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Do you have high arches? If so, there’s a chance you’re running into problems with your feet when you run. You might be underpronating, you might have some issues with plantar fasciitis, or you might just want a cushier ride that combats the low flexibility in your feet, among other issues. Whatever your discomfort, now’s as good a time as any to start looking for some kicks that are kinder to your legs.
High arches present an interesting quandary for runners: There aren’t many shoes explicitly made to accommodate them. But the good news is that plenty of our editors’ favorites do the trick just fine. Some of the best options out there are simple, affordable, neutral trainers that you can find in most running shoe stores. And we can vouch for all of them from personal experience and testing.
The Best Running Shoes for High Arches
- Best Daily Trainer: Asics Novablast 4
- Best Value: Nike Winflo 11
- Best for Interval Training: Saucony Endorphin Speed 4
- Best for Race Day: New Balance FuelCell SuperComp Elite v4
- Best for Trail Running: Hoka Speedgoat 5
What to Consider
How To Tell If You Have High Arches
High arches stand out from flatter arches because they prevent a considerable section of your midfoot from touching the ground. This isn’t always the easiest thing to see from the your vantage point when looking down, but there’s a straightforward analysis you can perform at home to analyze your arch: the Wet Test.
In essence, get your feet wet, either by dunking them in a tub or after you’ve had a shower. Then, step with both feet on a piece of heavy paper (heavy enough that it won’t rip apart when you step off) or a bath mat that gets visibly wet. When you lift your feet off, there will be footprints there—take a look at how much the gaps between the heels and balls of your feet are filled in. If there’s little to no visible connection between the two on the paper, then you likely have high arches.
Neutral Support and High Cushion
One of the main risks you can encounter with high arches is underpronation, or an outward tilt of your ankles when your feet strike the ground. To mitigate this, doctors (and our editors) suggest looking for a neutral, support-free shoe that allows as much pronation—inward ankle rotation—as possible. In theory, your high arch supports itself well enough that any extra stability only gets in the way of a healthy stride.
Ample cushioning is also ideal for high arches, because a high arch most often comes from an inflexible plantar fascia, the ligament that connects the heel and ball of your foot. Normally, this ligament absorbs some shock from your initial impact with the ground. But if it isn’t flexing, you’ll want some extra cushion to take pressure off your relatively stiff feet.
How We Selected
To determine the shoe specs most beneficial to runners with high arches, we talked to John Vasudevan, M.D., a sports medicine director at Penn Medicine, about the mechanics of various arch types. At its foundation, according to Vasudevan, a good running shoe for high arches tends to be neutral, allowing plenty of foot pronation to avoid supination. It’s also abundantly cushioned for impact relief—your high arch’s natural compressibility is limited, so it’ll need some help.
Once we knew where to start, we dug through our database of the best running shoes we’ve tested to weed out which options are too stiff or have too many stability features. From there, we looked for shoes with a variety of intended uses, from daily workhorses to trail shoes to carbon-plated race shoes. Our picks all have stellar energy return, plush cushioning, outsoles that are contoured to guide your stride in the right direction, and prices that are appropriate for what you’re getting. When applicable, we also looked at updated versions of shoes we’ve tested to see what has changed regarding fit, weight, and geometry.
Now, before you read on, we strongly recommend talking to a physician if your high arches are causing considerable pain or discomfort. We also recommend trying any shoes you plan to buy in person at a running shoe store—your feet aren’t shaped the same as ours, and they could rub against an awkward spot in the upper while ours don’t. There’s no guarantee a shoe will work for you, but we’re here to guide you in the right direction to start.
Pros
Roomier upper than its predecessor- Lively midsole foam that doesn’t feel too trampoline-y
Cons
- Foam isn’t as immediately cushy
Test editor Morgan Petruny got an early look at the Novablast 4 last fall, and she noted that the upper felt far roomier than the previous model—ideal if you’re looking for a shoe that encourages more movement under the hood. That said, the upper is still plenty secure and doesn’t feel sloppy: “The texture is softer and smoother than what’s used on the Novablast 3, but it’s got the same amount of stretch—some, but not much,” Petruny says.
Under that comfortable upper, a wide, stable sole keeps your impacts consistent. Petruny noted that, unlike the trampoline-esque bounce of the 3, the 4 has a firmer foam and more aggressive rocker that “launch[es] you forward, rather than rebounding you upward.”
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Key Specs
| Weight | 9.2 oz. (M), 7.9 oz. (W) |
|---|---|
| Drop | 8mm |
Pros
- Roomy upper
- No stability features in the way of your pronation
Cons
- Cushioning is a little muted compared to the Pegasus
Nike’s Winflo borrows plenty of its design from the editor-lauded Pegasus. Both have a roomy fit and similar geometry, while the Peg has slightly livelier foam and a steeper price. We haven’t performed in-depth testing on the Winflo 11 yet, but Nike says its upper is even roomier than the 11, which means it offers even more freedom to pronate than its predecessor.
Inside the midsole of this shoe, there’s one big Air unit (a pod of pressurized gas) that makes the shoe a bit lighter and more compressible than a traditional solid sole. It’s not Nike’s most energetic design, which is a consequence of the Winflo’s low price, but it’s still plenty plush. The shoe also doesn’t have any stability features, meaning your high-arched foot won’t be stuck in an uncomfortable position.
Key Specs
| Weight | 11.4 oz. (M), 9.5 oz. (W) |
|---|---|
| Drop | 10mm |
3
Best for Interval Training
Saucony Endorphin Speed 4 Running Shoe
Pros
- Nylon midsole plate balances pliability and energy return
- More durable (and cheaper) than a dedicated racing shoe
Cons
- Not as much toe-off snap as a carbon plate
Want to get used to the feeling of a plated shoe without jumping feet-first onto some stiff carbon fiber? Take a look at this newest iteration of Saucony’s softer-soled, nylon-plated Endorphin Speed, which test editor Amanda Furrer hailed for its relaxed fit compared to its predecessors.
“I chalk up my distaste of the first three Endorphin Speeds to their fit,” she says. “Past models had a narrower toebox and midfoot. Saucony slightly widened the 4’s base to make the fit more accommodating and the ride more stable.”
If you have high arches, that’s good news: Your feet will have more room to pronate, but there’s still a stable foundation that won’t make you lose your footing.
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Key Specs
| Weight | 8.2 oz. (M), 7.2 oz. (W) |
|---|---|
| Drop | 8mm |
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4
Best for Trail Running
Hoka Speedgoat 5 Trail Running Shoe
Pros
- Relatively lightweight for a trail shoe
- Plenty of freedom to move in the upper
Cons
- Lack of stability features could prove precarious in techy sections
Petruny has a lot of nice things to say about the Speedgoat line, but one point sums it up best: “It’s a lot of people’s first Hoka.” In other words, it’s a pretty approachable trail shoe that’s easy to get hooked on.
The Speedgoat is a curious character in the off-road world . It’s foamy and light, especially for a trail shoe, and it has no stability features. This might sound like a troublesome setup if you need support on dubious terrain. Bbut if you need a neutral sole for your high arches, this thoroughly cushioned platform will offer plenty of relief for your feet on long runs. After all, it was made as an homage to ultrarunner Karl “Speedgoat” Meltzer, who is famous for his long jaunts. (Check out his record-breaking 45-day haul along the Appalachian trail to see what we mean.)
A note on the Speedgoat 6: The next model is freshly out. We’re putting it through the wringer with our testers, and so still recommend the fifth generation for now. But early feedback is promising. Once we have more comprehensive notes than “Duuuuuuuuuude, this rules,” we’ll update our selections here if it does supplant the 5.
Key Specs
| Weight | 10.3 oz. (M), 8.5 oz. (W) |
|---|---|
| Drop | 4mm |
Pros
- Abundantly soft ride
- Compliant upper adds all-round comfort
Cons
- Limited energy return—all that cush eats it up
When Furrer first tested the Clifton 9, she admittedly had a hard time getting used to how “marshmallowy” the ride was. This isn’t a shoe she’d recommend pulling off the rack to clean up your mile PR. But on an easy day or a long run, that extra cushion is going to do wonders for your feet, especially if they’re naturally constricted by high arches.
This shoe does have some stability features around the heel; however, thanks to the shoe’s neutral platform and soft upper, those likely won’t stop your feet from pronating properly. Rather, they might stop a sloppy recovery-day foot strike from causing you stress.
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Key Specs
| Weight | 8.7 oz. (M), 7.3 oz. (W) |
|---|---|
| Drop | 5mm |
Pros
- Carbon plate guides your stride and adds pep to your toe-off
- Wide footprint for more post-landing stability
Cons
- High-stack racing shoes generally feel precarious and lofty
This shoe’s predecessor, the V3, was what I wore to run the 2023 New York Marathon, and for good reasons: It felt incredibly supple, the upper wasn’t constrictive at all, and the midsole didn’t seem quite as precarious as many other carbon-plate shoes. The V3 feels lively and race-ready, to be sure, but it doesn’t have the same aggressive snap as the Nike Vaporfly or the Asics Metaspeed line. It’s better suited for long races in which comfort and consistency are the keys to a good run.
The V4 improves that stable feeling even further by widening out the sole, giving you a more confidence-inspiring landing pad. The upper also has eyelets again, rather than the V3’s elastic straps that looked, felt, and were frustratingly fragile.
Key Specs
| Weight | 8.4 oz. (M), 6.6 oz. (W) |
|---|---|
| Drop | 4mm |
Adam Schram
Adam Schram is an Assistant Editor of Commerce at Runner's World, though you might see his byline on Bicycling and Popular Mechanics, too. A lover of all things outdoors, Adam's writing career comes after six years as a bike mechanic in his hometown of State College, PA. His journalism experience is steeped in cycling and running gear reviews, and he's also a published creative nonfiction and satire author. When he's not writing, riding, or running, you can catch Adam at home mixing co*cktails, watching Star Wars, or trying in vain to do the Sunday crossword. You can check out his latest work below.
