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Those with wide feet may find many offerings from Nike to be too narrow right out of the box. This article looks at which Air Jordan retros have good step in comfort for those with wide feet.
Some Jordans Are OK For Wide Feet
Most Air Jordans are OK for wide feet, provided the correct size is selected. If a sneaker is built on the narrow side, as Jordans often are, going up a half size or working on breaking in the sneaker are ways to increase the comfort.
One of the comfiest Jordan models, with an
immediately accommodating width
In this article, I’m using my experience in collecting Air Jordans in the past to show which retro models I’ve found to have the best step in comfort. In other words I’ll be breaking down which models feel wider right out of the box at true to size.
My knowledge on this stops at the Air Jordan 13, so I will be covering the first 13 models from the line. Coincidentally, the Air Jordan 13 is one of the most comfortable Jordan retros, even when brand new. At least, in my experience.
Which Jordan Retros Are Good For Wide Feet
Those with wide feet that want retro Jordans for their collection should look into pairs that are built on the roomy side. With that in mind, the Air Jordan 6, 7, 12 and 13 have the most forgiving fit right out of the box.
The AJVI has a nice, wide fit right out of the box
Many Air Jordans are on the narrow side. Those with wide feet often have to buy Jordans a half size up or suffer through an extended break in. I’ve worn every retro from the 1 to the 13 extensively at one point or another in my collecting journey. I’ve found that overall the 6, 7, 12 and 13 have the most accommodating fit without needing to go up a half size or break them in.
This is because the AJ 6, 7 and 12 all have a bulky, roomy fit with plenty of width, particularly in the toebox where narrowness is often felt the most. Meanwhile the 13 in my opinion has one of the most comfortable step-in comforts of any retro basketball sneaker.
Jordan 1s For Wide Feet
The Air Jordan 1 has a very narrow fit. As such, wide footers will need to break in their pairs or go up in size to compensate.
This sneaker is more forgiving on width
than older AJ1s, but not by much
Unfortunately, the most popular Jordan of them all is also typically very narrow right out of the box. The Air Jordan 1 high is probably the most popular cut from the line, and also the narrowest! While I could get away with true to size on some pairs, I often had to go up a half size on 1s to compensate for the lack of step in comfort.
Those with wide feet may have more luck with AJ1 mids or lows. Often those are built slightly wider. Not much, but enough to not have to go up a half size.
The Jordan 1 does get more comfortable as it’s broken in. Many swear by the comfort on a beat pair of 1s. However, the journey to get to that point is often fraught with pinky rub.
Air Jordan 3 Are Good For Wide Feet
The Air Jordan 3 fits true to size. It is better for wide feet than some other retros, but can still feel a tad narrow. Thankfully, the break-in time is typically fast on the 3.
These have soft leather and feel plush on feet
In the past, I’ve sworn by the 3 as being one of the more comfortable Jordan retros. I still think so, however compared to the 6, 7, 12 and 13, the 3 is still a bit on the stiff side.
When compared to a 4 or a 1, the 3 feels better right out of the box to me. However sneakerheads have debated this with me in the past. So while I think the 3 is ok on comfort, I can’t recommend it to everyone as opinions vary too much as to the fit of the 3.
Air Jordan 4 Are Not Comfortable Width-wise
The Air Jordan 4 is not known for being a comfortable shoe right out of the box. The older technology doesn’t offer much cushioning and the width near the toebox can be deceptively narrow. Usually, some break-in time is required.
The only way these are tolerable for me
to wear is at a half size up
I’ve talked at length on this site about my dislike for the fit on the 4. This one’s especially disappointing as I really like the look of the sneaker. Unfortunately though, I’ve never found it to be particularly comfortable.
The issue on width with the 4 is that it looks bigger on the outside than it is inside. Internally, the fit is on the narrow side, and as such is not a wide-foot-friendly sneaker. Going up a half size can help alleviate this issue for those with wide feet. Still, there are better models as mentioned above for better comfort right out of the box.
Jordan 5 Are Good For Wide Feet
The Air Jordan 5 has a roomier toebox than many other early Jordan retros, however this is not consistent across all releases. As such, width is typically not an issue on the 5. There are better Jordan retros to choose for a wider fit.
This mid-2000s retro of the OG colorway fits
pretty comfortably right out of the box.
I have enjoyed the fit on the 5, but not to the point that I would call the sneaker comfortable right out of the box. Most 5s I’ve owned have had a stiffness to them that to a degree negates the more generous fit.
Additionally, I’ve gotten pairs of 5s that felt way more narrow up front. So I can’t in good confidence advise it as a wide-foot-friendly sneaker. It breaks in comfortably, however I’m trying to recommend models that require little break in. Due to the inconsistent fit, I can’t include the 5 in that category.
Jordan 11 Are Not Good For Wide Footers
The AJ11 utilizes patent leather on many releases, which lends a certain stiffness to the sneaker. This often results in a narrow fit that is not wide-foot friendly.
This one is as disappointing to me as the Air Jordan 4. The sneaker is iconic and looks so good on feet! It’s a shame the sneaker seems to have a stiff, narrow fit right out of the box.
I often feel like the design of the 11 is not wide enough near the toe. Like others I’ve mentioned, this sneaker can be broken in for more comfort. Going up a half size is also an option. However I think that the 11 is not the best choice of Jordan retro for those with a wide foot as far as step-in comfort. The patent tends to clamp down around the toe area, and I’ve definitely suffered some pinky rub due to this.
Rocking Jordan Retros If They’re Too Narrow
7s are one of the more comfy and wide-foot
friendly Jordans out there.
Obviously, we want a sneaker to be comfy on the first wear. With many Jordan retros, that’s not the case.
There are solutions if the fit is narrow as discussed above. One could go up a half size, or just break the sneaker in as much as possible to achieve a true to size fit.
Stiff materials and narrow toeboxes often get in the way here, but as sneaker collectors we tend to suffer through things like that in the name of collecting certain sneakers.
That said, certain Jordan retros are actually built on the roomy side. These can be great solutions for those that want a comfy sneaker and a Jordan retro all in one.
Why External Width Does Not Matter For Jordans
I’ve seen other sites mention (and even show a chart!) that in order to know which J’s work for wide feet, one needs to know how wide the shoes are.
In theory, this makes sense. However, this only works if we talk about the internal width of the sneaker.
Since the interior of the sneaker determines how the parts of the shoe that contact your feet feel, it is more important to know which sneaker has a forgiving internal width. Many Jordans have a wide measurement overall, but have narrow interiors. Thus, external width does not give a full impression as to whether the sneaker will fit narrowly or not.