Biggest Shoe Size in the World: Who Holds the Record?

The biggest shoe size in the world is a US 37AA, worn by Robert Wadlow. His feet measured an incredible 47 cm (18.5 inches) long.

Among people living today, the record belongs to Jeison Orlando Rodríguez Hernández of Venezuela, who wears around a US size 26. His right foot measures 40.55 cm (15.96 inches), while his left measures 40.47 cm (15.93 inches).

So, the quick answer is:

• Biggest shoe size ever: Robert Wadlow, US 37AA
• Biggest shoe size today: Jeison Rodríguez, around US 26

And yes, once you get into size 26 and 37 territory, walking into a shoe store and asking, “Do you have this in my size?” stops being a realistic strategy.

But there’s quite a story behind both of those numbers:

What Is the Biggest Shoe Size in the World?

The biggest shoe size ever recorded belonged to Robert Wadlow, an American who wore an astonishing US size 37AA.

In other sizing systems, Guinness World Records lists that as a UK size 36 or approximately an EU size 75. His shoes measured 47 cm (18.5 inches) long.

For perspective, we’re talking about a shoe almost a foot and a half long. Size 37AA isn’t something you’re going to find hiding at the end of the clearance rack.

Put a Size 37AA Into Perspective

Who Was Robert Wadlow?

Robert Wadlow was born in Alton, Illinois, in 1918, and his extraordinary height was caused by hyperplasia of the pituitary gland, which resulted in unusually high levels of human growth hormone.

His body continued growing throughout his life, and his feet grew right along with it. By adulthood, Wadlow had reached 8 ft 11.1 in (2.72 m), making him the tallest person ever recorded.

Wadlow died in 1940 at just 22 years old, but his records have never been surpassed. Guinness World Records still recognizes him as both the tallest man ever and the person with the largest feet ever recorded.

His size 37AA shoes were extraordinary, but they were really just one part of an extraordinary growth pattern that affected his entire body.

Who Has the Biggest Feet in the World Right Now?

There’s also a small detail here that I love from a shoe-sizing perspective: even the world’s largest feet aren’t exactly the same size.

Jeison’s right foot is slightly longer than his left. The difference is tiny, but it’s a perfect reminder that having one foot larger than the other is completely normal, whether you’re shopping for a US 9 or having a US 26 made especially for you.

When Did Jeison Realize His Feet Were So Big?

Jeison realized his feet were unusually large when he was still a child. Guinness says that around his ninth birthday, he noticed his feet were already much bigger than his friends’ when they compared sizes.

By the time he was 10 years old, Jeison says he was already wearing a Venezuelan size 45, and he had the biggest feet in his family.

His feet didn’t slow down either. By 15, he says he had reached a Venezuelan size 50, with his feet continuing to grow rapidly.

So while most kids that age were simply outgrowing their shoes, Jeison was quickly moving into sizes that were becoming extremely difficult to find. Eventually, buying regular shoes would no longer be an option at all.

Can You Actually Buy Size 26 Shoes?

At that size, ordinary retail shoes aren’t a realistic option for Jeison Rodríguez. His footwear has to be specially made to accommodate feet measuring more than 40 cm long.

Before he had access to properly fitted custom shoes, things were even more difficult. Jeison sometimes had to wear sandals made from old tires and fabric because he couldn’t find shoes in his size. Guinness says he wore them to get to school and other appointments.

He also recalled having shoes made from trouser material when he was younger, but they would last only two or three weeks. Sometimes, he simply went barefoot.

So, when your feet are this far outside normal retail sizing, you need someone who can actually make a pair that fits…

Who Makes Jeison Rodríguez’s Shoes?

That job has fallen to Georg Wessels, a German shoemaker whose family business specializes in making footwear for exceptionally tall people.

Wessels has made custom shoes for Jeison as well as other Guinness record holders, including Sultan Kösen, the world’s tallest living man.

Wessels traveled to Venezuela to meet Jeison and provide him with custom footwear. Jeison later traveled to Germany himself to visit Wessels and get new shoes.

Jeison has explained that Wessels makes his footwear using special materials specifically for him.

It’s quite a journey just to get a new pair of shoes, but when you’re around a US size 26, there isn’t exactly a size dropdown waiting for you on your favorite sneaker website.

Who Had Bigger Feet: Robert Wadlow or Jeison Rodríguez?

Robert Wadlow, and by a surprisingly large margin. His feet were about 6.5 cm (2.5 inches) longer than Jeison Rodríguez’s largest foot.

Here’s how the two record holders compare:

And just to put that into perspective, I wear a US 9. Wadlow’s shoe size was 28 sizes above mine. That’s the kind of number that makes a normal shoe size chart run out of columns.

Which Famous People Have Really Big Shoe Sizes?

Jeison Rodríguez and Robert Wadlow are in a league of their own, but they’re certainly not the only very tall people associated with unusually large shoe sizes.

Here’s a fun way to put some of these sizes into perspective:

Shaquille O’Neal famously wears a US size 22. At 7 ft 1 in, even his sneakers look enormous next to an average pair.

Professional wrestler Paul Wight, better known as Big Show, has also been widely reported as wearing a US size 22.

Then there’s Sultan Kösen, the tallest living man. Guinness has reported his shoe size as US 24, which sounds enormous until you put him next to Jeison. Guinness specifically noted that Jeison’s feet were larger than Sultan’s when announcing Jeison’s size 26 record.

Jeison takes us up to US size 26, while Robert Wadlow makes another huge jump all the way to 37AA. Guinness confirms both record sizes.

And then there’s me at US 9.

I think I’ll stay out of this competition.

Does a US Size 37AA Mean Robert Wadlow’s Foot Was 37 Inches Long?

No. A US size 37AA doesn’t mean Robert Wadlow had a 37-inch-long foot.

The number in a shoe size is part of a sizing system, not a direct measurement of your foot in inches. Robert wore a US 37AA, but his feet actually measured 18.5 inches (47 cm) long.

If you’re trying to connect the number on your shoe box to your actual foot measurements, start by measuring your feet at home.

Length in inches or centimeters gives you the measurement first, and then you can match that measurement to a shoe size.

What Does the AA in Robert Wadlow’s Size 37AA Mean?

In 37AA, the 37 is the numerical shoe size, while AA is the width designation.

That’s why you’ll often see shoe sizes written as combinations such as 9D, 10E, or 11EE. The number and letters are telling you two different things about the fit.

The important part is that width letters aren’t standalone measurements. Their meaning depends on the sizing system, the shoe size, and sometimes the brand using them.

Why Don’t Shoe Sizes Match Exactly Between Countries?

You might see Robert Wadlow’s record-breaking size listed as US 37AA, UK 36, or approximately EU 75. Those different numbers don’t mean his feet somehow changed size when he crossed a border.

They come from different shoe-sizing systems.

UK, US, and European sizing each use their own numbering conventions. That’s why the same foot can have one size number in the US, another in the UK, and a much larger-looking number in European sizing.

Final Thoughts: That’s a Lot of Shoe

Writing about shoe sizing all the time, I’m used to worrying about half sizes, toe room, and whether a shoe runs a little narrow.

But looking at the biggest shoe size in the world puts those everyday sizing problems into a pretty funny perspective. When your shoes have to be specially made for you, “Should I go true to size or half a size up?” isn’t exactly the problem anymore.

And maybe that’s my favorite thing about this record. It shows just how far human feet can fall outside the sizing systems the rest of us take for granted.

So, the next time your size is sold out, spare a thought for Jeison. At least you have a chance of finding yours somewhere else.