What are the Best Walking Shoes for High Arches?

This article is a review of the best walking shoes for high arches. It reviews shoes for both men and women in lots of different styles so you'll be sure to find something to suit.

The Best Walking Shoes for High Arches Should Have:

1. Room in the toe box to allow toe spread
2. Cushioning especially to the heel and balls of the feet
3. Support to the arch to distribute pressure evenly
4. Smooth materials & cushioning to avoid rubbing high-pressure areas of the foot
5. A top quality shaped insole to help firmly position the foot

I'm assuming that you probably know you have high arches and just want to get straight to the reviews. Use the navigation tables for your gender which show the shoes I am reviewing which are laid out under each table. Use the ‘jump to' links in the tables to go straight to the shoe that interests you.

If you are here hoping to better understand if you have high arches or want to find out what problems they can cause, I have that information covered after the reviews. Or you can skip straight down to that section using the orange button below.

Links Disclosure: Some links on this page go to affiliate partners where, without cost to you, we may receive a small commission should you make a purchase.

The table below gives a quick view of the shoes covered for men and women. Use the jump links in the table as well as in the reviews to jump up and down the page quickly and easily. Blue links are for men, pink for women.

---

---

1. Saucony Men's Excursion TR12 Sneaker

Overview

If your exercise of choice is power walking or walking at speed, and you're doing it on uneven surfaces then you know how uncomfortable high arches can make the experience.

Since the majority of people have normal to low arches, it can be difficult to find shoes made to suit the higher arch.

The Saucony Excursion TR 12 is a water resistant trail shoe with moderate cushioning designed specifically for your high arches.

The shoe has a flexible mesh upper and decent enough sole to deal with the surfaces. The grid cushioning system provides a good balance between cushioning and stability and is made to be long-lasting.

The shoe has good arch support to provide a platform to distribute the forces from your weight and the insoles are removable in case you wish to install your own orthotics.

The mesh upper provides good breathability through the shoe and is plenty of cushioning to the heel and collar area as well as under the tongue to lacing area.

The toe box is not particularly wide and the shoe runs slightly narrow so if you are in between widths definitely order the wide fitting.

The shoe is very comfortable and durable and looks good. It has been well received in the community and is a great choice for high arched feet.

Saucony Excursion TR12 – Features of Interest

---

2. Hoka One One Bondi 6

Overview

One of the requirements for people with high arches is cushioning which can help protect the overstress areas to the heel, outside edge of the foot and particularly the toe area.

The Bondi 6 is a very plush shoe so the cushioning throughout is excellent. This makes for a very comfortable shoe for walking and allows good distribution of pressure through the shoe.

Bondi 6 has moderate arch support with excellent shock absorbention to the heel area and the heel counter helps position the foot properly.

The cushioning does not just come from the removable insole but also from an excellent midsole and so replacing the insoles should you need better support is always an option.

Bondi 6 is available in wide as well as medium width fittings and several styles.

This sufficient room in the toe box and the outsole has rocker technology to match your foot's action and keep your gait on line.

The bevelled heel also allows better connection for walkers and less impact shock at heel strike.

If you like highly cushioned shoes and the Bondi 6 should be on your shopping list.

Hoka One One Bondi 6 – Features of Interest

---

3. Clarks Unstructured Casual Oxford

Overview

The Clarks unstructured Casual Oxford is a shoe that is smart enough the formal wear and relaxed enough for casual occasions.

This is a quality shoe premium leather uppers and the lambskin lining which helps reduce rubbing from blisters that you might find in cheap issues.

The shoe is quite lightweight with a rubber sole and comes in a range of with fittings – narrow, medium and wide so you'll be sure to get fit that matches you.

This is a well ventilated shoe for a formal type design which has a removable footbed to accommodate any special orthotics you may wish to use.

It's a really good-looking shoe blending formality with a laid-back style with some really nice stitching to the leather uppers.

Shoe has excellent support for your arches already in good cushioning throughout.

It's a comfortable shoe designed for all daywear and should suit your high arches admirably comfortably.

Clarks Unstructured Casual Oxford – Features of Interest

---

4. Cole Haan OriginalGrand Knit

Overview

If you arrived here looking for something a little more casual and less sporty then the Cole Haan OriginalGrand Knit Wing Tip II Oxford will be just the ticket.

Style and sophistication is the hallmark of the shoe made from excellent materials and bringing in some of the best technology to find in high quality running shoes.

The all over knit upper is breathable and flexible and avoids being the catalyst sore spots through rubbing.

The shoe is super lightweight and super comfortable with a quality cushioned EVA midsole for your entire foot.

Additional cushioning and support is provided by the Cole Haan Originalgrand technology insole to give all-day comfort.

The shoes fit just about to size but you may consider taking a half size larger just to give a little bit more space in the toe area.

Insoles are removable for custom orthotics should you need even more support but do try those provided as they are very good quality.

This is a premium designer shoe that you'll be proud to wear.

A shoe with similar qualities, the Cole Haan Grand Horizon Oxford II Sneaker couples a suede upper instead of the knit upper which you may prefer.

Other than the uppers, the remainder of the shoe design is extremely similar to the knit shoe and again looks very sophisticated.

You need to experience the comfort that this shoe brings to the market for sophisticated designer casual formal footwear.

Cole Haan OriginalGrand Knit – Features of Interest

---

5. Brooks Bedlam

Overview

Another good shoe for the power walker is the Brooks Bedlam which is specifically designed for the higher arched exercise walker which it why it makes the cut here in preference to the excellent Brooks Ghost.

This shoe is ideal strenuous walking exercise on hard surfaces such as concrete doesn't have the durability to the sole to cope with more variable surfaces.

Shoe comes with excellent cushioning with the DNA AMP midsole providing spring and working with the outsole to provide decent support and gait correction if you need it.

The shoe has a moderate 8 mm midsole drop and is fairly lightweight for the class. It has the accolade of being the winner of Outside Magazine's Award of the Year 2018.

The insole and midsole work together to provide a high-energy spring return with good support to your arches throughout your stride and excellent shock absorption.

The other comes with a high quality fit knit upper which is flexible enough to conform to the shape of your foot without excessive rubbing.

The upper gives enough flexibility to provide little space for your toes to spread out.

This is a very comfortable shoe for power walkers and those were very serious about exercise walking.

Brooks Bedlam – Features of Interest

---

6. Nike Revolution 4

Overview

The Nike Revolution 4 Shoe is a lightweight responsively cushioned shoe that is competitively priced in the market.

The soft foam outsole provides plenty of cushioning to absorb shocks and yet remains responsive and springlike courtesy of little pods set into the sole of the shoe.

The pods sort of spring back apparently giving a spring to your step. I am not sure I believe that hype though.

The upper is a breathable mesh that avoids the issue of sore patches and blisters to some degree.

There is also some cushioning around the collor and to the tongue of the shoe which protects the instep from rubbing courtesy of the laces.

There is only a limited collection of colors to choose from, and although the shoe looks smart, the logo on the side looks cheap.

This is a very lightweight shoe at a lightweight price point that comes up really pretty small in sizing.

Arch support is not sufficient though so you'll be wanting to swap out the insoles for something more supportive which means even more upsizing.

If you have wide feet then pass on this shoe but if your feet are pretty narrow and you have orthotics to swap then it might be a runner at this price.

Nike Revolution 4 – Features of Interest

---

7. Ecco Illinois Slip On

Overview

For a formal slip on the Echo Illinois is a beautiful looking shoe made to fit your feet.

Echo is an excellent shoemaker typically providing good support for high arches and this shoe is no exception.

The shoe is lightweight courtesy of its synthetic outsole and is a highly comfortable and very well cushioned shoe.

Quality leather uppers and classic design make it perfect for any formal occasion and there is enough flex in the uppers to accommodate most foot shapes.

Shoe has a wider than average toe box to allow your toes to spread out and better distribute the forces in the metatarsal area.

The insoles are removable in case you want to fit custom orthotics into this quality shoe.

Ecco Illinois – Features of Interest

---

8. Orthofeet Edgewater Athletic Shoe

Overview

If you have foot problems beyond your high arches, then it makes sense to consider a shoe made by a company that designs shoes to solve those problems.

Orthofeet definitely falls into the category of the shoe maker designing for feet that have problems such as ball of the foot pain, metatarsal pain, plantar fasciitis and hammer toes.

These are all problems that can afflict you if you have high arches.

The shoe has an excellent orthotic insole which coupled with a cushioning system designed to provide excellent heel shock absorbing qualities as well as extra cushioning to the toe area to relieve pressure on the metatarsal area at the front of the toe box.

The shoe is made to a wider last to provide space for the toes to expand and the flexible knit upper give a little to accommodate your unique feet.

Shoe has extra depth design and comes in a wide range of with fittings so you are sure to be able to get the size you need.

Good cushioning to the collar and throat of the shoe and padding to the instep offence against rubbing and pressure on those areas.

The shoe looks like a regular sneaker and comes with removable orthotics in case you need even more arch support than already provided.

Orthofeet Edgewater – Features of Interest

---

9. Salomon Women's X Ultra 3 GTX

Salomon make shoes specifically designed to fit a woman's foot anatomy.

This means they are slightly narrower in the heel and wider in the toe box to provide a better more comfortable fit.

The Salomom X Ultra 3 GTX trail shoe is made for people with normal to high arches providing excellent support and cushioning.

Technology incorporated into the sole chassis is asymmetrical providing better stability and cushioning and helping your feet stay fresh.

The textile and rubber upper gives the shoe plenty of breathability and a good straight toe box provides room for your toes to spread the forces of the forefoot.

This is a hiking type shoe for more rugged terrain within a heel inlay that holds the foot in place better. This is to prevent the foot slipping forward in downhill descents.

A great looking shoe if your walking involves rugged terrain and you're not looking for too much flexibility for power walking.

The textile uppers provide breathability to the shoe and foam cushioning connected directly to the sole stabilises the heel for better foot alignment.

The insoles are removable with a little effort but already provide excellent support and cushioning that will be good enough for all but the most demanding foot shapes.

Salomon X Ultra 3 GTX – Features of Interest

---

10. Saucony Echelon 7

If you are into power walking then the Saucony Echelon 7 will provide you with a great stable base for stability and all-round support.

Designed for women's feet with high arches, this shoe is a very good option with its roomy toe box and excellent heel shock absorbency.

The midsole and heel are designed slightly narrower than the men's version better fit the shape of our feet and the ultra plush footbed gives you cushioning everywhere that you needed.

The Echelon 7 is designed to help power walkers and power exercises who suffer from supination as well as those with higher arches than normal and a neutral gait.The uppers are constructed in engineered mesh to fit and flex the shape of your foot whilst the heel support frame help secure your heal in place prevent slipping.

The removable insole is constructed to return the energy on your push off and provide continuous cushioning throughout your stride. It is a contoured footbed which provides support to your arch and cushioning to the heel and toe area.

The shoe is very comfortable and orthotic friendly since the shoe last is generous to accommodate the extra thickness of any orthotics you may choose to use in place of those provided.

Available in multiple widths but limited colour choice.

Saucony Echelon 7 – Features of Interest

---

11. Arcopedico Knit Casual

The Arcopedico is a vegan shoe that is super casual, comfortable and provides a fashion statement.

The super flexible knit upper coddles your foot so softly and is so laid-back if you look at them long enough you'll fall asleep.

The genius of the shoe is in the twin arch support system that provides perhaps the best level of support from all the shoes in this review.

This textile insole provides excellent levels of cushioning as well and is good enough to keep my feet dancing all day long.

These shoes are a real treat providing luxury in a super modern fashionable style.

The shoe also has an excellent lining she's treated with a deodorising system that is also antimicrobial which is marketed under the name of Sansmell. Sans the French for none so is really quite a clever name!

The outsole provides good traction with your walking on concrete roads, smooching around the department store or wandering about a home and just loves your office.

To top it all off you can just bang them in the washing machine when you freshen up if they get a bit dirty.

I like the shoes because they're a little bit different in design to most of the shoes that you see and mark you as someone special.

Arcopedico Knit Casual – Features of Interest

---

12. L'Amour Des Pieds Brenn Sandal

L'Amour des Pieds translates to something like I love feet, but don't take that to mean I am some sort of nutcase on a foot fetish.

These shoes look much better on than they do sitting naked in the picture.

The suede upper is chic, soft and elegant and good quality midsole and rubber outsole provide plenty enough shock absorbency the more formal wear.

The shoes have a fantastic orthotic footbed that provides lots of support for your high arches and there's plenty of room at the toe end for your toes to wiggle about.

What I love about the shoes is their flexibility as their dressy enough to be worn with a dress and classy enough to up the styles of your casual clothes.

There are very well made shoes and extremely comfortable but they do come up rather small so be advised to order a size larger than normal.

If a sneaker won't quite cut it for you want to be casual without dressing down and rather dress up then this shoe should be just the ticket for you.

An excellent shoe from an excellent brand

L'Amour Des Pieds Brenn Sandal – Features of Interest

---

13. Altra Escalante 1.5

Altra is another shoe company that designs its shoes with roomy toe boxes and alternative lasts for each gender.

The Altra Escalante is a multipurpose shoe which you can use for your aerobic workouts, cross-training, light power walking or regular walking exercise.

This is a lightweight shoe with a good quality insole and is contoured to the shape of your foot providing high levels of cushioning to the heel and toe area.

The shoe has good level of support for high arches and the Fit4Her design is evidence of the thought that the company has put in to produce shoes that better fit the shape of our feminine feet.

The shoe has a textile upper that has plenty of flex so it can mold to your foot shape quite easily which should prevent rubbing and blisters.

There is ample cushioning to the heel and collar of the shoe, though less to the tongue in the lacing area which is not a huge problem because of the soft nature of the material.

This is a highly breathable and comfortable shoe with a zero drop platform and a foot shape toe box which will allow your feet to retain the natural shape.

All these features add up to a shoe that will suit high arched feet coupled with a great looking design with comfort at the forefront.

Altra Escalante 1.5 – Features of Interest

---

14. NIKE Women's Air Zoom Odyssey React

For power and fitness walkers the Nike Air Zoom Odyssey 2 is just the ticket to accommodate your higher than normal arches through your walking exercise.

Nike have coupled a highly cushioned midsole made from two materials which provide soft cushioning to the heel and toe area and more substantial medial support under your arches.

A softer rubber is used in the forefoot to provide additional cushioning to that area with high abrasion rubber to the heel which gets the most wear.

The upper is a knit and synthetic mix which is nicely flexible but the toe box is a little narrower that some of the offerings in this review. Even so the flexible upper will accommodate your foot shape and provides great breathability.

The Nike does come up a little narrower in the last and a little short so you may need to upsize in width and length a smidgen.

Good cushioning to the collar and around the shoe generally together coupled with a decent heel counter will help to keep your foot better aligned.

Some additional stability features provided in the midsole which are not aggressive.

NIKE Women's Air Zoom Odyssey – Features of Interest

---

15. Gentle Souls Double Zip Low Profile Sneaker

Gentle souls are another of my favourite brands which make excellent classy shoes of high quality.

There are old maids sneakers, fuddy-duddy sneakers, cute sneakers, scream out loud sneakers sneakers for the gentle souls who are humble enough not to have to shout about it.

These rubber soled sneakers plush and classy and with a soul that's a multilayered comfort system to caress your foot from top to toe.

The thick, soft soles help out the soul of this shoe with shock absorbency and more cushioning.

The beautiful suede upper is a sip to the side you can easily get the shoe on and off.

But perhaps most important is the superb arch support provided by the insole that will help distribute pressures across your foot and the shoe.

They fit according to size, perhaps a tiny bit short, and are really comfortable sneaker for all day wear.

Free of metal and quite lightweight, they're also a great shoe for travel.

Gentle Souls Sneaker – Features of Interest

---

16. FitFlop Superskate Uberknit Loafers

Shame on me for passing off Fitflop as some sort of cheaply made budget shoe.

Originally launched as a vanity shoe, reports of miraculous reduction in pain the people with bad backs, bad knees and all sorts of other related issues thrust them into the limelight with Oprah Winfrey espousing the virtues on her show.

Then there was the long jumper Jade Johnson who also gave them the thumbs up since when plenty of celebrities have been wearing them.

I've watched this brand grow from their London origins with some serious technical input from two biomechanical engineers from the center of human performance at South bank University in London.

If we forget all the furore over whether they live up to their claim they help make you fit, which they probably don't, we are left with their actually comfortable to wear, which they definitely are.

This particular sneaker cum loafer provides all-day cushioning with some excellent pressure diffusing midsoles good support for high foot arches.

The knit upper is flexible and shouldn't cause too much in the way of issues for rubbing blisters that there is limited cushioning around the shoe as you might find in a sports shoe.

These are definitely casual shoes made for all day wear and get the seal of acceptance from the APMA.

These ergonomically engineered shoes are breathable stretchy and ultralight but the arch support is built-in so they're not really suitable for orthotics.

They're definitely worth a try

FitFlop Superskate Uberknit – Features of Interest

---

A Quick Look at Foot Arches

The image above shows the bones of the feet, the plantar fascia tendon that runs along the underside of your foot bone structure at the sole, and the Achilles tendon which connects to the back of your heel.

There are differences in the shape of the bones and their alignment for each individual person. The key takeaway though is to understand that the arch is controlled by both the alignment of the bones and the pulling of the plantar fascia and the Achilles tendon.

High Arches tend to be genetic where the bones form in an alignment pushing the center of the foot off the ground. However, the Achilles tendon the back of the heel and the plantar fascia tendon under the foot also affect your foot arch and its ability to flex.

If the plantar fascia is very tight and inflexible then the foot will not be able to flex. This tendon is connected to the back of the heel bone and the major toe bones and if it is inelastic and stretches poorly it will keep the arch sprung.

If the Achilles tendon is tight it will draw the back heel bone up and in so doing force pressure towards the front of the foot. This stresses the soft tissues on the balls of your feet and the metatarsal joints the back of your toes.

If the calf muscles are weak the heel bone will tend to be lower causing the arch to be higher.

So you will see there are various mechanics at play that are interacting together and the way in which they do this governs how much pain if any and where it occurs.

The function of the foot arch

The function of the foot arch is to flex and in so doing distribute the pressures on the foot from your weight as equally as possible and over an increased area without over rotation and misalignment. It is a shock absorber and pressure distribution mechanism.

The mechanics of the foot and how we walk is actually quite complicated. However, the basics are simple and easily understood. An understanding of this helps you better manage any foot problems you may be experiencing.

Basically, the gait falls into three stages. In the first stage, the heel touches the ground and becomes loaded as our weight is transferred onto the leading leg through our stride. The second stage is when our leg moves into the mid-stride and more vertical alignment, and weight is transferred from the heel towards the midfoot. The third and final stage is the transfer of weight from the midfoot towards the forefoot and toes ready to push off and propel ourselves forward.

In the first stage of our stride, the pads of our heel under the heel bone receive the impact forces of our weight which is why our heels are well-padded.

In the second stage of our stride and weight is transferred first onto the outside of the foot and the arch of your foot begins to spring downwards absorbing the pressure about weight and causing the foot to rotate inwards.

In the third stage of our stride and muscles and tendons work to spring the arch back up as weight is released and passed to the front of the foot which receives the pressure and weight and then pushes off.

If you have high Arches then it is highly likely that your plantar fascia is less flexible than the average person. The result of this is that the arch does not spring as far down and the foot does not rotate as much as the average person.

The result of this reduced spring means that less of the foot contact with the ground because the arch is maintained and pressure, therefore, is taken on the outer side of the foot more than the normal person.

The result of that uneven distribution of force orders the pressures of the front of the foot which can cause supination. Whether you have a supination gate or not the end result is that the midfoot takes relatively less weight because the arch does not spring to distribute it and therefore the forefoot takes more pressure than normal and to some degree so does the heel.

So people with high arches need to have better cushioning to the heel and much better cushioning to the toe area of the shoe to help mitigate the additional pressures those part of the foot have to absorb.

Our toes are well designed to distribute pressure if they're allowed to do the job. So in order to encourage better pressure distribution, it's important that the toe box area is wide enough for the toes to be able to move in order to function properly.

So this is the first requirement of any shoe designed to help people with high Arches – a spacious toe box.

As we understood above, our heels and forefoot have to cope with higher pressure demands than the normal foot and therefore require cushioning to distribute those pressures and avoid overstressing, rubbing or perusing the heel pad and the balls of their feet.

This is the second requirement of a shoe that will be the best shoe for your high Arches.

As well as this cushioning, the pressures can be better distributed more evenly if the arch is supported and therefore arch support in the shoe is also of prime importance. The heightened firmness of the arch support there is with the person depending on how high the arch is and the flexibility of it.

That said, the requirement is not precise so most supportive insoles will do a good enough job of supporting most peoples high arch foot shape if they're designed for high Arches.

This is the third requirement of shoes that are eligible to be considered as one of the best shoes for high Arches – arch support.

The fourth requirement considers the soft tissue in your foot. Some parts of the foot have to handle much more pressure than others. This can create persistent stress on the bone / muscle / ligament structure of the foot as well as on the fleshy tissue.

Eventually, this persistent stress can result in deformity and misalignment of the bone structure such as bunions, and breakdown in the joints such as arthritis. Tendons and ligaments can tear, stretch or lose strength with resultant loss of function or become inflamed through contact with bones or rupture such as tendonitis or Plantar Fasciitis.

If your foot bone changes position then it can change shape and be susceptible to rubbing against the shoe lining. Knots in stitching, rough materials and poor cushioning can all lead to blisters, calluses and sore patches on the skin.

Good cushioning, not just to the sole of the foot, but throughout the shoe lining and especially to the area around the heel and lacing area is the fourth requirement for a shoe for feet with high arches.

People having feet with high arches are likely to experience parts of the foot that rub in the shoe or become sore because of persistent excess pressures combined with slipping.

So it is very important that you get shoes that fit properly and avoid models of shoe made with cheap materials and manufacturing methods that can have poor stitching, materials or design that rubs the skin in places.

As well as this the fleshy parts of the foot can become tender and bruised if the insole does not provide enough cushioning or the material used for the top cover is uneven.

The insole should also be shaped to help keep the foot in position to avoid it slipping about which will cause rubbing. It should also be porous to wick away moisture build-up from sweat which can lead to foot odor as well as slippage & rubbing.

A good quality shaped insole that wicks away moisture, provides a smooth surface for the foot, assists with shock absorbance and provides cushioning with resistance to foot slippage is the final special requirement for people with high arches.

Apart from these factors which are more critical for people with high arches, other desirable features in shoes that are common to all foot types also apply.

 

Other Posts You May Find Useful:

Shoes for Concrete Floors
Footwear for Long Distance Walking
Shoes for Overweight Men

Please rate our post if you found it useful – thank you so much!