Shop by need
Easy-on shoes, no laces
Some people need a shoe that adjusts. Others need a shoe they can get on at all — seated, one-handed, without bending, or with someone helping. That is what these are, and the only decision is how far the shoe needs to open.
Why a strap beats a slip-on
True slip-ons solve the wrong problem. To stay on without a fastening they have to grip the foot, which means they must be snug — and a snug shoe is exactly what a swollen, bunioned or bandaged foot cannot tolerate. People then buy a size up, and the shoe falls off, which is its own hazard.
A strap shoe that opens flat gives you the ease of a slip-on and the security of a fastening. The foot goes in from above with no force, the strap sets the volume, and the shoe stays on when you walk.
What makes a shoe genuinely easy to put on
It opens further than the foot is wide. That is the whole ladder here, from DW-006 at 34 mm up to DW-019 at 72 mm, where the entire forefoot folds down.
Nothing needs threading. No laces, no buckles, no small parts — hook-and-loop throughout.
Big pull points. The heel tab and the strap ends are large enough to grip with a weak hand or a dressing stick, and DW-013 has a leather-look pull tab on the strap.
A heel counter that does not collapse. You can push the foot in without folding the back of the shoe down and ruining it.
It can be done seated. Everything about these shoes assumes you may be sitting down and not able to reach easily.
Who tends to buy these
People with arthritic hands. People who cannot bend to their feet after hip or knee surgery. People with Parkinson's, MS, or a stroke affecting one side. Carers buying for someone else. And a large number of people who simply got tired of the daily fight.
Which style to start with
| Style | Opens to | Choose it if |
|---|---|---|
| DW-006 Twin-Strap Wide Fit Trainer | 34 mm | Standard trainers feel tight across the ball of the foot but you can still get them on, and you want the most structured, most shoe-like option |
| DW-013 Mesh Wide Fit Trainer | 46 mm | Feet run hot, damp or sore across the forefoot, and you want the most breathable shoe and the easiest step across from an ordinary trainer |
| DW-015 Extra Wide Wrap Trainer | 58 mm | Bunions, hammer toes or a forefoot that has spread, or an orthotic that needs vertical room as well as girth |
| DW-019 Full-Wrap Extra Wide Trainer | 72 mm | Oedema, lymphoedema, bandaging, a dressing, or feet whose volume changes markedly between morning and evening |
There is no width fitting to choose. Every style comes in one extra-wide adjustable fitting per size, UK 3–12 (EU 36–46), whole sizes only, £49.99 on every style and every size. You choose the size, then set the width on your foot with the strap. "Opens to" is the gap the shoe makes across the instep with the strap fully released — the number that decides whether a foot, a dressing or a bandage can actually get in.
If getting the shoe on is the whole problem, go to DW-019 Full-Wrap Extra Wide Trainer. Nothing else we make opens as far, and it is the style carers ask for. If you can manage a normal trainer opening and want the shoe to feel more structured once it is on, DW-006 Twin-Strap Wide Fit Trainer is the other end of the same ladder.
Making it easier still
A long-handled shoehorn is the single most useful accessory and costs very little. Setting the strap once to roughly the right length and then only releasing it part-way can turn a two-hand job into a one-hand job. If dressing is a daily struggle across the board, ask your GP about an occupational therapy assessment — the equipment they suggest is usually free and often unexpectedly good.
Common questions
Can these be put on without bending down?
Are they easy for a carer to fit?
Do the straps loosen through the day?
Can I wear them without socks?
What colours are there?
Where to go next
Four styles, one price, sixty days to get it right
Every style is £49.99 in one extra-wide adjustable fitting, UK 3–12 (EU 36–46). Delivery is £4.95, free on two pairs, and if the style you chose does not open wide enough we post the replacement before the first pair comes back.