Best boots for wide feet?

[Kowmung]

Hi,

I'm looking to pick up some proper boots after years of walking in Dunlop Volleys (which have unfortunately reduced significantly in quality). I need something more appropriate for off track/harsher environments. The problem is my feet destroy shoes!

They're wide and also supinate (roll onto the outside edge) while walking which unfortunately tends to tear the material on the outside edge over time and cause uneven wearing. So naturally I've been reluctant to outlay possibly several hundred dollars on some nice boots. Especially as I'm a poor student

But i think the time has come to pick some up so I was wondering if anyone out there shares this affliction and has any advice?

I will likely get some inserts made up to help fix the supination issue. I've been looking at some Meindl boots as they do a "wide" size and seem to have a pretty good reputation. Also from past experience the country of manufacture seems to makes a big difference to the durability (I think these are made in Germany).

Thanks.

[pazzar]

Zamberlan have a range of wider fitting boots too now (Scarpa do also I believe) . The Trek Magic or Baffin are the two that I have tried. Very comfortable, Italian made, and perform well off track. At the end of the day, you need to try them on. I would be very wary of buying online as they are not guaranteed to fit. Just because they say they make a wide model doesn't mean that they will fit you.

Cheers,

Jared

[LandSailor]

Merrells Trail shoes have wide sizes. Scroll down for the mens shoes (womens are at the top of the page).

[McWade]

I have broad feet towards the toes and narrowish at heel and quite flat (more like webs than feet) and my shoes wear unevenly because I overprotect. I find Keens to be the best fitting for me. I like the way they change form with lacing tight on top which helps with my flat/thin feet (difficult to explain). Currently favour the Targhee 2 mids. Don't last like full leather boots but they are solid for what they are, relatively light and inexpensive.

Edit: that should read overpronate, not overprotect

Last edited by McWade on Thu 17 Oct, 2013 8:22 pm, edited 1 time in total.

[Bubbalouie]

I've recently had to upgrade, I got some Mammut Appalachian GTXs. My feet are wide at the toes and normal (I think) at the heels.

I also found they broke in very quickly (compared to my old Scarpas anyway, FWIW they Scarpas were too narrow), I did a 23km overnight hike in the Flinders without a single blister and no sore foot muscles.

Good luck finding new shoes too BTW. Suitable footwear is worth every cent.

[zhenjie]

I have both Merrell and Timberland W (2E-4E) boots. Both comfy boots even with my orthodics.

Haven't found stockist of Scarpa's in wide but I'd love to one day.

[Strider]

my flat/thin feet (difficult to explain).

I believe "low volume" is the term you're after.

[LandSailor]

If you have feet that are hard to fit, Ive found going to the large warehouse size shoe stores makes the whole process a bit more streamlined.
You can immediately see what is on the shelf in your size without the normal toing and froing where the sales assistant goes out the back to "see what they've got". FSW Warehouse in McEvoy St, Alexandria in Sydney had a few different trail shoes last time I was there.

[McWade]

my flat/thin feet (difficult to explain).

I believe "low volume" is the term you're after.

No, it's not really. " I like the way they change form with lacing tight on top which helps with my flat/thin feet (difficult to explain)". What I was trying to get at is the way the boot conforms to the shape of the foot particularly well because of the gaps between the leather lacing 'tabs' underneath which is the synthetic material which compresses more easily than leather does. It is difficult to explain but if you tried them on you'd immediately see what I'm getting at. Two pictures would do the trick but I don't have time right now. These particular boots do it better than others I've tried. I've heard a lot of people comment that their Keens fitted well out of the box with no breaking in time and I think this is in part due to this feature, regardless of whether the foot is of low height/flat instep or rises steeply from toe to ankle along the instep. Ultimately boot fit is still very individual but the OP has a few options for broad feet to kick off the search for a comfy boot.

[McWade]

my flat/thin feet (difficult to explain).

I believe "low volume" is the term you're after.

Are you just posting for credit? If you'd taken the sentence as a whole it would've been clear that this is not what i meant. No use to anyone. Didn't contribute anything useful to the thread whatsover.

[Dutchy]

Hi,
Being Eurotrash, I've always stuck to the following....
Narrow feet (like myself): LOWA
Medium: HANWAG
Wide: MEINDL

Not sure of either of them get sold here really. I'm on my second pair of lowa's, first pair lasted 7 years, current one I've had for 7 or 8 years now and still a couple left....

[DannyS]

Hi,
Being Eurotrash, I've always stuck to the following....
Narrow feet (like myself): LOWA
Medium: HANWAG
Wide: MEINDL

Not sure of either of them get sold here really. I'm on my second pair of lowa's, first pair lasted 7 years, current one I've had for 7 or 8 years now and still a couple left....

I'll second Dutchy's suggestion of the Meindl wide boots, I have broad feet and the wide Meindls work well, there are retailers selling Meindl boots and shoes in Australia. I wish someone made a boot/shoe the same shape as the Keens but in a higher quality, that would be the perfect boot/shoe for me

[roysta]

Zamberlan have a range of wider fitting boots too now (Scarpa do also I believe)

This is correct. I have a mate who has wider feet than myself and he bought a pair of Zamberlan 996 Vioz GTX full leather boots.
Try this link: http://www.mountaindesigns.com/store/me ... vioz-gtx-m
Mountain Designs have them on sale now on their website marked down from $350 to $263. They're in half sizes.

[Wingnut]

I have wide feet with narrow heels and have found Asolo's to be very comfortable...bought mine at Bogong in Melb...

[weighty walker]

Hi I have wide feet and I bought a pair of Vasque boots. They are comfortable and didn't take long to wear in but at $270 not sure they are any good for a poor student

[zhenjie]

Word of advice re Danner boots from USA. A lot of their '2E' width shoes are actually very narrow (which they themselves admit).

[Aidan]

I know a lot of people here consider positive talk about Kathmandu gear verging on sacrilege but my feet are both wide at the front and narrow at the heel/ankle with a high arch, and the most comfortable light walking boots I've worn just happen to be older Kathmando ones. I think Haj was the model.
One of the few pairs of footwear that worked for me from the get go.
On the first day I walked about 12km and no blisters which was for me miraculous from a cheap and cheerful budget boot.
I havnt tried their latest incarnation and I'm hesitant to try due to worrying they'll be a different fit.
I do more cycling now than walking but really do need to invest in some walking footwear.
I find it very hard to find well fitting footwear for any task at all.