6/16/2010
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.\"
