Best Extra Wide Hiking Boots for Toddlers – Supportive, Round Toe-Box and Extra Deep!

Are you having a hard time finding a pair of hiking boots for your toddler with extra wide feet? Do you feel like you always have a hard time putting your toddler’s hiking boots on and once you manage to put them on your toddler kicks them off immediately? I have put together a list of the best extra wide hiking boots for toddlers based on my many years of shoe fitting experience.

Finding a pair of boots for a toddler with extra wide feet is not an easy thing to do, and it can be a frustrating and time-consuming experience. In addition to finding a hiking boot that is labeled as extra wide (XW), we also need the boot to provide another key feature: extra depth.

If you are in a rush you can go directly to the selection of the best extra wide hiking boots for toddlers.

Does Your Toddler Have a High Instep As Well?

Some toddlers might have high insteps in addition to having extra wide feet. If you always notice imprints on the top of your toddler’s feet when you take the boots off, that means that the boots are too narrow and too shallow. Imprints or red marks on the top of your toddler’s feet usually mean that the top part of your toddler’s feet is being squeezed against the top part of the boots.

What Makes the Hiking Boots I Recommend Effective for Extra Wide Feet?

1️⃣ The first important feature that your kids’ hiking boots need to provide is extra depth. Finding a boot that provides extra depth allows your toddler’s feet to fit deeply inside the boots, which will prevent the top part of the feet from rubbing against the top part of the boots. Let me show you the difference between a boot that provides extra depth versus one that doesn’t:

2️⃣ In addition to providing extra depth, there is another key feature that we need the boots to provide which is a rounder toe-box. Boots that come with a round toe-box help prevent your toddler’s toes from rubbing against one another or the side of the boots. Let me show you the difference between a boot that provides a rounder toe-box versus one that doesn’t:

3️⃣ Boots with oversized openings make it easier for parents and children to get their boots on and off. Children with chubby feet have a hard time slipping into boots that don’t easily open. You will notice that the hiking boots that I recommend open up widely, which makes it easier for children and parents to get the boots on and off.

The issue is that children’s shoes don’t come labeled as “extra deep” or with a “round toe-box”, and the only way to tell if a shoe provides extra depth is by having fitted the shoe before. 

To have a good hiking experience, you need to provide your toddler with a pair of hiking boots that protect and support the feet and ankles in all situations. Your toddler will be stepping on rocks, puddles, and uneven surfaces, so it’s important to keep the feet supported and protected at all times.

I have always seen hiking boots as a very versatile type of footwear, as children can wear them to go hiking or to get around on those wet rainy days. Always make sure that the hiking boots are labeled as waterproof, and if you don’t see a label on the hiking boot that reads “waterproof”, then it’s because they aren’t.

I only recommend shoes that I have fitted and tested before since that is the only way for me to tell how supportive, well-made, and durable the shoes are. Most importantly, it allows me to inform parents about how that particular shoe style fits. 

Without further ado, let’s take a look at the best extra wide hiking boots for toddlers. Disclosure: Some links in this post may be affiliate links and we may receive a small commission (at no extra cost to you) when you click our links and make purchases.

Best Extra Wide Hiking Boots for Toddlers

Some of the boots below might be water-friendly instead of fully waterproof. This means that the boot will keep your toddler’s feet dry as long as your toddler doesn’t put his/her foot inside a puddle and leaves it there for a couple of seconds.

Make sure that you take a look at the description below each boot to find out whether it can accommodate your child’s foot shape and the additional features the boot provides.

Hiking Boots for Toddlers – Supportive and Lightweight!

These are the 3 most important features that your toddler’s hiking boots must provide, in addition to fitting the shape of their extra wide feet correctly.

➡️ Stable Base of Support: This feature helps minimize the impact between your toddler’s feet and the ground. When hiking, your toddler will be stepping into stones and uneven surfaces, so it’s important for the boots to minimize this impact and protect the feet.

➡️ Lightweight and Flexible: Your toddler’s hiking boots need to be lightweight and flexible to prevent your toddler’s feet and legs from easily getting tired. The boots should bend at the toes but no further.

➡️ Traction: This feature reduces the likelihood of your toddler slipping and falling, especially when walking on wet surfaces.

Hiking boots are always going to be stiffer than regular sneakers. Even the boots that I recommend, which are made of lightweight and softer materials, are still going to feel stiff at first on your toddler’s feet. That is the reason I recommend allowing your toddler to wear the boots around the house, in order for the material to start softening down and allowing your toddler to start getting used to the boots.

What Are the Best Sneakers for Toddlers with Extra Wide Feet?

I created a different resource that describes the best extra wide sneakers for toddlers.

Do You Have a Specialized Children’s Shoe Store in Your Area?

The best way to figure out your toddler’s exact foot length and shape is to have his or her feet properly measured and fitted for shoes at your local specialized children’s shoe store. Start by taking a look at a map I created where I describe the best-fitting children’s shoe stores by state.

If after looking at that resource you can’t find a store in your area, take a look at an article that I created that describes the simplest, yet most effective way to figure out your toddler’s exact foot size from home.

In that article I help parents determine their child’s exact foot size and whether the child has narrow, medium, wide, or extra wide feet. I also will be able to tell you whether your child has a high instep or not.

Hiking Socks for Toddlers – Cushiony and Breathable!

It’s important to provide your toddler with the correct type of socks when going hiking. The correct type of hiking socks will act as a barrier between your toddlers’ feet and the boots, preventing the buildup of bacteria and other foot issues such as blisters, calluses, and corns.

The correct pair of hiking socks will also cushion your toddler’s feet and make your toddler feel more comfortable when hiking.

Your toddler can definitely wear a pair of regular socks to go hiking, but if you want to provide your toddler with a pair of actual hiking socks, I have put together a selection of the best hiking socks for toddlers. These socks are breathable and provide extra cushion to targeted areas of the feet.

The type of shoes that you provide for your toddlers play a key role in keeping their feet healthy as they grow older. Something so simple just as providing your toddler with the correct pair of hiking boots in the correct size will prevent future foot, leg, and back problems.

Looking for Other Shoe Recommendations?

Do not hesitate to contact me if you are having trouble finding a particular shoe style to accommodate the shape of your toddler’s extra wide feet and high instep. I have fitted toddlers with extra wide feet in all sorts of shoes, and I concluded that it doesn’t matter how wide your toddler’s feet are, there is always at least one particular shoe style that will fit the shape of their feet, and I will help you find it. My e-mail address is:

[email protected]

Do You Also Need a Pair of Extra Wide Hiking Boots?

If you happen to have extra wide feet I suggest that you go to a different website that describes the best hiking boots for women.

Is there a particular hiking boot that has worked well for your toddler’s extra wide feet? Please share your findings below so other families can benefit from your experiences.