Why do "fast" shoes like Adidas Boston and Nike Streak have such small/low toe boxes?

Because people with hobbit feet dont run fast. ;-)

I size up 1/2 size and find they fit really well. I've got pretty wide feet too.

Bigger people tend to have wider feet... and bigger people tend to not wear racing flats.

Id say average person wearing those types of shoes is 5'9 140 or so

I have wide feet also.

If a shoe is not offered in a 4E size I no longer even try it on.

The shoe companies are cutting into their profits by not offering light racing shoes in a 4E width.

not certain why that would be so difficult but apparently it is.

It would be like making shoes only in size 9 and offering no other size.

Because.... wrote:

Bigger people tend to have wider feet... and bigger people tend to not wear racing flats.

Id say average person wearing those types of shoes is 5'9 140 or so

5'8.5", 145 lbs. size 8.5, 4E width feet. I am looking to try the Altra Vanish-R soon as I have heard they'll accommodate my Fred Flintstone feet, or come closer than anything else in that category.

They're designed that way to "lock in" your feet as much as possible to avoid a "sloppy" feeling. Of course, racing flats like those you mentioned are not meant to be worn for everyday use; daily training shoes are designed with a more accommodating toebox.

The Boston 6 IS accommodating in the toebox area. You tried on the wrong size if you think otherwise.

That or you're one of them Bagginses from the Shire.

lazyboi wrote:

They're designed that way to "lock in" your feet as much as possible to avoid a "sloppy" feeling. Of course, racing flats like those you mentioned are not meant to be worn for everyday use; daily training shoes are designed with a more accommodating toebox.

Exactly. I also like to wear thinner socks when running faster to get a better "feel".

You also have narrower seats in the sports cars compared to the SUVs. When you drive fast around the curves you don't want to be sliding around.

OP here. Thanks for the replies. Make sense.

Baltsu wrote:

lazyboi wrote:

They're designed that way to "lock in" your feet as much as possible to avoid a "sloppy" feeling. Of course, racing flats like those you mentioned are not meant to be worn for everyday use; daily training shoes are designed with a more accommodating toebox.

Exactly. I also like to wear thinner socks when running faster to get a better "feel".

You also have narrower seats in the sports cars compared to the SUVs. When you drive fast around the curves you don't want to be sliding around.

I like the Boston.

I tried on the Brooks T4. The box was really jammed up, and I never raced it them. I mentioned to a local Brooks sponsored athlete, and she said they gave her her first black toenails.

5'8", 135#, 11.5B

Agreed. There’s more inherent security with a more tight fit, though I can say I don’t like it.

I have to disagree with some opinions on here (shocker). I am the typical runners build (5’10”, 130 lbs) and I do not enjoy shoes with narrow toe boxes. I find some other options work best for me. Saucony for example make some decent flats, though for training I use altras (racing maybe altra one2).

The boston are really rather narrow, especially in the midfoot (I have NO idea why shoe designers do this), but at least the upper is stretchy and accommodating enough. And I have wide feet.

TVC15. wrote:

I have wide feet also.

If a shoe is not offered in a 4E size I no longer even try it on.

The shoe companies are cutting into their profits by not offering light racing shoes in a 4E width.

not certain why that would be so difficult but apparently it is.

It would be like making shoes only in size 9 and offering no other size.

You don't understand business... 4E is a very uncommon demand for a racing flat. I'm sorry bro but you are absolutely a minority for the racing flat buying demographic. If they offer a 4E, they have to do so in a full range of sizes. Then they have to make a considerable amount of inventory and distribute that to online retailers and local running stores. The problem is that the inventory liability they take on by doing this is huge as it is such a specific demographic that will want these that they will likely have massive inventory surplus offering a full size range at 4E. Moreover, most stores (online or local) will not want to buy these even at wholesale because it will be that difficult to move. Even if they could eventually liquidate those 4E racing flats for about break even on the wholesale price they buy them, there is an opportunity cost of sacrificing that storage spaces for months to a couple years versus a shoe with a much higher turnover rate and profit margin. They are absolutely not cutting into their profits, you're just being individualistic in your consumer demands. It's understandable but it's also inherently a flawed way of viewing the shoe industry.

Chinese foot binding custom.