Wide Toe Box Hiking Shoes with Cushion (11mm Stack Height and Above)ġ Altra Lone Peak 5 Breathable Mesh Uppers | Stack Height: 25 mm | $130 Altra Lone Peaks are a bit of an anomaly when it comes to the world of minimalist shoes – these hiking and trail running shoes have a very generously sized toe box, are flat and flexible, but also provide a lot of cushion. Want reviews on newly released barefoot shoes? Check out my Instagram account just for barefoot shoes: shoes are ordered by stack height, starting with wide toe box hiking shoes with cushion, down to those with very minimal soles for more of a barefoot feel. Wide Toe Box Hiking Shoes by Lems (L to R): Mesa, Primal Trailhead, Primal 2s Your toes won’t feel squished or cramped, they should be able to wiggle around…. Wide toe box hiking shoes will also help you have better balance as your toes properly splay.Įven if you haven’t had any major problems with your feet, the easiest thing to notice immediately is how much more comfortable wide toe box hiking shoes are. By wearing shoes with a wide toe box, all of your toes can stay straight and properly aligned. As your big toe is pushed inward, a bony bump can start to grow at the base of the big toe, causing pain and stiffness. One of the most common issues cause by narrow shoes are bunions. Wide toe box hiking shoes just lets your feet be feet, and function naturally without something getting in the way. Wearing shoes that are too narrow for your feet and squish your toes can cause a lot of problems. This post focuses on lighter weight, low top hiking shoes and trail runners. Looking for hiking boots instead of hiking shoes? Then check out this other post on barefoot hiking boots. For more information, read our full disclosure. This means if you click on one of them, we may receive a small commission at no additional cost to you. Note: This post contains affiliate links. This means these shoes will allow your body to stay in a natural, neutral position, and won’t alter a natural walking gait. Not only do the hiking shoes in this post have wide toe boxes, but most of them sport other minimalist features, including fairly flat (aka zero-drop) and flexible soles. If you’re looking for wide toe box hiking shoes so you can say goodbye to cramped and squished toes forever, then you’re in the right place! After a lot of hiking, I’ve gathered a list of the best wide toe box hiking shoes. I could feel the difference immediately, and it was amazing. Since then, I’ve been on a journey of foot health and toe freedom, swapping out all of my old shoes with narrow toe boxes for minimalist and barefoot shoes that are so much better for my feet. I started wearing foot-shaped hiking shoes with a wide toe box. It wasn’t until I realized that it was not my feet that were the problem, but the hiking shoes I was choosing to wear, that things finally start to get better.Ī few years ago, I gave up on stiff, narrow hiking shoes and boots that cramped my toes. I dealt with cramped toes, blisters, and overall achy feet. Up until a few years ago, this totally was NOT the case. So, it would make sense that my hiking shoes should be some of the most comfortable shoes I own, where my feet will happily be for hours on end. Hopefully I’ll end up at an epic view or maybe a waterfall, but I definitely know my feet are going to be getting a lot of use. When I pull on a pair of hiking shoes, it usually means I’m going to be out on the trails, counting on my feet to take me over all kinds of different terrain. These wide toe box hiking shoes are super comfortable, with plenty of room for your toes to properly splay. Simply put, minimalist hiking boots and shoes just take this one step further.Enjoy the hiking trails without squishing your toes. I’ve been using trail running shoes for years because I love the lightweight, terrain feel, and agility as opposed to heavy bulky conventional hiking boots. I personally like lighter, more minimalistic hiking footwear. While minimalist hiking boots aren’t running shoes, many of the same arguments for and against barefoot running carry over into minimalist hiking boots. You can also find out more about the research behind the pros and cons of barefoot running over at BreakingMuscle. In fact, Runner’s World, one of the leaders in running media, has an entire section dedicated to barefoot running. However, many proponents advocate that barefoot (or near-barefoot) hiking and running has many benefits. Now, I’m no expert on the physiology, research, or myths around minimalist footwear and barefoot running. Essentially the idea is that minimalist hiking boots protect your feet from damage (sharp rocks, sticks, glass, etc.) and/or the elements (water during cold seasons) and little else. Minimalist hiking boots have capitalized on a niche modern trend toward more ergonomically natural footwear.
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