Trying to find the best running shoes for wide feet is a long held frustration for anyone gifted with a broad forefoot!
Wide feet, defined as having an increased width (across the ball of the foot) relative to its length, require a wide fit shoe with slightly different proportions.
If you’re looking for the best WOMEN’S running shoes for WIDE FEET, check out our post specifically for WOMEN’S shoes here.
Need expert advice to get the perfect shoe?
We’ve combined the expertise of a Sports Physiotherapist with a running coach to bring you Injury Advisor!
This app, on Android and ios, offers expert advice on running footwear.
It considers your personal preference for plush or firm, support and width and your brand preference.
It then matches that with your needs and your injury history to recommend the perfect shoe (or shoes) for you.
The app can also diagnose injury and suggest running sessions that won’t flare up any current niggles.
It’s advice, for runners, from experts, when you need it most.
US/Canadian version
European version
Who has wide feet?
Feet will naturally widen over time, and this happens faster with excessive body weight or poor ankle/leg stability.
Looking at cultural differences, wide feet are more common amongst Asian cultures (source).
Side note: we look in detail at the best running shoes for wide feet below.
Who needs wide fit running shoes?
It’s no surprise that you’re searching for the best running shoes for wide feet – some surveys found that up to 50% of people need a wide fit running shoe.
So they should be pretty common, right?
Oh so wrong unfortunately…
Looking at the 800+ men’s shoes available on runningwarehouse.com, less than 15% of running shoes are for wide feet.
If you’re looking for the best trail shoes for wide feet, only 8% have trail running shoes have options for wide feet – that’s only 1 in 12 models!!!
Where do you find running shoes for wide feet?
In considering the best running shoes for wide feet, there is no “best” shoe because everyone’s needs are different.
It would be like trying to recommend a “best” car – some people need a station wagon for the kids, others need a sports car for the look while some prefer an off-road vehicle for, well, off-road.
The availability of wide fit running shoes also differs around the world.
Geoblocking and freight forwarding
In America, the whole range of running shoes is available, including all colors and wide fit shoes if they’re made in that model.
In Australia, it’s a different story. Most running shoe brands only offer a limited selection of options in each model to Australian customers. Each brand might only bring in 2 of 6 colour options and some brands don’t even offer their wide fit running shoes to the Australian market.
And before any Australian readers just figure “I’ll order online from the US”, popular brands have created geoblocking of certain countries. So a brand won’t allow any of their retailers to sell shoes from the US to, say, Australia in order to “protect” the US market…
To get around the issue, you can use a freight forwarding service – they take delivery of your item in the US and then forward it on to you. It’s a time consuming and expensive process, adding A$50+ to the cost of shipping for a pair of running shoes.
Freight forwarding makes geoblocked US purchases less economical that Australian purchases but if the specific running shoes for wide feet that you need aren’t available in Australia, it’s a necessary cost.
What to look for in a wide fitting running shoe?
The two key features of the best running shoes for wide feet are the heel to toe offset (aka heel to toe drop) and the amount of support it provides.
(If you’re not sure what all these terms mean, like “stack height” and “heel-toe offset”, have a read of our post here explaining each part and function of the running shoe.)
Road shoe without support
If you prefer a lower offset shoe (anything under 6mm) and you don’t needs support, HOKA ONE ONE have become one of the best running shoes for wide feet with the introduction of a range of female D and male 2E widths.
Runners love HOKA because of their generous cushioning and smooth ride.
In a mid offset shoe (around 6-8mm) without support, your best options are in the Saucony or New Balance range.
Saucony’s wide fitting running shoes are a little bit heavier than the New Balance options but accommodate a higher volume foot (nice way of saying a “fatter foot”).
For your high offset wide fitting running shoes without support, you’ll find the best runnign shoes for wide feet in the Brooks, Mizuno or Asics ranges (although there are some options in the New Balance range as well).
These shoes offer 12-13mm of offset to minimise pressure on calf muscles and ankle stiffness – see our shoe recommendations for calf pain here.
Road shoe with support
If you need support in a wide fitting road running shoe, the best running shoes for wide feet are:
- Hoka One One Arahi (low-mid offset)
- Saucony Guide (mid offset)
- Asics GT-2000 (high offset)
- Brooks Adrenaline GTS (high offset)
- Mizuno Wave Inspire (high offset)
- New Balance 860 (high offset)
Trail running shoes
If you’re looking for trail running shoes for wide feet, the options are even more limited.
Trail running shoe with support
First point, THERE ARE NO SUPPORT OPTIONS FOR TRAIL SHOES!!! Literally none.
Despite the rising popularity of trail running and the prevalence of wide feet (up to 50% of runners), running shoe companies haven’t figured out this HUGE gap in the market.
Until they do, your only options are to go for a supportive road shoe or to add a supportive orthotic to a well structured neutral shoe.
Trail running shoe without support
For a trail shoe that fits a wide foot and doesn’t have support, the best running shoes for wide feet are:
- Altra Lone Peak (zero offset – ie. dead flat)
- Hoka One One Speedgoat (low offset)
- Saucony Peregrine (low offset)
- Brooks Cascadia (mid-high offset)
- Salomon Speedcross (high offset)
Disclaimer for Best Running Shoes for Wide Feet
**Special note: this article has Physiotherapist-recommended products with affiliate links to trusted vendors, selected for their fast & reliable service and great prices. The article was written prior to sourcing the affiliate links and the links in no way influence our recommendations.