NB Minimus

[Susan]

Have any of you tried the New Balance Minimus Road? I like the look and the concept of the shoe and the rounded heel really intrigues me - I would like to get a pair of them for my road runs.
I use the Merell Pace Gloves for trails and really like them. On pavement I tire really fast if I wear them and a bit of cushion makes me more comfortable. My ordinary pair of Nikes on the other hand has a heel that bothers me because it's too high and catches on the ground sometimes.

I can't get them from a local shop and would have to order them online. I wonder if they would be wide enough for me. I have wide (duck) feet. The Merell fits just fine, but it is really wide in the front.

[Blueberry]

Take a look at this thread. Post number 25 from yesterday addresses some of the width questions (though the appropriate width in the Road was not available).

[OakLeaf]

I haven't tried the road shoes yet, but I'm wearing a pair of men's wide Minimus cross-trainers for the gym.

Staff at a NB corporate store told me that unlike their other lines, men's and women's Minimus are made on the same last (i.e. heel width is the same). So women's wide is the same as men's regular (D width). Men's wide (EE) fits me reasonably well in the gym shoes - a little bit wide in the heel, a little bit narrow in the forefoot, a lot of clown shoe in the mid-toe, but overall closer than anything else I've worn.

I've tried on Merrell and they were WAY too narrow for me. I wonder if their European shoes are different from their US shoes???? If you're comfortable in Merrell, you might look at Altra Intuition, which have a much squarer toe box than NB and zero heel/toe drop. It's probably best to size up at least a half size, maybe a full size, in the Altra. (If you wear around a EU size 40 you might fit my US size 11 Altras ... low mileage ... I'm not quite ready to let go of them but I think I'm going to have to )

[jessmarimba]

Merrell pace gloves were way too wide on me. I didn't try on the minimus road, just trail, but they fit me fine with socks. Now, it could just be that the lacing system allows you to cinch these shoes farther down without lumps, as my feet are fairly narrow through the arches. I can't speak for the toe box in particular. If you don't have really small feet maybe the men's size would be better?

[GLC1968]

I wear the NB Minimus trail for my road running. I ordered them online because I couldn't find any stores local to me that carried widths in womens. I have a very wide forefoot and need good toe spread room when I run. The women's Merrels were too narrow and as I wear a women's 7, the mens were too long. I did buy a pair of the kids but I need a 5.5 and they only come in whole sizes. I decided that the 5 wasn't bad, but after one long run, I had a black toenail, so that's when I tried the NB. I wear the Merrells for weekend casual shoes, but not for running.

Last weekend, I tried on a pair of the NB road. They were comfy, but too cushy (for me) and too narrow. I think the wide width would have probably been fine, but the store did not carry them. Sounds like they might be a good option for you!

[Susan]

Thank you all. I usually wear a US 8 (EU 39) in sport shoes (just noticed the US sizing system is a bit confusing - I never knew you had womens and mens sizes). So I can't choose the wider mens models for most shoes.

As far as I can tell, the Merell Pace gloves are the same for EU and US. I think I don't have very wide feet over all, just very "spread" toes that get really unhappy if I squish them togehter The form of most shoes doesn't fit me. From your experience OakLeaf and GLC, maybe if the Merell was too narrow for you both, but you could wear the Minimus, I would do fine with the womens "wide" for the Minimus...

I really like the Altra Intuition and have been looking forward to them for some time, but couldn't get them anywhere sadly. I think they could be perfect. Too bad that yours won't fit me, OakLeaf.