7 Best Walking Shoes For Wide Feet in 2025

How we test walking shoes for wide feet

In our lab, we have developed a proprietary method for measuring the shoe’s internal space with the help of gel. This liquid substance takes the shape of the shoe and forms a one-to-one replica for us to measure. That way, only truly wide walking shoes make it to this selection.

But that’s not nearly all. We put each shoe through the wringer of wear tests and lab tests where we measure and assess every possible parameter related to cushioning, stability, durability, breathability, and more. Our callipers, durometers, Dremels, shoe stiffness testers, and machines deliver objective and comparable data which allows us to write the most comprehensive shoe reviews.

And, of course, we buy all tested shoes with our own money.

Walking shoes for wide feet: when to consider

Wearing an ill-fitting shoe is more common than you think! In one study, as much as 60-70% of participants were wearing shoes that didn’t accommodate either their foot length or foot width! This, in turn, was associated with foot pain and disorders like toe deformity, corns and calluses.

That’s why it could be very beneficial to have your foot measured with a special Brannock device in a nearby shoe store. You might be surprised to find that you’ve been getting wrong shoe size and width all along!

But if this option is not available to you, there are other indirect signs that you may need a wider walking shoe. Do you experience any of the following discomforts?

• shoe tightness that causes burning sensations, hot spots, or blisters
• pressure on top of the foot even when laces aren’t cinched tight
• alternative lacing techniques don’t help to ease up the tightness
• getting a size larger only makes the shoe longer but the fit is still tight
• your toes are cramped, your pinkie toe goes numb, and the big toe is pushed to the middle*

*in this case, you might as well need a shoe with a wide toebox; see our guide on the best walking shoes with a wide toebox to learn more.

If any or all of the above applies to you, you do need a wide walking shoe. This could either be a medium-width shoe with a roomier fit or an alternative wide or extra wide width.

Measuring shoe width in the lab

In our RunRepeat lab, we measure the internal width of all shoes in a standard D medium width and a men’s US size 9. This allows us to check how much wider (or narrower) a given shoe is compared to the industry average.

We fill each shoe with liquid gel and keep it in the fridge until the substance solidifies and takes the shape of the shoe. We then use a digital calliper to measure the dimensions of this one-to-one replica in several areas:

• widest part of the toebox (right below the toe joints, between the ball of foot and the pinkie)
• big toe area of the toebox (closer to the front)
• height of the toebox (vertical space in the toe area)

Having measured hundreds of shoe moulds, we found that the difference between the narrowest and the widest walking shoe is as large as 10 mm! The range goes from about 90 mm to 100 mm and above!

In the photo below, we put together the narrowest and the widest walking shoe in our lab so far.

Wide shoe vs. wide toebox: what’s the difference?

As our extensive database shows, not all shoes that are wide in the metatarsal area will be equally wide in the toe area. Let’s compare two shoes in the photos below:

Both moulds returned nearly identical measurements in the widest part of the toebox but they clearly have different toebox shapes! The latter is reflected in our second measurement.

Just as we anticipated, the difference in the big toe width of two shoes turned out to be as much as 8.4 mm! The more tapered (pointy) shoe returned a narrower reading whereas the more rounded (foot-shaped) one showed a wider reading.

If you want to make sure that your future pair of walking shoes fits wide all along the foot, check that both of these measurements are wide:

Wide and extra wide widths in walking shoes (2E/4E)

To expand your options, you might as well consider getting wide or extra wide variants of walking shoes. Brands like New Balance, Brooks, ASICS, HOKA, Saucony are the most generous in this regard.

But how much more space do you get in a wider version of the shoe? This varies a lot depending on the brand and the specific shoe design. We can only get a general idea from the detailed width charts of brands like New Balance and HOKA:

• In New Balance shoes, you get 3-4 mm more in the 2E width and 6-7 mm more in the 4E width (compared to the D medium width).
• In HOKA shoes, men get 8 mm more in the 2E width and 12 mm more in the 4E width. Meanwhile, ladies get 6 mm more in the D wide width (all compared to the standard width).