this post was submitted on 17 Oct 2026
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Buy it for Life

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The world's most BIFL water proof sneakers for a wide feet person on the planet that dont have a shank/arch please? (lemmy.world)
submitted 1 week ago* (last edited 1 week ago) by UnequalExchange@lemmy.world to c/buyitforlife@slrpnk.net
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Basically the title. Any price range. Any geographical range. I just want to see what exists out there.

Bonus point if the shoes have a noteworthy high platform that ' lifts' the sneakers off the ground

Extra bonus points if the majority of the sneakers is made out of rubber or leather (or should I just start looking for custom made duck boots?)

Extra extra bonus points if the sneakers can be shipped to canada

Extra extra extra bonus points if anyone recommends a company that sells snow proof sneaker b oots thatt fit all of this criteria.

Thanks. ๐Ÿซ‚

Edit: Also I forgot to add that high or low weight footwear doesnt matter to me. Ive walked 20KM in boots that weighed like 5 or 7 pounds combined like it was nothing. Ill wear anything of any weight that either fits my criteria or that protects me feet frkm the elements.

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[โ€“] Wfh@lemmy.zip 4 points 1 week ago (2 children)

I'm in the same boat, looking for waterproof, lightweight, non-sporty/city sneakers with a flat sole. I've searched for years and haven't found anything yet. For now I have tried:

  • Regular sneakers. Absolutely not waterproof.
  • Leather mid-top sneakers/chukka hybrids. The leather parts and stitching can be made reasonably waterproof using dubbin, unfortunately the tongue is fabric and will soak up water very quickly which will then leak inside the shoes, making the waterproofing useless. Wish I knew this before finding myself on my bike in a thunderstorm.
  • "Waterproof sneakers" from Tropicfeel. Maybe waterproof, I can't wear them because they are way too narrow and extremely painful for my wide feet. Low cut means water can sneak in from the ankles down even with rain overpants.

Not sneakers:

  • Good old Timbs. The most waterproof shoes I ever had. Still look like new after 4 rainy winters and regular care. Can't be worn for extended periods of time due to weight and drop.

Probable next steps:

  • Forget style and go with hiking shoes. Lots of reputable brands, from the cheapest Decathlon to the high-end Meindl or Hanwag.
  • ON seems reputable enough, but I hate the hyper-sporty looks. Maybe worth a shot if you're rich enough.
  • Find that unicorn that makes sneakers with hiking shoes tech.
[โ€“] UnequalExchange@lemmy.world 1 points 1 week ago

Thanks . but Im shocked that such footwear that Im looking for probably doesnt exist yet according to your search. I feel like Id make a fortune creating sneaker boots that fit into my criteria stated here cause Ive seen a surprisivng number of others on reddit ask for this same type of sneaker boot. I just need the capital and the time to produce a business specializing in the creation of such footwear.

At this point I feel t hat either custom made, waterproof sneaker boots or waterproof barefoot boots plus me wearing like 3 pairs of socks at the same time are my only cureent options. ๐Ÿคท๐Ÿฟโ€โ™‚๏ธ

Best of wishes with your search. it SUUUCKS having wide feet. Ive had to wear the same pair of shoes for like 15 years cause I cant find ANY manufacturers that make footwear for wide feet.

[โ€“] UnequalExchange@lemmy.world 0 points 1 week ago

Also I forgot to add that high or low weight is useless to me. Ive walked 20KM in boots that weighed like 5 or 7 pounds combined like it was nothing. These boots were from pajar so if you search them up you can probably tell that these boots were extra heavy cause they had to be msde of the heaviest msterials possible to last long harsh in winter. Only problem with pajar boots is that they are allergic to making footwear for people with wide ass feet like us. TO me weight is useless if I know that a type of footwear will protect my feet. Id wear lead if it fits all my criteria honestly lol