Not only am I runner, I spend a lot of time writing about shoes and other athletic gear, but I have a secret. My wide feet rarely fit the most popular shoes.
I have been wearing Altra running shoes for six years and they have been my go-to brand because you can rely on an Altra shoe to have a wide toebox. Altra has great options for both trail and road running, but I haven't found them to be the most stylish and really wanted to fit comfortably into one of the pairs my running friends were talking about.
Then, I got lucky. Last fall I was asked to help with product testing and when I saw the Brooks Ghost 15 on the list I quickly put my name next to it in the spreadsheet to claim it. I figured since I wouldn't be spending my own money on it it would be worth trying even if it didn't end up being a good fit.
But they fit perfectly and they became my favorite. I typically find that my toes feel cramped in traditional running shoes and most casual shoes as well.
While I mostly run trails, I also do some road running in these shoes and I also love them as my everyday shoes—since mine are white I started wearing them with everything. Admittedly, they do have a well-cushioned thick sole since they are meant for long-distance road running so they aren’t exactly minimalistic. However, that doesn’t bother me and even if I weren't a runner I would still wear these.
A year later they're a bit dirty (whisper it—I even put them in the washer) but I don’t feel like they've worn much and they're still comfortable. I love wearing these for traveling since they are great for walking around airports and sidewalks when exploring, but are also plenty comfortable to wear in flight.
There is a newer model out now which means the 15 can be found for under $100 so I highly suggest jumping on that if you have wide feet. I believe they offer a wide model but I have the basic model and they still fit great.
Stock is limited but Amazon has both the men's and women's under $100, and REI has limited sizing of the women's for $100 and change.
I plan on ordering another pair of these soon and they'll be my go-to for a while. Whether I am jogging around the block, traveling across the country to explore a new city or simply running errands around town, you can catch me in these.
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