Best Wide Foot Plated Running Shoes Right Now (2024)

NOTE: This is an evergreen list (updated 3/18/2024). For the best non-plated wide foot running shoes right now, check out our Best Wide Running Shoes list.

Almost every major running shoe brand has a plated super shoe built on a chassis of carbon, carbon composite, or nylon, ensconced by a marshmallowy-thick midsole filled with some kind of magical foam.

If you’re a runner, you know what shoes I’m talking about because they take up 90% of your Instagram feed. In short, they are the iPhone of shoe technology – a leap-frogging advancement that allows runners to race at great speeds, rewarding us no-talent ass clowns for nothing other than tying our shoes and walking outside. And while there used to be just one to rule them all, there are now nearly a dozen vying for the throne.

Within this carbon realm, it seemed like every other week saw the release of a race shoe that would’ve made Emil Zatopek’s brain explode at the mere mention of it. With this many plated shoes, there has to be something for everyone. Right? Wrong. Kind of.

There’s a whole contingency of neglected runners when it comes to racing, or really any kind of shoes. Those people are my people – the wide footers among us. And just like “Among Us,” we’re hiding in plain sight, waiting for the chance to take you out. If only we were given the chance.

Unsurprisingly, a true 2E width plated shoe is about as rare as a foil Charizard. But as a “normal” wide footer in size 2E, I had to know – can any of the regular-width shoes actually work? I’m not alone in pondering this question. As the preeminent wide foot reviewer at Believe in the Run (i.e. the only one), I have upwards of dozens of fans messaging me on Instagram (the same person messaging 12 times counts as a dozen), wanting to know the answer. 

So here we are. I’ve heard you loud and clear, guy with ‘runner’ in his Instagram handle. Believe In The Run has also heard me loud and clear in demanding our voice is heard (EDITOR’S NOTE: It’s true, he’s annoying as shit). So I’ve stuck my feet in Thomas’s shoes when his hypochondriac-ass wasn’t looking and stole some runs to see if my theory of wide feet working in normal shoes indeed gains traction like a rockered HOKA or falls flat like a burst Nike Alphafly pod.

Below are a handful of plated super shoe options that just might work for the wide foot fam. I’ve also tried other shoes not listed because they’re absolutely not runnable. As anyone with a foot wider than a pencil knows, there ain’t no Nike on here.

For reference, my foot runs wide in the forefoot and midfoot so these thoughts will be based on that. What works for me might not work for others and vice versa. I’ll be going over the details, fit, likes, and dislikes. Most importantly though, I’ll be mentioning what my maximum distance I’d run in the shoes since they are all standard width.

Should I come across more options, this list (which is organized alphabetically) will get updated. Any questions or comments can be left here or hit me up on the gram gram.

Adidas has one of the hottest shoes on the market with the Adizero Adios Pro 3. It has been in a ton of podiums and even swept the top 4 men’s shoes at the 2023 Boston Marathon. Was there any doubt I’d find a way to get these on my feet and see how they work out for the #WideFootFam?

The Adios Pro 3 has a Celermesh upper that is practically see-through. It doesn’t have much stretch, however the Adidas 3 stripes on the midfoot are printed on and aren’t constricting overlays. I think the toe box is accommodating enough to wear. The midfoot feels secure and snug. It’s tight, but doesn’t hurt. I also don’t think there’s much arch support. My foot hangs over both sides in the midfoot. The good news is the platform doesn’t curl up and dig in anywhere (a problem I noticed in the Hoka Rocket X 2). I also find the shoe feels way better when running compared to standing or walking. 

Hands down the most frustrating part of the shoe is the lacing. It takes 2-3 times finagling with it to get a good lockdown without hurting. It’s also not easy to pull the laces tighter. This seems to be an issue others have, so hopefully it gets addressed. Also, I had heel slip and Achilles rubbing on a few of my runs. Some ended fine, while others ended with pretty gnarly blisters. The rubbing probably goes along with the lacing lockdown problem.

Adidas uses a Continental rubber outsole on the Adios Pro 3. The grip is awesome. It’s sticky and helps my confidence while trying to take turns quickly. 

Apparently Adidas widened the shoe platform for additional stability, which explains why it’s a viable race day option for us. The midsole is composed of Lightstrike Pro and Energyrods (instead of a carbon plate, these are rods which almost look like a skeleton foot). 

The Adios Pro 3 is highly cushioned and bouncy, but if you’re used to the Prime X, it’s firmer than that which causes the Pro 3 to feel even faster. I took the Adios Pro 3 out for a handful of different run types. During short 30 second max effort repeats I felt like I was flying as the turnover is so quick and smooth. 

On a 12 mile long run I felt like I was comfortably cruising at a 7:45 minute mile pace, although it ended with the worst Achilles blister. I also decided to use them at the Baltimore 10 miler where I went way too fast out of the gate because of how good they felt. A super hot morning got the best of me and I eventually bonked, but when the day is right, the shoes are amazingly fast.

I’m really digging the Adidas Adizero Adios Pro 3. They are a top tier super shoe and to be able to wear them on races at half marathon distance or less is a big win for the wide-footers out there. Thin socks are important as the midfoot is snug, but not debilitating, and hopefully the heel rub issue is a personal one. Keep the heat (not literally) coming, Adidas, and please don’t narrow anything!

Fam, it’s a wide Adidas shoe! The Boston 12 is a daily trainer that leans more towards performance with the combination of Lightstrike Pro, Lightstrike 2.0, and glass-fiber infused Energyrods 2.0 (not as premium as a carbon plate). It took a few extra weeks for the wide version to be released, but I can safely say it was worth the wait.

The lightweight mesh upper is pretty standard. It wraps the foot nicely, and isn’t suffocating. I think the wide fit is actually pretty nice! I don’t have any pain in the midfoot, nor do I have any squeezing or blisters from the forefoot. My arches aren’t hanging over with no support. Adidas actually widened the forefoot from the Boston 11 and the heel is wider than the Adios Pro 3 so you don’t feel like you’re running on a tightrope.

I noticed that my 10.5 2E run a touch long, although heel lock lacing takes care of the extra length problem. The lacing system is eh, but I do think it’s better and easier to work with than the Pro 3. As for the heel counter, it’s super thin and just about the same as the Pro 3 and Prime X Strung. I can’t explain what is different, but I never experienced any Achilles rubbing and blisters. If I could have this upper on the Pro 3 and Prime X, oh boy would I be a happy camper.

Lightstrike Pro and Lightstrike 2.0 work together to provide a light and stable ride that feels semi-firm. By having Energyrods, you get some propulsion. It’s not as snappy and aggressive as the carbon plate Energyrods in the Pro 3. 

How does all this midsole technology feel? Well, it’s not mushy or as bouncy as the Pro 3. I get more ground feel and a bit firmer of a ride. At a slower pace, it feels like your standard daily trainer, but pick the speed up and it is able to transform into a much faster shoe.

Basically, the Boston 12 reminds me of the Pro 3’s little brother, which is why I couldn’t stop comparing the two this whole time. The Boston 12 a peppy daily trainer, but can even be used as a race day option for a fraction of the price. I truly hope Adidas makes more shoes in wide because their running line is killing it!

There is no denying the Prime X 2 Strung has been on the receiving end of strong opinions. The first version was so loved and there were such high expectations going in. It was almost shocking to hear the 2 oz. weight gain. I guess it’s a good thing I received this after everyone else finished their reviews, so I was able to tame my hype and go in with realistic expectations.

The strung upper is similar to the first Prime X, but this time the tongue is now a stretchy knit. I find the upper to feel snug and a little tight on my midfoot, but it doesn’t hurt or concern me while out running. Even though my heel slips a little, I haven’t had any problems with blisters on my Achilles like I did with the first Prime X. I also think the shoe runs a touch long.

Adidas took v2 one step further by adding a second carbon plate to the mix and a third layer of Lightstrike Pro. The third layer is a smaller puck located in the forefoot between the 2 carbon plates. The point is to provide even more pop in your step and act as a spring.

The outsole is a grippy continental rubber and the base has been widened to help to make the Prime X 2 way more stable and supportive. I don’t feel like I’m running on a tightrope nor do I get nervous if I heel strike. 

I used the Prime X 2 for the entire assortment of runs that Coach gave me. On my easy day and recovery runs I felt like I wasn’t exerting much energy. I bounced along with ease and felt good at slower paces. My Wednesday workouts were another story. It felt hard to pick up the pace and that’s where I didn’t love the heavier shoes. The longest run I did in them was 17 miles and I was back to enjoying the Prime X 2 to cruise in. My legs didn’t feel trashed by the end of the run nor the next day. 

I know the team was disappointed by the Prime X 2, but I legitimately have been having a really good time in them. I may be able to get a bit more out of the midsole because I am bigger and can compress the foam more. Also, as much as I dislike the weight gain, I’m so used to my wide shoes being on the heavier side. The Prime X 2 feel awesome underfoot and are a pleasure to do easy and long runs in. My legs don’t feel beat up, and I’ll take that any day. I think the Prime X 2 is a really good daily trainer, so long as you can get over the $300 price tag.

When I saw the updates to the Metaspeed series, I knew I had to try it out, even if it was a standard width. I loved the Metaspeed Sky for running fast workouts and races. Hell, I even PR’ed my 5k in them and went sub 20 minutes for the first time.

The Metaspeed Edge+ is for the cadence-runner who increases their speed by increasing the number of strides (as opposed to the stride-runner who takes longer steps and may like the Sky+ more). Asics increased the drop to 8mm, added 16% more midsole foam for more cushion and bounce, and moved the carbon plate lower to the ground.

The upper is very similar to the prior Metaspeed series with the polyester jacquard upper, super thin tongue, and lightly padded heel collar. I still have to play with the tongue to make sure it doesn’t fold over itself when putting on the shoes. The laces are ribbed and hold well. 

Asics fixed the length issue, and while I had to size up to an 11 in the original Metaspeed Sky, I went with a 10.5 in the Metaspeed Edge+ and the length is perfect. I find the toe box to be a little tight, just like the Metaspeed Sky, and the midfoot is snug. I’m able to make the Edge+ work because the midfoot logo is sublimated and lacks any harsh overlays. The biggest problem I have with the upper is that I get some heel slip unless I heel lock lace tight. I’ve had to retie my shoes at the beginning of a run to get a good secure lock down.

The midsole gets the FlyteFoam Blast Turbo treatment. This new midsole is supposed to be more cushioned and give a more reactive bounce. The carbon plate was moved towards the bottom of the shoe to help make the ride feel a little less harsh and there is a noticeable toe spring for a smooth transition. The Edge+ is made for speed and doesn’t feel as good when going at an easier pace. I also think people who heel strike may find it to be unstable as the heel is more narrow than the forefoot.

ASICSGRIP outsole rubber mostly in the forefoot. If you tore up the original Metaspeeds in the heel, you’re probably going to have the same issue. If you found it to be very loud, you’re probably going to have the same issue. Otherwise, the forefoot grip works very well.

My first run in the Edge+ was for the Falmouth Road Race. I was a little nervous running in a new shoe for the first time, but they worked great. I had no pain or blisters, and besides it being stupid hot, my feet were happy. My speed workouts have also been extremely fun. The Edge+ feel so fast when pushing and they have a snappy pop that I don’t get in some of the more cushioned and softer plated shoes. For me, there’s no doubt that the Metaspeed Edge+ is a top contender on race day.

As much as I was a fan of the SC Elite v3, New Balance’s update with the SC Elite v4 has made it so much better. The entire shoe has been revamped with a FantomFit upper and a 100% PEBA FuelCell midsole. 

New Balance ditched the sock-like upper for their FantomFit and it makes life easier as I thought the shoe was so damn hard to get on. With the SC Elite v4, I feel like I can slide my foot into the shoe with ease. The wide fits me very well. So well, in fact, that I think it’s the best fitting plated shoe I have ever worn. The midfoot has enough space for my chonky midfoot and the toe box is roomy, while not being as massive as the Rebel v4. 

The all-new Peba-based midsole and rocker geometry has changed, providing a lot more toe spring compared to the previous SC Elite v3. Also, the midsole isn’t as curved so I no longer have that feeling of my arch hanging over the shoe. It’s more bouncy and responsive and provides great comfort for the marathon distance. 

For anyone with a wide foot and wanting a race day shoe, I would 100% recommend the New Balance SC Elite v4.

New Balance had a lot on their plate with the follow up to the beloved SC Trainer v1. The shoe got a big makeover from a new engineered mesh upper down to a lighter and faster midsole. 

A lot of people had issues with the ankle area of v1, which New Balance fixed by making it more of a padded collar. The tongue is thin and sits pretty low down. I think the new upper in 2E may fit me a bit better than v1, but I get some lace bite on the top of my foot that periodically hits me hard. 

The shoe is about an ounce lighter thanks to the new formulation of FuelCell, and it feels like it has gotten faster. It’s also more stable this time around. However, I loved v1 for the fun and easy cushioned ride. Some of the magic has been lost which is a bit of a bummer as the shoe kind of gets lost in the shuffle of daily trainers. 

The SC Trainer v2 is by no means a bad shoe. It’s actually very solid. The problem is that we all loved the first version for how unique it was. New Balance made the shoe more approachable to a broader audience and we have to thank them for continuing to offer it in wide.

I feel like there needs to be a preface with this shoe being on the wide foot roundup. For the past few years, I’ve had so many people asking if I have tried the Alphafly, and the answer was always no. I pulled a rabbit out of a hat and managed to get my grubby fingers on a pair of the Alphafly 3.

I can’t say that the Alphafly 3 will work for a lot of you in the #widefootfam as there are some other race day standard width shoes that are more accommodating. I imagine the Alphafly 3 is for the wide foot runners who don’t care about money and are willing to spend whatever to wear some of the best shoes out there. It’s for those who want the swoosh on their feet and are willing to do anything and everything possible, even if dumb and potentially injury inducing, for the opportunity. 

The Atomknit upper is somehow see-through and also incredibly strong without being stiff. I can confirm how strong it is because I didn’t break the material with all the muffin-topping going on. It feels like I’m wearing very tight socks. I didn’t need to pull the laces tight to get a good lockdown, and I never experienced them coming untied nor any pressure on the top of my feet. Even without heel lock lacing, which I do on nearly every shoe I have, I didn’t experience any heel slip. 

I wouldn’t say the toe box is as narrow as older Nikes, but it’s by no means wide. I had just enough space to not have any toe or bunion problems. The midfoot is where it feels tight to me. My arch was hanging over, although I didn’t get that stabbing feeling when I tried on a very old pair of Thomas’ original Alphafly years ago for 2 minutes. The lateral side of my midfoot obviously is bulging over, but the outsole doesn’t curve up and stab into my foot. The upper just feels very tight.

The midsole is made up of ZoomX that continues through the whole shoe without any weird decoupled gaps. The forefoot contains the two magical Air Zoom pods and there is a full length carbon plate. I am not exaggerating when I say my legs felt like they were kicking back while running at a faster pace. There was a beautiful feeling of bouncy pop and smooth transitions.

My longest run was 10 miles, and it reached a point towards the end where I was getting pretty uncomfortable, bordering on pain territory. My brain was having so much fun, but my feet were wondering why they were dressed in a corset.

It’s rather shocking to see Nike here, but I’m doing this in the name of science! I won’t be wearing the Alphafly 3 for a marathon, and if you’re here too, you most likely won’t either. It’s by no means a wide comfortable shoe. However, it’s the real freakin’ deal, and so long as I’m not getting injured, it’s pure enjoyment. I feel so fast and I can fly with the Air Zoom units, carbon plate, and ZoomX all working perfectly in tandem. I’d be willing to lace up the Alphafly 3 for a race 10 miles or less, while making a decision tree trying to see if the benefits outweigh my potential demise for a half marathon.

There’s no denying that On has some of the best looking running shoes out there. They have a clean and rich look to them and On continues the trend in the race day Cloudboom Echo 3. It has an unfinished prototype color proofing look to it that is unique and I actually love.

The Cloudboom Echo 3 has all the looks of a narrow shoe and I had no faith in the fit for my chonky feet. The upper is a breathable microfiber material that feels very thin, but is surprisingly strong. On foot, the shoe feels on the tighter side in the midfoot and forefoot. I wore thin socks, which seemed to help, but on longer runs my foot was swelling and it felt even tighter. The upper lacks overlays on the lateral side of the shoe so my midfoot was able to push out and the platform doesn’t curve up so I didn’t feel like anything was digging into my feet.

The heel collar has a tiny bit of padding and thåe gusseted tongue is paper thin. My size 10.5 came in at 8.6 oz., which is slightly on the higher end for race day shoes.

On uses a Helion HF midsole which is made from Pebax and sandwiched in between is a carbon plated speedboard. The shoe is advertised as plush, but I thought it felt pretty firm. There is some bounce, but I didn’t think that nor the plate was that noticeable. What I did love was the aggressive toe spring which caused my turnover to feel super fast. 

I used the Cloudboom Echo 3 on both workouts and long runs and it became apparent that the faster I went, the smoother the shoe felt. It almost disappeared when doing my mile repeats. I didn’t love taking turns as the outsole is narrow, so be careful if you have glass ankles.

I would say this shoe is for those in between standard width and wide and I think the max distance I would push the Cloudboom Echo 3 is half marathon. At that point my feet started to feel squished and uncomfortable. However, up to that point, if you want to go fast, the Cloudboom Echo 3 will make your stride so smooth.

Coming off the Endorphin Pro 3, Saucony has some high expectations to fill with their 4th version of their carbon plated race shoe. Saucony updated their upper and included PWRRUN HG into the Pro line for the first time.

The new mesh upper features an integrated tongue that makes the whole fit feel like a sock. The tongue is super stretchy and the top flips over to keep your tied laces from flopping around. Unfortunately the shoe feels tighter in the midfoot and the toe box. It isn’t a huge difference, but for me it’s enough to go from being able to run 20 miles in the Pro 3 to not really wanting to go past 13.1 in the Pro 4, which is quite the bummer.

This time around, the midsole is made up of PWRRUN HG on top of the carbon plate with a layer of PWRRUN PB below the plate. The outsole is XT-900 rubber and provides solid grip. The midsole feels soft and bouncy and I think it feels great under my feet. To me, the Pro 4s feel a little softer (probably because of the PWRRUN HG) than the Pro 3, without reaching the level of energy sucking or mushy. I really liked taking them out for my speed workouts and was able to hit my paces without feeling like I was struggling. The Speedroll made my running feel really smooth and the toe rolled through great.

I really want to love the Endorphin Pro 4, but the fit is keeping me from putting it in the long run rotation at the moment as I doubt it stretches out. For those who don’t need a wide fit (you probably ended up here by accident), the Pro 4 is an awesome race day shoe. Those who love the fit of the Pro 3 and worry about losing some space may want to grab some backups before they are gone.