Best shoe last for flat / shallow feet?

[maxcap]

I'm seeking some guidance from somebody who thinks they have flat / shallow feet and have found a shoe last that works for them.

My reference shoes are my Loake 1880 Strands (in the Capital last). The Capital last is, in their words, their most middle-of-the-road last - fairly true to size, fairly traditional shape, designed for your average foot (insofar as there is one, you get the gist...).

On me, the Capital last fits:

(1) a little narrow in the forefoot (little toe rubbing)
(2) a little roomy vertically in the vamp area
(3) lacing is completely closed (will go no tighter)
(4) rearfoot fits well, could even go narrower in the heel area

In other words my feet are:

(1) skinny(ish) ankle and heels
(2) below-average arch height
(3) wide but shallow forefoot.

Adding a minimal leather insole (Loake's) helps fill the area a touch vertically (lacing still completely closed), but slightly exacerbates the narrowness.

Do my foot characteristics sound similar to anybody here? If so, have you found any lasts that work for you? Budget is $300 - $500.

Here's a quick diagram of a front-view. Left is my Loake's forefoot, right is what would fit my forefoot better. Wider and shallower.

 

[maxcap]

A followup question - which lasts / brands should I stay away from? Am I right in thinking Italian lasts are narrower in the forefoot?

 

[moimael]

I have the exact same feet as you (flat, large toebox, narrow heel, low instep) according to the description and have the same feeling on the loake Capital last, feels quite good but not perfect. So far one of the best fitting last for me has been the Cooper last from Andres Sendra, which has a narrow heel, low instep and the toe box is quite snug but very comfortable. I just tried the RUI last from Meermin in a trunk show so it's hard to say if it works on the long run but it seemed to be quite nice as well (but I tried it on a boot which are more forgiving) I tried the Hiro last and it was way too narrow. My church's chukka on the 108 last in width G are also a great fit, except the arch support could be better.

Hope that helps.

 

[AJ1]

For what its worth, spent forever trying to get Allen Edmond Park avenues to work but no success. Also have flat feet, wide forefront narrow heal. I'm in need of dress shoes for work and not sure where to go. Curious to hear what has worked for others with similar feet.

 

[moimael]

I'm also gonna add that the Yanko last 955 (for penny loafers in my case, which are harder to get right) which is a G width don't work for me because the heel is way too large so my foot completely slip out on the heel when I walk.

 

[maxcap]

OP here. There are some past threads that may or may not be any use, it's hard to know if everybody's comparing apples to oranges.

- This one is about low insteps (but not narrow heels):
https://www.styleforum.net/threads/low-instep-shoes-thread.155152/

- This one is about low instep, wide forefoot and narrow heels, i.e. right on the money. But goes a little off-topic into just plain-wide feet all round and collapsed arches:
https://www.styleforum.net/threads/a-guide-shoes-for-flatter-feet-narrow-heels-etc.304002/

- This one is about high insteps, i.e. good for things to avoid:
https://www.styleforum.net/threads/high-instep.155969/

- This one started well but not many replies:
https://www.styleforum.net/threads/shoes-for-narrow-heel-and-wide-toes.341246/

@moimael - nice to hear from somebody with similar characteristics who also has the same last to compare to! Sounds like we'll be able to compare apples to apples. Really interested to know how you get on with Meermins if you ever end up getting any.

@AJ1 - I've had problems with AEs too. It's all well and good being able to buy in a range of widths, but that doesn't really address the problem, because what we want is a heel width relative to the width of the ball. Not helped by shoemakers always erring on the side of having the heel roomier in order to accommodate a greater range of foot sizes.

 

[Sheldon Troulebrains]

Adding a minimal leather insole (Loake's) helps fill the area a touch vertically (lacing still completely closed), but slightly exacerbates the narrowness.

Have you tried 3/4 insoles? Superfeet, Powerstep, and Birkenstock all make decent over the counter versions. Should give you ample room in the toebox while also taking up vertical space in the shoe.