After a long and laborious search, I think I've finally found a pair of shoes that fits- the La Sportiva Wildcat. Only sticking point is the lack of a rock plate, but I'm going to at least give these a try before ruling them out for backpacking. Got them cheap enough at Running Warehouse to keep them for daily use or day hikes if they don't.



To my surprise, I've come out of this being pretty disappointed in New Balance's offerings. I've had many pairs of New Balance in the past, all 10.5/11 4E. They have a reputation for consistent fit for a given last. I'm not sure why, but that hasn't been my experience with the trail runners, all of which seem to be built on the PL-1 last. Street joggers built on the PL-1 last in 10.5/11 4E fit me well, but the PL-1 trail shoes all seem to have significant differences in fit- too long, not wide enough fore or mid, heel is big and sloppy, etc.

Whoever runs Running Warehouse gets a bunch of credit from me. All of the sizing details were really helpful. Shoefitr came in handy as well- doesn't factor in widths correctly, but it was very useful and pretty accurate in comparing relative fit between shoes I had already tried and ones I was considering. Shoefitr's sizing comparison between the NB and Montrails I've tried and the Wildcat were spot on.

Original Thread, which I've kept up to date as I've tried new shoes.

We must have the same feet. I too have tried many different trail runners before I tried the wildcats. Combined with blue superfeets they are the first shoes that fit well, don't give me blisters, and don't make my feet feel like hamburger after 20 miles. For both of our sakes I hope that LaSportiva does not stop making them.

Never tried the Superfeet Blue- but just noticed that it'd the same type of insole as the Green, just with thinner foam and a less boxy (from below) plastic bit. Bought a pair this weekend. I wish I would have noticed Blue before- causes a lot less heel lift/slip for me than the Green does. Thanks for the heads up!

I've doing my first road half marathon and first trail marathon this year, and was starting to get a bit freaked out about not having found anything that fit. Done a few short hikes in them, and thinking that these will work out.

Just in case La Sportiva stops making them, I've ordered a second pair from Running Warehouse. Seriously thinking about ordering a third, just in case! Using the the "team discount" code CP15 brought them down to $67, including free shipping.

code didn't work for me...

I can send you a code that does work later. Looks like folks figured out how to stack multiple discounts and cheat RW, so they disabled a lot of the codes. I ordered another pair tonight with another code, as CP15 didn't work for me.

Aaron, I am glad that the blue superfeet work for you as well. Before I started using them I always suffered from blister on my heel where upper lip of a stock insole heal cup is. Since I started using them and the wildcats I have not had any blisters. But this also might be because I am running more regularly now and I have more callouses on my feet. I have not have any problems with the lack of a rock plate in the wildcat, but most of my use with them has been on well graded trails.

Here you go-
http://www.runningwarehouse.com/workingorder.html?RUNCHID=1

Or enter RUNCHID in the team discount box.

BUT ARGGGGGGGGG out of my size. says not in stock for 15 days... does that mean they'll eventually be getting them?