Trainers: walking/hiking/trail running

[67eleven]

50 year old, wide footed female looking for recommendations for trainers (definately not boots) to wear for brisk walks in woods, fairly flat countryside and roads. Current trainers have a sort of mesh and let in dirt, debris and water.

Not boots as previous ankle and achillies injuries mean that these areas are very sensitive/tender and wearing boots makes it worse.

I can't be much help OP but I'm interested to see your replies. I've just started doing some walking during my lunch break and have been in boots the last few times - it's not good for my feet at all, especially as the pavements are so uneven/damaged. I need more cushioning. My son in law recommended Merrell to me but I'm struggling to find some wider fitting ones.

These are trail running shoes as oppose to hiking but I love Salomon ultra glide as an all rounder, they have a nice wide toe box & decent grip as long as it’s not super muddy.

I find merrell and salomon narrow, asics are good and do a walking trainer, and a goretex trail shoe.

No advice sorry. My trainers are the same , amazingly comfy on paths but let in water and last weekend sand.

I have merrell walking shoes that are v waterproof but feel less than comfy at the ankle region.

Keen walking shoes are good for wider feet. I love them.

ASICS are my trail shoe of choice. Supportive footbed, grippy soles, wide toe box. I always get the waterproof ones (gel something or other); buy a pair every couple of years, but wear them constantly.

I have wide feet and find Merrell, Keen and Meindl all fit well (I have a mix of hiking boots and shoes). Meindl do a wide fit range but they are expensive - their boots are an investment though as you can get them resoled..

If you go somewhere like Cotswold Outdoor they should be able to scan your feet and suggest shoes to try.

Merrell can be wide, I have a pair and was surprised.

Merrell do the Moab 3 in a wide fit, but I find the standard fit is generous.

I like Dolomite and Salomon hiking shoes. Go to a hiking specialist shop. They will have some good options. Gore Tex will mean they are pretty waterproof.

I like Hoka. I wear men's which are often a bit wider but they also have certain ranges with a wide fit. I wore these hiking over a week, approx 6 hrs a day and no blisters or issues. They were brand new ! As my previous pair had been left in a hotel by mistake

Got a set of these on their third year of abuse and they’re still looking good. A little bit chunky for a trail shoe but comfy and good waterproofing too around the base of the shoe.

Asics trail runners, usually buy a pair every year. Not sure why, but I bought a cheap pair of walking shoes in Decathlon instead of the Asics last time and they have held up really well.

These are brilliant - good thick sole, plenty of cushioning, really good grip. If you want waterproof you have to check you’ve ordered the GTX (Goretex) version, and they come up very small so you need to order a size bigger than normal.

You can usually get them cheaper on Sportsshoes etc.

i use them for trail running, coast path and woodland walks etc as well as tramping around cities sight-seeing.

www.asics.com/gb/en-gb/gel-sonoma-8-gtx/p/1012B770-004.html

I have wide-ish feet and like inov8 and Scott for trail running. Hoka and Solomon are far to narrow

Salomon GTX shoes. I can't recommend a women's style as I'm a 9.5 bigfoot and wear mens, but they'll do women's equivalent. I do miles and miles over trails and up fells and I've been seriously impressed. Apart from tricky technical stuff I've ended up wearing them more than my traditional hiking boots.

Friend is a serious fell runner who actually works in the outdoor industry and will only ever wear Salomon too.

Also have a look at Hanwag - they design specifically for bunions and wide feet. I've never had bunions but my boots are Hanwag and a really comfy fit. They were recommended by the fitter at George Fisher in Keswick. Not cheap, but look after them, clean them properly, and they will last you years.

Hanwag Bunion Fit Walking Shoes

I have walking shoes for dog walking in woods, think they're Saloman and they are waterproof. Chunky soles like a walking boot.

I also have Brooks trail running shoes for running in wooded/leafy paths, these are great grip but definitely not waterproof!

I love Nike Pegasus trail 5. They are very comfy.

Keen have many styles that are good for wide feet and with a wide toe box

I have arthritis in my toes so need a wide fit. Best brand I have ever found is Altra. I have the trail running shoes (for walking) and some boots now too. You can get goretex ones so waterproof. Not cheap and the colours can be a bit ‘interesting’ but if you don’t mind that then I would 100% recommend. Comfortable and blister free straight out the box and absolutely no pressure on my toes.

I have a similar foot injury that means my hanwag walking boots (which ironically were bought because they were perfect for my other foot which had suffered from plantar fasciitis) were now the cause of pain.

After a few false starts, I settled on On Cloudsurfer Trail, although the originals appear to be in the process of being discontinued 😩

I was going to try some Hoka waterproof shoes, as they allow you to return trainers for no reason and experience has told me I need to do a proper walk before I can judge whether a trainer is ok or not. Not taken the plunge yet.

The other option is waterproof socks in “normal” trainers, these have the advantage of keeping your ankles dry in boggier ground, but can feel a bit weird. Plus a shoe dryer to dry the trainers out!

My shoe “universe” is now so small, I can barely wear anything without causing pain the next day, so you have my sympathy!

just throwing Altra into the mix - they have a wide toe box across all their styles but I find the Olympus range really good for my buniony feet

I've never seen altra. Can these be tried on anywhere on highstreet?

Apparently they don't make many waterproof running shoes as they need to breathe to stop feet getting sweaty and manky. I wanted waterproof ones and our running shop said it's a tricky balance. I do have some waterproof Seal Skinz socks but you'd be surprised how sweaty they got even at parkrun, and I don't sweat much or feel the heat.
For grip I like my Saucony Peregrine trail trainers. I have some Altra's too, with the wider toe box.