Climbing/approach shoes for wide feet

8.5 EW, pretty much sums it up. So I compromise. A bit longer than a good fit to get the width. Leaning towards clown shoes.

I really like my Scarpa approach shoes, they are comfortable and stick to the rock. The problem that I encounter is that when I stick them into a crack to get to the climbing area they tend to shred where my wide foot applies pressure.

Has anyone else with wide feet had some success with climbing and approach shoes?

I am getting tired or replacing shoes every 6 months because I shred the sides. Good news, my climbing shoes have lasted almost a year, which only means I need to get out climbing more. But they are showing the same kind of wear.

La Sportiva seems to be the worst at being narrow in the toe: I had to give up my Boulder X approach shoes for Guide Tennies from 5.10. Not nearly so narrow.

But all of my climbing shoes are La Sportiva: I don't think my feet are *that* wide. But La Sportiva still chews up my left pinky toe.

check out Salewa Mountain Trainer approach shoe.

The trainer looks like a little more boot than I need, but the search did lead me to a shoe that has "Anatomical Last" for a perfect fit, I wonder what that means?

Salewa Wildfire

Dallas R wrote:The trainer looks like a little more boot than I need, but the search did lead me to a shoe that has "Anatomical Last" for a perfect fit, I wonder what that means? Salewa Wildfire

I have the Crux and Wildfire, I think they are both the same width. I'd give 5.10 a look too, the Camp 4 felt very boxy and much wider than the Salewa.

I have 11 EE feet and have trouble finding climbing shoes that fit.

I have apair of 5.10 Warhawks for approach shoes and they fit pretty well. I have climbed the 3rd flatiron wearing them and they were very comfortable. I don't think they make that shoe anymore but I'd guess the 5.10 Guide Tennie is similar or even better.

I have a pair of Evolv Demortos (I have Morton's toe, too) & they are the most comfortable climbing shoe I have ever worn but I only wear them in the gym & for easier climbs. I wear 5.10 Anasazi Guides for most of my climbing. The Anasazis climb great but are not very comfortable.
Unfortunately, the Demorto is no longer in production.

La Sportiva's are great shoes but are always imposssibly tight on my feet, so I have never bought a pair. I used to like Borreal, but they are not what they used to be.

I would say 5.10 Guide, nothing better!

I just picked up a pair of Adidas Terrex Solos (w/ Stealth). They seem really well built and designed, but they are definitely narrow at the ball. I am going to try and stretch them out a bit, since I really like them otherwise. On a side note, I can't believe I actually bought a pair of Adidas approach shoes, but so far I am really impressed with them (save narrowness).

Thomas d'Aquin wrote:I would say 5.10 Guide, nothing better!

+1

Dallas-
if you gob up the wear areas and seams on the shoe with SeamGrip they'll last longer.

I had the same problem with the crux. I barely wore them, and they fell apart. That suede is like wet toilet paper when it "breaks in".
I got the canvas 5.10 guide tennies when they had a big sale and they have lasted longer than any other approach shoe I have had. I have post holed in snow and somehow stayed dry. The dot rubber is more sticky than most of my climbing shoes. The only drawback is they scuff my floors.

Those Salewa wildfires are ok, but I thought they were very narrow.

Second the suggestions for Five Ten shoes if you've got wide feet. The Five Ten Camp Four (approach) is great for wide feet. Roomier than the Salewa Mountain Trainer and slightly more volume than the Adidas Terrex shoes. The Camp Four isn't the most precise shoe, but if you've got wide feet it fits the bill.

5.10 guides are on clearance on the 5.10 site. 40 bucks gets you into a fresh new pair of them clown shoes.

Rob Dillon wrote:Dallas- if you gob up the wear areas and seams on the shoe with SeamGrip they'll last longer.

The other thing that has seemed to work for me so far is to reinforce those areas with a patch from a bike tube. I tend to wear out that spot on a lot of my approach/running shoes (however wide/narrow) from shoving them in cracks.

My feet are wide, and like Jim, the only climbing shoes that I've found that fit well are the old style Demortos and the Boreal Vectors (both long gone).

I have salewa wildfires which fit me well in terms of width. I have pretty medium to narrow feet. I would not call them wide!

It's really hard to generalize across an entire BRAND that their shoes are narrow or wide etc.

La Sportiva Boulders were on the narrow side but their Exum Ridge was vastly wider.

Iv'e found the Patagonia shoes to be wider and more "boxy" in the footbox. Probably because the parent company's other brands share similar lasts - Merrel and Chaco to name a few.

If you can find a pair of clearance Patagonia Cragmasters, jump on them!

Been off grid for a few days. Thanks for the further responses.

Good tip on the sale, when I tried they only had the mid shoe.

The 5.10 tennies have a lot of good right ups. If I can find someplace that has them I will try them on. Looks like I will be ordering shoes through REI so I can take them back if they don't fit.

Update, finally found the sale shoes, $29 for the shoes, $12 for the shipping.

Because they are so inexpensive I will take a chance on them fitting correctly. If they don't, then I will be in excruciating agony until my fat feet bust them out and I can justify getting a different pair.

I have 12EE feet, with rather high arches. Interestingly, although 5.10 seem to fit me the best in a climbing shoe out of all the brands I've tried, and La Sportiva the worst, the Boulder X approach shoes fit me just fine without socks. So that's how I wear them. Though I must confess that in colder months I'd far prefer to be wearing socks and so I've already been considering trying the Guide Tennie with that in mind.

I where a 10.5 EEE and i like my new shoes the rubber could be better but ill have them redone later. I found a pair of Millet approach shoes really like them, the fit is great. just do a search on millet approach shoe. good luck

Haven't read other folks responses so I may be repeating what has already been said but I'm pretty sure Salewa makes wide widths... if you're a 8.5 E.W.(4E) you may be able to get a way with a 9 W(2E) in Salewa depending on the model of course.

And dont let folks tell you that a certain brand runs narrow or runs wide. Companies use many different lasts to make their shoes.