MO851

I was very disappointed with this shoe. I have bought NB shoes for many years now because they offer a 4E width. This shoe is narrower and shorter than any NB shoe I am familiar with. It was uncomfortable to even try on. Since I was unsure that even one whole size up would fit, I simply returned it without requesting a different size.

I recently ordered a pair of these to replace my (well-fitting) 479s. While these are certainly stylish and look durable, they are, unfortunately, too narrow in the forefoot. This seems to be a problem that pops up periodically in the MO line, judging by the reviews. Since I typically wear a 14-4E, I don't have the option of going up half a size or getting a wider width. These shoes have, frankly, left me baffled. My 479s were made on an SL-1 last, which is described as "Standard" all the way through, while the 851s (indeed, the entire MO line) are made on an RL-3 last which supposedly has a Wide forefoot. In comparing my two pairs directly, the 851 is significantly narrower towards the toe (hence the discomfort). I read the reviews beforehand and trusted both New Balance's persistent "surprise" towards customers with width issues and the chart with the descriptions of varying lasts: This was a mistake. In my world, "Wide" does not mean "Narrower than Standard."