Wide workout shoes

Not all feet are made the same. While some feet have standard length and width measurements which make finding the right training shoes easy, others don’t have the same luck. For those feet with a broader span, wide workout shoes are their best bet. This collection of footwear is meant to have more room for the foot widthwise but still has the same length as the average trainers.

Working out is already difficult, but finding wide workout shoes is even harder. Very few brands manufacture wide workout footwear. There are even fewer extra wide workout shoes. Some people resort to ordering standard-width workout shoes a half or one size larger than usual when they can’t find wide options of their preferred models. However, getting a good and comfortable fit is still a hit-or-miss with this method since, even though the width is the correct fit, the length of the shoe ends up being too long for the foot.

You’ve come to the right place if you want to know the hottest and highly-rated wide workout shoes on the market. RunRepeat has a comprehensive ranking of the best wide workout models and dedicated reviews for each model. We also scour the best deals online so that you wouldn’t have to.

How to choose wide workout shoes

Although it is challenging to look for workout shoes in wider profiles, it is still possible to find your perfect pair. Here are things to look out for when shopping for this kind of footwear.

Width

Width measurements for wide feet vary. All feet are different after all, with some being beyond the standard Wide ones. In order to find out the width of your feet, measure the distance across the widest part of the ball of the foot. The width is connected to the shoe size, which means that your width may be wide for some sizes but still be considered normal or even narrow for larger sizes. Refer to the chart below to find out if you fall under Medium or Wide. If your foot dimensions go beyond Wide, you will have to consider Extra Wide options.

*These measurements are just approximate. They may vary for each brand as each has its own sizing standard.

Comfort

When looking for a perfect pair of wide workout shoes, the most important thing to look for is comfort. This is what will make you want to wear your footgear for a long period of time or at least until your workout ends. It will also let you focus on your training session more since there would be no niggling pain or soreness bothering you. There are several factors why you could be experiencing discomfort in your footwear:

• Imprecise fit

If something doesn’t fit right, it’s bound to feel uncomfortable. Whether your shoes are too tight or loose, they can cause various foot pains and conditions, such as bunions, corns, calluses, plantar fasciitis and more. You may also be more prone to injuries since ill-fitting footwear does not provide adequate protection and comfort.

• Subpar construction

Cheaply made trainers cause more trouble than they are worth. Sure, the price tag may be affordable, but you may end up spending more especially if your pair doesn’t last long. Comfort might also be sacrificed in order to keep the production costs low.

• Inadequate cushioning

Underfoot cushioning is essential, especially with the high-impact movements involved when working out. If you find that you feel like you’re bearing the full impact upon foot strike or landing, it means that your foot is not cushioned enough.

• Inappropriate activity

Cross-training shoes may be made for an extensive range of physical activities, but they are not all-around shoes. They are made for multi-directional movements, but they would be uncomfortable for regular running or playing a particular sport. Although there is nothing wrong with using them for the occasional short runs and sports games, they are simply not made to support your feet during long runs and frequent basketball games, lest you want to risk getting an injury.

Fit

Well-fitting shoes should fit so well that you would forget that you’re wearing anything on your feet. Here are signs that your trainers fit you well:

• There should be enough space for your thumb to squeeze into at the rearfoot area. Your pair should not fit like a glove unless they’re barefoot Vibram training shoes.
• The midfoot and rearfoot should be snug. As such, it would prevent unwanted heel slippage.
• The toe box should be roomy. It is to accommodate the natural toe splaying and foot swelling that happens when working out.
• The sides of the upper should feel taut and secure when the shoelaces are tightened. They must be able to support lateral movements without your foot stepping outside of the whole sole unit.

Sizing

You may think that you already have your shoe size figured out, but you might be wrong. Our feet continually grow throughout adulthood. Factors such as pregnancy, obesity, and foot deformities can also affect our shoe size. To complicate things further, each brand has its own sizing standard so you may not have the same size for different brands.

It is also common for one person to have feet of different size. One is usually larger than the other. If that is the case for you, refer to the larger foot when determining your shoe size.

Frequently asked questions

How do I know if a workout shoe is wide?

The width of each trainer is indicated by a letter and is typically found near the size, which is represented by a number. For women, D would stand for Wide and 2E (or EE) would mean Extra Wide. For men, 2E is the Wide option, while Extra Wide options can be either 4E or even 6E.

Are wide workout shoes good for bunions?

Bunions are foot deformities that can add heft to your foot and affect sizing. They can be painful and bothersome as they are not allowed to be in tight conditions. They need room to breathe. Thus, wearing wide workout shoes is the answer to prevent their aggravation.

Where are wide workout shoes wider?

It is a common misconception that wide workout shoes are only wider in the toe box as the forefoot is the widest part of our feet. The truth is they are wide all throughout. Most people buy wide workout shoes thinking that they are what their feet need, only to find out that they are slipping out of the heel. If you find that you only need a wider toe box, there are some brands that create shoes that have a wider forefoot for that purpose.

I can’t find wide workout shoes for myself. What other alternatives do I have?

Indeed, there are only limited footwear options available for wide feet. Not all brands offer various width options, and you may not like the styles of the footwear for those that do. Luckily, there are other things that you could do to find shoes for your wide feet.

• Consider getting shoes from the men’s department. For women who have not been blessed with having dainty feet, you could check if there’s a men’s version of your preferred trainer. They are bound to have a wider fit than the women’s variant but with the same length.
• Have your shoes custom made. If you can afford it, find a shoemaker that can create footwear that is tailored to your unique size.