Looking for the best trail running shoes for flat feet? You came to the right place.
It’s difficult to recommend shoes for people with flat feet. Different types of shoes seem to work for different people, even if they all suffer from flat feet. Generally, runners tend to either prefer low/zero drop shoes or stability shoes.
You should also be aware that there is a difference between flat feet and fallen arches. If you are not sure about the difference between flat feet and fallen arches, I would recommend checking out this article. This might impact the choice of footwear, however, it still seems that personal preference remains a big factor.
Runners with flat feet tend to prefer zero/low drop shoes, whereas runners with fallen arches tend to prefer stability shoes. However, it really depends on the person and making general statements is tricky.
If you are unsure about what type of arches you have, or what type of shoes to go for, I would probably recommend to simply try out a zero drop shoe first. If these don’t work for you, try a stability shoe instead. Of course, it’s also an option to consult a podiatrist before purchasing shoes.
Note that some people also don’t need to buy specific shoes, but are completely happy with the right insoles. Superfeet Green insoles are generally very well received.
List of the best trail running shoes for flat feet
Altra Lone Peak
If you like zero drop shoes, there is almost no reason not to consider the Altra Lone Peaks. These shoes are very responsive, have a great grip, are lightweight, have a great fit, balanced cushioning, etc.
On top of that, it’s one of the -if not the- most popular trail running shoes among people who suffer from flat feet.
Lone peaks have a wide fit, so if you have flat wide feet and you are ok with trying zero drop shoes, I would recommend the Altra Lone Peak for you over any other options on this list.
Sidenote: If you are looking for a more comfortable and less minimalist option, but you like the brand, I can also recommend the Altra Timps. Note that these are less responsive and not as wide, if that doesn’t scare you, it’s worth taking a look.
These shoes are available for men and women:
Men: Altra Lone Peak
Women: Altra Lone Peak
Topo Athletic Pursuit
They are mainly praised for the durability, grip and comfortable cushioning. They are made to be used on technical terrain, in any weather condition.
Not only are they comfortable and do they have great traction, they are also durable enough to last on rugged terrain (something that is often a problem in other trail running shoes).
Another great pair of Topo you might want to consider is the Topo Athletic Runventure shoe. These shoes share a lot of the same pros, but they have a better ground-feel and are more responsive.
The Topo Athletic Pursuit’s are available for both men and women, the best price can usually be found here:
Women: Topo Athetlic Pursuit
Whitin Minimalist Trail Runners
However, it’s very important that you try out a decent pair, you can’t just buy the cheapest option that you can find.
The Within minimalist trail runner is actually a great starter shoe for people who want to give zero drop trail running a try.
They will not be as durable, comfortable and not have equal traction than the more high-end options on the list. However, for the price, these shoes are pretty amazing.
There is a good reason that these shoes made it on the selection of the best cheap trail running shoes.
The best price can usually be found here:
Women: Within Women trail runner
Brooks Cascadias
Let’s start talking about stability shoes.
The Brooks Cascadias are loved my many trail runners with flat feet.
They offer everything you can expect from a solid trail running shoes: solid grip, foot protection, stability and comfort.
They might be a bit on the heavier side, but for the stability and support that they provide, it seems like a fair trade in favor of flat-footed runners.
In contrast to some of the other options on this list, these are not the shoes to go for if you are looking for a sensitive ground-feel type of shoe.
The Brooks Cascadias are tested and praised by many trail runners and are perfectly suited for longer trail running trips. In fact, because of the durability and the support, we also recommend these to ultra trail runners, see our article about the best ultra trail running shoes for more information.
In short, Brooks seem to understand people with flat feet, they even have an article on the subject: how to find the best running shoes for flat feet?
Interested? Here are the links:
Men: Brooks Cascadias
Women: Brooks Cascadias
Asics Gel Kayanos
The Gel Kayanos might be less like a true trail running shoe. These will be more suitable for road running and an occasional easier trail.
I still wanted to include them because they do still perform pretty decent on trails and they are also praised by many runners with flat feet.
The Gel Kayanos offer a lot of support, stability and comfort.
The shoes are also designed to help runners who suffer from overpronation.
For a shoe that provides so much stability, it’s also a relatively lightweight shoe.
Once again, these shoes are available for both men and women:
Men: Asics Gel Kayano
Women: Asics Gel Kayano
Best trail running shoes for flat feet – conclusion
As stated in the beginning of the article, it’s pretty hard to make a general recommendation for every runner with flat feet or fallen arches.
However, you have got to start somewhere so I would recommend trying out the Altra Lone Peaks (or Within trail runners if you are on a budget) and see how it feels. Unless you already know that zero drop shoes aren’t for you, in that case I would move on to stability shoes like the Brooks Cascadia.
The first step is really deciding what type of shoe works best for you.