Living with flat feet can be frustrating, but it is no excuse to ditch a healthy running routine. There are dozens of shoe models out there that cater to fallen arches, and once you don the right pair, you can dash onto the tracks without a worry.
Finding the best running shoes, however, is a long, arduous task made even tiresome by a flat foot. Due to the absence of arches between the forefoot and heel, a flat foot runner’s entire sole falls in contact with the ground. This can exert an unnatural burst of pressure on the ankle and knees, often compelling runners to roll their foot inward after each landing. This phenomenon is known as “overpronation” and leaves you vulnerable to pointless injuries. The best running shoes buckle up your feet with conscious, unyielding arch support, overcoming the shortfalls of a flat arch. A wide toe box and cushioned insoles further downsize the strain on your feet. These are the features to seek if you wish to bypass the throes of flat feet and run without tethers.
To help you make the right purchase, we have rummaged through countless footwear brands, seeking the best running shoes for flat feet. Our experts tested each top model for comfort, stability, and support to narrow down the pairs that felt perfect on flat feet. If you love running, discover our top 3 picks below and dash on in the best running shoes for flat feet!
| Product | Key Features | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Brooks Men’s Beast 20 – ( Editor’s Choice) | GuideRails technology | Check Price |
| Saucony Men’s Guide 13 | PWRRUN cushioning | Check Price |
| HOKA ONE ONE Men’s Bondi 6 | EVA midsole | Check Price |
(Editor’s Choice): Brooks Men’s Beast 20
The Brooks Beast 20 shoes are a global favorite among runners. The shoe’s lightweight body combines blissful sole-centered cushioning and an innovative GuideRails support system that compensates flat arches while electrifying your run.
You will notice the Beast 20’s aesthetic appeal right out of the box. Its textile upper has been adorned with a neat fabric saddle that radiates style. It is stitched into a streamlined, protective shape permeated by patches of mesh, ensuring that your feet remain aerated throughout the workout. The upper outstrips even the best running shoes in terms of fitness. It is not a plain, flappy fabric, but rather a purposefully engineered structure emboldened from the sides to resist force. This comfort-centric design allows you to freely stretch your toes and maintain breathing space throughout the stride cycle. If you possess flat feet, you know how essential such inner space can be for handling the pronating motions, which is what makes the Beast 20 one of the best running shoes for flat feet.
In terms of support, the Brooks Beast 20 is a truly bestial pair. The shoe’s midsole holds your feet in a steady posture throughout the gait cycle. It has been implanted with Brooks’ iconic GuideRails system, a structural unit that regulates the motion of your feet. During each stride, you can sense the midsole flexing and supporting the underfoot regions. If you are an overpronator, the midsole’s structure will actively inhibit you from rolling too far inwards. This ensures that you land perfectly and don’t exert undue pressure on your muscles.
The midsole is inclined into a 12mm drop from heel to toe, so you can rely on its support during kick-off and sprints. Most brands that claim to build overpronation shoes provide little more than flashy insoles for flat feet, but these Brooks shoes have managed to erect a truly supportive platform just through the midsole. Furthermore, the shoe’s soling is furnished with BioMoGo DNA technology. This premium foam delivers the greatest cushioning experience among top running shoes. Athletes flock to DNA soling for its compressive, floaty nature, and in the Brooks running shoes, it sprinkles maximized cushioning into the supportive palate. The foam delivers shock absorption akin to flat foot insoles without stuffing up your heels. If you seek the most comfortable shoes for flat feet, the Brooks Beast 20 is a purchase you won’t regret.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Supportive GuideRails technology | Not enough traction for trail running |
| Excellent cushioning | Size labels can be different from conventional scales |
| Lightweight body | |
| Integrated with BioMoGo DNA sole technology | |
| Wide, roomy interior |
Conclusion
Brooks has accomplished with the Beast 20 shoes something all footwear brands envy: a balance between high-grade support and cushioning. Its GuideRails technology, BioMoGO DNA soling, and sturdy frames not only erase the pain of flat feet but also optimize your running strides. If you seek performance-driving footwear for long races, the Beast 20s are the best running shoes you will find.
Saucony Men’s Guide 13
Saucony’s Guide 13 is the latest in a series of stability-focused shoes. It has been engineered with a comfortable guidance frame that smoothens your transitions from one stride to the next.
The upper is warped from tough synthetic materials that grant it a leather-like appearance. Although it’s not an open mesh fabric, there are mesh cavities drilled into the sides. You can derive sufficient ventilation from them for intermittent runs. If you tend to engage in lengthy, sweat-ridden workouts, however, the shoe may heat up quickly. From the inside, the shoe walls feel snug yet breathable. This is due to Saucony’s FormFit technology, which grants just the right amount of flexibility to accommodate your feet without suffocating it. If you often struggle to break into your shoes or find the perfect mold for your foot shape, these Saucony shoes should be your first pick among the best running shoes for men. We found the shoe to be an instant fit on a range of versatile testers, including those with protruding, big-toed, or narrow feet.
The Saucony Guide 13 shoe is equipped with an efficient cushioning system called PWRRUN. This is one of the latest footwear technologies formulated by Saucony and it serves the exact level of comfort flat-footed runners need. Every corner of the shoe is appropriately padded and layered with shock-absorbent units. Whether you are running through coarse, uneven trails or rocky tracks, each step feels painless in the Saucony Guide 13. Some users even admitted that they no longer require orthotics for flat feet after switching to the Guide 13; it’s in-built cushioning is that effective!
Listed among the most stable running shoes for men, Saucony Guide 13 is equally adept in the support department. The shoe boasts a distinct combination of midsole materials and outsole engraving to facilitate a smooth, balanced ride. It has been integrated with a medial TPU frame that you won’t find in previous Guide models. Like all good running shoes, the frame keeps you from engaging in excessive movements during a run, guiding your feet into the perfect running posture from landing to toe-off. Being a mid-arch model with maximized arch support, it is one of the best running shoes for flat feet.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| FORMFIT design | Limited ventilation |
| Excellent cushioning (PWRRUN) | Narrow-fitted toe box |
| Fits easily on most foot shapes | |
| Superior arch support | |
| Guidance TPU frame |
Conclusion
Saucony’s Guide 13 does not hold back when it comes to cushioning. Its PWRRUN system provides round-the-clock shock absorption and comfort. Coupled with the TPU guidance frame and FormFit design, it has become one of the best running shoes for those with quirky foot shapes or a craving for marathon running.
HOKA ONE ONE Men’s Bondi 6
When searching for the best running shoes for flat feet, most people prowl exclusively among the labeled stability models. This is a critical error that can cause you to overlook shoes like Hoka One One’s Bondi 6. This outstanding shoe claims only neutral support but its combination of comfort, cushioning and traction ranks it among the best running shoes for flat feet.
The shoe is comprised of a bulky, wide sole merged with a premium fabric upper. The upper features a full-length field of mesh dots and overlain stripes. Although the shoe’s massive frame can be unflattering at times, you can shuffle through a variety of color options to match your tastes. Among the best running shoes that we tested, there was a persistent trend to sacrifice breathability in favor of support. The Hoka shoes, however, have managed to excel in both dimensions. Their mesh upper issues a constant supply of air around your feet, keeping you cool during long runs. The fabric’s aerated nature quickly expels moisture, preventing the accumulation of sweat.
Being soft and stretchy, the upper wraps blissfully around your midfoot. If you are an avid runner, you are probably familiar with the muscular strain that bubbles up around the heel and metatarsals after a rigorous lap, even in the best running shoes. In these Hoka One Ones, though, the upper works in conjunction with padded insoles to leech off that tension. Our testers ran for significantly longer distances in Bondi 6 as compared to the best running shoes before they complained of stress buildup.
The shoe’s midsole is built from EVA foam, an industrially enhanced compound that specializes in cushioning. EVA’s fiber structure compresses precisely the way flat-footed runners require, displaying just enough softness to erase stride impact. EVA midsoles are commonly found in the best running shoes, but what makes the Bondi 6 unique is the outsole combo layered beneath the EVA. The rubber outsole is engraved with intricate rubber pads to maximize traction. It also curves up from the forefoot region to add a touch of springiness into your strides. We found the outsole to be exceptionally stable on all kinds of surfaces, from grass to concrete, and it effectively drew out the EVA midsole’s responsiveness. Such technical perfection is how the Hoka One One Bondi 6 shoes beat the competition and made it into our top 3 best running shoes.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Durable rubber outsole | Bulky design can be unattractive |
| Superior cushioning with EVA midsole | More expensive than conventional running shoes |
| Engineered mesh upper | |
| Breathable interior | |
| Sturdy traction on diverse surfaces |
Conclusion
The Hoka One One Bondi 6 shoes prove that you don’t need to limit yourself to support-centric models if you possess flat feet. Their neutral support base is backed by an energetic midsole and soothing insoles that alleviate the stress of flat-footed running. If you seek breathable shoes with a resilient body, the Bondi 6 are the best running shoes for you.
FINAL VERDICT – EDITOR’S CHOICE
After evaluating hundreds of top pairs, we have highlighted a few performance categories that the best running shoes for flat feet have in common: Cushioning, comfort, and stability. Based on our tests, the top 3 performing shoes in these departments hail from Brooks, Saucony, and Hoka One One. Each model, as you discovered above, serves flat-footed runners with passion, but the most well-rounded pair is undoubtedly Brooks’ Beast 20.
This beautiful shoe not only relieves the stress of flat arches but also embodies performance-enhancing characteristics found in the best running shoes around the globe. Its GuideRails support technology spiced up runners’ transitions with such efficiency that the Saucony Guide 13 or Bondi 6 shoes could not keep up. Moreover, the shoe’s spacious toe box was a surprisingly rare feature even in the best running shoes. It lent flat-footed athletes a toe-spreading comfort that you cannot find in Hoka or Saucony shoes. Considering such a true-to-name portfolio of Brooks Beast 20, it’s safe to declare this model our top pick among best running shoes for men with flat feet.