Walking boots

[Newtrix]

I had an amazing pair of walking boots that lasted me about 7 years despite regular use but I'm now struggling to find any that are wide enough. My old ones were Karrimor but now they all seem too narrow.

TIA

Merrel and Keen are wider fit. Or just go to a store and try some on.

Meindl.

@EL0ISE I've tried a number on in stores without luck unfortunately, hence asking here for suggestions. I'll give Keen a try, thank you.

I have Grisport which suit my wide feet. I have narrow heels so lace them in a way that keeps my heels from moving & rubbing.

If you have bunions the Hanwag ones I invested in, designed specifically for them, are amazing!

Try men's boots. They make them wider. Or boys' if you have small feet.

Cotswold are very good at advising on technical footwear. They carry brands which work for wider feet, and for feet with bunions, which can also work for wider feet. Keene, Meindl and Merrel are good brands for wide feet. Also consider wearing a unisex or men's model, with an extra insole if the volume of the boot is too great. But definitely try a fitting at a specialist, rather than working it out for yourself.

Another vote for Hanwag bunion boots. I don’t even have bunions 😂 but my tendons have slacked off and my feet have spread since I hit meno. They are really, really comfortable straight out of the box.

Another vote for Meindl. They were the only ones that fitted me properly. I have a very broad foot combined with a high instep.

I found these excellent for my wide feet

Northwest Territory Women's Peak Hiking Boot amzn.eu/d/79tHGgb

I use decathlon and find them very well lasting and aren't narrow.

I also have their walking trainers!

They are a great price too.

DH used to sell walking boots for a living. You really do need to spend time in a shop with a good range of boots, and knowledgable staff. The type of independent shop you might find in the Lake District (eg:Needle Sport in Keswick) , Peak District (eg: Outside in Hathersage) etc. Different boots fit differently, even within the same manucturer's range.

I have wide-ish feet. I know, after much trying on one wet week on Chamonix, that Scarpa boots made on the "B" last will fit fresh out off the box and cause me no trouble at all. Salomon boots also feel like they fit initially, but are completely the wrong shape for my feet and shred my feet before falling apart very quickly. Not because they are bad boots (they are great boots), but because the stresses and strains are all in the wrong places.

A good boot fitter will be able to advice on which boots will work for your foot shape, and on insoles and lacing patterns to optimise that fit. If you have particularly difficult feet, Altberg do a much bigger range of size/width fittings than most, and also offer a bespoke service.

Another vote for Grisport. I have wide feet and they are very comfortable and supportive, no wearing in required either.

Not boots but walking trainers, I just got some Meindl and Merrill online to try and the Meindl were much more expensive but so much more comfortable (and lighter, which I wanted ). Both were wide .

Have you taken insoles with you to see how a bigger size is?

If you have one close gooutdoors have a wall of walking boots to try on.

Any suggestions for genuine real leather walking boots? THe ones Ive looked at so far had synthetic (plu?) uppers. Not what I want at all. My previous pair were basically hightop trainers aka "lightweight boots" also not what I want. I want "proper job" leather walking boots like I had as a kid in the 80s.

I need a wide fit, I've found berghaus suit me. I always need to size up to accommodate wool socks.

Re leather boots, my dd recently got some Scarpas , I think they're quite narrow fit.

I have Salomon wide fit boots and they are super comfortable. My ds has wide and high feet and has Meindl comfort fit

@Yfory Peter Storm do some walking boots with full grain leather uppers (though you have to check the description as there seem to be some false leather ones as well). I bought a pair two years ago, a size larger than I take in shoes. I have VERY wide feet and a very high instep and they are the most comfortable shoes I've ever worn. I've ended up just wearing them everyday instead of normal shoes (I'm always in trousers, so they don't look as out of place as they could be.)

Meindl or Scarpa

I have great success with scarpa on my small wide feet (more like paws than feet). My recent brown leather scarpa boots were so soft on day 1 and still waterproof.

I was quite shocked at how much lighter the Meindl are. They were a last resort, as Cotswold only had a half size too small but I wear really thin socks in them and they have been fine, comfortable straight out of the box.

2 years of dog walking on pavements, tracks and grass, through mud and streams etc and they are still really comfortable.

I tried both men's and women's and they were also the only make where I could really feel the difference in the heel fit.

Another one for Merrells - got a summer, lighter pair and a winter more waterproof, sturdy pair for muddy wet walks. I have one wider short foot and one longer thinner foot (🙄) and they fit both perfectly. Walk miles and miles and never had a single blister. Would definitely recommend going in to a shop and trying a load on, it's surprising how different boots can be.

Would definitely recommend going in to a shop and trying a load on, it's surprising how different boots can be.

Yes, there are a lot of variables. The height at the ankle, sole stiffness and whether it's more flat or curved for instance. And obviously you need to go to a shop which has a ramp you can walk up and down to check what they'll be like on a slope.