Black Friday - best deals from 52 stores 7 Best Flat Feet Hiking Shoes
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Flat feet can be a burden but they don't have to be. Working with a specialist on diagnosis, strengthening the foot and leg muscles, and wearing supportive and stable hiking shoes can do wonders. In this guide, we explain all the hiking shoe features relevant for flat feet, how to recognize them, and why they are important, and we showcase our lab data for all the shoes we've tested.
In case you want to keep things short, look at our top picks in different categories. These hiking shoes outperformed the rest both on our test hikes and in the lab.
How we test hiking shoes
To keep our testing process as objective as possible, we buy all the hiking shoes with our own money. We have no contracts with the brands and no tester on our team is a brand ambassador. This allows us to publish everything we notice and discover on our test hikes and in the lab.
Our process is made of these steps:
- Buying the shoes with our own money
- Testing the hiking shoes on the trails, in different weather conditions, and covering various terrain, from well-maintained trails to obstacle-covered single tracks, mud, rocks, etc.
- Testing the shoes in the lab, where we quantitatively describe each shoe with over 20 data points thanks to our standardized tests
- Publishing everything on our website, where you can compare the hiking shoes by features of interest or to the average to get an idea of how the shoe performs overall.
Best hiking shoes for flat feet overall
What makes it the best?
Demanding trails felt like a breeze as we tested the Salomon X Ultra 4 GTX on foot. It has a light build yet feels exceptionally stable because of its sturdy features and unwavering traction, which we discovered in the lab. With its solid mix of agility and support, it’s our best flat-feet hiking shoe.
The midsole kept us secured even as we were loaded with backpacks. A stiff chassis stabilizes the midfoot zone while the straps are connected to the lacing system to increase the shoe’s structure. True enough, we found it difficult to twist our ankles even on unpredictable terrain. We tried to twist the shoe manually and rated it with a high 4/5 torsional rigidity score. Meanwhile, the uber-stiff heel (5/5) held us firmly in place.
Another feature that kept our hikes smooth and controlled was the grippy outsole. It has deep 4.5 mm lugs that kept us surefooted even on loose dirt and wet grass. We were so confident with its traction that we could pick up the pace as we pleased. The shoe’s weightlessness boosted our agility and our scales agreed with a 13.3 oz (378g) reading.
Unfortunately, this shoe will only feel stable for slim to medium-width feet. The midsole runs slightly narrower vs. average, so we recommend that wide-footed hikers find a more accommodating shoe.
Pros
- Instant comfort
- Impeccable waterproofing
- Very lightweight
- Exceptional grip
- Excellent support and lockdown
- Stable platform
- Roomy toebox
Cons
- Quicklace is not for everyone
- Too-high collar
Hiking shoes for flat feet with the best stability
What makes it the best?
The Adidas Terrex Swift R3 GTX is so protective that during our trial sessions, it resembled the foothold and security of a hiking boot. Our lab tests show that, from its raised insole and rigid construction to its robust outsole, its main purpose is to keep us safe and surefooted. It’s undoubtedly our best stable hiking shoe for flat feet.
The midsole erased harsh debris underfoot and our caliper confirms a 36.6/20.7 mm chunk of foam separating us from the ground. It feels balanced, to which our durometer agrees with a 26.0 HA reading, while the insole has raised sidewalls to prevent any spillovers.
Even with its low-cut collar, the shoe’s stiffness makes it feel like a boot. Our sliced midsole reveals the Pro-Moderator technology on both sides of the shoe, which controls excessive lateral movements. Because of this, we couldn’t rate its torsional rigidity lower than 5/5.
The deep 4.4 mm lugs further enhanced the Continental rubber’s grip. No matter what surface we tackled, we emerged safely on the other side. We tested the outsole’s durability in our Dremel test, and it sustained less damage than average, confirming its resistance to wear.
However, this shoe requires a break-in period. Those seeking comfort straight away should explore alternatives.
Pros
- Boot-like stability
- Highly durable and protective
- Lightweight for what it offers
- Excellent waterproofing
- Breathable for a GTX shoe
- Generously cushioned
- Very secure foothold
- Top-notch grip with deep lugs
Cons
- Stuffy for summer
- Can be too stiff (even stiffer in cold)
- Break-in needed
Hiking shoes for flat feet with the best comfort
What makes it the best?
We instantly enjoyed the suppleness of the Merrell Moab 3 GTX during our trail adventures, making it our top comfortable hiking shoe for flat feet. Our lab tests confirm its exceptional impact protection and easygoing nature while offering support and grip to stabilize the ride.
We measured the stack with our caliper and it emerged an above-average 33.2/22.3 mm, erasing the harshness of the ground. It has some pleasant spring to it and carries our arches well, supported by its firm 35.9 HA reading on our durometer.
We found the Moab 3 GTX flexible for all the support it brings. In our bend test, it needs only 30.2N force to bend to 90 degrees, close to our lab average. We discovered a nylon shank in the midsole to keep us surefooted, especially in the heel and midfoot areas.
We turned the shoe upside down and it boasted the stellar Vibram outsole. We felt safe on any surface we encountered, also with the help of the deep 4.8 mm lugs we measured.
However, its 15.9 oz (452g) build made lifting each foot quite an effort since it’s 20.5% heavier than average. Those seeking an agile ride should check other options.
Pros
- Superb day-one comfort
- Brilliant surface adhesion
- Supportive like a work shoe
- Fantastic cushioning underfoot
- Remarkably durable
- A-grade waterproofing
- Sheds mud quite well
- Protective toe box
- Incredible overall quality
Cons
- Heavy for a low-top
- Subpar breathability
- Its shoelaces unravel often
Best waterproof hiking shoes for flat feet
What makes it the best?
The KEEN Targhee III Waterproof is a highly protective shoe, evidenced by its dense upper, firm midsole, and grippy bottom. Even as we encountered moving water, rain, or difficult trails, we remained dry and safe. Already in its name, it’s our ultimate waterproof hiking shoe for flat feet.
The upper looked incredibly tight under our microscope. Even in our light test, nothing passed through, confirming its waterproof nature. Surprisingly, it allowed for some airflow in our breathability test, as it passed through the tongue area. It’s very rare for waterproof shoes to get a 2/5 rating.
Underneath were thick 4.5 mm lugs that deliver excellent traction through its multidirectional pattern. It showed a strong bite through a variety of surfaces and boosted our confidence.
Besides the outsole, the firm midsole served us as our shield underneath. Our durometer confirms this sensation with a 31.0 HA reading, 11.9% firmer than average. Even under heavy loads, the platform reassured us because it doesn’t compress easily. However, this firmness may not suit everyone’s liking. Those seeking a plush and comfortable ride can check more forgiving alternatives.
Pros
- Grippy outsole
- Good traction in muddy conditions
- Excellent for winter hikes
- Firm but protective cushioning
- Well-constructed and durable upper
- Lots of protective overlays
- Amazing stability
- Relatively breathable
- No break-in time
Cons
- Outsole durability could be better
- Not ideal for narrow feet
Best lightweight hiking shoes for flat feet
What makes it the best?
Pros
- Grippy and durable lugs
- Extremely breathable
- Lighter than average
- Protective and bouncy midsole
- Great for long hikes
- Speedy and tenacious
- Comfortable and high-quality upper construction
- Secure lockdown
- No break-in required
- Performs consistently in the cold
Cons
- Not ideal for wide feet
- Tongue slippage
Best summer hiking shoes for flat feet
What makes it the best?
Comfort is a top priority with the Hoka Skyline Float-X as it provides maximum breathability and cushioning to our outdoor adventures without compromising support. Our lab test confirms its steady stream of ventilation, making it our top summer hiking shoe for flat feet.
Even with the knit upper’s plush feel, it’s surprisingly breezy! We pumped smoke into the shoe and it escaped almost instantly, which is why we rated it with a perfect 5/5 breathability score—a rare breed among hiking shoes.
The comfort doesn’t stop there: we’re welcomed with a generous 39.0/31.0 mm stack that feels nice and springy. Our sliced midsole reveals two foam densities: a soft 22.0 HA below our foot, and a firmer 27.9 HA that makes ground contact for better stability.
In addition to the firm base foam, a Pebax plate is sandwiched between the two layers and adds structure to the shoe. It’s positioned under our arch for better support. The 117.6/101.6 mm midsole also runs wide and mitigates any potential imbalances.
However, the toebox is on the narrower side so we don’t find it ideal for those who have broad or square-shaped feet.
Pros
- Extremely well-cushioned
- Devilishly comfortable
- Responsive, rockered midsole
- Works for light trail running
- Excellent multi-terrain traction
- Highly breathable upper
- Feels surprisingly stable
- Performs consistently in the cold
- Made of sustainable and plant-based materials
Cons
- Questionable durability
- Narrow toebox
- Upper dries slowly
Best budget hiking shoes for flat feet
What makes it the best?
While the average hiking shoe costs $142, we’re surprised that there’s a $90 shoe available in the market: the Adidas Terrex AX4! Both our trail sessions and lab results can confirm its protective nature through its water-repellant upper, reliable traction, and firm base. For all these and more, it’s our best budget hiking shoe for flat feet.
The Terrex AX4 provides impressive resistance to light rain and wet grass. It has water-repellant capacities while allowing for some nice airflow, evidenced by its 3/5 breathability score in our smoke test. We enjoyed the protection it brings without suffocating our feet with body heat.
Even as we tackled wet surfaces, the grippy base gave us the confidence to hike without thinking too much. We measured the chevron lugs to be 3.7 mm deep, while a heel brake was present to assist us during downhill trails.
The Terrex AX4 feels very stable and we discovered two main contributing factors in the lab. First, the foam is 40.8% firmer than average, avoiding any unwanted compressions. Second, the base is wide enough to help us find our footing.
However, the toebox space is more cramped than usual. We recommend those with wide or voluminous feet to size up or check more accommodating shoes.
Pros
- Excellent value for money
- Feels like a trail running shoe
- Breathable
- Water-repellent
- Solid grip
- Durable for the price
- Stable platform
- Contains recycled materials
Cons
- Lacks toe protection
- Flimsy insole
- Aggressively tapered toebox
The effect of footwear on arches
Hikers who have flat feet have flat or fallen arches. These arches help stiffen the foot while walking but, when they are low or flat, there’s not enough stiffness. Because of this, footwear for flat-footed people is usually very stable and supportive. These are much-needed features because the arches can’t provide enough support on their own.
Every foot has 3 arches, and when we talk about flat feet, we refer to the medial longitudinal arches.
Studies have shown that people who grow up barefoot or wearing minimalist footwear have stronger foot muscles and higher and stiffer arches. It is said that it’s the modern footwear that makes our feet flat. And this is why there are opposing opinions about minimalist footwear.
3 features to look for in hiking shoes for flat feet
Given that fallen or flat arches need all the support they can get, these features actually allow the hiking shoes for flat feet to be stable and supportive:
- Midsoles that are not too soft. In our experience, that means getting 20 or more on the shore A durometer.
- Stiff heel counters lock the heels in place. We assess the stiffness in our lab and suggest scores of 3,4, or 5 out of 5 for flat-footed hikers.
- Rigid hiking shoes or shoes that are not easy to twist. When we assess torsional rigidity in our lab, we assign ratings on a 1-5 scale. For flat feet, we recommend shoes that got a torsional-rigidity score of 3, 4, or 5 out of 5.
As always (when talking about hiking), you should find hiking shoes with adequate grip for the hikes you have in mind.
Now, we will explain all of these features in greater detail.
Softness of hiking shoes for flat feet
Softness is often directly correlated with comfort. However, softness levels are not the same for all footwear categories.
Running shoes are usually softer than hiking shoes. Here are a few numbers from our lab (noted down at the moment of writing this guide) to get the idea:
- Average softness of road running shoes: 21.2
- Average softness of trail running shoes: 22.8
- Average softness of hiking shoes: 27.6
- Average softness of hiking boots: 27.8
If you have flat feet, we recommend somewhat firmer platforms in hiking shoes, because it’s best to avoid any unnecessary wobbling. Based on our experience in the mountains and our lab tests, we recommend midsoles that scored at least 20 HA on the durometer.
Stiffness of heel counters in hiking shoes for flat feet
Some runners land on the forefoot, not on the heel. But, in hiking, in most cases, we land on the heel. Looking for more support for the heel means looking for a stiff heel counter.
This heel counter scored 3/5 in our lab (1/5 is the most flexible, 5/5 very rigid)
Heel counters that are sock-like offer no support. We suggest those that scored at least 3/5 on our assessment.
Very stiff heel counter (we rated its stiffness with 5/5 in our lab)
If you want to figure it out on your own, try pushing and squeezing the heel area. Look for those heel counters that resist your pushes and squeezes the most.
How rigid should hiking shoes for flat feet be
In our lab, we test the longitudinal stiffness/flexibility of hiking shoes and torsional rigidity. Longitudinal stiffness tells us how much force is needed to bend the shoe, while torsional rigidity tells us how easy or difficult it is to twist the shoe.
This hiking shoe got a 2/5 on our torsional rigidity assessment, which makes it flexible
This hiking shoe was rated 5/5 on our torsional rigidity assessment, which makes it very rigid
For hikers with flat feet, we recommend rigid to very rigid hiking shoes. In numbers, it’s the hiking shoes that we assigned a rating of 3/5, 4/5, or 5/5 on our assessment.
The idea behind this rigidity is to somewhat limit the unwanted foot movement. Hikers with flat feet often overpronate, so they already have excessive rolling of the ankle inward. Hiking in rigid platforms helps with that by offering stability and support, especially on uneven terrain.
These rigid hiking shoes can be quite flexible and quite stiff, as you can see in the table below:
Finding superb grip based on the terrain
There are many different types of terrain and we usually group them in 3 very broad categories which have some overlap, of course:
- Light terrain. Usually flat, found on easy hikes. Hikes on light terrain can be covered in shoes with shallow lugs (2-3 mm), or even trail running shoes.
- Moderate terrain. Uphills and downhills on everything but technical terrain. It’s best to use versatile hiking shoes with average-deep lugs that have different shapes and orientation.
- Technical terrain is saved for the most protective shoes with thick toe bumpers and firmer and stiffer platforms. Hikers need all the protection and stability they can get when covering sharp rocks, mud, demanding single tracks covered with debris, etc. We usually recommend deep lugs for technical terrain (4 mm and deeper).
When deciding on the type of terrain and use, we also take into account the shape of the lugs, their orientation, how far apart they are one from the other, the design of the shoe, how stiff the platform is, whether the heel is chunky, etc.
Wide platforms bring even more stability!
Some hiking shoes have very wide midsoles and can feel bottom-heavy, while others have narrow platforms but might feel unstable. Nevertheless, wider platforms bring more stability, so if you’re looking for that extra touch, you’re in the right place.
Minimalist hiking shoes for flat feet: the controversy
There are many pros and cons for minimalist footwear. Whether you should use minimalist hiking shoes depends on your current condition and your goals. However, it is confusing to learn that some flat-footed hikers dealt with pain by wearing minimalist hiking shoes, while others got hurt even more in those and went for very stiff and very cushioned options.
Minimalist hiking shoes are low to the ground, have a low or zero drop, often no extra protective details like a chunky toe bumper, have no stability features, and they are very flexible
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Minimalist footwear can strengthen the foot muscles and make movement less painful. However, it depends on the exact foot condition and how much someone can benefit from such footwear, if at all. This is especially true because the transition should be very gradual, and many overlook that, which ends in discomfort, pain, or even injury. |
Who minimalist/barefoot hiking shoes are good for
- People who grew up wearing such footwear. Their feet and legs are already adjusted to the minimal or no support, minimal or no cushioning, zero drop, etc.
- Strengthening foot muscles. However, hikers who decide to do this usually come from the conventional footwear world, which means they should ease into it. A gradual transition is the way to go.
- Hikers who want more ground feel.
- Hikers who want to experience as natural movement as possible due to the highly flexible and non-cushioned platform.
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Another hiking shoe feature that is often overlooked is heel to toe drop. Minimalist and barefoot hiking shoes have zero drop or low drop, while an average hiking shoe has a drop of 11.1 mm. A 10 mm drop is said to be standard, but there’s no written rule about it. This is important because zero-drop shoes utilize the foot muscles the most. The higher the drop, the higher leg muscles are utilized, so in hiking shoes with 10mm drop, muscles around the hips are doing a lot of work. This comes in handy for hikers dealing with an injury, when foot muscles should be used less, shoes with a higher drop can be worn. And vice versa, we can wear low-drop hiking shoes when we want to strengthen foot muscles or when we want to use our thighs and hip muscles less. |
We actually wrote an in-depth guide on heel to toe drop in case you want to learn more about it.
Who cushioned and supportive hiking shoes are good for:
- Hikers with flat feet and plantar fasciitis, and hikers who excessively overpronate or supinate, especially if they are experiencing discomfort on longer hikes, which is when they feet need more support.
- Beginner hikers who grew up wearing conventional footwear (high drop, cushioned, etc.) and who want to explore trails of different difficulty levels (light, moderate, and especially technical).
- Hikers who are doing rehabilitation due to an injury and potentially a cushioned platform or a high-drop platform is helping them at the moment.
Minimalist footwear is too risky? Do the exercises!
If you want to improve your movement and strengthen your arches, doing exercises for at least 5 weeks can help.
This study has shown that doing exercises for 30 minutes, 3 times a week, for 6 weeks can improve the navicular drop height and longitudinal arch angle and the cosmetic appearance of the foot. These exercises included foot shortening exercises, stretching, and gluteal muscle strengthening, in addition to the widely known active dorsiflexion and plantarflexion.
More studies (as seen in this systematic review) have shown that exercises can help improve the medial longitudinal arch.
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