be a 43 (as Clarks are) but unlike a lot of other makes like Pavers, where their 9 is a 42.

It's the second pair of GTX boots I've had and they are so comfortable. Wore them on holiday the other week - every day, all day. Then a pair of Hotter shoes for the evening.

I have no Hotter shop near by any more so will rely on online ordering. I'm wanting another pair of their long fashion boots for next winter. Fingers crossed they fit well.

That is why I have been buying them for years now. Also why I didn’t hesitate to buy online. I am size 6 standard. Never had any trouble. Bought boots from the shop last September and two pairs of very expensive boots (£99) online two years ago, All perfect as I expected them to be. It has only been the last few shoes that were so very tight. I thought it must be my feet having spread during the wearing of boots over the Winter. Well I sorted out my other warmer weather shoes purchased at the end of last season. All perfect and comfortable. One pair I kept as I couldn’t believe that my reliable Hotter shoes were not right. I have worn these a couple of times as they seemed better for using them around the house. I wish now I had taken them back. However, the pair my daughter bought for me and the ones I ordered a couple of weeks ago were beyond acceptance as in each case I literally couldn’t get my feet in them without a terrible struggle. I took my daughters back and now I have decided to take back the ones I ordered. I am not buying any more online but will only try them on in the shop before buying. If you could see my wardrobes full up with Hotter’s shoes and boots you would realise that this is a really difficult and disappointing decision.

Thanks for your input, Lovetopaint037. Your experience confirms what I have found - evidently my feet have not shrunk and sizes have changed. Luckily, my solution seems to have worked. For more 'dressy' shoes, I have generally found Gabor to suit me well - not very high heels but (and I hesitate to use the term) 'age-appropriate'.

Thank you annodimiini for reminding me how good Gabor shoes are. I am now going to look around after years of devoted allegiance to Hotters. However, I took my latest pair of disappointing shoes back this morning and related the problem to the sales assistant who put it down to the style probably not suiting my feet!!! On the plus side they refunded me the cost with no trouble at all. It is still a mystery.

Last summer I bought a pair of the ‘deck shoe’ type in my usual size, but they were slightly big and once worn in, were really on the big side.

So recently I ordered a pair that looked exactly the same, in half a size smaller.
But in fact they’re very slightly different and feel slightly too small. I’m gradually wearing them in, though, and hoping the leather will ‘give’.

Their sizes certainly don’t seem consistent. I’ve had perfectly fitting ones and slightly too big or small, all in the same size.

Yes I bought a few pairs before covid all were fine and I ordered a new pair last year and a stitch hadn’t being done correctly and it really badly bruised and made my little toes bleed. I wore around home and they felt fine but footpaths aren’t flat and that’s when I noticed so unfortunately I couldn’t get refund. So very expensive lose also I had to size up. So I won’t be buying them again but I have found Moda in pelle very comfortable shoes first time I wore them since then gone on to buy a few more pairs but on their website they tell you to size up. Which is very helpful saving on postage returns