The Best Hiking Boots for Kids with Wide Feet – Waterproof, Lightweight, and Supportive!

Have you been looking for a pair of hiking boots that can fit your child’s wide feet? Do you feel like every pair of hiking boots that you try on your child’s feet is hard to get on and off and leaves red marks on your child’s feet? Finding a pair of hiking boots that will fit the shape of a child with wide feet can be time-consuming, but the good news is that I will help you find them! I know exactly which are the best hiking boots for kids with wide feet and I will help you find them since I have been fitting children’s shoes for many years.

My Experience Fitting Children’s Shoes – A Decade of Experience!

I have been working at a specialized children’s shoe store for over 10 years now, and I know which shoe brands and which shoe styles fit wider than others by having fitted them myself. The store specializes in helping children with “complicated” foot shapes as well as foot and leg problems, but we provide regular shoe fitting as well.

We carry shoes in different widths such as wide (W) and extra wide (XW), as that is the only way we can guarantee to fit every single child, no matter how wide the child’s feet are. This is the reason why I am familiar with every single shoe style that is available in wide widths.

Pro Tip: If you’re pressed for time and want to jump directly to a selection of the best hiking boots for kids with wide feet, you can click here.

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

➡️ Round Toe-Boxes

➡️ Extra Deep

Let me show you the difference between two hiking boots that are the same length and width, but fit very differently. Do you notice how the hiking boot on the right has a much rounder/wider toe-box? That type of hiking boot is going to be capable of accommodating the shape of a child with a wide foot better.

Are Hiking Boots Available in Wide Widths (W)?

Several parents have asked me if hiking boots for children with wide feet exist, and the answer is yes. While the selection is small, there are a couple of hiking boot styles that are available in wide widths (W). However, finding a pair of hiking boots for your child with wide feet takes a lot more than just choosing a hiking boot that is labeled as wide. The hiking boots must also provide extra depth, that way your child’s feet can sit deeply inside the boots and prevent the top part of the foot (instep) from rubbing against the top part of the boots.

Below you can find an image to better visualize the difference between a hiking boot that provides extra depth and one that doesn’t:

Do You Usually Struggle Getting Your Child’s Shoes On and Off?

Do you know what the instep of the foot is? The instep is the top part of the foot, and when it’s high, it makes it very complicated to find shoes that fit. Below you can see where the instep of the foot is located:

If your kids happen to have wide feet and a high instep, don’t panic! I know exactly which hiking boots will fit the shape of their feet.

In addition to fitting the shape of your kids’ feet perfectly, we also have to make sure that the hiking boot provides good support, is lightweight, flexible, and waterproof. It’s extremely important for the hiking boot to be waterproof if you want to keep your kids’ feet dry and warm.

Before I provide you with a selection of the best hiking boots for kids with wide feet, let me first show you which features these hiking boots provide, and how to make sure that you provide your child with the correct shoe size.

Hiking Boots for Kids with Wide Feet – 5 Important Features! 

I always recommend to parents that before they buy a pair of hiking boots to make sure that it provides these 5 important features:

• Oversized Openings: This feature makes 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.

• Support: The hiking boots must be supportive in order for your child to be able to wear them for longer periods of time.

• Lightweight and Flexible: While the hiking boots must be supportive, they must also be lightweight and flexible at the same time. These features help prevent your child’s feet and legs from easily getting tired. Your kids’ hiking boots should bend at the ball of the foot but no further.

• Waterproof: This is a very important feature as waterproof hiking boots are extremely versatile, as your child will be able to use the hiking boot for those rainy days instead of a rain boot. By the way, the only way to tell if a boot is waterproof is by checking if it has a label that reads “waterproof”. Take a look at the picture below for clarification:

• Traction: The hiking boot must provide good traction in order to prevent your child from slipping and falling, especially when walking on slippery surfaces:

Can we find a pair of hiking boots that provides all of these features and that also fits the shape of your child’s wide feet? Yes, we can! However, before I provide you with a selection of the best hiking boots for kids with wide feet, I want to make sure that you know your child’s exact foot size.

How to Order the Correct Shoe Size Online?

It doesn’t matter how many features a particular shoe provides, if the shoes are not fitted properly, your child won’t get any of the benefits that the shoes have to offer. What’s even worse, if you don’t provide your child with the correct shoe size, you will end up creating all sorts of issues to your child’s feet such as blisters, calluses, and corns.

Start by reading an article I wrote where I describe the simplest, yet most effective way to figure out your child’s foot size from home:

How to Measure Your Kids’ Foot – 2 Simple Steps to Determine Foot Length and Foot Width

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.

Now that you know what features the hiking boots that I recommend provide and how to make sure that you provide your child with the correct shoe size, you are ready to see a selection of the best hiking boots for kids with wide feet. 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. This allows us to create free content and resources for many families around the world. 

The Best Hiking Boots for Kids with Wide Feet

Many of the boots featured below come in several color options, so if you want the boots to be made of a specific color, please make sure to click through and see if they are available in that specific color.

What Boot Size Should You Order?

In each of the descriptions of the boots, I indicate whether you need to order a half size or a whole size bigger than your child’s current foot size to provide the correct amount of growing room.

*A half a size bigger translates to 3/16 of an inch or 0.4 centimeters of space between your child’s longest toe and the end of the shoes.

*A whole size bigger translates to 3/8 of an inch or 0.8 centimeters of space between your child’s longest toe and the end of the shoes.

Do You Need a Pair of Wide Hiking Boots for Yourself?

If you have wide feet and can’t seem to find a comfortable pair of hiking boots I suggest that you go to the link below:

The Best Wide Hiking Boots for Women – Supportive, Lightweight, and Durable!

Before you leave, I want to let you know that socks play a key role in keeping your kids’ feet healthy. Socks act as a barrier between your kids’ feet and the shoes, and they prevent the formation of bacteria inside the shoes.

What Are the Best Hiking Socks for Kids?

Whether you are planning on providing your child with a pair of waterproof hiking boots to go hiking, wear them to school, or wear them occasionally for those rainy days, it’s important that your child wears a good pair of socks with the hiking boots.

Socks also help cushion and prevent your kids’ feet from rubbing against certain parts of the shoes, preventing the formation of blisters around the toes or the ankles.

There are certain socks that provide better warmth and cushioning for those really cold days. These are the best socks for the winter season as they are made of merino wool, an ultra-soft, naturally anti-microbial, breathable material. Below you can find a selection of the best hiking socks for kids:

The socks should be the same length as the hiking boot, that way the boot won’t rub against your kids’ ankles and create blisters.

What Are the Best Sneakers for Kids with Wide Feet?

If you are looking for a pair of wide sneakers for your child I suggest that you take a look at the article below:

Sneakers for Kids with Wide Feet – Round Toe-Boxes, Extra Deep, and Oversized Openings!

Hiking boots for children with wide or extra wide feet do exist, and I provided you with the best selection that I have fitted before. If you are unable to find a particular shoe style for your child with wide or extra wide feet, please do not hesitate to contact me since I will help you find it:

fittingchildrensshoes@gmail.com

Is there a particular hiking boot style that has worked well for your child with wide feet? Please share your findings below so other parents can benefit from your experiences.