Squashed toes, bunions, lost toenails, tight fitting shoes, blisters… for those of us with wider feet, the struggle is real. When it comes to wider feet, the two main queries are which are the best wide fit trail shoes for running and which have the widest toe box. If you struggle with the mainstream trail running shoe, we take a look at those considered to be a wider fit, and those which have a wide version to give you an idea of the best shoes for you. Whether you are looking for best mens or best women’s trail running shoes for wide feet, we have listed our top picks below.
Updated May 2023
Hoka Speedgoat 5 for Wide Feet
This workhorse of a shoe is designed to provide comfort over longer distances and is ideal for those who run longer distances. It’s not so much for speed as for comfort meaning it is the ideal companion when looking to cover extreme distances. Favoured by many top trail ultra runners, the Hoka Speedgoat 5 for wide feet comes in a D width for women and an E fit for men.
Renowned for all terrains, it has somewhat of a reputation as being a shoe that can really grind out the miles over longer distances including slow training runs and ultra distances of 50 miles or more. This shoe is great on moderate, technical, rocky terrain and with a GTX version, is also perfect for wet and muddy conditions too. This is an all rounder of a shoe and is bound to serve you well.
If you want a shoe that features all the latest benefits that trail running shoes for wide feet have to offer then the Hoka Speedgoat 5 will not disappoint meaning your feet won’t get crushed and you won’t end up with battered feet at the end of every long run. Say goodbye to bunions, blisters and sore toes with a wide trail shoe that is designed to support and nurture your feet.
The reviews suggest that you don’t need to go up a size, something those with wider feet often do to get the roomier toe box however, if you have longer toes that tend to smash against the front of the shoe, you may still want to go up a size, or at least a half.
The Hoka Speedgoat 5 is known by many, and carries the slogan as a ‘workhorse of a shoe;. It literally gets the miles done.
Altra Lone Peak 6
While the Speedgoat 5 is a great shoe for going the distance, another great contender for best wide fit trail shoes are the Altra Lone Peak 6. In fact, in a recent review on Run & Repeat, they scored a whopping 91/100 from 22 experts.
The beauty of these shoes is that they provide excellent all-round grip with a great ground feel. They have a roomy toe box and fit true to size. Billed as a ‘solid workhorse of a trail shoe’, they are designed for as a great all rounder and a wide fit trail shoe that you need in your collection for anything from short off road to those longer miles on types of terrain.
BUY NOW- MENS BUY NOW – WOMEN
Nike Pegasus GTX for Trail
Not only does the Nike Pegasus GTX feature in our selection of the best waterproof trail running shoes, it is also a great contender when it comes to wide fit trail shoes. It will keep your feet dry in all wet conditions and can deal with rocky terrain. The grip and durability is impressive however, don’t expect this to be too fast when racing. What you will get is a wide, bouncy and comfortable shoe that will look after your feet on your challenging trail runs.
The Inov-8 Wide Fit Trail Shoe Range
Inov-8 are also considered to be good trail shoes for wider feet. We can attest to this as it is our preferred shoe of choice, although we are partial to a Hoka too. We wear the Roclite 290, the MudClaw 275 and the X-Talon – all of which are generous around the toes and for the wider foot. Here are 3 of our favourite inov-8 models:
Inov-8 X Talon 235
Designed for the muddier trails, the Inov-8 X Talon 235 has an impressive set of lugs. Like so many of the Inov-8 range, they have a lower profile to help you fly over the trails with less of a risk of rolling an ankle. The great news is they are among the top models recommended for those with wide feet.
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Inov-8 Mudclaw
We included this because of our personal love of this shoe. Having wide feet, it is often a problem to find a shoe wide enough across the toe box. The first couple of times I wore these, I found them a little tough on the terrain however in the good old tradition of wearing new shoes in, by the time I had worn them couple of times for ten mile runs, they were extremely comfortable. They have since covered 20 miles without any issue whatsoever. In fact, of all the inov-8 models I have tried, these are by far the most hard wearing. Still going strong after a couple of years.
These shoes are perfect on the muddy, soft trails – an absolute pleasure to wear.
Salomon Speedcross 6 Wide Fit Trail Shoe
There is no doubt that the Salomon Speedcross is a firm favourite with many seasoned trail runners. We love this shoe and are delighted that they have applied all of the features of this all round trail running shoe to a wider fitting version. The Speedcross 6 is a great, lightweight shoe, suitable for all kinds of trails. You can read more about our experience here.
In order to understand the sizing, you should know that they go from narrow to wide alphabetically. In this case you will see letters after the model – 2E meaning EE which is the widest fitting version that you can get. We are showing the 2E model below.
Hoka Challenger (EE-Width)
The Hoka Challenger ATR 6 is a neutral shoe which is designed to transfer from the road to the trails. It can take you to the front door to the trails with both comfort and cushioning. A great shoe for racing and long training runs, the outsole is spaced closer on the heel to offer a smoother, consistent ride. With a wider forefront for added grip, this shoe is available in an EE fit for those who want a roomier shoe.
Remember when selecting this shoe to click the tab that says wide fit when selecting your size.
Brooks Cascadia 16
Brooks Cascadia 16 is a supportive shoe providing comfort and stability on the trails. Great for those who want support on rigid and rough terrain, the shoe isn’t a bouncy cushioned shoe but it is lightweight, grippy and flexible with a Ballistic Rock Shield which includes vertical grooves to provide side-to-side adaptability and a design that protects you from slipping.
The Brooks Cascadia 16 is great on on technical trail where unpredictably means that you can find yourself dealing with a change in terrains. When downhill descents and the uneven surfaces occur, you can be confident that this shoe will offer you the support you need.
For those with narrow feet, they find the shoe a little roomy so have to tighten the laces to get a more snug fit. Good news for those with wide feet. If you want a shoe for the wider foot, this is certainly a contender!
Hoka Tecton X
An update to this article in May 22 to add the Hoka Tecton X to this list. After trying out Hoka’s first offering in the carbon fibre plate field, we were pleasantly surprised at just how much room there is in the toe box of this shoe. In fact, they are a little like wearing slippers. Having run in them on multiple occasions from mid to long distance, we are yet to find anything negative about this shoe. While they won’t stick in mud during the wetter months, they are a great shoe for dry conditions and less rugged terrain and definitely worth a look if you’re looking for a shoe for speedier endeavours!
For a full round up of this shoe you can visit our product review
Finding the Best Wide Fit Trail Shoes for You
If having wide feet prevents you from finding the right trail shoe fit, we are confident that the models above give you enough choice to find the best trail wide fit trail shoes for you. You certainly don’t have to compromise when it comes to quality and experience.
Any thoughts on which sticks to rocky balds the best? Hike above tree line and the granite gets slippery
Brooks Cascadia 16 according to the next comment – especially for Colorado trails – https://tidd.ly/3o2KXYl
That big grey foam area on the bottom of the Olympus gets chewed up very quickly on rocky terrain. I went through these and Hoka speedgoats so so fast. There not for a rocky terrain like we have here in Colorado. I wish Altra and Hoka would use a FULL vibram soles with some muscle to it. Their current designs look cool but they’re not rugged and it only serves to save them material money. I have several pairs of Altras but only use for running and just daily wear. I now use Brooks Cascadia 16 for my trail running and mountain hiking. They’re much more rugged and pretty comfortable.
WE NEED WIDE OR EXTRA WIDE TRAIL SHOES GTX
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