No matter how much you love your hot girl walks, one thing’s for certain: If it feels like your shoes are fighting against your feet with every step, your quick lap around the block can turn into an unpleasant slog. If your walking shoes are too narrow, you can bet this’ll be your fate—which is why shopping for the best walking shoes for wide feet now can save you a lot of discomfort (and frustration) later on. “Do not really expect to break in [the width of] a fitness shoe; if it’s uncomfortable and too tight in the store, it will not feel good with exercise,” April Borchardt, DPM, a podiatrist and foot and ankle surgeon at Prevea Ashwaubenon Health Center in Green Bay, Wisconsin, tells SELF.
Luckily, lots of podiatrist- and SELF editor-approved shoe brands (including Hoka, Brooks, and New Balance) make wider styles that’ll feel comfy right out of the box. Here, we found the best pairs you can try and spoke to experts about the most important features to look for while you browse.
Our top picks
- Best Overall: Brooks Adrenaline GTS 23
- Runner-Up: Altra Paradigm 7
- Best Budget: Ryka Devotion X Max
- Most Width Options: New Balance 990v6
- Best Max Cushioning: Hoka Gaviota 5
- Best for Plantar Fasciitis: Saucony Echelon 9
- Best for Overpronation: Asics GT-2000 12
- Best for Standing All Day: Nike InfinityRN 4
- Best Sandal: Birkenstock Arizona Soft Footbed Sandals
- Best Hiking Boot: La Sportiva TX Hike Mid Leather GTX
- Best Clog: Rothy’s Casual Clog
How to tell if you have wide feet
If standard-width shoes feel uncomfortable, meaning they chafe, pinch, or rub against the sides of your foot, that’s a sign that you need wider shoes, Brianna Albers, DPM, a podiatric surgery specialist based in Matthews, North Carolina, tells SELF. She adds that bulging and stretching along the sides of your footwear can also indicate that they’re too narrow for you.
The best way to determine your foot width is to have a professional—like a podiatrist or an employee at a specialty shoe store—measure it for you, Dr. Borchardt says. They’ll be able to tell you if you should look for wide, extra-wide, or xx-wide shoes. You can also check your foot’s width at home by standing on a ruler or tape measure in bare feet and measuring your foot at its widest point, Dr. Albers says. She recommends referring to that measurement when browsing brands’ sizing guides to make sure you choose the right width.
How to choose the best walking shoes for wide feet
Knowing your foot’s measurements is a good first step (heh) toward finding a truly comfy pair of walking shoes, but you should also take the following features into account while you shop.
Your shoes should have solid arch support, meaning they don’t let your midfoot collapse or push it up too high (ouch). Instead, they should hold your arches at their natural height. Dr. Borchardt notes that wide feet can also be flat or have a tendency to overpronate (meaning they roll inward when you walk). If that’s the case for you, she recommends looking for shoes with sturdy, firm midsoles that are designed for “motion control” or stability. When in doubt about your shoe’s support level, here’s a baseline rule: If you can bend or fold your shoe in half, it’s too flimsy to support your foot, Dr. Albers says.
Shoes made of stretchy, flexible materials like mesh will better accommodate wider feet, Dr. Albers says. They’ll also feel more breathable, which will boost their long-term comfort (because no one wants to end the day standing in a puddle of their own sweat).
Your shoes need to map the overall shape of your foot, but both Dr. Albers and Dr. Borchardt recommend looking specifically at their toe box. It shouldn’t come to a point, Dr. Borchardt says, explaining that pointy-toed shoes are often too narrow at the top and can make wide feet feel cramped. A more rounded toe box will give your forefoot more space to move and wiggle.
Shop the best walking shoes for wide feet
Dr. Borchardt says there’s no one-size-fits-all shoe for wide feet, so don’t worry if you have to try a few different pairs before you find the right one. Our picks below are a great place to start—they’re highly recommended by the experts we spoke to, SELF staffers, and online reviewers.
Best Overall: Brooks Adrenaline GTS 23
Pros
- Available in four width options
- Designed to prevent overpronation
- Comfortable for all-day wear
- APMA accepted
Cons
- Some Brooks reviewers noticed wear and tear early on
Dr. Albers likes Brooks sneakers for wide feet, and the Adrenaline GTS is our favorite model. It has a seal of acceptance from the American Podiatric Medical Association (APMA), which means podiatrists consider it a good choice for overall foot health.
We’ve previously recommended the Adrenaline GTS for people with flat feet, and many of the features that make it well-suited for low arches make it an exceptional pick for wide feet too. It features Brooks’s internal GuideRails system, two pieces of firm foam on either side of the shoe that are designed to keep your foot in alignment. “I’m an overpronator, and if I’m not careful about my shoe choice, I end up sidelined with annoying lower leg injuries,” SELF’s director of fitness and food says, adding that the Adrenaline is the rare shoe that helps prevent this from happening. “They’re also great for any time you’re going to be walking around a lot. They give your feet the support and ‘guidance’ you need.”
