Extra Wide Shoes: Where to Find 4E and 6E Sneakers

Extra wide sneakers are 4E for men and 2E for women on the Brooks, ASICS and New Balance width charts. For more room, New Balance lists 6E for men, labeled XX-Wide, and 4E for women. Nike sells some running lines in extra wide, plus its Promina walking shoe.

What counts as extra wide?

The letter depends on whether the shoe is sized for men or women. Here is how the makers’ charts label the top widths:

Nike puts a rough size on the steps: a wide shoe is usually about one centimeter wider than the regular version, and extra wide about one centimeter wider than wide. ASICS says its steps are a couple of millimeters and scale with the size of the shoe. Nike adds that extra-wide shoes give even more forefoot space than wide ones. See the shoe width chart for every letter.

Who makes 6E sneakers?

Of the makers covered on this site, New Balance is the one whose width chart includes 6E. It lists men’s widths from 2A to 6E. Brooks and ASICS charts stop at 4E for men.

Not every New Balance model comes in 6E, so look for the 6E option in the width menu of the model you want. The New Balance sizing guide explains how its widths and lengths fit.

New Balance sneakers in 4E and 6E widths

Shop new Balance in 2E, 4E and 6E→

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• New Balance 2EBrowse →
• New Balance 4EBrowse →
• New Balance 6EBrowse →

Where to find 4E sneakers

More makers offer 4E than 6E, so it is the easier extra wide size to track down. Start with the makers below, then check the width menu for your length. Brooks lists 4E as its men’s extra wide, and ASICS lists 4E as men’s extra wide on its width guide. ASICS names the GT-2000 14 as an Extra Wide running shoe in its own guide to wide feet.

Nike says many running models, including the Pegasus, Structure and Vomero lines, come in wide or extra wide options, and that its Promina walking shoe is available in extra wide sizing.

For women, the equivalent step is 2E. Brooks, ASICS and New Balance all list a women’s 2E, and New Balance adds women’s 4E. More on both is in wide shoes for men and wide shoes for women.

Extra wide sneakers in 4E and 6E

Shop extra wide sneakers (4E and 6E)→

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• 4E sneakersBrowse →
• 6E sneakersBrowse →

Leave room for swelling and orthotics

If your feet swell during the day or you wear an insert, an extra wide shoe needs to fit with both in mind.

• Swelling. AAOS says feet may swell up to 8% during the day and advises buying shoes toward the end of it.
• Orthotics and insoles. APMA says to take prescribed orthotics when you shop and try them in the shoes. Nike says the same about custom orthotics and store-bought insoles.
• Both feet. APMA says to measure both feet late in the day and shop for the larger one.

How to check an extra wide fit

Go by how the shoe fits, not the letter on the box. Nike’s signs that a shoe is still too narrow are pinching across the forefoot, blisters along the sides of the feet, and the foot spilling over the midsole. ASICS adds visible bulging on the outside of the upper.

If a 4E still pinches, a bigger size is not the answer. AAOS suggests a brand with a wider toe box instead of a longer shoe. Toe crowding has its own fixes; see sneakers for bunions and the wide feet guide.