Yall I need some serious help here. I cant seem to find boots to fit my feet. I have spent hundreds of dollars on boots and shoes to fit my feet. I have wide EEEEE feet and a very narrow heel. The only boots i can seem to wear are pull on farm and ranch boots made by John Deer but there not for the woods. I still have my old Army boots but i dont like Black. Can yall give me some pointers on some good boots on what there suppose to feel like when i buy them new? Are they suppose to be tight ? I have flat feet so arches are out of the question here. Any help would be appreciated. Around a Hundred dollars or maybe 150.00.
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Help! Find me some boots that fit!
- Thread starter Wildone39
- Start date
- Joined
- Mar 26, 2002
- Messages
- 2,845
Dunham (division of New Balance) makes up to 4E in their outdoor models. On other websites, I see Dunham work boots up to 6E. The "contractor" work boot here might make a decent hiker. It has a fiberglass shank for stiffness, and should be decently cushioned (based on my own experience with New Balance).
http://www.dunhambootmakers.com/work/6-Leather.291.01.htm#
Cabelas stocks multiple boots in 4E (search for EEEE)
Vasque Sundowner is a classic boot available in wide sizes. I don't know how wide is "wide".
http://www.campmor.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?productId=39173466&memberId=12500226
If you go custom, Limmer makes an awesome boot, but the price is high and the wait is long (about a decade, last time I heard). They do have a production line and list "men's wide" sizing, but no specifics. It might be worth asking them directly.
http://www.limmerboot.com/#
In general, boots should be snug but not tight. You should have at least a thumb width of space between your toes and the end of the boot (usually big toe or second toe). You should have enough width that your smallest toe isn't crushed. If you bend your knee an lightly kick your toe into the ground, your toes shouldn't hit the end of the boot - if they do, the boot is either tied too loosely, size is too small, or width is too large. When you shove your toes forward, you shouldn't have much space between your heel and the back of the boot. Ideally, your foot won't hang over the sole on the sides.
You should wear whatever socks you plan on using when trying on boots. I've messed up plenty of times by wearing a thicker or thinner sock, and usually paid for it later. Try on late in the day when your feet swell more. I can't speak to the flat feet, but if you use an insole or orthotic, put that in the boot when you try it on. If the boots are fabric, with a padded interior, the overall boot won't stretch much, but the padding will compress. If the boot is leather, you will get a small amount of stretch as you break in the boot. The amount of stretch depends on the leather - almost nothing for a heavy, full grain leather, up to maybe a quarter of an inch for thin suede.
Hope you find something that works for you.
http://www.dunhambootmakers.com/work/6-Leather.291.01.htm#
Cabelas stocks multiple boots in 4E (search for EEEE)
Vasque Sundowner is a classic boot available in wide sizes. I don't know how wide is "wide".
http://www.campmor.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?productId=39173466&memberId=12500226
If you go custom, Limmer makes an awesome boot, but the price is high and the wait is long (about a decade, last time I heard). They do have a production line and list "men's wide" sizing, but no specifics. It might be worth asking them directly.
http://www.limmerboot.com/#
In general, boots should be snug but not tight. You should have at least a thumb width of space between your toes and the end of the boot (usually big toe or second toe). You should have enough width that your smallest toe isn't crushed. If you bend your knee an lightly kick your toe into the ground, your toes shouldn't hit the end of the boot - if they do, the boot is either tied too loosely, size is too small, or width is too large. When you shove your toes forward, you shouldn't have much space between your heel and the back of the boot. Ideally, your foot won't hang over the sole on the sides.
You should wear whatever socks you plan on using when trying on boots. I've messed up plenty of times by wearing a thicker or thinner sock, and usually paid for it later. Try on late in the day when your feet swell more. I can't speak to the flat feet, but if you use an insole or orthotic, put that in the boot when you try it on. If the boots are fabric, with a padded interior, the overall boot won't stretch much, but the padding will compress. If the boot is leather, you will get a small amount of stretch as you break in the boot. The amount of stretch depends on the leather - almost nothing for a heavy, full grain leather, up to maybe a quarter of an inch for thin suede.
Hope you find something that works for you.
- Joined
- Jul 11, 2004
- Messages
- 487
I have never been able too find boots that fit. I have a very narrow, low volume foot and a very narrow heel.
I finally have a pair of these on order:
http://www.esatto.biz/
Not cheap though...
I finally have a pair of these on order:
http://www.esatto.biz/
Not cheap though...
- Joined
- Jan 20, 2004
- Messages
- 1,526
Wildone,
I'm gonna recommend the Dunham boots, also. I have wide, higher-volume feet and narrow heels; I usually wear EE or EEEE shoes and boots, depending on the brand and model. My current boots are a pair of Dunham 4E that fit wonderfully. My day-shoes are a pair of Merrel day hikers that actually fit very well. These days, Merrel is making some of their models in widths and the last they're using for their shoes (the fake foot they build their shoes around) seems to be wider than many companies' lasts right now.
When trying on boots, the boot shouldn't pinch excessively in any particular spot. If it's too tight in the store, odds are it'll be too tight after you take it home. A bit of info a salesman at REI once gave me was that if a boot was uncomfortable in the store, it wouldn't become any less uncomfortable after buying it. The boot should feel fundamentally good from the start, otherwise, it doesn't fit your foot well. One other thing to do when trying on boots is to kick the toe of a pair of boots into the ground; your toe shouldn't hit the inside of the boot. If it does, the boot is too short. On downhill hikes, your toes will jam into the inside of the boot, eventually bruising and bloodying up your toes, even causing you to lose toenails.
Take your time looking, even though it can be frustrating. I usually try on 20 pairs of shoes or boots before I find one that fits. Even then, I've had to return shoes that felt fine after wearing 'em in the store for 15 minutes, but became torturous after walking around for a couple hours at home. Stores have their own return policies; REI's policy is unconditional satisfaction, which I like. I've also had good luck with the former Gart Sports, as well as Sportsman's Warehouse.
I once bought a pair of Salomon boots that felt great in the store and great at home. I took them out for their maiden hike on a cold, snowy day and discovered a couple hours into the hike that the shoelace buckles' metal wasn't covered with any cloth inside the boots. By the end of the hike, my ankles were on fire. It was a design flaw that Salomon had built into the model. I cleaned 'em up, took them back to the store, and explained the problem. My full purchase price was returned. The point is that you needn't settle for crappy quality or a terrible fit. If you can, shop at REI whose store policy is extremely accommodating. If you can't, still refuse to settle for an inferior product, should something you buy prove to not work out.
Good luck and, again, take your time! Boots are ATV's for your feet
Or, more accurately, they are the all-terrain tires for your ATV body. Should you blow a tire out in the middle of nowhere, you've got a whole new set of problems to deal with 
I'm gonna recommend the Dunham boots, also. I have wide, higher-volume feet and narrow heels; I usually wear EE or EEEE shoes and boots, depending on the brand and model. My current boots are a pair of Dunham 4E that fit wonderfully. My day-shoes are a pair of Merrel day hikers that actually fit very well. These days, Merrel is making some of their models in widths and the last they're using for their shoes (the fake foot they build their shoes around) seems to be wider than many companies' lasts right now.
When trying on boots, the boot shouldn't pinch excessively in any particular spot. If it's too tight in the store, odds are it'll be too tight after you take it home. A bit of info a salesman at REI once gave me was that if a boot was uncomfortable in the store, it wouldn't become any less uncomfortable after buying it. The boot should feel fundamentally good from the start, otherwise, it doesn't fit your foot well. One other thing to do when trying on boots is to kick the toe of a pair of boots into the ground; your toe shouldn't hit the inside of the boot. If it does, the boot is too short. On downhill hikes, your toes will jam into the inside of the boot, eventually bruising and bloodying up your toes, even causing you to lose toenails.
Take your time looking, even though it can be frustrating. I usually try on 20 pairs of shoes or boots before I find one that fits. Even then, I've had to return shoes that felt fine after wearing 'em in the store for 15 minutes, but became torturous after walking around for a couple hours at home. Stores have their own return policies; REI's policy is unconditional satisfaction, which I like. I've also had good luck with the former Gart Sports, as well as Sportsman's Warehouse.
I once bought a pair of Salomon boots that felt great in the store and great at home. I took them out for their maiden hike on a cold, snowy day and discovered a couple hours into the hike that the shoelace buckles' metal wasn't covered with any cloth inside the boots. By the end of the hike, my ankles were on fire. It was a design flaw that Salomon had built into the model. I cleaned 'em up, took them back to the store, and explained the problem. My full purchase price was returned. The point is that you needn't settle for crappy quality or a terrible fit. If you can, shop at REI whose store policy is extremely accommodating. If you can't, still refuse to settle for an inferior product, should something you buy prove to not work out.
Good luck and, again, take your time! Boots are ATV's for your feet
Or, more accurately, they are the all-terrain tires for your ATV body. Should you blow a tire out in the middle of nowhere, you've got a whole new set of problems to deal with