Approach Shoes : find a perfect pair?

I sure would appreciate it if you can share your experience with approach shoes, especially if you have found the perfect shoes (for similar use as my intended use, see below) and have wide feet!

I bought a pair of North Face 'Smedge' approach shoes, which were perfect except my feet are too wide ('D' width) and I hope to find a similar shoe that will fit my width better.

[Smedge shoe link: lonelyplanet.altrec.com/sho…: this is not a marketing schtick or endorsement!!] Just click link to see the shoe that was almost perfect for me, just too darn narrow. I am looking for something similar, but wider.

Shoe should give provide good lateral and medial support, good traction, be stiff enough, good rands, light weight, etc. I will be hiking in with ~25 pack and I weigh 155 lbs. Longest approach around 7-miles.

If your looking for a good climbing pair get the mad rock ones.
If your looking for an all around the five ten guide tennie.

I have wide feet as well and am 100% stoked about the Five Ten Camp 4's. I'm about to get my 2nd pair. Scarpa - Vasque - even Guide Tennies are too narrow for my feet. I use the Camp 4's for 14'ers in Colorado - 4th and some 5th class - dragged my climbin' shoes up the Grand and did not even put them on the approach shoes did so well (only Upper Exxum but still...)

Super comfy - breathe well - held up well, (a bit sloppy after 10 months)- great rubber - not a single complaint. Super bitchin' for slabs (if you like that kind of crap... which I do).

Maybe I'm going to sound like Emelda Marcos(*) here, but I beleive in different shoes for different job. First and foremost of course is that they fit your feet.

For long approaches and no climbing, I wear a nice "boot fit" pair of Montrail D7's. For flatirons scrambling, where I will be running long distances and climbing easy slabs, the Sportiva Exum Ridge is great (and very durable). This is the shoe that probably 75% of the race group I am in runs in for flatirons scrambles. If the approach is VERY rocky I wear my 5.10 Guide Almighty's (same as 5.10 tennie high-tops).

But if I am going to have to climb cracks and do less of an approach, I fit the approach shoe as a climbing shoe- tight, no socks, and go with my 12 year old Boreal Flyers. They look like old bowling shoes and climb crachs very well.

Main message: if you climb more in your apprach shoes, get more climbing like approach shoes. If you approach more in your approach shoes, get something more boot-fit and sturdy, but with sticky rubber.

(*) Emelda Marcos was the wife of a corrupt Philippino ruler and was known for her extravagant spending. When the Marcos family was finally removed from rule and surrendered the palace, perhaps ten thousand pairs of expensive designer shoes were found there, most never having been worn.

If you're doing more approaching than rock scrambling in your approach shoes, check out the Montrail Hard Rock Wide. Light weight, good underfoot protection, and made for wide feet. Aggressive tread pattern is great on loose terrain.

The best approach shoes: Five Ten Insight.

I used them during my trip out to Colorado and they were absolutely amazing. The sole is solid and has climbing rubber where it is needed. It's even tackier when wet! Worth a shot from zappos.com; if you don't like them, send them back for free.

zappos.com/n/p/p/7237240.ht…

some of my favorites:

#1 favorite approach shoe: Chaco Flips. just wish they had sticky rubber.

LaSportiva Cirque Pro. ugly as sin, but very comfortable. they climb ok, good in aiders. kind of bulky and heavy if you use as a descent shoe.

510 Guide Tennies are comfortable and climb very well, but dont last very long. to soft in aiders.

510 guide almightys were really good. great support being a high top. climbed awesome. dorky lookin as hell, and good in aiders. they also didnt last very long.

with any approach shoe, if i fit them like a climbing shoe, they climb pretty well but dont hike very comfortable. conversely, if i fit them as an approach shoe, they climb sloppy.

Five Ten Insight gets my vote. I always have to try on a ton of different shoes and since I have a wide forefoot, most are uncomfortable. The Five Ten has one of the wider toe boxes.

Got mine at Neptune Mountaineering. Went in and talked to a shoe guy who really knew their stuff - He looked at my foot, and pulled 3 shoes that had a large toe box and all 3 were reasonable, but the Five Ten was the most comfortable. Also good for climbing!

Darren Mabe wrote:...510 guide almightys were really good. great support being a high top. climbed awesome. dorky lookin as hell, and good in aiders. they also didnt last very long...

I have had a pair of 5.10 Guide Almightys for 8 years and they are on their second resoling. Rock and Resole put on a Stealth C-4 dotty tread and they perform great. I also have another pair unused in a box ready to take over when these finally give up the ghost.

I have heard 5.10 as a brand don't last long but I have found just the opposite to be true. Perhaps my relatively low weight (@145 nekkid) may have something to do with it. It certainly can't be my stellar (non)footwork.

Every since Montrail began producing the Hardrock (5 years ago), I've owned nothing else. I'm also an avid trail runner, so I use a second pair for my longer runs (20+ miles), as they provide the greatest lateral and medial support, as well as offering the rommiest toe box around (I've run in Brooks, LaSportiva, Inov8, and 5.10). The sole is rugged and gives me a lot of confidence on steep, loose, talus, not to mention they have a burly upper which allows me to kick things without hurting my feet. Montrail, however, was just purchased by Columbia Sports about 1.5 years ago, and, although I haven't tried the new Hardrock, I hear it's not the same. Good news, though...you can still find the original Hardrocks online. Last I saw, Altrec, Campmor, Sierra Trading Post, and Zappos still had them in stock.

Darren Mabe wrote:#1 favorite approach shoe: Chaco Flips. just wish they had sticky rubber.

I've had Tevas resoled with sticky rubber. Any decent resole shop should be willing and able...

I will second Anthony's advice on the 5.10 Insights with one caveat. I've worn 5.10 approach shoes for nearly 20 years I think (starting with the old five tennies). They seem to change the models nearly every year, which is frustrating, although some advances in durability have resulsted from this process. I am sold on five ten approach shoes.

Now, here is the caveat: the Insight is a good light shoe and has very good traction wet or dry as Anthony notes - even good on pure ice. But, the Insight design is more low cut with fewer laces near the top than in previous models of their basic approach shoe. This sets the stage for the foot moving in the shoe when stepping on radically shifting angles (such as on talus). I find that this tends to make my feet sorer (especially if wet) because of the rubbing than in previous models. Be sure to crank the laces down tight when negotiating this type of terrain.

John Langston wrote:I've got a pair of Evolve Stryker approach shoes. In them I have climbed several buildings downtown, freesoloed dozens of cracks 5.9 and under, led up to 11+ in them, hiked Longs and done the diamond approach, and worn them on dates. They don't yet have so much as a broken stitch. I don't know if they'll fit your foot but they are probably the best approach shoe made.

Does anyone have any experience with the Evolve Maximus? I've heard others speak well of the Strykers, but I would prefer a high top, since my ankles are pretty fucked up. Outside of the Mad Rock Fury and the Exum Guide, there don't seem to be a lot of choices.

It's wonderful to see so much Tribal Knowledge being shared. It's been a great help to me.

I decided on the 5-10 Insights after reviewing all the posts and checking out all the shoes on the web. Since the Insights are made with a 'D' width I hope they will be perfect for me. I made the decision to order a pair from Zappos: with free shipping and free return shipping (if I don't like them) Zappos seemed like a zero risk no-brainer.

I still have my North Face Smedge approach shoes, which though too narrow in the foot-box for me, work great on slabs and cracks, and edge pretty well too--they just hurt my feet too much packing in long distances on the trail. I posted these in the 4sale forum at 50% off if anyone with narrower feet is interested . . . otherwise I will likely still use them from time to time on short approaches and walk-offs

Richard wrote:It's wonderful to see so much Tribal Knowledge being shared. It's been a great help to me. I decided on the 5-10 Insights after reviewing all the posts and checking out all the shoes on the web. Since the Insights are made with a 'D' width I hope they will be perfect for me. I made the decision to order a pair from Zappos: with free shipping and free return shipping (if I don't like them) Zappos seemed like a zero risk no-brainer. I still have my North Face Smedge approach shoes, which though too narrow in the foot-box for me, work great on slabs and cracks, and edge pretty well too--they just hurt my feet too much packing in long distances on the trail. I posted these in the 4sale forum at 50% off if anyone with narrower feet is interested . . . otherwise I will likely still use them from time to time on short approaches and walk-offs

Richard, I forgot to mention that - my feet are wide as well, and that is another reason why I've always liked the 5.10 approach shoes. I think you'll be satisfied.

if your feet are wide, but flat (pancake feet), then you might have trouble filling the volume of the Insights without cinching the laces as far as they will go. in my experience.

You're welcome.

Anthony Pham wrote:You're welcome.

Many thanks . . .

I like the Montrail CTC, and I especially like that its on sale in various places for $30+ (which I guess means other people don't like it?).

It has a stiffer sole than a pure trail runner, which I like if I'm going to be doing any kind of approach of the type you talk about (up to 7 miles). But I'm over 200 pounds, so trail runners just get too floppy for me on angled terrain, and don't give me enough cushion on rocks if I'm schlepping gear on a real approach.

I have size 13 feet, and wide, and the CTC feels snug but has never given me blisters or hotspots.

Richard wrote: Since the Insights are made with a 'D' width I hope they will be perfect for me.

DOn;t know if this is common knowledge, but I think 'D' is the default width proportion for mens street shoes. Which is to say, if unlabeled, that's probably what they are.

Women generally have slightly narrower feet by proportionand 'C' is the default width for women's models.

I got the Kayland Crux/ I like them a lot.