What is a Brannock Device?

The Brannock Device® is the standard foot measuring tool for the world's footwear industry. But few people are able to call the device by name, much less identify its inventor Charles Brannock.

Mr. Brannock's father Otis, joined with Ernest Parks in 1906 to found the downtown Park-Brannock Shoe Co. in Syracuse, New York. As a Syracuse University student, Brannock wanted to find the best way to measure the foot. The Brannock Device® dramatically improved the accuracy of a foot measurement to 95-96%.

More Info: brannock.com

Test your knowledge

What are your thoughts on this subject?

40 Comments

Lilian Ling

Why is it that when I choose the 50/50 ‘helper’ the two that come up are invariably the ones I was already debating? Sadly, no help at all!

William Laughlin

Evelyn Forbes, You are mistaken. The Brannock device was designed in 1926 in the US, by an American inventor, Charles Brannock. The company manufactured the devices in the US and was headquartered in Syracuse, New York. After his death, the company moved to Liverpool, NY, but that is not to be confused with Liverpool in England. His device was not first used in Europe.

Mindy Porter

My family is originally from Srycause . My family loved that store , Park Brannock. 5 floors of shoes. As I grew up most of my shoes were purchased there and my feet were measured every time. The childrens floor had a small carousel.

Rachel Weatherby

Interesting, never knew what it was called.

dmarkc

Now use it to make shoes.

Player

My mother worked in a shoe shop when I was a child that had this. Very strange to have a pair of shoes of different sizes as no other stores did this.

Wyla Reedy

I vaguely knew the other three.

Char

Joseph A. Robitaille, I don't remember getting it myself and I've been around for a bit

Char

John W Shreve, I only had the local Kmart..lol

Char

John W Shreve, since their is a lot of skiing in the Mountains I'd say it's very possible.

Char

Lilian Ling, it happens to me too or all four have been picked lol

Char

I missed that by a mile as I never heard of him or it before..

Joe Mangan

Lilian Ling, let's get it changed to a 75/25 helper.

Carl Belken

The fellow in the pic looks like a shoe salesman from back in the day.

John W Shreve

My grandfather was part owner of a sporting goods store in San Francisco that burned down in the 1906 earthquake and fire. I wonder if he sold ski equipment.