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With the sheer number and diversity of running shoes types and shoe brands, it can be really hard to find and decide on the right running shoes for narrow feet. Lucky for you, we’ve tested a ridiculous number of running shoes and feel really good in the options that tend to run more narrow, even if the shoe isn’t a narrow width. Let’s find you a great option too.
One thing that’s important to remember is even though you wear narrow casual shoes, you might do fine with a standard shoe while running.
This is because our feet swell the longer we run and we want to ensure there’s plenty of space for that. Some brands have narrow shoes, but others simply have a more narrow fit.
If a shoe is specifically made on a Narrow shoe last for women it will be marked as A or AA and B for men. These shoes should be roughly 1/4″ less room than a standard medium width shoe.
But how do you know if you have narrow feet and need narrow running shoes?
Or how do you know if a shoe comes in narrow sizes or just has a standard snug fit? I’ll answer all those questions and share my recommendations for the best running shoes for narrow feet. Keep reading!
How to Know if You Have Narrow Feet
There are a few key ways to determine if you have narrow feet.
First, you may just find it hard to find shoes that fit well. Maybe you have found that an average running shoe leaves extra space around your foot and your foot moves around a lot inside of the shoe.
If this is the case, you may often get blisters or have other discomfort.
Another way to determine if you have narrow feet is to measure them and use a shoe width chart to determine what width you need. However, it’s important to keep in mind that there isn’t necessarily a standard across shoe companies, so what may be narrow in one brand may not be in another.
Finally, it comes down to comfort. What feels good on your feet when running?
There could be a lot of trial and error with this method, but I often recommend going to a running shoe store where staff can help find the best fitting shoe for you without the back-and-forth hassle of online shopping.
They’ll often watch you walk barefoot, examine your feet, ask about any issues you’re currently having or have had in the past, and then bring out several shoes for you to try. They often have you run on a treadmill or outside to see how your feet and gait look and so you can provide feedback on how things feel.
All of this is great information for selecting the right shoes.
Do You Need Narrow Width Shoes?
If you determine that you have narrow feet, you may or may not need a narrow-sized running shoe.
Why?
Well, some shoe companies provide varying widths for their shoes, while others maybe only provide one or two. Sometimes companies may only provide varying widths in certain models. So remember that you can also control the fit of your shoes by changing your lacing style!
Checkout my running shoe lacing guide, for how to do this narrow foot lacing.
Another thing to consider is that some shoe companies are known for having snugger fit shoes overall. In that case, you may be able to buy an average width shoe simply because they run a bit tighter in width.
Regardless of whether you end up in what’s labeled as a narrow shoe or just a shoe that runs more snug, it’s still important that you’re buying a shoe that’s comfortable for you.
As we all know, running in the right shoes can prevent injuries, offer the right support for your biomechanics, and more. In addition, wearing the right size and width can prevent blisters and other discomfort, as I mentioned earlier.
10 Best Running Shoes for Narrow Feet
When it comes to selecting a new pair of shoes, there are a lot of things to consider. Below I’ve shared my recommendations for the best running shoes for narrow feet that are currently available.
With each, I’ve included information on support type, widths available, heel drop, cushion level, weight, and price.
I hope this will be a helpful guide in your search for the right shoes for your narrow feet.
#1 Best Overall Narrow Running Shoe – Brooks Ghost Narrow (2A)
That’s right available in both wide and narrow, we don’t often see that! When you’re heading out for those weekly easy miles and are looking for a shoe that offers support, cushion, and a smooth ride, the Brooks Ghost is a great choice. And a popular one too!
I’ve found this shoe to be not too soft and not too firm, it’s like that Goldilocks for getting in your daily miles in comfort. This is a great long run or easy week day miles shoe.
You can count on the Ghost for comfort, cushion, and smooth transitions from landing to toe-off. It’s perfect for road running, and also makes a great walking shoe. Its new midsole features soft and light weight DNA LOFT v2 cushioning and the shoe boasts an engineered air mesh upper.
It also comes in a TON of colors and most importantly, 4 different widths from Narrow (2A) all the way to Extra Wide (2E).
In addition, there are 2 other models the Max and the GT that run a bit higher in price. The max has maximal cushioning and a lower drop than the regular and GT models.
Only drawback is the 12mm heel drop may be too much for some runners and cause knee pain.
#2 Best Daily Trainer – Nike Pegasus 41
The Nike Pegasus is a very popular shoe and has been for a long time. The latest model is no exception, boasting its familiar springy ride, neutral support, and comfort for your arches and toes.
Nike shoes tend to run narrow so even though these don’t have multiple widths, they tend to provide a snug fit for runners. This is not the most narrow of Nike running shoes that I have tried over the years, but again I think that can be a good thing to not create blisters.
It’s been the go-to shoe for many whether you’re logging easy miles or running marathons. It’s known for its responsiveness thanks to 2 Nike Air Zoom units for an energized feel with each step.
#3 Max Cushioned Narrow Running Shoe – Asics Nimbus
If you’re thinking all max cushioned shoes are big and therefore never going to fit your narrow foot…you aren’t wrong a lot of times, though as mentioned above changing the lacing can help. But this time we’ve to a serious cushion that comes in narrow!!!
Look at that stack height, oh boy are we talking about some great cushioning underfoot. And yet, it still feels really stable and you aren’t sinking in to the cushion creating other form problems.
This is a lot of shoe and I was pretty darn happy to be running in it the day after a hard workout. 7 miles flew by and I didn’t think a whole lot about the stack after getting started.
This is a max cushion running shoe for recovery runs to long easy miles that has some bounce and is a winning update from the last model.
#4 Best Stability Shoe – Brooks Adrenaline GTS
Like the Ghosts, the Adrenaline GTS comes in 4 widths to help you find the perfect fit.
The “GTS” in Brooks Adrenaline GTS stands for “Go-To Shoe.” It’s a nod to the fact that the Adrenaline GTS has become a go-to shoe for many runners who prioritize stability, support, and comfort in their running shoes. It’s simply gotten lighter and less rigid over the years!
The Adrenaline is a support shoe offering GuideRails technology to prevent excess movement in your stride. They’re another extremely popular shoe for daily runs and walking.
Similar to the Ghosts, they have a midsole with the soft and light weight DNA LOFT v2 cushioning and an engineered mesh upper for breathability.
The higher heel to toe drop is good for those who deal with Achilles issues, but not good for anyone who deals with things like Plantar Fasciitis. I tend to encourage runners to stick with 6-10mm when possible. But if you love a shoe, you love a shoe!
- Weight: 9 oz women’s, 10.2 oz men’s
- Heel Drop: 12 mm
- Usage: Daily trainer with stability
- Available in Narrow in select colors
- Available on BrooksRunning.com, Zappos and retail stores for $140
#5 Best Speed Work Narrow Shoe – Puma Deviate Nitro 3
Having tested a lot of Puma running shoes recently, I’d say that aside from their max cushioned shoes they tend to run a bit more narrow. So if you’re looking for those speed shoes or carbon plated race day shoes, definitely checkout all our reviews.
This shoe doesn’t have the big bouncy feel of some other trainers, but we still enjoy the ride. A lot of runners find this feels much more natural for their speed and the like that it doesn’t have the massive stack height.
This is a multipurpose shoe, with a carbon fiber plate, that could be used as a daily trainer for many runners because it will hold up to easy miles or pushing the pace in tempo workouts.
#6 Best Narrow Trail Shoe – Craft Pure Trail X
Another brand that we’re seeing pretty consistently run a little more narrow is Craft. Maybe you haven’t thought much about them for shoes, so we’re here to let you know that they’re doing it right from trails to roads. We do recommend going up 1/2 size in most.
We love these for a variety of trail conditions and found they really gripped when things got technical.
After my fourth run in these shoes, I wasn’t thinking about my shoes at all. They were just a natural part of my run after a few days in these shoes. The ripstop upper felt really durable being able to survive all the spots I typically develop holes.
#7 Best Narrow Shoe with Zero Drop – Altra Escalante
Because a lot of shoes on this list have a higher heel drop, I wanted to make sure I included something with a lower or zero drop. It’s important to remember that a shoe can be narrow through the midfoot AND still have a wide toe box, though it’s not super common.
Altra is well known for their wider toe box, but also that they now have 3 Footshapes, the original, the standard, and the slim. The Escalante comes in the Slim Footshape, which makes for a more narrow shoe with a molded heel collar for security, but maintains a slightly wider toe box to allow your toes to spread naturally.
The shoe boasts Altra’s EGO midsole foam for a light cushion and more responsive ride, plus a layered mesh upper for breathability. The shoe is great for your daily run, walking, and even a speedy 5k. For me it doesn’t have enough cushion to be a great long run shoe, but others really like that ground feel.
#8 Best Carbon Plate Narrow Running Shoe – Nike Vaporfly
Honestly a lot of the carbon plated running shoes are kind of narrow, so this could have been a number of options. However, I really like the Vaporfly for up to the half marathon and it’s undoubtedly a more narrow fit.
The Nike Vaporfly features Nike’s innovative ZoomX foam, which is designed to provide unparalleled cushioning and energy return. The shoe also features a carbon fiber plate that is embedded in the midsole, which is designed to provide stiffness and help propel the runner forward with each stride.
You will notice a feeling of arch support, which interestingly is something that a lot of folks with narrow feet need due to high arches. This was mildly uncomfortable to me at first, but I quickly forgot about it.
#9 Surprise Narrow Fit Recommendation – Saucony Tempus
That’s right, this is a shoe that surprised us and doesn’t quite fit in to a category above because it’s fast, light AND offers some stability. A combination we don’t see a lot of, but are really digging.
It’s one of the few stability shoes to feature a superfoam, (PWRRUN PB) so the ride is remarkably cushioned. And the Tempus 2’s natural rocker shape helps propel you forward, particularly when you’re running harder efforts.
#10 Best Narrow Foot Walking Shoe – New Balance 1080 v14 Narrow
I’ve recommended this shoe in a lot of running round ups as a great cushioned option, so you could absolutely choose it for that. But it’s also one of their most popular walking shoes.
I love that New Balance offers a great variety of widths in their shoes.
The Fresh Foam X is dreamy underfoot and one of the reasons I like these shoes so much.
The breathable mesh upper offers a snug fit for a second skin like feel. While a neutral shoe, it provides nice arch support. Finally the rubber soles offers a bit of stiffness, good for toe off. Overall I would consider this a great cushioned shoe for whatever miles you’ll be putting in.
- Weight: 10.5oz Men’s, 8.3 oz Women’s
- Heel Drop: 6mm
- Usage: Walking shoe or daily easy run trainer
- Available in 2A
- Available on NewBalance.com for $165
Running shoes have come a long way and there are seemingly endless options out there for any and all foot types. Whether you’re looking for shoes for narrow feet, wide feet, lots of cushion, minimal cushion, speed work, trail, road, and more, you will have plenty of options to choose from.
Hopefully now you’ve got some ideas for testing out the right narrow foot running shoe.
I always recommend running around the block if you’re at a running store or buying direct from the brands listed above where you have the opportunity to test it at home and return if it’s not the right fit.
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