Best Boots For Wide Feet?

Hello,

My original 20 year old Vasque Sundowner's are ready for replacement. I am also a volunteer sawyer so any replacement boots need to be regular above the ankle height and preferably leather. I also have wide feet so the boots need to be available in wide sizes.

I have recently tried a pair of Vasque St. Elias in a 9W. While the boot fits the toe box is just too small and will never break-in thanks to the rubber toe cap. You can read about this experience here:

https://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/sho...sque-St-Elias)

I just looked at the L.L. Bean Cresta Hikers and they seem to have durability issues since the sourcing has been moved to Romania from Italy.

Anybody got any other suggestions to look at?

Keen boots have a line of steel toe boots that have all the wear, traction, and protective qualities of a good, tall hiking boot. They run a little wide overall and in the toe box usually, but it's hard to say if they will work well. I have a pair now that are very comfortable and sure footed.

Keen also has composite and aluminum toe as well but for sawyer work steel toe is probably best.

You should be able to find these at a lot of retailers but the steel toe option may require some hunting, or using their website to get the right size.

I really like Zamberlan's, but don't think they come in steel toe versions. I think the Leopard GTX comes in wide widths.

https://www.wideshoes.com/

Hard to beat the selection

L.L.Bean's full leather Cresta Hikers require no break-in time and come in wide sizes. I am about to wear out my 2nd pair....

Unless I'm crazy I don't think the OP mentioned wanting steel toed boots. Asolo makes many of their boots in Wide---both fabric and full leather.

Some of Zamberlan boots are made in Wide but they are heavy.

You can get a normal sized full leather boot and stretch wide by wearing double socks at home and using a hair dryer to soften the leather and they will expand wider.

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Originally Posted by Tipi Walter

Unless I'm crazy I don't think the OP mentioned wanting steel toed boots.

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Correct. Steel Toes are NOT required. These will also serve as my regular hiking/backpacking boots.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Tipi Walter

Some of Zamberlan boots are made in Wide but they are heavy.

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I seem to recall seeing this in several other reviews like Outdoor Gear Lab. So what is the conversion factor? A pound on you foot equals how much on your back?

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Originally Posted by peakbagger

https://www.wideshoes.com/

Hard to beat the selection

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I took a quick look here and just about all of these are low-cut more like heavier duty shoes. Low-cuts aren't really allowed as PPE. The low cut will also let wood chips into the boot which will TEAR THEM UP from the inside. I think that this hastened the demise of the liner on my Sundowners.

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Originally Posted by BlackCloud

L.L.Bean's full leather Cresta Hikers require no break-in time and come in wide sizes. I am about to wear out my 2nd pair....

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How old are your pair of Cresta's? Based on reviews on Bean's web site they have changed suppliers from their original Italian source to Romania. The newer ones seem to have issues with the soles coming unglued, steel instead of brass eyelets that corrode, and very stiff leather that doesn't break-in.

I am also leery when the manufacturer recommends extra thick expedition weight socks to possible cover up poor design / fit issues.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Tipi Walter

Unless I'm crazy I don't think the OP mentioned wanting steel toed boots.

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Having followed your marvelous trip photo essays I will leave the first part alone :rolleyes:

The OP claims to be a Sawyer, a certificated skillset through a State agency (or approved vendor) and as such is subject to revocation when working outside the required and/or recommended standards of safety and PPE use. In that context I presumed he was looking for a wide boot/toe box safety boot.

To clarify, Sawyer certification training requires the use of specific PPE, including kevlar/ballistic nylon chaps, hard hats, gloves, hearing protection, and eye protective gear. Oddly, protective "cut-resistant" boots are in the required use table, but steel toe shoes specifically are not in the required use table, but are in the "recommended" table of certification PPE standards. This is said to be from a concern of hot/cold temperature transfer to the foot, but it's more likely the requirement would impact manufacturers of composite materials that have yet to receive approval for use with power saws. So the OP is correct, steel toe boots are not specifically required, but "protective boots" are and steel toe boots are shown in the "recommended" use table of PPE. Not using them requires the Sawyer to detail the reasons the exceptions to use steel toed boots in the Job Hazard Analysis and describe how hazards to feet like rolling logs, etc. will be mitigated without them.

I have done a fair share of trail maintenance work, both singularly and in groups, for a number of different entities over the years, most of these being supporting organizations that maintain trails on behalf of the NPS, NFS, and various State park/forest service administrations. However without exception all the entities and associations I have volunteered with over the years required Sawyers to wear this footwear and do not allow non-certificated people to operate chainsaws. Perhaps this has changed.

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Originally Posted by Steve Sr

How old are your pair of Cresta's? Based on reviews on Bean's web site they have changed suppliers from their original Italian source to Romania. The newer ones seem to have issues with the soles coming unglued, steel instead of brass eyelets that corrode, and very stiff leather that doesn't break-in.

I am also leery when the manufacturer recommends extra thick expedition weight socks to possible cover up poor design / fit issues.

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Thanks for this heads up. My current pair is from 2012 when my last pair literally fell apart on a hike. I will try to get them resoled instead of buying a new pair.

I have wide feet also. I bought new boots last year and had a lot of trouble finding a pair that fit well. Finally bought a pair of Lowa Renegades that I’m very happy with.


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