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This article examines how big the shoe size difference is between 2e and 4e, the width difference between 2e and 4e, and why you should consider 2e or 4e.
The difference between 2E and 4E is that 2E is wide for men and extra wide for women. 2E is also denoted “EE”. On the other hand, the 4E width is only considered an oversize for men’s shoes. This difference in width occurs on the sole of the foot. Men’s feet are muscular and have a wide ball area compared to women’s feet, so they may need extra-wide, 4e wide shoes to fit properly.
However, the logic of these shoe widths for sneakers or sneakers is rather questionable. For example, if you’re wearing your shoe size on the Brannock device, you don’t need to convert it directly to the size you want in the affected shoe you’re looking for.
If you check out my dress shoe and sneaker sizing guide, I’ve explained the sizing differences in detail. The foot width determined with the Brannock device can be used almost with elegant shoes and casual sneakers. Sneakers or running shoes have a thicker insole and thicker midsole. So you always need to switch between different sizes of shoes to determine the correct width for your foot.
Wide shoe buying guide: How wide is 2E and 4E?
It depends on the shoe brand you are interested in. For a rough idea, you can measure the width of your feet in centimeters (cm) on your Brannock device. There is a ruler on the Brannock that gives the latitude from A to E, corresponding to the measurement in centimeters. So, using this method, you can get a rough idea of the 2E width in centimeters, and the difference between 4E and 2E widths.
However, there are some differences in the 2E and 4E widths of various running shoe and sneaker brands such as ASICS and New Balance.
New Balance shoes 2E and 4E widths
For New Balance shoes, there is usually about a 1/2 inch or 1.27 cm difference between the 2E and 4E shoe widths. If you keep the shoe width the same and only choose a half size up, there will be a width difference of about 0.3cm between the two sizes.
If you need more information on New Balance shoe fit, you can also read my New Balance shoe size and fit guide.
ASICS shoes 2E and 4E widths
For ASICS, I can’t find an exact answer on how wide 4E is. I’ve found on various forums that ASICS shoes are narrower than New Balance shoes of the same width. ASICS shoes have good midfoot space, but the toe is narrower than New Balance shoes. Regarding the width of ASICS shoes, some users said that the width of ASICS 2E is higher than that of standard width shoes, that is, E width provides 10mm of space. Again, an ASICS 4E width shoe provides approximately 20mm more space in the toe box than an E width shoe, assuming the same shoe size.
Also, I tried browsing Amazon for size reviews of several ASICS shoes. For the ASICS Gel-Venture 7 shoes, one customer said that his ASICS 10.5 foot shoe fits his height. He has a ball width of about 12.5cm in the ball area, but a 10.5 yard 4E width doesn’t fit into the toe box.
Nike shoes 2E and 4E widths
As for the width of Nike shoes, the difference between the widths of Nike shoes is about 1 cm or 1/3 of an inch. Widened Nikes are 1 cm wider than Widened Nikes. Nike is a brand primarily known for making shoes in standard widths, the H.E width or narrow width. The brand has also started producing some shoes in 2E and 4E widths. At the time of writing, there are currently only 8 Nike shoes in the width (2E) and 11 in the extra-wide (4E) width.
You can choose the Nike Pegasus 38 as they are available in 2E and 4E widths. Note, however, that while the Nike Pegasus Wide shoes offer plenty of room in the toe box, they have a very narrow midfoot compared to New Balance shoes.
Nike Air Force shoes are also great if you have wide feet as they stretch comfortably, but the technology is old now and no longer provides adequate cushioning. For more selection of 2E and 4E Wide Fit Nike shoes, click here.
What is the EEE in shoe size?
EEE or 3E is the width of the shoe, between 2E and 4E. It is also known as triple width. In most shoes, you will only find widths E and 2E. I have yet to find a shoe brand that still makes EEE width shoes. If you find the label on the shoe is extra wide, it means it is 4E for men and 2E for women. So if your foot width is 3E, I suggest you choose shoe width 4E.
