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!
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.
The change our team is most excited about is in the heel to toe drop.The Ghost 17 is a neutral running shoe now with a 10mm heel to toe drop.
It’s not a huge difference, but if the 12 mm felt too high, you’ll really appreciate this. Plus, the lower drop will make a difference in potentially reducing knee pain or IT Band issues that often pop up with newer runners.
- Heel toe drop: 10mm
- Weight: 9.0 oz women’s, 10.1 oz men’s
- Stack: 36 mm
- Available in six colors
- Available in Wide, Narrow and Extra Wide in select colorways
- Available from Brooksrunning.com for $150
- Read our full review of the Ghost 17 here >>
#2 Best Daily Trainer – Nike Pegasus 42
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.
Overall, it’s a versatile shoe that can pick up the pace or carry you through marathon training distances.
The Pegasus 42 has a full ReactX foam midsole, which is just supportive enough, just soft enough, and feels really good underfoot on a daily basis. These shoes are said to provide 13% more energy return, which is good news all the way around.
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.
The firm heel counter keeps your foot locked in place, and the molded foam insole provides extra support as you pack on the miles. All the while, the Pegasus 41 is durable, and won’t need to be replaced anytime soon after purchase due to wear and tear.
- Weight: 10.6 oz Men’s, 8.6 oz Women’s
- Stack Height: 37 mm
- Heel Drop: 10 mm
- Colors: 6 colors
- Available in wide: Yes for some colors
- Available at nike.com for $145
- Read our full review of the Nike Pegasus 42 here >>
#3 Max Cushioned Narrow Running Shoe – Asics Gel Nimbus 28
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!!!
It’s not a snappy shoe, but for the crazy stack height it is stable and will work for our heavier runners. The wider base creates stability without the stiffness of a traditional stability shoe.
We think it’s a great fit for those wanting a long run or easy run day shoe. It’s not your fast run shoe, but an excellent choice for a 5 hour marathon to have cushion and support.
The midsole is still FF BLAST™ PLUS ECO cushioning, made from 24% bio-based materials to keep moving toward a goal of sustainability.
- Good for recovery runs, longer miles for middle and back of the pack
- Weight: 8.5 oz women’s, 10 oz men’s
- Heel Drop: 8mm
- 4 colors
- Not available in wide
- Available at Asics.com for $170
- See our full Asics Gel Nimbus 28 review >>
#4 Best Stability Shoe – Brooks Adrenaline GTS 25
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!
It’s great for everyday runs or those long runs on the weekends. It has a nice solid structure with flexibility offering support for people with high arches, but can also be a solid option for flat feet with a special insert. Its GuideRails support system helps your foot move more naturally in each step.
- Weight: 10.6 oz Men’s, 9.5 oz Women’s
- Stack Height: 37 mm
- Heel Drop: 10 mm
- Available in 9 colors
- Available in wide, extra wide, narrow, medium
- Available on Brooks Running for $155.00
- Read our full review of the Brooks Adrenaline GTS 25 here >>
#5 Best Speed Work Narrow Shoe – Puma Deviate Nitro 4
Having tested a lot of Puma running shoes recently, we’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 is lightweight and feels great for daily training runs and tempo runs, at a price point that’s pretty fantastic for a plated trainer.
It’s a little bit of a stiffer shoe because of the carbon composite PWRPLATE that runs along the sole of the shoe.
These shoes are considered a max cushioned shoe, yet they did not feel bulky or heavy underfoot. 
The NITROFOAM™ (nitrogen-infused foam technology) is lightweight and responsive. It felt cushioned, yet still able to pick up speed! A nice combo for a shoe that can serve many purposes.
- Weight: 10.5 oz men’s/ 8.8oz women’s
- Stack Height: 38mm
- Heel drop: 8mm
- Available in 4 colors
- Available in wide in one colorway
- Available at us.puma.com for $170.00
- Read our full review of the Puma Deviate Nitro 4 here >>
#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.
- Weight: 10.5 oz Men’s, 8.5 Women’s
- Heel drop: 6 mm
- Usage: Trail running
- Available in 4 colors
- Available at CraftSports.us for $169.99
- Read our full review of the Craft Pure Trail X here >>
#7 Best Narrow Shoe with Zero Drop – Altra Escalante 4
Because a lot of shoes on this list have a higher heel drop, we wanted to make sure we 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.
The 4s follow the Original FootShape fit, and the glove-like fit extends to the midfoot and heel. The EGOTM foam and InnerFlexTM midsole feel fresh, vibrant, flexible, and bouncy. Although it doesn’t feel heavy, we wouldn’t complain if Altra found a way to make the shoe even lighter, and it seems fans chattering on the internet agree.
The change in upper fabric makes the shoe appear narrower and shrinks the volume of the toe box in exchange for a more snug fit. The consensus is that the 4s are much softer, flexible, and responsive than the 3s. Like all the shoes in the lineup, the 4s are snappy and worth a spin.
- Weight: 9.5 oz Men’s, 7.5 oz Women’s
- Stack Height: 24 mm
- Heel Drop: 0 mm
- Available in 13 colors
- Not available in wide.
- Available on Altra.com for $130
- Read our full review of the Altra Escalante 4 here >>
#8 Best Carbon Plate Narrow Running Shoe – Nike Vaporfly 4
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 ZoomX foam is a favorite for a reason, and their improved Flyplate has a more aggressive curve designed to maximize leverage from your foot and ankle. It’s a stable platform, especially through the toe-off.
On the downside, no updates have been made to the outsole, so it seems like durability remains a bit of a concern.
This is a light, stylish, fast shoe, but not one meant for those with wide feet or other support concerns.
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.
- Weight: 6.7 oz Men’s, 5.3 oz Women’s (Unisex sizing)
- Heel Drop: 6 mm
- Available in 3 colors
- Not available in wide
- Available on Nike.com for $260
- Check out our full review of the Nike Vaporfly 4 here >>
#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.
- Weight: 9.4 oz Men, 8.2 oz Women’s
- Heel Drop: 8mm
- Usage: Daily trainer/Race day
- Available in 5 colors
- Available at Saucony.com for $160
- Read our full Saucony Tempus 2 review >>
#10 Best Narrow Foot Walking Shoe – New Balance 1080 v15 Narrow
We’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.
Our team loves that New Balance offers a great variety of widths in their shoes.
The Infinion foam is a blend of foams, but is designed deliver enhanced energy return and cushioning. This foam, like every brand, can be mixed in different ways to change the amount of cushion, bounce, etc and here they’re focused on improving their top daily trainer.
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.
- Heel Drop: 6 mm
- Stack: 40 mm
- Weight: 9.5oz men’s, 7.3 oz women’s
- Available in Wide, Narrow (and extra wide in men’s)
- Available from Newbalance.com for $170
- Read our full review of the Fresh Foam 1080 v15 here >>
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.
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.
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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#10 Best Narrow Foot Walking Shoe – New Balance 1080 v14 Narrow
I’m not seeing this shoe available in Narrow, only Regular width. I have checked a number of sites.
Very informative article! Thanks!
Hey annie! If you click the link we provided to the 1080 and then select a color, below the shoe sizes you’ll see it’s available in Narrow for sure in the Grey Matter
I have looked and looked for men’s sneakers that are 14 1/2 size an 2A width. Seems almost impossible to fine. Any help for men with this size.