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This a subject that has come from another thread as a “by line” discussion, l bring the topic to its own thread due to some interest and so that we do not detract from the original threads topic.
Two statements were made by two different posters about “straight lasts”

”In fact this is a urban myth.. there is no such thing as straight or curved last footwear.”
The other statement regarding straight/curved lasts..

“An urban myth???.....probably a podiatric myth, a running magazine myth and running shoe store myth also!!”

My problem comes from this has been made as General statement which is not based on fact.
Whilst some truth may lay deep in the marketing of “some” brands that have only modified the sole to help sell their product and they may have been made on the same last as the standard, this is not a factual statement about all manufactured shoes and their lasts.
When we and other shoe makers make a straight lasted shoe as a posed to a curved lasted shoe the upper is quite different, not always seen by the untrained eye, in fact the designer/pattern maker has gone to a great length of effort to hide the fact that it is different.

For example the inside/Medial quarters need to be shorter on a straight last than a curved last as there is less distance to cover over a straight line than a curved, if this is not done the lugs will appear crooked or the counter will be off the mid line, nether been exceptable. ..sadly the last is also heavier as there is more volume, very noticeable when working on a size 18UK shoe.

The opposite is true of a curved last product, the greater that medial curve is the longer the medial quarters need to be, extra allowance will also be needed at the medial aspect of the vamp pattern as most curved lasts extend that line through to the distal hallux to accommodate a Pes Cavus “type” foot where the hallux is abducting form the foot, again, none of this should be very visible if the “pattern maker” has done his/her job well.

The sole can reflect these differences, accentuate or it can hide these differences to a lesser degree, say a curved last, we can hide how deep that curve comes in by a slight flare of the midial mid foot of the sole.

 

My statement was made in relation to the "big 5' athletic footwear shoe companies.... ie those that most podiatrists would reccommend to their clients

It IS a fact that in this instance all footwear is made from semi-curved lasts, and that in real terms straight or curved last fotwear is a myth

 

l did not see that in your text anywhere, must be my computer:rolleyes:, but thats cool, each to their own.

 

You are a hard worker Admin:morning: