wide foot, high arch, small town with no specialty stores

Try Dr. Scholl ( not sure about the spelling) online .I am sure you can find something good.
foot.com has a lot of foot accessories, they might have shoes too.
Also you can try a google search, for online stores.

Go to Zappos.com, order as many different shoes as you like, then return the ones you don't want! They have free shipping back AND forth, so it's like having your own personal shoe store!! You can search on wide feet (or whatever you want) & read reviews from other people who have tried them.

I have wide feet with high arches, too. I gave up on finding the right shoes. I don't think they exist!

Years ago I learned that I just need orthotics. I first got some when I worked for a podiatrist and they were wonderful. I could suddenly wear shoes comfortably that I never could before.

Then I lost them. And went through a couple of pregnancies and the subsequent foot-size change. Then I got Plantar fasciitis which made me go back and get new orthotics. No problems with that anymore.

THEN I discovered Crocs. (Not the Cayman style, though, they are too narrow.) I can wear my orthotics in my Crocs. Now I've got the perfect shoe (except for the looks - but I haven't yet tried the cuter styles.) I'll be wearing Croc Specialists in Europe - won't be taking any other shoes when I go!

I have very wide feet, so for comfy shoes I am sometimes stuck with mens shoes.

Last year I went to europe, before going I got a great pair of women's Timberlands, they are like half runner half hiking shoe, in a neutral beige colour.

I really like these shoes as they were wide enough and did provide good support, I did however add in some insoles for extra cushioning, the ones at walmart can't remeber the brand but they are blue and they are memory foam they are like $15 a pair but worth every penny!

The good thing about timberland shoes as well as the insole they come with you can take out and just add your own so then its not to bulky or tight on your foot.

I also have wide feet. They are EE or EEE depending on the shoe but I normally can't find a reasonable selection anywhere. Plus, I don't like advertising people's names on my shoes or clothing so that limits me further. However, I have found shoes for my needs at Larry's Comfort Shoes in Sacramento, CA. So great to just walk in and have such a great selection. I have a website for you to try. www.pwminor.com. P.W. Minor shoes are all I wear now for daily shoes. They are so comfortable.

Thanks for all the help. I will be following up on several of your suggestions. Zappos I have heard of but haven't tried yet. I appreciate the sharing of wisdom! I hope to avoid orthotics if I can get by with the cushioning liner.

When I got Planter Fashia.... years ago, I also had custom orthotics made for my feet. My health insurance company allows me to get new ones every year, if necessary. Usually, I keep the same orthotics for several years. I get the half length size(not full length of the sole) and they are made of a hard material. So, they last a long time. Out of pocket, without insurance, I think they cost over $300. They are so worth it. I also have very high arches. The only shoes that have high arch support are those made in Europe i.e., Ecco, Munroes, Clarks, Romu. They really can only be found at stores like Nordstrom, Macy's, etc. I also have wide feet so, I generally buy wide size New Balance or Nike's that run wide and that can still fit an orthotic--that is also a problem. However, when I do find a shoe that works good, I buy several pair. Because, as we all know, when our feet feel good we feel that much better. Good luck!

Birkenstocks have a good arch but they also have an extra high arch in some of their shoes. You might check them out on the internet. I have problem feet & my podiatrist loves this brand.

It's too bad there's no Nordstrom in Fairbanks. But for mail-order you might try Keens--they fit wide feet pretty well (which is why I cannot wear them). And Superfeet insoles have great arch support; they make a 3/4 one for dress shoes and full-length for other shoes.

Margi,

I ditto the croc's. I have a lot of pain in my feet for various reasons and I recently discovered croc's. They are the most comfortabe shoe I have ever had. I also plan on taking only my croc shoes to Germany. I have been wearing them at home all day every day and they are fantastic. Good Luck!

Yes, do try Zappos. Their free return deal can't be beat.

I'm a big believer in orthotics now that I've warn them for a few years. Next time you make a trip to the city, schedule an appointment with a podiatrist. That way you will find out if they could help you. If you do need them, the usual drill is that they measure, x-ray and take an impression of your feet, send the data off to a lab, and wait for the orthotics to come back. At that point, you're supposed to return to the podiatrist to pick them up. Then, you ease in to wearing them, returning to the podiatrist if anything is wrong.

Given your location, you'll probably need to do part of this in slow motion via the mail. A hassle, yes, but if you are on your feet a great deal you will not regret it.

Margi, I fit your parameters and have had most of the shoes mentioned here. This summer I did keens and Wolke but I ended up wearing nothing but the keens men's Newports(which look just like the women's in boring colors). The width was perfect, the hight is ajustable and the contour of my foot is created by wearing. I had absolutely no foot, back or hip pain and so the Wolkes though great for teaching on my feet, can't compare the Keens. I second the deal at Zappo, especially since you can't try before you buy anywhere else.

Another vote for Keens - certainly the best shoe I've
found for my similar foot type.

another vote for birkenstocks. and if you go to Germany, German made shoes seem to be made for wide, high-arched feet. I stock up when I am there--and the styles are great.

Margi,
Another vote for Keens. I've got a 3 year old pair of "boston" style that is pretty much all I wear when traveling. Light, sturdy, fairly waterproof and some arch support. So far not a single blister and the soles are holding up pretty well.

Check out zappos. I too live in a small town with no shoe store at all much less no specialty store.
Jill

Two suggesstions- The cheap one first- Try K-Mart's men's EZ striders. I find them very comfortable and they fit my VERY wide feet (with very high and thick arches) well. The more expensive one- SAS. They have outlets in lots of places and are on-line too.

I have the same shoe-sizing issue. It is so frustrating! I love Munro shoes - they are expensive, but can be ordered via Nordstrom.com (and shoeparlor.com I think). L.L. Bean also has some shoes I can fit in, but they do not offer wide widths in everything. Also, if your feet are small, I've found that children's shoes are wider. For example, my 6 1/2 feet fit into a 4 1/2 children's shoe. Children's shoes are oftentimes less expensive than their adult counterparts. My next shoe purchasing attempt will be some New Balance walker-types available via Lands'End. Best of luck!

Thanks for all the help! I just purchased a pair of Munro's from Nordstrom's when they were up here for the 'winter show'. So far, I'm pleased with them. The shoe person was VERY helpful when I said I needed a wide shoe. He even asked me to try on a couple pair of winter boots, Dansko, North Face, and one other brand I forget just to get feedback. WONDERFUL!, but yes, they are expensive, so I just got the one pair of shoes. Thank you all for your suggestions!

Merrill Jungle Mocs are great. I bought black suede and a grey pair. My foot is wide they give you lots of arch support and are great for the winter fall and winter weather. I land up buying men's because I need the width. For summer New Balance sneakers are great. I bought 4 EEEE walking shoes. New Balance Stores have the better ones over the same brand you find in regular stores for some reason. The Merrill's I orginally discovered on a trip in England years ago. The woman told me it would not be long before I would be able to find them in the US and she was right. I find them at outdoor sporting good stores.

I also have orthotics and have found (even before the orthotics) that my best bet for travel shoes is Dunham shoes that are now made by New Balance. The sole/mid shoe is built like a running shoe, have a lot of cushion and come in wide sizes. I'm lucky enough to have a New Balance store nearby but have also purchased them on line at www.NBwebexpress.com I've gotten some pretty good deals on clearance there. Happy shopping and travels.

MY biggest problem is ---not only do I have a wide foot with high arch BUT I also take Eurpoean size 36-British 2.5 American 5!!!!. That is ALMOST impossible to get anywhere so if ANYONE knows an online store which can supply (with money back guarantee) please let me know

Jackie- try SAS. They are comfortable and ON-LINE.

Same "foot-print" as mine. The answer is Mephistos. They fit perfectly. The Mephisto outlet is almost halfway between Paris and Strassburg (France) I load up when I'm there. You'd need a car to get there. I can send directions if you wish.

I use Born shoes. I love them. I have a medium wide foot but a massive high arch to the point that i get cramps if I wear a flat shoe. I agree with trying zappos online. Also Nordstroms in known for having shoes for hard to find sizes ect. I also have a pair of tennishoes I've had for 5 yrs and look brand new they are a brand called Saucony and say Grid Auratr on the heel. I love these shoes they have been to 4 different continents with me. The bottom even has the web page www.saucony.com. LOL but I swear by these shoes my feet never hurt or smell. I normally wear a 6 1/2 but get a 7 for comfort.