Hiking with wide feet...

[Sporky]

So I've been walking as much as possible as preparation, but I'm also using these pretty neutral New Balance trail running shoes. The weight is really starting to be felt in my heels especially with 30 pounds of backpack on me. I was looking at Superfeet insoles but I would have to go a size up and tailor the ends for them to fit in my shoes, and even then I think it would be inadequate. The wide option is just gigantic and doesn't fit at all :P So I'm kinda resolved to buying new really well fitting shoes. I wonder who else here has/had the same problem and might be able to give me advice? I'm normally 10 length and 4E width. I get hot really fast including my feet, so boots are a pretty scary concept that way. My feet aren't flat but I definitely don't have high arches. I have 'semi' flat and with my weight on them, of course they flatten more, and my trail running shoes don't have any kind of lateral support. Sooooooo thank you if you have anything to contribute to help with my problem :)
-Mith

[BirdBrain]

I normally buy size 10.5 EEEE New Balance shoes for home. Trial and error has taught me that a 1/2 size larger is required for the trail. I just pulled the green Superfeet out of my New Balance 610's hoping to find a size. All it says is F. I bought mine back in 2013 and have gone through 3 pairs of 610's with them. I don't recall the size. I did not have to trim them, just jammed them in. My feet have high arches. I use thick darn tough sock and use the liquid version of Body Glide on my feet daily. Everyone's feet are unique. What works for me might not work for you. I just know that if you took away any of what I do, my feet would be killing me after one day. With what I am doing, my feet are not even a thought. Hopefully you are able to find what works for you before you spend too much money. Searching for the answer at home is a better method than failing on the trail. Boots are not the answer... for most people.

[Slo-go'en]

On what kind of surface have your been doing your walking on? If it's sidewalks or paved road, that can be hard on the feet. Walking on the trial is much different. I find that shoes which are comfortable on hard surfaces like roads don't work as well on the trail and the boots I like for the trail aren't so good for roads.

[peakbagger]

Size 13 4EEEE new balance trail runners with the insoles swapped out with Montrail heat moldable inserts. Be careful on New Balance sizing, you may have to go up a size with the new inserts. I use the hiking in the rocks in the whites from late spring to late fall.

[misterfloyd]

Geez,

Please let me know about wide flat feet.... I have them in spades. I still use boots so to speak from sports injuries from long, long ago.... Oh yeah, and a bunion as well.

I always wanted to use trail runners.

My feet are a constant source of aggravation.

I will watch this thread carefully

[BirdBrain]

Which New Balance shoe are you using?

[Del Q]

I have a good amount of money in boots over 9 years, wide feet...........liked Salomon's but in the model that I liked they stopped making, in wide.

REALLY like my Keen's - really solid, put super feet inserts in there, super solid and...............I might get a few hikes out of these. Between getting ready for hikes out almost every weekend and then 120-140 mile section hikes, no low tops have made 3 hikes. Have had numerous pairs replaced for free

Right now, on the Keen side.

[Sporky]

I'm actually on my third pair of New Balance 610's myself. I really like them for every day use, and the fact that I can just replace them easily and cheaply using Amazon. The F size superfeet seemed to be just about wide enough for my foot, but I couldn't try it in my shoes at the store because length wise it was a bit too much for my 10's (and there were no more in stock). The E size definitely wasn't wide enough for my foot though.
I looked at Montrail heat moldable inserts after reading the post but being in Montreal right now I haven't found a store where I could go have a look at some of them before buying.
I think Slo-go'en makes a good point and that the asphalt I've been walking on has a big part to play in my heel soreness... still, I would like to feel more confident about going on trail with these shoes as they are :P
There's a massive shoe store nearby carrying most brands and yet I walk in there and the only shoes wide enough are New Balance. How easy it must be to find shoes when you have average feet, lol.
I also like the idea that I would be able to dry my 610's pretty quickly. But BirdBrain, don't you feel like your foot wants to burst out of the top when you're using the inserts?
Also, I'm looking at the Keen website and they only have 'regular' or 'wide' options on their shoes... but... it's not clear exactly what wide means...
Thanks everyone!
Mith

[BirdBrain]

They are really not that much higher than the regular insoles. I assume you are taking the old ones out first. Given that I have a higher instep, the insoles might affect you differently. Having said this, I have never owned a pair of shoes that I could lace up like normal people. The laced area gets progressively wider as you move up the tongue of my shoes. I also assume you wear shoes a half size larger when hiking. Most people do.

[Carbo]

I am size 13 E and have flat feet. Using the Vasque mid ankle boots help. The pain in my feet begins to decrease after about 15 min of hiking the trail. Forget it on hard surfaces, they hurt all the time. At the end of long hikes the pain returns and if I go barefoot at home it feels better. My last resort is ibuprofen, which always makes it feel better. Check with a podiatrist before taking advice here.

[BirdBrain]

Yes yes yes to Carbo's last point.

[Ercoupe]

I have gone up a size or two , problem with that is the front of the foot has enough room for the toes, but the rear usually does not fit, loose or too narrow at the side of the foot. But it is the lesser of two evils.

Gel inserts or at least at the heel really help my heel pains.

I prefer boots with good toe caps, lateral support and stubbed toe protection.

Footwear rarely gets BROKEN IN? If it doesn't feel good(tight in places) I don't buy it, or send it back.

Shoes not water proof are going to be cooler.

Weight on the feet is more stress, That is pack weight and body weight.

My feet scream stop after 15 miles or 8 hours. Best to listen to your feet.

Keens or Vasque fit my feet better. But each shoe manufacter uses their own Last (mold) for their shoes. Unforunately they change those from time to time or shoe to shoe.

[Rain Man]

Another vote for New Balance trail shoes and Superfeet inserts. I have also found a pair of Merrills that work well when I put in Superfeet. My old dress shoes (I still wear) are 7.5 EEEE or so. I think my hiking shoes are 9.5 wide.

I stay away from waterproof shoes now. A good idea in theory that simply doesn't work in practice ... for me.

[greentick]

I have 12EEEE high arch/large volume feet

I used NB for a while, but got tired of the bright colors and occasionally got blisters.

The last few years I've used Merrell Moab Ventilators in wide, both standard and goretex. Love them. Haven't had a blister since.

http://www.merrell.com/US/en/moab-ventilator-wide-width/16220M.html?dwvar_16220M_color=J86595W#cgid=men-footwear-hiking&prefn1=width&prefv1=W&start=1

[Meriadoc]

"The weight really starts to be felt in my heels." What does this mean? Sounds like you may be walking with too strong/much of a heel strike for your feet.

[jdc5294]

I'd recommend one of the lighter shoes from Keen, along with superfeet green or orange. I have wider feet and Keen shoes have always felt great.

[Wyoming]

Lots of possibilities. I too have wide feet (that have gotten wider over the years) and lots of foot pain.

I am one of those who just cannot use the New Balance or any light shoe. It just hurts too much. I switched to as hard of soled low top good quality hiking shoes as I can find. Vasque for me. For me they work much better than soft shoes - plus I don't need to buy superfeet to put in them either and they last a LOT longer. So the Vasque are actually cheaper overall. But the longer I hike days/weeks/months the worse my feet hurt and my toes get numb no matter what.

Try options until you find what works best for you. Just because you are quite young does not mean that your feet are best off in the real soft shoes. Could be you need hard soles - or not. Some people can hike barefoot, some in running shoes and others need hard soles and a shoe designed for walking.

[Plain Pete]

I wear a 8 EEEE hiking boot, and for years bought New Balance and Dunham shoes and boots. NB quality and sizing has gone downhill in the past years and other companies have started producing wide shoes. My latest low cut hiking shoes are Keens. I was quite hesitant to try them as I have had some bad experiences in the past with manufacturers who claim to produce wide shoes, but the Keens proved to be the exception. Try them.

[fredmugs]

I tried using NB shoes and they just don't take big mile days with a full pack. Merrill Moab Ventilators work best for me.

[Sporky]

After reading all of your posts and trying all the shoes that I could get my hands on (incl. the Keens)... and going to the actual NB store and trying a bunch of overpriced shoes... I've settled on the Merrell Moab wide 10.5 with superfeet widegreen F. It feels really weird to have any kind of support for my feet but obviously good. I'm no longer super-hyper-pronating. It felt great right away but we'll see how things are after a week :P

[smoothsailin]

The problem is not the shoes or the weight. It's a muscle issue and walking form.
Read the book Born to Run. Walking heal to toe is the worst form you can have. Most folks tend to walk on their heal more than the mid-foot.
The next issue is muscle tightness in the calf and hamstring...both pull on the achilles causing heal pain. Combine all with hills and you get pain in the heals.

Focus on 'not' doing heal striking but 'not walking' on your toes. Stretch before, during, and after.
Wear decent shoes with decent padding but I've found ( after 4000k miles ) that all the inserts, expensive shoes, orthotics, do more damanage then good.
The other issue is that if you walk too far, too fast, too heavy, your going to have foot pain.

-smooth