Shoe Width Guide

The US width system runs as a ladder of letter codes, from narrowest to widest: AAA/2A at the narrow end, then B, then D in the middle, climbing through 2E and 4E up to 6E at the broadest. Each step represents roughly a few millimetres of extra room across the ball of the foot, though the exact gap varies by brand. Crucially, these letters describe width relative to a given length — a wide shoe is not a longer shoe, it is the same length cut on a broader last so there is more volume across the forefoot and, often, a little more depth.

The single most confusing thing about the scale is that the "standard" or "medium" width is not the same letter for everyone. For women, the standard medium width is B; for men, the standard medium width is D. That means the very same letter carries a different meaning depending on gender: a D is a regular, everyday width for a man, but on a woman's last that same D is sold as a wide fit. Likewise a B is medium for women but counts as narrow for men. When you read a brand's chart, always check which gender's last the letter refers to before assuming it is wide, medium, or narrow — the letter alone never tells the full story.

Width is measured across the widest part of the ball of the foot— the broad section just behind your toes where the foot flexes. Stand on a sheet of paper with your weight evenly distributed, then mark the two outermost points on either side and measure the straight-line distance between them in millimetres. Do both feet late in the day, when feet are at their largest, and size to the bigger one. Compare that ball-of-foot measurement to a brand's width chart the same way you would compare your foot length in centimetres to its length chart; length anchors the size, width selects the fitting.

The signs that you need a wide fit are usually obvious once you know what to look for: pinching or pressure across the forefoot, red pressure marks or indentations along the sides of the foot after wearing, numbness or tingling in the toes, and uppers that crease and stretch sideways within weeks. The opposite problem points to a narrow fit: persistent heel slip, excess room you can pinch at the sides, and a foot that slides forward as you walk. If the length is right but the shoe still feels wrong, width is almost always the variable to change.

The three systems do not line up neatly. The US relies on the letter ladder above — 2A, B, D, 2E, 4E and beyond. The UK and EU markets are less consistent: some brands print word descriptors such as "wide fit" or use lettered width gradings like G and H, while others use numbered widths, and a great many publish no width at all and simply sell a single standard last. Because there is no universal conversion table, treating a UK "wide" as exactly equal to a US 2E is a guess rather than a fact.

When in doubt, fall back on the one measurement that travels across every system: the ball-of-foot width in millimetres, anchored to your foot length in centimetres. Match that number against whatever chart a brand actually publishes, and if width is not listed, lean on reputation — choose brands known for broad lasts (New Balance, Brooks, Hoka, Altra) if your feet are wide, or brands known for narrower lasts if you struggle with heel slip and excess room. The figures here are approximate and brands vary, so verify against the specific model's own size chart before you buy.