Because the heel is elevated due to containing a spring, and the mid-sole inside the shoe being lower than the heel, when you put them on you feel a gap under your arch. With your foot inside the shoe you feel the heel is high and a gap under your arch where the mid-sole is lower than the heel. I have a high arch and this gap was so noticeable that I feared I would damage my arch if I didn't place a significant arch orthotic in the shoes. I purchased Spenco Orthotic Arch Insoles, which have a soft ply on the top adhered to a hard plastic bottom layer. You have to boil and shape this orthotic to the shape you want. It's easy to do, but none-the-less, you need this in these shoes. I shaped my Spenco orthotics to have a long, high arch, then installed them in these shoes. Now they fit perfectly and I do not feel the gap between the heel and mid-sole. I think even if you don't have a high arch you still need an arch support orthotic with these shoes, because of the "step-down" inside the shoe between the heel and mid-sole. You can definitely feel it. I also have wide feet and ordered my true size, in other words, I normally wear size 7 1/2 Wide, and I ordered these shoes in size 7 1/2 Wide. The orthotic inserts that I installed are NOT very thick, about the thickness of a sturdy Dr Scholl's foam insert. With the orthotic inserts and socks, the shoes still fit fine. The shoes are NOT too wide. With the orthotics installed and socks on - the toe box is a tad bit snug but NOT too snug, just about right. The rest of the shoe fits well also.