Best hiking boots for wide feet

Columbia Newton Ridge Plus II Waterproof

The cheapest way into a real waterproof hiking boot that comes in a wide size, and the one most people meet first because it sits on every big-box shelf. The upper mixes PU-coated leather, suede and mesh over Columbia's own Omni-Tech waterproof membrane, with a Techlite midsole and an Omni-Grip outsole. It is a day-hiking and light-trail boot rather than a load-carrying one: the mesh panels and lighter midsole are what keep the price at $110, and they are also the parts that wear first. If your foot needs more than an E width, this is not the boot, because Wide is as far as it goes.

KEEN Hightrail Mid Waterproof

KEEN's fast, sneaker-like day hiker, built on the brand's Contoured Fit last and sold in an E width. It is a leather boot with a KEEN.DRY membrane and a KEEN.ALL.TERRAIN outsole, but it is cut and cushioned more like a trail shoe than a backpacking boot, which is the point. At a listed 14.64 oz for a single size 9 it is the lightest thing here by a wide margin. Choose it for fast day hikes and travel rather than for carrying a heavy pack.

Merrell Moab 3 Mid Waterproof

The default recommendation in this category, and the reason is fit as much as anything: the Moab is a roomy boot to begin with and Merrell sells it in a dedicated Wide Width version. The upper is pig suede plus breathable mesh over Merrell's own waterproof membrane, and Merrell lists a half-pair weight of 495 g, so it is light for a leather-and-mesh mid. It is comfortable straight out of the box, which is why it turns up on so many first-boot lists. The trade-off is durability: the mesh panels and the soft midsole are not built for years of heavy mileage.

KEEN Targhee IV Mid Waterproof

The boot most often handed to someone who says their feet are wide, and KEEN builds the whole shoe around that reputation: the Targhee line uses a broad toe box as standard and this generation is also sold in an EE width. The fourth version swaps in a glue-free fused construction that KEEN guarantees against delamination, over a premium nubuck leather upper and a KEEN.DRY membrane. KEEN lists it at 20.11 oz per boot, so it is a solid mid-weight rather than a light one. Fit is the reason to buy it; if your foot is narrow it will swim.

Salomon X Ultra 5 Mid Wide GTX

Salomon builds a separate Wide version of the X Ultra rather than just adding a width run, so the last itself is broader through the forefoot. It is the most athletic boot in this table: a textile upper, quicklace, an EVA midsole and Salomon's Advanced Chassis for lateral support, all under a GORE-TEX membrane. That makes it the pick for fast, technical day hiking on rough ground where you want the boot to move with you. The textile upper is the compromise, since it will not take scuffing the way a leather boot does.

Oboz Bridger Mid B-DRY (Wide)

The burliest of the mainstream wide options and the one to look at if you actually carry a pack. Oboz builds it on a board-lasted chassis with a TPU forefoot plate and a dual-density Granite Peak midsole, so it resists stone bruising and torsional twist in a way none of the lighter boots here do. The O Fit insole is unusually supportive out of the box, which is a large part of why Oboz owners tend to stay with the brand. It is heavy and it is the second most expensive boot in this table, and the extra stiffness is wasted on short flat walks.

Oboz Katabatic LT Mid GTX

Oboz's light, fast answer to its own Bridger: the same brand fit philosophy in a much lighter GORE-TEX boot, and it comes in an E width. The Invisible Fit construction bonds the membrane directly to the upper instead of hanging it as a separate bootie, which cuts bulk and the sloshy feel some waterproof boots have. It is a good middle option if the Bridger is more boot than you need but you still want Oboz's support. You pay $210 for a boot with less underfoot protection than the Bridger, which is the honest trade.

KEEN Durand II Mid WP

KEEN's backpacking boot rather than its day hiker, assembled in Portland, Oregon and sold in an E width. It uses waterproof nubuck leather with mesh inserts, a KEEN.DRY membrane, a TPU shank and 4mm lugs, so it is stiffer and more supportive underfoot than the Targhee. It is also the heaviest KEEN here and the most expensive at a $230 list. Worth it if you want a wide-fitting boot that will carry weight and last; overkill for an afternoon on a groomed trail.

Lowa Renegade EVO GTX Mid

The Renegade has been one of the best-selling hiking boots in the world for over twenty years, and the EVO update reworks the upper to use fewer seams, which matters for a wide foot because seams are where pressure points form. It is a GORE-TEX-lined leather boot on a Vibram Rene Trac outsole, and it is sold in an E width. Lowa's build quality and its stiffer, more supportive midsole are what people pay for. At $279.95 it is expensive, and its narrow-ish heel pocket does not suit everyone even in the wide version.

Asolo Fugitive GTX MW

Asolo sells the Fugitive on a dedicated medium-wide last, which is why this listing offers only the E width and no medium at all. It is a serious trekking boot: water-resistant suede and high-tenacity nylon, a GORE-TEX Performance Comfort lining, a Duo Asoflex lasting board and a supportive PU midsole, built for multi-day loads rather than afternoons. It is by far the most expensive boot in this table. Buy it if you backpack regularly and have been unable to find a wide boot stiff enough; skip it otherwise.

Orthofeet Ridgewood

Where the mainstream hiking brands stop at a Wide, Orthofeet keeps going: the Ridgewood is sold in 4E, and it is built for feet that are not just wide but swollen, bunioned, or in an orthotic. The upper is waterproof full-grain leather with a seam-free lining, and the boot is extra-depth with a removable orthotic insole, so it takes a custom footbed without losing volume. It is an orthopedic boot with a hiking outsole rather than a technical hiker, so it is heavy and not especially stiff underfoot. For trails and long walks it is fine; for a loaded multi-day trip it is not the right tool.

Dunham Cloud Waterproof

Dunham is New Balance's wide-fitting brand, and the Cloud is its waterproof trail boot, offered in 2E and 4E alongside the standard widths. It is a full-grain leather boot with seam-sealed waterproof construction, a fiberglass stability shank and a memory-foam footbed with a stability cradle, and it carries the A5500 diabetic-shoe code. That combination makes it a comfort-first boot: forgiving, stable and roomy, rather than technical. Expect it to handle trails and long days on your feet, not scree and heavy packs.

Propet Cliff Walker

The widest boot in this table by a distance: Propet runs the Cliff Walker up to XX (5E), well past where any hiking brand stops. It is a waterproof leather boot with a nylon mesh lining, hook-and-speed lacing and a self-cleaning rubber outsole, and it carries the A5500 diabetic-shoe code, so it is stocked by pedorthists as much as by outdoor shops. Treat it as a rugged walking boot rather than a hiker: there is no shank, no membrane named, and the sole is soft. If nothing else fits, this is the one that will.