Buying leather sneakers can be a daunting task for various reasons — it’s a financial step up from basic canvas kicks and you want to get this right — but it becomes even more challenging when you have wide feet.
Unfortunately, most shoe brands cater to people with average foot width, leaving those with wider feet feeling like they’re searching for a needle in a haystack.
It’s not exactly the brands’ fault: developing new lasts is a surprisingly expensive and complex endeavor, and it’s costly enough to just to launch a standard run of D-width sizes. (“D” designates “normal width” feet, for some reason.)
But a poor fit can turn even the most supportive sneaker into an uncomfortable brick so in this article, we’ll address this common struggle of the wide-footed gentleman and guide you toward finding the perfect pair of sneakers that offer both the necessary width and the desired comfort.
First: Know Your Shoe Size
- Most guys don’t know their “true” size
- Use a Brannock device at a shoe store
Before buying shoes it is important to know what your size is, more specifically, your Brannock size, also called your true size.
The Brannock sizing system is meant to be a universal way to work out your fit, and while a lot of companies will tell you to size up or size down, they’ll at least all be making recommendations from the same starting point: your true, Brannock size.
While it’s obviously helpful, the Brannock device isn’t used all over the world: both the UK and continental Europe also have their own sizes. European ones are easy enough to distinguish (they’re typically 30-something or 40-something), but British sizes are just a hair smaller than Americans’. An 11.5 in the US, for example, is typically a 10.5 in Britain.
Anyway, to get your Brannock size, head over to the nearest shoe store and asked to have your feet measured. Every store will have a Brannock device, and the employees generally do not mind you asking to get sized.
Your size should be something along the lines of a number followed by a letter. The number represents the length of your feet and the letter represents the width of your feet. For example, my size is 8.5D. If you’re wide, you’ll have at least one E after your number.
Do You Have Wide Feet?
The length is self-explanatory. The larger the number, the longer your feet are. Some guys with long feet automatically assume that their feet are also wide, but it’s not always the case; your length and width are completely separate measurements. Again, the width is denoted with letters:
- A means you have extremely narrow feet (sometimes AA or AAA feet are found)
- B means you have very narrow feet
- C means you have slightly narrow feet
- D means your feet are of typical width
- E means you have wide feet
- EE means you have very wide feet
- EEE means you have extremely wide feet
After EEE, some brands switch to F and others just keep on adding Es. (Adelante, our top pick, go up to EEEEE.)
You can have short and wide feet (6EE), or long and narrow feet (13B). Knowing your Brannock size gives you a better judgment as to what shoes you should be trying on.
If you know you’re a 12EE and the brand only offers E widths, some guys would have success moving to a 12.5E. This doesn’t always work, but it’s a standard “hack” you’ll hear EE guys use.
Leather Stretches
Remember that leather is an elastic, semi-permeable skin that stretches over time. Sometimes even when you size your shoes correctly, there will be a period of discomfort. However, over time, the leather will break in and mold to your feet, making the shoes a lot more comfortable.
[Further reading: The Best Men’s Boots for Wide Feet]
The Best Sneaker for Wide Feet: Adelante – Brisa
- Up to EEEEE width
- Sizes 4.5 to 17, different sized feet are welcome
- 7 leathers to choose from
- $295
The made-to-order Brisa has more sophisticated construction than other sneakers: a Blake stitch build, a vegetable tanned leather insole, resoleability, and seven widths to choose from.
Few boot brands offer sneakers in their catalog, but The Brisa sneaker is just one way Adelante Shoes stands out from a sea of other DTC brands.
First of all, all of their shoes are made to order, so Adelante only makes the shoes when an order is received. This keeps prices down and makes the company more sustainable. Adelante has a legit commitment to business ethics: the founders come from a humanitarian background and made the company to bring secure employment, economic stability, and high wages — twice the local average — to the world-renowned shoemaking hub of Pastores, Guatemala.
In addition to that, customers can request virtually any size and width that they want. Sizes start from a size 4 all the way to a size 17 and widths g0 from a C-narrow to an EEEEE-super wide. Truly, there is a size for you regardless of how small or big your feet are. Absolutely no other sneaker can fit such wide feet.
The Brisa sneaker isn’t built like any other sneaker, either. It’s available in 7 types of full-grain leather (or suede) from the super sustainable Lefarc Tannery. It’s also Blake stitched through a vegetable tanned midsole, which is extremely unusual for a sneaker. Sneakers are typically cemented, meaning the upper is stuck to the sole with adhesive — that’s why most of your sneakers eventually peel away from the sole, and most of your boots don’t. As a Blake stitched shoe, the Brisa is resoleable, but it’s not as stiff and heavy as your average resoleable boot, which is made with a more complex Goodyear welt.
The Brisa may be pricy, and it’ll take a few weeks to be made, but you won’t find a better fitting sneaker. And the fact they can be resoled (combined with the quality of the leather) means they’ll last much, much longer than anything else you’ll buy. Rest assured, they pay for themselves and are better value than other options.
The made-to-order Brisa has more sophisticated construction than other sneakers: a Blake stitch build, a vegetable tanned leather insole, resoleability, and seven widths to choose from.
2. Best Minimalist Sneaker for Wide Feet: Koio – Capri
- Wide widths from 7E – 16E
- Sustainable, Leather Working Group-certified upper
- 50% recycled sole
- Insoles: Removable OrthoLite® Hybrid™ insole
- $236 with discount code STRIDEWISE20
This sneaker from Koio is hands down one of the most comfortable sneakers out of the box! Completely made in Italy, get 20% off with the code STRIDEWISE20.
Koio is a luxury sneaker brand that makes 100% of their shoes in Italy — even the box is Italian made. This is the best option for guys seduced by upscale minimalist sneakers like Common Projects, but while that brand is over $400, Koio’s Capri is $236 if you use our discount code STRIDEWISE20.
Although they make a lot of different types of footwear, including our favorite Chelsea boots, they built their brand on the minimalist Capri and it stands out in the market for not just being a great balance of luxury and value, but also because they come in wide widths.
When sizing your Capri sneakers, know that Koio uses US standard sizing. This usually means that you should order your Brannock size. If you’re a 10E on the Brannock device, then you would order their 10 wide.
The main difference is the wide version has more depth and a wider toebox and vamp. The Capris are best suited for guys who usually wear E-width. A drawback of their sizing system is that Koio doesn’t offer half sizes.
3. Best Customizable Sneaker for Wide Feet: Idrese – Nuno
- D and EE widths available
- Original Margom outsoles
- Made to order so leather creases minimally
- Cork filling and steel shank for comfort
- Totally customizable
- $270, or $255 with the discount. code “STRIDEWISE”
Because these sneakers are made to order, the leather comes fresh and barely creases with wear. The best part? The design is totally customizable. Use the code "STRIDEWISE" for $15 off!
Idrese is a small brand operated out of Chicago that bases their business on a made-to-order model, but they’re fast: just two or three weeks will bring your sneakers to your door. Idrese offers a range of dressy footwear and casual boots, but their minimalist sneaker has gained a life of its own.
Like Koio and Common Projects it’s made with soft Italian Nappa leather, unlike Koio it has an original Margom sole (coveted by sneaker purists), and on top of all that it has cork filling that compresses with time for a more custom fit. There’s even a steel shank to help with stability and minimize foot pain. These are touches you normally only find on dress shoes or hard wearing boots, making the Nuno one of the most impressive sneakers in the space.
Because they’re made to order, the amount of time they sit between manufacturing and wearing is minimal. There’s a difference between the leather on a shoe that’s freshly made and one that’s been sitting in a warehouse for months: the new sneaker has more supple, less dried out leather that’ll crease less.
They can be ordered in D and EE widths. You won’t see the EE widths on the site, but rest assured, if you add that request in the notes of your order the shoes will be made that way for you. Given most sneakers that are made wide just accommodate E widths, it’s great to have an EE option to break things up.
Another bonus? You can completely customize your sneakers to your whims: tartan toe, leopard print heel, purple lining, pink leather sides? The sky’s the limit.
4. Best Value Sneaker for Wide Feet: Thursday Boots – Premier Low Top
- Wide fits E and EE feet
- 6 leathers to choose from
- Half sizes available (6 – 14)
- Vachetta leather insoles
- $129
This minimalistic sneaker is a wardrobe staple. They can be dressed up with a blazer or dressed down with jeans and currently, there are 15 different colorways.
If your eyes have been widening at the price of some of these luxury brands, let’s bring it back down to Earth: Thursday’s Premier Low Top costs just $139, and has all the bells and whistles, including some these other brands don’t have, like half sizes.
Just because it is more affordable, doesn’t mean Thursday Boots skimps on construction or quality. While the wide widths don’t come in as many leathers as the “standard” ones, there are still six leathers to choose from, including a remarkable waxed flesh offering from Horween Leather Company. A leather usually reserved for boots, the wax will slowly wear away with time and have a completely unique patina.
Thursday’s minimalist sneaker is great for guys with wide feet because the toebox is very voluminous. Even with EE-width feet, you will still be able to wiggle your toes. In order to size this shoe correctly, Thursday recommends that guys with wide feet should go 1/2 size larger than what they normally buy in sneakers.
5. Best Lightweight Sneaker for Wide Feet: Cole Haan – GrandPro Tennis Sneaker
- Sizes 7 – 16 in wide widths
- Sustainable, Leather Working Group-certified upper
- Very lightweight at 8.8oz
- $150
There are surprisingly few large companies doing wide widths in casual leather sneakers. No Adidas, no Converse, no Nike. Cole Haan, though, breaks the mould with their sport GrandPro Tennis Sneaker, available in black, brown, and white colorways.
At 8.8 ounces, this sneaker is engineered to be as light and flexible as possible, plus it's made with Leather Working Group-certified leather to guarantee sustainability.
With components and compounds engineered to be as light as possible, the GrandPro stands out as the lightest shoe on this list, which will be a relief to guys who are a little bewildered by the meaty, heavyweight options on the market that contain vegetable tanned leather and steel shanks.
Cole Haan isn’t as forthcoming with the details as we’d like: they don’t tell you where the shoe is made, for instance. But we do know the leather is certified by the Leather Working Group, a meaningful element that means the leather’s production process did not result in polluted waterways and health problems for the workers, something that’s disappointingly common in poorly regulated tanneries in the developing world.
6. Crown Northampton – Harlestone Derby
- 22 different uppers available including a Heritage collection made with rugged leather choices
- Sheepskin interior lining
- Luxury, 100% natural Lactae Hevea soles
- Leather insoles and cork filling, like high end dress shoes
- F (standard width) and G (wide width)
With vegetable tanned uppers, cork filling, and oak bark leather counters, Crown Northampton produces this sneaker in England to the world's highest standard (and prices).
Crown Northampton is a brand synonymous with the opulence and prestige of traditional British shoemaking. The brand specializes in luxury sneakers, and we do mean luxury: their flagship Harlestone Derby sneaker starts at $426 and goes north of $750 if you choose one made with Horween’s Shell Cordovan leather.
Why go so elaborate with a sneaker? Well, because someone has to. There are people who want to own the best possible version of a sneaker regardless of the price, and Crown Northampton set out to do just that: cork filling, natural rubber soles, hand stitched construction, the works. Check out our visit to the factory below:
As a British brand, sizing can be a little tricky, but measure your feet with some tape and send them your numbers and they’ll work with you to produce the ideal fit. Their order page might not specify wide widths, but if you tell them you’re after something wide, they’ll happily make you something with a “G” width — the British version of “E.”
These shoes are great for guys who want a sneaker that is built like quality boot. They’re made with uppers from the world’s best tanneries, like Horween Leather Company in Chicago, and they include shell cordovan, buffalo leather, and deer suede.
And yes, they’re resoleable, so you can be happy they won’t be tossed once those luxuriously soft soles wear through.
Wrapping Up
Guys with wide feet no longer need to squeeze themselves into constricting footwear: many boot brands sell their products in wide, and now the minimalist sneaker has joined the ranks. Whether you want the world’s most luxurious cordovan sneaker or just something simple that will work with any urban outfit, we know we’ve given you the right product on this list.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are leather shoes good for wide feet?
Leather molds to your feet over time, so it can be ideal for guys with wider feet, but you should opt for a brand that makes wider sizes as well.
Should you size up if you have wide feet?
Sometimes this is the best option and it works well enough, but ideally you should order from a company that makes wider sizes, like Thursday.
What color shoes make wide feet look smaller?
Wearing darker color shoes will help take the attention away from your feet. Avoid sneakers with decorative patterns.
Humphrey Tsui