Hiking

If you are looking for hiking shoes with a zero drop, Altra makes them. Their trail runners and hiking shoes are all zero drop. They also have very wide toe boxes that accommodate wide forefoot. The Superior model are probably the lowest-price offering on that menu.

Altra also uses sex specific lasts (the forms that the shoes are built from) which are differently shaped for male and female feet, and waterproof as well as non-waterproof options, as opposed to many hiking boots which are only available in waterproof varieties.

Definitely worth going to an outdoor store like REI, or even better, a local shop, to get advice on this. They can help you figure out the right kind of shoe/boot, recommend proper socks that have cushioning in the right areas, and help you try on several options to find the best match.

If you continue to have issues even after getting proper footwear, look into having some custom insoles made. I haven’t had to go that far, but I have had several pairs of boots where I needed to replace the stock insole with one from Superfeet for an increase in long-term comfort.

As someone who wore Vans daily for years then stopped when I realized they were making my knee and ankle problems worse, glad to see you’re looking at alternatives. Also not surprised you’re experiencing pain with them on the trail. They are truly not suited for that task.

For brand recommendations: Keen boots typically run a little wide, particularly in the toe box if that’s something you need. They also tend to hold up fairly well (the work boots I own front them didn’t, but few work boots of mine have held up, they get absolutely thrashed) and have solid waterproofing. I personally use Salomons now, love how lightweight they are, though they do run narrow so finding the right fit was difficult. Merrill Moabs are probably a good starting point if you don’t know what you need or want and can’t get in-person advice. There’s a reason they’ve been around as long as they have.

Again, try some on in-store and get feedback from experienced employees.

Hope this helps!