What is the Difference Between Wide and Extra Wide Shoes? – Get the Right Shoe Width for Your Child!
Do you have a child with wide feet and you are wondering whether your child needs a pair of wide or extra wide shoes? One of the most common mistakes that I see parents make is to provide their children with wide shoes (W) when they actually need extra wide shoes (XW). Just so you know, there is a big difference between wide and extra wide width shoes.
Shoes are available in different widths for a reason! Wide width shoes (W) can definitely help children whose feet are wider than others, but children with extra wide feet will need shoes that actually come labeled in extra wide widths (XW) to reduce or eliminate abnormal pressures in the feet. Children who wear orthotics might also require an extra wide width shoe.
What is the Difference Between Wide and Extra Wide Shoes?
What is the difference between a shoe that comes in a wide width and a shoe that comes in extra wide width? I took a picture of the insert of a wide shoe and an insert of an extra wide shoe (same shoe length), so you can visualize it yourself.
Do you notice the difference? Providing your child with the correct shoe width can make all the difference when it comes to preventing foot issues such as blisters.
Does Your Child Have a High Instep?
While most people believe that there are two elements to shoe sizing: shoe length and shoe width, they forget another important and crucial factor you want to consider if you want to get the correct shoe size for your child: The instep of the foot!
Did you know that if your children have a medium width foot with a high instep then they might need a wider shoe? I know this might sound confusing. The instep is the top part of the foot, and when it’s high then you need to get a deeper and wider shoe to prevent the top part of the foot from rubbing against the top part of the shoe. This is where the instep of the foot is located:
I explain how to tell if your child has a high instep in more detail in a different resource I created.
There is no magical table or scale that will tell you exactly which shoe width your child needs. I can easily tell if a child has wide or extra wide feet by just looking at their feet since I have been fitting children’s shoes for over a decade.
Find Out If Your Child Needs Wide or Extra Wide Shoes
The best way to tell if your child has a wide or an extra wide width foot is to have his or her feet properly measured at your kids’ local shoe store. However, if you don’t have a local shoe store in your area that you trust and are in doubt of whether your child has wide or extra wide feet, you can use a free virtual fitting service I created.
The Best Shoe Brands for Kids with Wide or Extra Wide Feet – Let’s Find Out!
When a child has extra wide feet, 90% of the time I end up fitting them in a pair of New Balance shoes. Different shoe brands make wide and extra wide shoes for children, and you have probably heard of them before:
- New Balance
- Saucony
- Stride Rite
New Balance shoes tend to have the widest, roundest toe-boxes. They also tend to be deeper than the other shoe brands, which means that your kids’ feet will fit deeper inside the shoe and this will prevent the top of their feet from rubbing against the top of the shoes.
Take a look at the picture below where we have two different shoe styles, one from New Balance (right picture), and the other one from Nike (left picture). These shoes are of the same length and the same width (they are both extra wide). Do you notice how the New Balance shoe style is so much wider than the Nike one? Do you notice how the toe-box of the New Balance shoe is rounded?
Now that you know how to check for the width of your kids’ shoes, below you can find a selection of the best-fitting shoes for kids that come in wide and extra wide widths. 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.
What Are the Best Wide and Extra Wide Shoes for Kids?
The shoes below are all available in wide (W) or extra wide widths (XW) and they can also fit high insteps. If you notice that a specific shoe is not available in wide or extra wide widths that means that specific style fits naturally wide.
Socks for Kids with Wide or Extra Wide Feet
Socks play a key role in keeping your kids’ feet healthy since they act as a barrier between the feet and the shoes, and they prevent the formation and buildup of bacteria inside the shoes. If your child has wide or extra wide feet, it is important to get them socks that stretch nicely and that are also seamless, that way they won’t put any extra pressure on their toes and be able to move them freely. If you are always fighting with your child when it’s time to put the socks on, you need to read this post where I describe the best seamless socks for kids.
Do You Need Specific Shoe Recommendations for Your Child’s Wide or Extra Wide Feet?
Do not hesitate to contact me directly at my e-mail if you have any further questions or if you need a different pair of shoes for your child. My e-mail address is:
fittingchildrensshoes@gmail.com
Have you found a particular shoe brand or style that has worked well for your child’s wide or extra wide feet? Please share your findings below so other parents can benefit from them.
I was unsure about whether my child needed wide or extra wide shoes. Your post made it really clear. I realized I was providing him with shoes that were too narrow, even though they said wide widths. Now I know he actually needs extra wide shoes, thank you man! This was really helpful! Are there any wide baseball cleats for kids? Do shoes companies make them?
Hello Bassam,Baseball cleats in wide widths for kids do exist and New Balance is the shoe company that makes wide baseball cleats for kids. I actually wrote a post about them and you can find them here:
Wide Width Baseball Cleats – They Do Exist!
Remember that when children are playing sports they are stressing their feet and legs at a whole different level. Wearing the correct type of shoes is important not just to prevent foot problems, but also to allow your kids to perform at their best.
My kids have very wide feet and it is hard to find shoes that come wide enough for them. I am glad you provide a selection of shoes that come in extra wide widths. Do shoe companies make soccer shoes in extra wide? My kids had to stop wearing cleats because they always complained about them hurting their feet.
Hello Katie,There is only one soccer shoe style that comes in wide and extra wide widths. I wrote a post about this shoe that you can find here:
Wide Soccer Cleats for Kids – The Best Wide and Extra Wide Soccer Cleats for Children!
It is important to provide our children with soccer cleats that are wide enough for their feet, or they will end up with calluses, blisters, or corns since there is a lot of friction when playing soccer.
That’s a great piece of advice about checking that your kids toes aren’t bulging out to the side as it’s an easy thing to notice even if you are not a shoe-fitting expert
I recently bought New Balance training shoes for my kids without realizing that they had extra wide options. Pleased to hear that you can buy extra wide shoes from well known companies that look great and that kids will want to wear. I am ordering from your website as a way of saying thanks for the info man!
Hello Kristian,
I knew the images where going to clarify a lot, and yes, you don’t have to be a shoe fitting expert to realize when you are fitting your kids in shoes that are too narrow. Your child will be so much more comfortable in a pair of extra wide widths shoes, as long as he or she has an extra wide foot.
Juan Pablo,
You have just made my day with this information about children’s feet and shoes. As adults we don’t buy shoes that are to narrow for our feet, so why would we do this to our children? Is it due to people thinking that their kids out grow their shoes before they really ever start to wear them, because to me your feet are one of the most important features of our body that helps us to develop our posture and back muscles, and also are ability to run correctly for speed and agility.
Excellent source of information! Thank you
Kelly
Hello Kelly,
I agree with you that our feet are one of the most important parts of our body, and we must take care of them! The earlier we start taking care of our feet, the better! We will prevent further injuries down the road and keep our kids feet healthy.
It is important to know that children shoes come in wide and extra wide widths, and no matter how wide your kids feet are, there is a particular shoe that will fit him or her just perfectly, I have fitted even the widest feet out there, so if you are having a hard time finding a particular shoe style for your child, don’t hesistate to contact me!
I kept buying wide shoes for my child that has wide feet, but he still complained about them being too tight! I thought there was nothing else to do until I order one of the shoes you recommend and magic happened! The extra wide widths fit him perfectly and he stopped complaining about his feet hurting. Thank you Juan Pablo!
Hello Collins.Most parents are not even aware that shoe companies make kids’ shoes in extra wide widths! Did you notice what a difference it makes when you provide your child with the correct pair of shoes? Now your child can run and play comfortably without complaining about his or her feet hurting!Did you know that they make kids soccer and baseball cleats in wide and extra wide widths? I wrote a post where I describe the best soccer cleats for children with extra wide feet, and you can find it here:
Wide Soccer Cleats for Kids – The Best Wide and Extra Wide Soccer Cleats for Children!