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Lake vs Bont for wide feet
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Considering getting new shoes. I've had my Sidi Mega for 12 years now. They work great for the first few hours but around the 40-50 miles mark I usually get numb and anything really long I get the hot foot feeling.

The two that I'm really looking closely at are Bont and Lake. So those that have experience with one or the other how does the width go? I'm mostly looking in the toe box, I have essentially Fred Flinstone feet. Flat and wide. Normal sized heel though, just super wide toe area haha.

I still lapped everyone on the couch!
Last edited by: Jloewe: May 14, 20 9:50
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Re: Lake vs Bont for wide feet [Jloewe] [ In reply to ]
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I can only speak to Bont, but I'll likely wear Bonts for a long time. The toe box isn't quite as wide as Altra running shoes, but it's way wider than any other cycling shoe I've tried.

@floathammerholdon | @partners_in_tri
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Re: Lake vs Bont for wide feet [cloy] [ In reply to ]
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cloy wrote:
I can only speak to Bont, but I'll likely wear Bonts for a long time. The toe box isn't quite as wide as Altra running shoes, but it's way wider than any other cycling shoe I've tried.

Is that for wide or standard fit?

I still lapped everyone on the couch!
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Re: Lake vs Bont for wide feet [Jloewe] [ In reply to ]
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Standard. I've never tried the wide fit as I don't have an overly wide foot, but I certainly don't fit into shoes that are known for being narrow. i.e., I couldn't stuff my foot into a Giro if my life depended on it.

@floathammerholdon | @partners_in_tri
Last edited by: cloy: May 14, 20 10:25
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Re: Lake vs Bont for wide feet [Jloewe] [ In reply to ]
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Lake Extra wide are about the widest shoes in the industry.
I tried a pair of sz 45 Lake 403 X. They measured about 115mm wide at the widest part of my foot with my foot in them and I still had a bit of room to spare in the width
Pondering trying some Bont's as well

The Lake's are really nice shoes with their heat moldable tub that your foot sits in

Brian Stover USAT LII
Accelerate3 Coaching
Insta

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Re: Lake vs Bont for wide feet [Jloewe] [ In reply to ]
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The Bont's in wide fit have a very similar profile to Altras. Almost identical tbh.
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Re: Lake vs Bont for wide feet [GreenPlease] [ In reply to ]
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GreenPlease wrote:
The Bont's in wide fit have a very similar profile to Altras. Almost identical tbh.

Never tried Altras but I'm intrigued. How does that compare to your typical EE wide shoe?

I still lapped everyone on the couch!
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Re: Lake vs Bont for wide feet [Jloewe] [ In reply to ]
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Comfy.
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Re: Lake vs Bont for wide feet [Jloewe] [ In reply to ]
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I have Bont Riot Tr+ in wide. The width is great, but I'm thinking of trying something else because they irritate the outside of my left foot for some reason. Very well made shoe, very stiff.
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Re: Lake vs Bont for wide feet [JDinMA] [ In reply to ]
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JDinMA wrote:
I have Bont Riot Tr+ in wide. The width is great, but I'm thinking of trying something else because they irritate the outside of my left foot for some reason. Very well made shoe, very stiff.

Standard or wide? What is your running shoe width?

I still lapped everyone on the couch!
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Re: Lake vs Bont for wide feet [Jloewe] [ In reply to ]
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Just note that w/ Lake shoes that the wide and extra wide "widths" vary based on the different lasts (sport, comp, race... ..etc.). Possibly also worth mentioning that the Bont non-road shoes don't really fair to well with hike-a-bike activities (on otherwise what I felt were amazing shoes - vaypor xc).
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Re: Lake vs Bont for wide feet [Jloewe] [ In reply to ]
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Not sure of any differences between varying Bont models, but I tried the Bont Zeros and they were the most uncomfortable shoe I have ever tried on. I honestly don’t know how people wear them. It was torture for the one short indoor ride I tried. I don’t care if they are aero and look cool, they were downright painful to wear.
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Re: Lake vs Bont for wide feet [Jloewe] [ In reply to ]
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I have used a pair of Lake size 45 for the past year. I have a good size bunion on one foot which actually wore a hole in a previous pair of shimano shoes. The Lakes are a little snug particularly on that foot when I wear them with socks but otherwise have been a large improvement over all the traditionally available bike shoes. And I have tried all of them at one time or another. I run in Altra's and would say that for me the fit is similar.

Steve
Last edited by: konaboysteve: May 14, 20 18:01
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Re: Lake vs Bont for wide feet [jstonebarger] [ In reply to ]
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I ran in Altras for one season. They were awesome until they weren't. I ended up developing a strange pain on the outside of my foot.

@floathammerholdon | @partners_in_tri
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Re: Lake vs Bont for wide feet [cloy] [ In reply to ]
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cloy wrote:
I ran in Altras for one season. They were awesome until they weren't. I ended up developing a strange pain on the outside of my foot.

That would have less to do with the width of the last than with the zero drop. Because of the zero drop, your arch MAY compress more pulling on the outside metatarsels (I say MAY because without watching you run barefoot on a treadmill, watching you run with shoes and then looking at the wear of the shoes, its impossible to know, but I seriously doubt it has anything to do with width and everything to do with zero drop.
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Re: Lake vs Bont for wide feet [Jloewe] [ In reply to ]
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I'm wearing Bont Vaypor S and Zero+ in 44.5 double wide with a thin insole.

I've tried Lake CX1 carbon model that supposedly has the widest last out of their range and on paper should have fit (in 44.5), but they were too narrow in the forefoot.

Obviously, everyone's feet are different and only putting the shoes on will ultimately tell you if they are a good match or not. But my experience is: Bont has wide fit, Lake is meh.
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Re: Lake vs Bont for wide feet [Jloewe] [ In reply to ]
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I just started riding again after a 6+ year break, bought a pair of Bonts as I have permanent nerve damage in two toes from bike shoes too tight.

LOVE THEM.
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Re: Lake vs Bont for wide feet [Jloewe] [ In reply to ]
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I have slightly wide feet....never enough to buy wide running shoes but enough to feel cramped in a fair amount. I found the shimano line definitely has more room even in their regular sizes and much more in their wide sizes.... I feel bont and lake differ as the actual carbon is wide whereas most companies wides are more just more room in the toe box (i.e on the sides). Even with that I still love the shimanos. Tried Bont and they were way too stiff for my liking.

https://www.strava.com/athletes/11645943 https://www.instagram.com/timeforicecream/
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Re: Lake vs Bont for wide feet [Jloewe] [ In reply to ]
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My Bonts are 44 wide.

Running shoes are:
Hoka Clifton in 10 wide
NB Beacon in 10 wide
NB Fuelcell Rebel in 10.5 wide

If they happen to be your size, I will be selling.
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Re: Lake vs Bont for wide feet [Jloewe] [ In reply to ]
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I will add that I have owned several different models of Bonts- A3, Vaypor and Riot+. The Riot+, in the standard width, is noticeably wider in the forefoot area than the Vaypors or A3. Almost a bit too wide for me ( although I'm glad I still have them since I recently fractured my 5th metatarsal and couldn't fit my foot into my Vaypors!). The Vaypor fits much more snug.


What size are you?
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Re: Lake vs Bont for wide feet [Jloewe] [ In reply to ]
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Has anyone tried the semi-custom or full-custom Bont's?
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Re: Lake vs Bont for wide feet [Jloewe] [ In reply to ]
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Jloewe wrote:
Considering getting new shoes. I've had my Sidi Mega for 12 years now. They work great for the first few hours but around the 40-50 miles mark I usually get numb and anything really long I get the hot foot feeling.

The two that I'm really looking closely at are Bont and Lake. So those that have experience with one or the other how does the width go? I'm mostly looking in the toe box, I have essentially Fred Flinstone feet. Flat and wide. Normal sized heel though, just super wide toe area haha.

Curious, do you find built-in arch support in shoes to be a pain? I have the RC9 shoes from Shimano, and the left foot feels just fine, but the right feels the arch a little more intrusive. I have heard that Bont has a pretty high built-in arch, as do some of the Lake models.
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Re: Lake vs Bont for wide feet [Jloewe] [ In reply to ]
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I still have a pair of Sidi Mega width shoes from 2006 or so. They always seemed like extra upper instead of wider sole, but never hurt. I *think* Bont and Lake are the only ones making wider soles instead of just throwing extra upper material in there and calling it a wide. I have wide, low volume feet too and have been looking at Bont and Lake this year too.

Are you on the SlowTwitch email list? They recently had a fantastic deal for ST members on Bont shoes. I talked to the Bont distributor who started this thread in great detail and ordered a pair of Vaypor S shoes. They mentioned being a SIDI distributor about the same time we got our shoes, so I am betting they could provide pretty good insight. I don't have them yet, so I can only attest to how helpful MT was in measuring, comparing to other shoes I own, and ordering a pair.
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Re: Lake vs Bont for wide feet [Zissou] [ In reply to ]
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Zissou wrote:
I will add that I have owned several different models of Bonts- A3, Vaypor and Riot+. The Riot+, in the standard width, is noticeably wider in the forefoot area than the Vaypors or A3. Almost a bit too wide for me ( although I'm glad I still have them since I recently fractured my 5th metatarsal and couldn't fit my foot into my Vaypors!). The Vaypor fits much more snug.


What size are you?

My last 2 pairs of shoes were 43, and the sizing wizard put me at a 42.5. Although was in a rush might do the sizing wizard again.

I still lapped everyone on the couch!
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Re: Lake vs Bont for wide feet [Jloewe] [ In reply to ]
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Disclaimer: I'm a Lake dealer.

Definitely take a look at the Lake sizing process:
https://www.lakecycling.com/pages/sizing-charts

I always start here with shoe selection. Within the Lake lineup, there is enough going on that it helps to know your dimensions first before you can then decide on the models by last. They have 11 different lasts, and it gets a bit confusing because the shoes based on the wide Competition last are actually wider than the extra wide Race last. So, first get some measurements, and then we can discuss your Lake options.

As far as Bont goes - it's a good quality shoe, and a unique shape that can work for the right foot. The hard part is knowing if you have the right foot. I wish I knew a bit more about their product range to offer any advice there. I don't see a lot of them in the fit studio, which might just be a product of my local market.

Travis Rassat
Vector Cycle Works
Noblesville, IN
BikeFit Instructor | FMS | F.I.S.T. | IBFI
Toughman Triathlon Series Ambassador
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