Quote Originally Posted by Cari
When you went to buy shoes, did they measure both your feet on a Sidi Brannock device? Different-sized feet might explain why you're only having problems with one foot. When you loosen the buckle, does your heel slide out of both shoes, or just one? Have you tried slightly changing the cleat position on the numb foot?
Nope, they didn't measure my feet at all They went by my shoe size and we started from there. I tried on some womens shoes in a 41 (I think, maybe even 42) and they were way too narrow, but I didn't go much further in the womens line. I started with the mens line at a 42, which were way too long.

With my running shoes, if I tie them equally, my right (numb toes foot) slips out of the heel more than the left. I imagine my cycling shoes are the same, but I'm blanking out on my most recent trip.

This is my first pair of bike shoes, so I haven't adjusted anything. I'm still getting used to deciding if something is my problem (adjusting to the shoes) or an equipment problem (needs to be adjusted to me).

Quote Originally Posted by Cari
Sometimes people with wide feet get used to going up a size to accomodate the extra width. If this is the case, then maybe you're tightening the straps too much in order to keep your heel in place, and thus reducing circulation to your toes. In addition to that, if one of your shoes is a tad too long, then when your foot starts to sweat, it can slide forwards and backwards inside the shoe, which can also hurt your toes. Or the heel slip thing might just be because it's a men's shoe, which has a wider heel than a women's shoe.

Are your current Sidis in a full size, or a half size? The sole on half sizes is the same length as that of the corresponding half size, but there's more fabric on the upper -- similar to the Mega shoes, but to a lesser degree. So if you're using a full size, I suggest trying the half sizes above and below your current size as an alternative to a Mega. Since you said that you overpronate, I'm guessing that you might have low arches, so the extra material on a half size might be enough to accomodate the extra width.

In fact, I would even suggest that you try a women's half size. I have wide feet too, with low arches, and what worked best for me was going up a half size. My old Sidis were men's 41's and like you, I had problems with both toe numbness and heel slippage. I would wear thick socks so that my heel wouldn't slip out and my big toe wouldn't jam against the front of the shoe, but the shoe felt narrow in the toebox, to the point that towards the end of a long ride, it would go from numbness to a burning sensation. My new Sidis are women's 41.5 and they fit *much* better than the men's 41 or 42 (which were huge). They actually feel wider in the front than the men's 41, but narrower in the back so that it cradles my heel in place. I still wear the thick socks, but now the shoes fit like a glove.

Good luck with your search, and please let us know how it turns out.
Wow, that was a lot of information. I was trying to reply to something in the middle, but it just didn't make sense

I have the same heel slippage in my running shoes, which I had to buy in a men's size because the women's sizing is too narrow, even at a wide width. My current Sidis are a 41 flat, no half size or anything. When I wear them around they feel fine, but after cycling in them, that's where the toes start to numb. I do get some numbness on my left foot too, but to a lesser degree.

I'm fighting (mentally) making a bad purchase and having to spend twice as much just to find the right shoe, but I suppose I could always sell my current shoes and at least make back some of the money. I guess it's worth trying some of the other shoes just to see how they feel, the LBS where I bought my current shoes seemed to have a pretty decent selection of mens and womens Sidis. I really want to say the womens had no chance of fitting my width, but I didn't try a lot of lengths because I hate falling into that "go up two sizes just to get a shoe that fits" trap.

It does make me feel better to know other people have the same problem. When I shop for shoes, it's like pulling teeth. I tried on almost every running shoe last time I went shopping, and ended up compromising even then. ARGH!

I guess I can attack this from different angles... with my current shoes, I can try wearing a footbed, loosening the shoes a bit, and maybe wearing thicker socks (I am wearing pretty thin socks, but my feet sweat a lot so I don't like to wear thick ones).

In my next life, I'll have those feet that actually fit the shoes. I'll go to the shoe store, and I'll pick them right off the shelf, try them on, and they'll fit great without trying on the women's version, the men's version, the men's wide version, the women's wide version, the women's version in 3 other sizes, the men's version in 2 other sizes, the men's wide version in 1 other size, and settling on one that doesn't fit right but at least doesn't make me feel like I'm bustin' out like that high school girl wearing the prom dress that's too small because she doesn't want to admit she has to wear a size 8.

My dad, who also has wide feet (so does his mom), calls them Fred Flintstone feet -- I think that's pretty accurate