Affordable Shoe Options for Child with Wide Feet

Updated on September 13, 2011
J.W. asks from Ithaca, NY
20 answers

Hello,

Our family has a tight budget and I am looking for recommendations on shoe sources for my son who has a wide/extra wide foot. Shoes are so expensive and good wide/extra wide shoes (from Stride Rite for example) really are unaffordable for our family. I have tried asking friends for hand me downs, but the shoes are always too narrow for my son who will be five in October. He wears about size 12 Wide/extra wide. I would love to hear other options.

Thanks,
J.

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Featured Answers

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K.S.

answers from Detroit on

Keen and Beeko fit wide feet, although you may have to buy them on the internet to get them cheaply.

2 moms found this helpful
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J.M.

answers from New York on

I don't know if you live near the Jackson Premium Outlets in Jackso NJ, but they have a Stride Rite Outlet store. Their prises seem to be fairly reasonable. You might give them a try.

1 mom found this helpful

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M.J.

answers from Sacramento on

The Smart Fit shoes at Payless are made by Stride Rite. Check into those. The only minus is that it can be hit or miss finding your precise style in the size you need in wide.

I also agree that sales at Stride Rite can be really good, so watch for them.

3 moms found this helpful
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B.M.

answers from Los Angeles on

For quite a while, the only thing that fit my son's chubby little feet were Crocs. On their website, they have clearance sales all the time. You can also find discount codes and free shipping codes online, or at a Crocs kiosk in your local mall. I also got some wide shoes at Payless, but he needed to try them on. Certain styles just won't work with a wide (or chubby) foot.

2 moms found this helpful
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F.O.

answers from Los Angeles on

Find a Stride Rite Outlet in your area.

My child's foot is wide and I do very well at the outlet. Sometimes I don't get the exact style, color I'm seeking but it's all about comfort and price!!!!

2 moms found this helpful
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M.N.

answers from New York on

No! Go online to endless.com, shoes.com, zappos.com, etc. wide shoes are my life, so I can tell you... it's a world better!! Definitely endless. My niece has wide feet, and we found inexpensive wedding shoes for her there. If that doesn't work, look at onlineshoes.com, 6pm.com or shoebuy.com. Just read their shipping and returns policy. One of the sites may charge, but most have free shipping and returns. I LOVE it!! Good luck!

2 moms found this helpful
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K..

answers from Phoenix on

Payless Shoe Source has a brand called "Smart Fit" that offers wide sizes. New Balance also has wide sizes, and you can often find them on sale. Also, check places like Ross, Marshall's for shoes, you never know.

Stride ride does do some good sales, so I wouldn't count them out. They carry wide sizes & I've seen some of their shoes in the $20 range while on sale.

You can also get Stride Rite & various other brands on Amazon.com. You might want to check them out for sales, as well.

And Ebay is a great resource, as well.

2 moms found this helpful

M.P.

answers from Provo on

I second the Stride right Sales tab. I would be buying my son some, but they don't have any in his size at the moment. Have you also looked on ebay? I have found a lot of NEW striderites for cheaper there.

1 mom found this helpful

L.L.

answers from Rochester on

Please don't ask your friends for any more hand-me-downs...wearing shoes that have been worn (especially worn out!) by another person can actually damage a child's foot. Shoes form to each individual foot as they are worn...if you don't believe me, try a friend's well worn shoe on sometime and you'll see that even if it's the right size, it doesn't fit right.

That being said, both of my children have wide feet and we've just had to be selective with the "style" of shoe we buy. They are girls, so this won't necessarily apply, but for example, they can't wear ballet flats. However, they can comfortably wear "skater" style tennies, the kind with the thick padding, thick tongues, flat soles, etc.

I would take him to a store you can afford, disregard what anyone thinks LOOKS good, and have him try on all the shoes until he finds one that fits. I notice that WalMart has some affordable skater type tennies that run wide. I bought a pair for my 16 month old daughter, who was having a really hard time fitting into all these cute baby girl shoes. They are black and fairly ugly, but perfect if we're going to the park or someplace where she needs a good fitting shoe.

Crocs might also be an option, since they seem to run wide. For cheap "crocs" check out Payless...I just hit their BOGO sale and got my oldest a new pair (nice and wide) and got my younger a new pair of church shoes which unfortunately are not "quite" wide enough but I take them off her as soon as we get to the nursery at church. Silly, huh. Oh, bonus, I got the crocs for three dollars.

1 mom found this helpful
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S.H.

answers from St. Louis on

try ebay for used Stride Rite....they really do fit well!

1 mom found this helpful

S.R.

answers from Kansas City on

We use Stride Rite for my son who is an xw, and my daughter who is an xxw. I understand about it being expensive, we have to buy for two kids each season.

Zappos.com is also an option. Payless does have wide shoes, but the do not fir my kids.

1 mom found this helpful
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P.K.

answers from New York on

Unfortunately, I think Stride Rite etc are your best bet. You can look on
Zappos. Sometimes Stride Rite has discontinued styles that are much
less. As someone who has wide feet, I know how uncomfortable the
wrong shoes can be. Look on Zappo and see what brands come in wide x-tra wide and then you can possibly keep your eye out for sales in dept.
stores, etc.

Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

J.K.

answers from New York on

Try New Balance's web site. My son also had wide feet, and the shoes on their web site were less expensive than Stride Rite. I also sometimes see wide shoes in Payless.

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K.B.

answers from Cincinnati on

I second all the stores that MN suggested. Also, watch daily deal sites like the one on here, groupon, living social...sometimes they will do deals for $40 for $20 or $30 for $15 at different shoe stores. I've gotten ones for planetshoes.com, shoemall.com, and shoebuy.com . I've had great luck with New Balance for my son with wide feet.

S.H.

answers from Spokane on

My son has wide, flat feet and we have been told by multiple shoe sales-people to have him wear New Balance.

Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

J.B.

answers from New York on

My son has extra wide feet and literally the one shoes that fit him are SmartFit shoes from Payless. Theyre about $20/pair.

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A.V.

answers from Washington DC on

Smartfit from Payless here, too. My DD has wide feet (we joked that genetically speaking she was doomed and should just wear the shoeboxes!). The Payless shoes might not be as good as Stride Rite but they've served us well for our DD and our budget.

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J.L.

answers from Chicago on

Also try Craigslist and Ebay! I've done very well on there finding specific items.

K.M.

answers from Chicago on

all I know of is stride rite ... I would offer you our hand me downs, honestly but that is the current size my son is in ... wish I could help; I know it can get pricey.

Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

P.G.

answers from Dallas on

I found shoes at Ross Dress for Less and Famous Footwear (they have sales). My son has VERY wide feet. He's a size 12 toddler/kid and he's only 4.5 years old. Sigh!

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