Shoe with the widest toebox?

[andynb]

Of the shoes I've tried so far, the Altras definitely have the best fit in the toebox for me. I've tried quite a few models, and did a graphical comparison before I ended up buying the Instinct and Lone Peak (both Altra):
http://birthdayshoes.com/forum/birthdayshoes-com-general-discussion/is-there-any-shoe-that-will-not-constrict-my-toes-comparison-of-shoes/

Sure, there are shoes out there which are wide enough over the ball of the foot, but most of them taper too much in the toebox. Altras are pretty straight on the inside, great for the big toe, but I'm still lacking some room for the little toe. Anyone know of a shoe that is a little wider than the Altra lineup? Cushioning is acceptable, but should be zero/low drop.

[skye97]

What about Soft Stars?  They come in wide widths, but the regular width actually fits my very wide feet pretty well.  The leather uppers are really soft and stretch to conform to your feet after a few wears.  Also, I've never tried the Altras so I can't compare the two, but I like Lems...well, actually I really like Stems, which were a little more flexible, but the newest version isn't too bad.

And just out of curiosity, what exactly are you referring to when you say toe balls?   Do you mean the ball of the foot?

[jmijares]

I've had a pair of the Softstar Runamocs in their widest size, and it was definitely much much wider than the Altra Instinct toebox.  I've got the Altra Instinct/Samson models.

Though keep in mind that the Softstars won't have the same cushioning as the Altra Instinct or Lone Peak.  The Altras have, I think, a 20mm stack height while the Softstars with the Trail Sole and footbed might have a stack height of 8mm or so.

[kwilliams]

I was also going to stay soft stars. I had the wides  in the Merry Janes b/c the side was cutting into my right food just a tad. I have the regulars in the Rambler. I do not have their actual running shoes yet but I would likely get the regular in those too. There is quite a difference between the regular and the wide Merry Jane and the wide Rambler was way too wide for me w/the fabric on the top. So if you need really wide, Soft Star is your shoe! You could always try adding the wool lining for a bit of padding if you wanted that.

[andynb]

3 out of 3 votes for soft star, then. Perhaps I'll give them a try! Not residing in North America does pose some problems regarding returns, and for language, it seems...

And just out of curiosity, what exactly are you referring to when you say toe balls?   Do you mean the ball of the foot?

This time I didn't mean my second pair of testicles, but as assumed, the ball of the foot. They are called toe balls in my mother tongue, though . Need to edit that out, haha.