Wide / large toe box hiking shoes / trail runners?

[rjstew234]

I've been using Asolo Echo 12 wide boots for years and loved them. However, I'd like to move to something lighter and in a sneaker setup, vs. boot. I hiked 35 miles in the Lineville Gorge wearing Salomon Ultra Primes and they were great, but too narrow. I don't have wide feet, I just have a big-big toe and it constantly rubs the inside of the shoe which causes joint pain. So really, I just need something with a huge toe box.

I tried on the Inov-8 Rocklite in size 13 which touts a large toe box, but after wearing them for an hour inside, I still felt the rubbing of my big toe and joint pain. I had about an inch of room in front of my big toe so I definitely can't go any larger.

I've completed a marathon and ran over 5,000 miles in 4 pairs of Brooks Pureflow size 12.5 (shocked they each withstood ~1000 miles). They have a huge toe box for not being a wide shoe and they really let my toes splay, and they're super comfortable. I ordered a pair of their Cascadia trail runners, but they haven't arrived yet.

Any other options for hiking shoes/trail runners with a huge toe box?

[ggreaves]

Altra Lone Peaks have a huge toe box.

[Feral Bill]

Altra Lone Peaks have a huge toe box.

As do their Superior IIs. They fit my duck feet perfectly.

[Ktaadn]

when you walk, are your toes pointed forward or out to the side? If they point out to the side, that may be what is causing the rubbing.

[gravitino]

Altra Lone Peaks have a huge toe box.

+1 on the Lone Peak. They also are zero drop, which feels great on my feet.

[rjstew234]

I walk pigeon toed, toes pointing in, which is probably most of the cause.

My running shoes are only a few mm drop and I love them. I'll definitely look into Lone Peak.

How durable are they compared to Salomon/Merrell/other hiking shoes? They look like they'd tear up pretty easily, especially in the toe. I tend to bang my toes on rocks.

[Puddlefish]

Hated the Lone Peak, my forefoot spilled over the top on tilted terrain. The Superiors were perfect for me.

[saltysack]

LaSportiva Wildcats fit my wide feet well....I've had several pair but don't last in the Sierra rock. Work great in south east.


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[QiWiz]

I have 4E feet and use New Balance 4E trailrunners. Can get 2E if 4E is too wide. Keen shoes have a bigger toebox than most.

[Maydog]

My Merrell Moab Ventilators have a wide toe box, they are comfortable, and they come in a low-top shoe. They seem pretty durable, but I've only had them a couple of months. Have probably hiked a good 150 miles in them though.

[rjstew234]

I'm going to order a pair of Altra Superior's and Lone Peak. They're exactly what I was looking for. Would you recommend the Lone Peak 2.5 or 3?

[Another Kevin]

I have 4E feet and use New Balance 4E trailrunners. Can get 2E if 4E is too wide.

This. In some models you can special-order a 6E.

New Balance 610's are wonderfully lightweight and dry fast if they get wet. The factory insoles are worthless, though. Take them out and get whatever color of Superfeet fits your foot shape. (For me it's green, but they have all the different kinds for a reason.)

They last only a few hundred miles in the Catskill Crud, but they're cheap enough that replacing them every few hundred miles doesn't break the bank.

[Malto]

Of all the trail runners that I have used the Salomons were the narrowest. In the mid range was Wildcats and Cascadias. My current favorites are Lone Peaks and Superiors which almost look like clown shoes, the foot of is so spacious. Can't speak for other brands/models but this was the pecking order of my recent shoes. I will also mention that I went through multiple pair of Salomons and they worked fine at the time. I believe my feet have widened over the last few thousand miles making narrower shoes very uncomfortable.

[Malto]

One more point. If you are hiking in the east I would reco lone peaks over superiors. The superiors are very minimalistic. I will only wear on really good trail. Also, they are zero drop and may take some getting used to. I switched out between wildcats and lone peak as my feet got used to the difference of the zero drop.

[FreeGoldRush]

My Merrell Moab Ventilators have a wide toe box, they are comfortable, and they come in a low-top shoe. They seem pretty durable, but I've only had them a couple of months. Have probably hiked a good 150 miles in them though.

On my third or fourth pair of Merrel Moab and love them for my wide feet. But I get those stabbing pains in my heels and my feet ache after a 10 mile hike even though the rest of my body can keep going. These shoes seem to be known for not having a lot of arch support but I am having trouble finding an insert that works. The most recent one I tried began rubbing a hot spot (blister) on the bottom edge of the inside of my heel after just three miles.

What insert do I need that provides only extra arch support without raising my heels?

[saltysack]

One more point. If you are hiking in the east I would reco lone peaks over superiors. The superiors are very minimalistic. I will only wear on really good trail. Also, they are zero drop and may take some getting used to. I switched out between wildcats and lone peak as my feet got used to the difference of the zero drop.

Lone peak more durable than the wildcats? If so I'll try them next...thx


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[Maydog]

On my third or fourth pair of Merrel Moab and love them for my wide feet. But I get those stabbing pains in my heels and my feet ache after a 10 mile hike even though the rest of my body can keep going. These shoes seem to be known for not having a lot of arch support but I am having trouble finding an insert that works. The most recent one I tried began rubbing a hot spot (blister) on the bottom edge of the inside of my heel after just three miles.

What insert do I need that provides only extra arch support without raising my heels?

Man, I wish I knew. I have some 3/4 length rigid insoles but that won't work for everyone. A lot of people on this forum recommend the Superfeet, but Superfeet makes many different types of insoles. If I were you, I'd go to Dick's Sporting Goods or maybe Abbadabbas and try different ones.

[saltysack]

Anyone else switch from Wildcats to lone peak 3.0? I've never tried 0 drop? Durability??


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[Secondmouse]

On my third or fourth pair of Merrel Moab and love them for my wide feet. But I get those stabbing pains in my heels and my feet ache after a 10 mile hike even though the rest of my body can keep going. These shoes seem to be known for not having a lot of arch support but I am having trouble finding an insert that works. The most recent one I tried began rubbing a hot spot (blister) on the bottom edge of the inside of my heel after just three miles.

What insert do I need that provides only extra arch support without raising my heels?

go down to REI and try the Oboz Sawtooth...

[Odd Man Out]

I've used moabs, then keens, then oboz. All nice. Really like the oboz. All were ventillated, low to, not waterproof light hiking shoes. Not really trail runners.