We earn a commission for products purchased through some links in this article. I’m four miles out on my run when I feel angry blisters forming between my toes because they’re overcrowded in my shoe’s toebox. Add that to a long list of annoying things going on with my feet: mild plantar fasciitis, black toenails, gnarly calluses that make me ashamed to wear sandals.
I am a card-carrying member of the wide-foot club, yet I’ve resisted wide-width running shoes for years. Mostly because around the time I found I had wide feet (over 15 years ago), the only colors available in wide-widths were black, white, or gray. Today, running shoes for wide feet have become more accessible, more visible, and less boring.
Perhaps with the dawn of foot scans at specialty running shops, store owners and brands are finally realizing just how common wide-footed runners are—and why it’s so important runners stop squishing their feet in standard-sized shoes. I’ve run 28 marathons and vet all kinds of gear, from sports bras to smartwatches, as RW running reviews editor. For research, I visited Aardvark Sports Shop, a local run store in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, to get the lowdown on running shoes for wide-foot runners from Aardvark Footwear Lead Trainer Kate Egging.
Egging, a former RW wear-tester, has worked at Aardvark for four years and is a lifelong wide-foot runner, like myself. Stacie Page, PT, DPT, of Johns Hopkins Running Program at Johns Hopkins Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, who discussed the risks of wearing too-narrow shoes and how this can affect running performance. Besides gear expertise provided by our staff, we also have a team of 300-plus local shoe testers who log at least 100 miles per pair of running shoes.
They provide valuable feedback on fit, feel, and ride to help us determine the best trainers, ensuring our selections are all-inclusive. We also enlisted the help of Egging, because she gets to try on shoes at Aardvark and help runners make footwear decisions. Compared to the Brooks Ghost, the Brooks Glycerin is broader in the midfoot area, resulting in a more accommodating fit for wider foot shapes.
The new triple jacquard knit also provides a stretchier upper that houses wide feet. The midsole foam provides a supportive, high-energy-return ride stacked at 38 mm in the heel. Brooks added 2 mm of DNA Tuned in the forefoot.
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