Running shoes for narrow feet | runner's World

Some runners with narrow feet have certainly experienced it: A rather frustrating visit to a running shoe store. No matter which model you try on, there is always too much space somewhere. It wobbles, the upper has annoying creases, the foot "swims" and simply doesn't find enough support. How do you find the right shoe when there seems to be no model that encloses the feet sufficiently?

The right fit

Well-fitting shoes are recommended in every situation - but especially when running. Because running means a special strain on the body and requires complex movement sequences. Running injury-free and with joy is primarily achieved through effective, balanced training - and with the help of well-fitting running shoes. Why it is like that? Quite simply: each model serves different needs of runners, ranging from maximum comfort and high dynamics to the lowest possible weight. The range of models and different areas of application and target groups is enormous. But no matter which type of running shoe you prefer, if the shoe doesn't fit properly, no copy can optimally develop its advantages. Example: Those who have far too much air in the shoe can hardly benefit from the supporting properties of a stable shoe, because the foot has no support and the whole step becomes unstable.

How does the shoe fit optimally on the foot?

When you try it on, a well-fitting running shoe should neither be constricting nor offer too much space. Walk a few steps around the store or, ideally, test it out walking in front of the store or on a treadmill. The upper material of the shoe should nestle comfortably against the foot, but should not pinch or chafe anywhere. Pay particular attention to the midfoot and heel areas: does your foot have enough support here? Many runners with narrow feet have the problem of the heel slipping out of the shoe in particular. A shoe that fits is firmly attached to your heel, even when you push off forcefully.

Extra widths from running shoe manufacturers

In fact, many running brands offer shoes in different widths. These are usually declared with letters/numbers in the product description or directly on the shoe box. It's not that easy to keep track of things here. So which letter means what? Orientation is made more difficult by different identifiers for men and women - the letter D stands for the regular fit for men, while for women it means an extra width. To make it easier to find your way around when buying running shoes next, we have put together an overview of the markings here:

The widths of women's shoes

The widths of men's shoes

Narrow-cut running shoes tested

Although there are running shoes in different widths according to the markings, unfortunately Not all running shops have a large selection of narrow shoes. If you want to be on the safe side, first look around for running shoes that are already narrow in the regular fit. Some manufacturers tend to produce narrower shoes overall, while others have specific product lines in their range that are suitable for narrow feet. In the following overview we present a selection of running shoe models that have proven to be narrower in the test.

Adidas Terrex Speed ​​Ultra

Manufacturer

Order here: women's model or men's model

As the name suggests, the shoe is aimed at runners who want to run as fast as possible on trails. To ensure this, Adidas Terrex relies on a flat midsole made of Boost and Lightstrike material, which provides pleasant cushioning and is reactive at the same time. The fit of the Speed ​​Ultra is more suitable for narrow to normal width feet and tends to be slightly smaller. No wonder: the fit, or the last, is copied from the popular Adidas competition models. A test runner judged: "The shoe is phenomenally secure and comfortable on the foot".

The midsole is divided into two and consists of the two well-known Adidas materials Boost and Lightstrike. Boost is only in the rear and midfoot area, while Lightstrike is in the entire midsole. The combination ensures a high level of cushioning and reactivity. The Continental outsole, which has lugs that are only 2.5 millimeters deep, offers very good grip on dry and wet trails, asphalt and rock. The profile is only overtaxed in deep mud. But the shoe also runs very well on asphalt passages. Finally, there is praise for the durability: Both the upper and the outsole proved to be extremely robust despite the use in sometimes rough alpine terrain.

Weight: 240 grams (men), 206 grams (women) Drop: 8 millimeters Price: 180 euros

Asics Gel-Cumulus 23

Manufacturer

Order here: women's model or men's model

The midsole of the meanwhile 23rd Cumulus version cushions over the entire length with the proven "FlyteFoam" from the Japanese manufacturer, but in a new version with lower density. This makes the shoe look a little lighter and more reactive than its predecessors. Furthermore, there are of course the usual gel cushioning elements in the forefoot and rearfoot area. In addition, there is a new dynamic through the enlarged flex grooves of the outsole in the forefoot area and a revision of the outsole construction in the heel area, which allows a smoother transition of the foot after landing.

Thanks to the seamless mesh upper in the forefoot area, the well-padded, stretchable tongue with flat lacing in the midfoot area and the heel flap, which is thickly padded around the entire shoe collar, the foot feels well embedded in the Cumulus 23. Wide feet tend not to feel comfortable in the Cumulus 23, but the shoe is all the more suitable for runners with narrow feet. Comfort continues to be the focus of the new Cumulus. Other: For winter use, the Asics Gel-Cumulus 23 AWL (=All Winter long) is a good choice to keep your feet warm.

Weight: 230 grams (women), 280 grams (men) Drop: 10 millimeters Price: 140 euros

New Balance Fuel Cell Rebel

Manufacturer

Order here: women's model or men's model

The New Balance FuelCell Rebel is a running shoe with a narrow fit that defies conventional categorizations. It is a cushioning shoe, lightweight trainer and competition shoe at the same time. In the second version it has become even lighter (167 grams for women, 204 grams for men). The shoe has a fairly high midsole with a drop of six millimeters: The FuelCell midsole material, an EVA-based foam, combines light weight, soft cushioning and high energy return like hardly any other material. The midsole of the New Balance FuelCell Rebel v2 convinces even with light runners with its enormous cushioning comfort.

"The shoe is softer than most cushioning shoes while being as responsive as the latest competition shoes," said one test runner. The shoe feels comfortable during slow endurance runs and fast during speed training. "The comfort and reactivity are fun over short and long distances," says a test runner. The Rocker construction of the Fuel Cell Rebel also contributes to this, giving dynamic rolling behavior. All in all, the New Balance FuelCell Rebel v2 is a versatile running shoe that convinced in the test as one of the best lightweight trainers.

Bounce: 6 millilitersWeight: 167 grams (women), 204 grams (men)Price: 140 euros

Nike Air Zoom Pegasus 38

Manufacturer

Order here: women's model or men's model

The 38th version of the Pegasus is the epitome of a good cushioning shoe. Like last year's 37, the current version also has an air cushion ("Zoom Air") in the forefoot area, with higher pressure in the men's version, by the way. The full-length midsole is made of "React" foam, a specialty of the Nike chefs, which is very springy and at the same time very comfortable and flexible. The rest of the midsole foam is now made from the new React material instead of Cushlon. This was first introduced in 2019 with the launch of the React Infinity model and is intended to help prevent overload and injuries. And it should provide a more energetic imprint.

The Pegasus is rather narrow, especially in the toe box, and the forefoot area is a bit more pointed. In addition, the lacing system in combination with the padded strap allows the upper material to be well adapted to the individual shape of the foot. The 38th Pegasus offers a comfortable, feather-soft running feeling even for narrow feet.

Weight: 260 grams (men), 252 grams (women) Drop: 10 millimeters RRP: 120 euros

On Cloudflow 3

Manufacturer

Order here: women's model or men's model

Even in the third version, the Cloudflow remains what it always was: a direct shoe with high flexibility and a lot of forefoot cushioning. The fit of the On Cloudflow is more suitable for narrow feet, but there is also a new, additional version, each in the darker color variants. The narrow fit is particularly noticeable when you start quickly, in curves or when going downhill.

The characteristic of the Cloudflow, like all running shoes from On, is the tubular cushioning elements (clouds), which compress on impact and expand again on rebound. CloudTec calls this cushioning technology On. The On Cloudtec sole made of a light and reactive foam called Helion Superfoam is flexible and offers a very direct running feeling. Thanks to the comfortable upper material, the Cloudflow sits well and lightly on the foot, but at the same time offers the necessary support. In our opinion, the On Cloudflow is most suitable for well-trained runners who appreciate direct ground contact during brisk training and find current cushioning shoes too soft or spongy. The Cloudflow is also well suited for competitions over 5 and 10 kilometers or the half marathon.

Weight: 198 grams (women, EU 38), 238 grams (men, EU 42) Drop: 6 millimeters Price: 149.95 euros

Saucony Kinvara 12

Manufacturer

Order here: women's model or men's model

The Kinvara combines lightness, flexibility and cushioning in one running shoe model. Despite the minimalist design, the Kinvara is anything but uncomfortable. Rather, the shoe nestles comfortably against the foot and provides good support. Thanks to its overall slightly tighter fit, it also allows comfort for runners with narrow feet.

The midsole is equipped with the well-known "PWRRUN" cushioning material and is comparatively thin with a height of 28.5 millimeters under the heel and 24.5 millimeters under the forefoot. Nevertheless, it offers the Kinvara-typical combination of cushioning and reactivity. The shoe does not indicate any direction during the rolling process and therefore requires an active running style. For this reason, the shoe is a lot of fun for forefoot or midfoot runners, as the high agility paired with the low weight is clearly noticeable, especially at high speeds. Now in its twelfth generation, the Kinvara remains one of the best lightweight trainers precisely because of its simplicity and is exactly what Saucony promises - a light, flexible, uncomplicated and fast neutral shoe that light to moderately heavy runners with an active running style can use in training and competition can have a lot of fun.

Drop: 4 millimetersWeight: 213 grams men US 9, 184 grams women US 8Price: 135 euros

Skechers GOrun Razor 3+

Manufacturer

Order here: women's model or men's model

The GOrun Razor 3+ excludes some runners due to its fit: All those who have wide feet and want some space, especially in the toe area. The GOrun Razor 3+ has an unusually narrow cut in the forefoot area. Even one test runner, who typically prefers narrow shoes, noted that the shoe pinches his toes and the ball of his foot has little room. So runners with narrow feet will find the light, agile Skechers shoe an ideal training partner for speed sessions (on the track) and competitions (on the road).

The midsole of the GOrun Razor 3+ is incredibly light, comfortable and responsive. This is due to the Hyperburst foam, which combines very low weight with comfortable cushioning thanks to a special production process under high pressure. In combination with the slightly curved rocker sole, the GOrun Razor 3+ is very agile and rolls off quickly. This applies to forefoot, middle and heel runners alike - thanks to the thick, soft sole, the shoe offers a lot of comfort over the entire length, but especially in the heel area.

Weight: 184 grams (men), 145 grams (women) Drop: 4 millimeters RRP: 150 euros

True Motion U-Tech Nevos

Manufacturer

Order here: women's model or men's model

The Nevos, like the other models from the manufacturer True Motion, relies on the horseshoe-shaped U-Tech element, into which the foot sinks when running and is intended to ensure the individually centered landing of the foot. The Nevos is equipped with the cushioning material "U-tech foam" in the midsole and is pleasantly soft without losing the necessary support. The fit of the shoe is comfortable, especially due to the well-padded heel cup and an airy upper that hugs the foot.

In the reader test, the Nevos received the highest recognition. One test runner wrote, "I don't really know if I'm overpronating, underpronating, or normal. In any case, it fits perfectly here.” The Nevos is suitable for runners who are looking for a well-cushioned, stabilizing shoe. The model feels most comfortable on solid ground. Those who like it even more comfortable can consider the Aion model, which has a 3D motion bridge and has 30% more U-Tech foam in the midsole than the Nevos, while having a similar basic construction.

Weight: 290 grams (men), 250 grams (women) Drop: 10 millimeters (static), when rolling according to the manufacturer 0 millimeters Price: 160 euros

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