7 Best Running Shoes For High Arches in 2024 (2024)

The Puma Deviate Nitro 2 is a perfect shoe for runners with high arches, with its cushioned forefoot and excellent fit. But its outstanding performance and versatility take it over the top as our best overall shoe for high-arched runners.

There are no issues in the fit department for the Deviate Nitro 2. It delivered a great fit with no rubbing or blistering as its padded upper gently hugged our feet in place.

Furthermore, we appreciated the ample amount of forefoot cushioning in this shoe. We measured the Deviate Nitro 2's forefoot stack height to be 1.9 mm taller and 32.7% softer than the average road running shoe, which certainly helped absorb the impact on our landings.

The generous cushioning and comfort of its midsole make the Deviate Nitro 2 a capable easy-run shoe, but it can also pick up the pace quite easily thanks to its carbon plate. That plate is less aggressive than other carbon-plated shoes, but it helps deliver a smooth and responsive ride that is a real joy to take on easy runs all the way up to speed sessions.

However, the Deviate Nitro 2 is a bit on the narrow side. We measured its toebox width at the widest part and at the big toe to be 1.6 mm and 1.3 mm narrower than average, respectively, so wide-footed runners should consider other options.

After intensive lab and run tests, we chose the fourth version of ASICS Novablast as the best daily trainer among high-arch running shoes. It’s a well-rounded pair that emphasizes comfort and delivers a great combination of support and energy so we can face whatever run training we have for the day.

With soaring stack heights reaching 39.2 mm in the heel (vs. 33.5 mm average) and 30.2 mm in the forefoot (vs. 24.6 mm average), the maximum cushion gives us immense comfort and just enough spring to bounce forward. This carries us through easy paces and even tempo workouts when we want to pick up the pace.

Our arches feel supported at any point in the run since we feel like we’re running on clouds! We had to test its plushness in the lab and our durometer confirms it's 28.7% softer than average. Novablast 4 also provides a generous landing platform to enhance stability and ensure we remain balanced.

As a non-plated shoe, it’s easy to maneuver the midsole, which is ideal for a daily trainer. Our bend test confirms it’s 13.5% more flexible than average — a crucial element for comfort.

Unfortunately, the upper lacks ventilation and feels toasty on hot and humid days. We recommend exploring other pairs for summer training.

With outstanding lab and trial run ratings, we claim Metaspeed Sky+ is the best for racing among high-arch running shoes. We blazed through the streets without the burning feeling - a perfect harmony of blissful comfort and insane responsiveness.

With a 33.5 mm heel stack and a 30.8 mm forefoot stack (both above 33.2/24.3 mm average), this pair is in the max-cushioned range and we definitely felt the extra comfortin our runs. It felt easy on our legs even when we pushed our paces to the limit since the cushion absorbed much of the impact.

The heavenly comfort was balanced with energy that kept us lighting fast! Its pronounced rocker design promoted smooth forward strides and its stiff carbon plate launched us with ease. Backed up by our 90° bend test, it’s an astonishing 118% stiffer than average. This stiffness translated to a snappier ride - perfect for breaking PRs!

Wearing this pair felt like a breeze (literally!), scoring the highest rating of 5/5 on our breathability test in the lab. Every step felt light, carrying only 7.2 oz (205.0 g) vs. the average of 9.4 oz (267.0 g).

All these come at a cost of $250 - even more expensive than other carbon-plated shoes (averaging $204). We recommend looking elsewhere if budget is a priority.

The Endorphin Speed 3 is a featherlight shoe that has a highly cushioned forefoot and an amazing fit, which is why we've made it our top lightweight trainer for high arches.

The Endorphin Speed 3 is built for speed. With a weight of just 7.94 oz (225g), it is comfortably lighter than other speed shoes, which weigh 8.9 oz (251.7g) on average. And the Speed 3 certainly has the performance to back up its name. We felt a good amount of bounce and snap thanks to its nylon plate, which made it easy to pick up the pace.

And whether it's easy days or speed sessions, there's more than enough cushioning to keep our feet protected. We measured the heel stack to have 0.9 mm more than the average road running shoe, while the forefoot stack was a good 2.5 mm taller.

Meanwhile, the fit of the Speed 3 is fantastic. It follows the natural shape and size of the foot, while the stretchy upper and semi-gusseted tongue help provide a secure lockdown.

But the big drawback of the Speed 3 is the heel. We experienced some uncomfortable heel rub due to its minimal padding, so those with sensitive heels should look elsewhere.

We found the Hoka Speedgoat 5 to be the best trail shoe for high-arched runners. As our lab and run tests have shown, this shoe is comfortably cushioned, with a fantastic fit, and a ton of traction on the trails.

The Speedgoat 5 doesn't have a massive midsole. Its heel and forefoot stack heights are 4.2 mm and 0.4 mm shorter, respectively, than the average trail shoe. But we felt that it still offered more than enough cushioning. Its midsole is an impressive 60% softer than usual, and it did a fantastic job of absorbing the impact from our test runs while providing immense comfort.

The Speedgoat 5 also has a flexible upper that offers an excellent locked-in fit. Thanks to its gusseted tongue with a butterfly design and its padded heel, our feet were kept securely in place during our runs.

Its outsole has a tacky grip, in large part due to the lugs not being spaced too far apart. That impressive grip kept us stuck to all kinds of terrain, from frozen surfaces to moderately muddy roads and loose off-trail ground.

However, the Speedgoat 5 does get significantly stiffer in the cold. After 20 minutes in the freezer, it became 85.8% more rigid than at room temperature and 6.5% stiffer than the average trail shoe in the cold. Those who need a more flexible trail shoe in frosty temperatures should look elsewhere.

Hours of running and lab tests led us to discover the ultimate comfortable running shoe that supported our arches—and it’s none other than the ASICS Gel Nimbus 26. This trainer embraced us with generous padding from all angles while ensuring it delivers the stability and ventilation we need.

The knit upper stretches to our foot shape and feels extra soft to the touch, showing its focus on comfort. While most plush uppers sacrifice ventilation, this one feels surprisingly breezy. We couldn’t resist checking in the lab and our tests revealed a high 4/5 rating, perfect for any season.

Beneath our feet lies a plush and thick stack that feels like home. It welcomes us with a warm embrace, muting out any sense of the ground. Our durometer confirms it’s 21.6% softer than average and our caliper shows it rises to a whopping 40.4 mm in the heel. Further facilitating gentle landings for heel strikers is the PureGEL technology in the rear area.

Despite its soft and stacked nature, the midsole offers gentle support by widening its landing base. Every stride feels surefooted and secure in this pair.

Unfortunately, this isn’t the best shoe for anything beyond moderate paces. At 10.7 oz (303g), it takes a lot of effort to speed up.

We have the streets and the lab results as our witness — Saucony Axon 3 offers the best value among high-arch running shoes. It delivers consistent performance, comfort, and durability that makes every cent worth it. At only $100, this shoe has premium features that some more expensive counterparts don’t even have.

Axon 3 feels impressively light on foot, weighing only 8.6 oz (244g), 12.5% lighter than the average daily trainer. What also makes it airy is the perforated mesh upper that’s free from obstructive TPU overlays — resulting in a high 4/5 score on our breathability test. No need to worry about sweaty feet and blisters.

The shoe feels good to be in for long hours because of the breezy upper and the cushioned platform. Our arches feel supported by the buttery smooth foam, which our durometer confirms is 22.5% softer than average. Despite long hours on the road, we didn’t experience any pain.

Underfoot, the outsole boasted of its excellent quality as it conquered any road with ease. After miles of running, we had no slips and the outsole barely showed any wear. At 3.9 mm, it smartly exceeded the average by 0.7 mm to extend its life.

We warn caution that Axon 3 is quite rigid, which may feel too stiff for easy days.