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Approach shoes for bad arches

Original Post
Nate K · · Bozeman, MT · Joined Jul 2012 · Points: 240

So i have wide feet, pretty bad arches and usually need a shoe with lots of support. I cant seem to find any approach shoes that have decent arch support. I have tried to use an insole with a regular approach shoes but its causing the shoe to wear in a weird way and my heel always slips out when descending stuff. Does anyone else have this same problem and if so what shoes do you wear?

Jeff Johnston · · Bozeman, MT · Joined Sep 2010 · Points: 110
Nate K wrote:So i have wide feet, pretty bad arches and usually need a shoe with lots of support. I cant seem to find any approach shoes that have decent arch support. I have tried to use an insole with a regular approach shoes but its causing the shoe to wear in a weird way and my heel always slips out when descending stuff. Does anyone else have this same problem and if so what shoes do you wear?
I have had good luck with talking with the guys at Northern Lights. I am on the other end of spectrum with narrow feet and weird feet slipping. It took a bit but I found an insole and sock combo that keep my foot in place.
Mike Belu · · Chicago, IL · Joined Jun 2012 · Points: 135

I have been very happy with a combo of 5.10 guide tennies and the blue "sole" inserts. I don't think the stock inserts will get you the support you are looking for.

Superclimber · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Mar 2009 · Points: 1,310

I've been using the red Soles. The blue ones take up too much space for me. The thing about heating them up doesn't really do anything, but they do form to your foot after you wear them for a little while. They're expensive.

FoamFinger _______ · · Rad Town, Not set (USA) · Joined Jan 2013 · Points: 250

I have super high arches as well and I've found that the La Sportiva Boulder X's work very nicely for me, no insert required.
Good Luck!

Anunta Anunta · · Denver, CO · Joined Mar 2012 · Points: 284

I actually just bought the Vasque Grand Traverse (the women's version) vasque.com/vasque-shoe/7318…

It's billed as a 'approach/athletic hiking shoe' so you won't find it in the climbing dept of your local REI, but in the hiking shoe area. I've used it for approaches, and these shoes are great! They have the same sticky sole and toe as an approach shoe, they're super comfortable and they're lighter then most approach shoes. I've bought Salewa's and these to me work far better. I've climbed up to 5.4 in them no problem. Lots of room to throw an insole in them, and because they are like an athletic shoe, the insole fits really well.

Jamespio Piotrowski · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Sep 2013 · Points: 5

You might need to add decent insoles. Don't know why the shoe makers won't make a decent, supportive insole, but nearly all of my shoes get Superfeet insoles. For hiking/approach/running shoes I go with the green ones. My areches are now happy.

mark felber · · Wheat Ridge, CO · Joined Jul 2005 · Points: 41
James Piotrowski wrote:You might need to add decent insoles. Don't know why the shoe makers won't make a decent, supportive insole, but nearly all of my shoes get Superfeet insoles. For hiking/approach/running shoes I go with the green ones. My areches are now happy.
I've been using Superfeet insoles since the mid/late 1980s, they really do work. Pull out the stock insole, trim the toe end of the Superfeet insole to match the length of the stock insole, and slide them in.
Jason4 · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Jan 2011 · Points: 0

I have a pair of 5.10 Guide Tennies that have lots of miles on them always with the blue Superfeet insoles. Lately I've been putting more time in with my Evolv Cruisers with the merino wool Superfeet and have been even happier. I can walk for miles on paved roads, do some light trail running, climb 5.8 happily, and they squish down to fit in the pack when I go to more supportive boots. The hard plastic on the insole has left funny wear marks in canvas but I patch up the scuffs with seam grip and keep on going. I have incredibly flat feet that are wide and have the widest point at my midfoot so I feel your pain in finding shoes.

Dan Allard · · West Chester, PA · Joined Mar 2011 · Points: 1,070
Nate K wrote:Does anyone else have this same problem and if so what shoes do you wear?
I am an overpronator and have tried many but not found an alternative either. I've found most 5.Tens to be super flat, almost negative arch. I would not recommend anything like the Evolv Cruisers that are super flat and have zero support. It truly blows my mind how none of the climbing manufacturers seemingly put any development into actual SUPPORTIVE approach shoes that you spend a lot of time hiking on unstable terrain in. Pretty ironic really.

I usually end up wearing my well broken in Sportiva Glaciers though they are totally overkill but supportive, with Powerstep Pinnacle insoles.
Or Chacos, when it's hot, though I wish their arch was a little more "archy".

I personally found Superfeet to be the most uncomfortable and painful insole I've ever worn but, apparently some people love them. To each his own.. me, I love the Powerstep Pinnacles and have a pair in all my shoes.

I'm really interested in the Sportiva Boulder X's mentioned above as well but have been super hesitant because every shoe I've ever had with similar rubber-glued-to-foam-sole construction has delaminated in no time. Open to hearing how these hold up under intense/prolonged use though.
Jason4 · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Jan 2011 · Points: 0

My first experience with Superfeet was with the green insoles 15 years ago and they hurt my feet much worse than no insole at all. 10 years later I actually looked through their lineup to find the right shape to fit my foot and settled on the blues. Now I have 4 or more pairs of the blues that float around between my every day shoes, my mountaineering boots, my snowboard boots, my AT boots, etc. The only two pairs of shoes that don't have the blues in them are my two approach shoes. My 5.10 Guides have a pair of moldable Sole insoles that are medium volume and are comfortable but the outsole of the shoes is falling off so I don't really wear them very often. My Cruzers have Superfeet Merino footbeds that are comfortable when I'm in socks and support my dead flat foot almost as well as the blues.

Thank god climbing companies don't put effort into the insole. We all have different arches and I don't want to pay any extra for an insole that I'll probably just toss out or hide under the bed and forget about.

JacksonLandFill Wood · · Unknown Hometown · Joined May 2013 · Points: 40
Nate K wrote:So i have wide feet, pretty bad arches and usually need a shoe with lots of support. I cant seem to find any approach shoes that have decent arch support. I have tried to use an insole with a regular approach shoes but its causing the shoe to wear in a weird way and my heel always slips out when descending stuff. Does anyone else have this same problem and if so what shoes do you wear?
I use these in all my shoes:
rei.com/product/745520/pro-…

Arch pain, fatigue, and mild plantar fascitis disappeared.
Nate K · · Bozeman, MT · Joined Jul 2012 · Points: 240
Dan Allard wrote: It truly blows my mind how none of the climbing manufacturers seemingly put any development into actual SUPPORTIVE approach shoes that you spend a lot of time hiking on unstable terrain in. Pretty ironic really. .
totally agree with you. most approach shoes ive worn have the support of a converse chuck taylor.

thanks for all the helpful responses everyone. i will definitley be looking into some superfeet merino footbeds and the pro-tec arch supports
Chris C · · Seattle, WA · Joined Mar 2016 · Points: 396

It sounds like we may have similar foot types. I have found that CurrexSole RunPro insoles work wonders for me, while pretty much all the Superfeet models hurt me. They are flexible compared to the Superfeet, which I think are much better for approach shoes or trail runners, but still provide good support. They also are not nearly as ridged in the arch, so they don’t “force” your foot to be shaped in a certain way. 

Lena chita · · OH · Joined Mar 2011 · Points: 1,667
Nate K wrote: So i have wide feet, pretty bad arches and usually need a shoe with lots of support. I cant seem to find any approach shoes that have decent arch support. I have tried to use an insole with a regular approach shoes but its causing the shoe to wear in a weird way and my heel always slips out when descending stuff. Does anyone else have this same problem and if so what shoes do you wear?

I don't think there is a magic arch support or shoes that works for everyone, even if you query only people who need arch supports, different people need supports in different ways. The Blue/green/yellow soles that people have mentioned upthread feel very uncomfortable to me, I use Samurai inserts. But my daughter loves the blue insoles, she has really flat arches. 

While I don't have foot pain, I had to start using the supports after a knee surgery, and I use trail running shoes as my approach shoes, with an arch support insoles that fit me. Unlike "approach shoes", most running shoes come with removable insoles, so if you take out the insole that the shoes come with, and then put in your arch support insole, you don't end up with the problem of the heel slipping out (which is, IMO, what happens if you put an arch support insole into a show without removing the insole that the shoe came with. That raises the heel by the thickness of the extra insole that you are putting in, and your heel pops out). I can definitely relate to the heel popping out-- that was my biggest beef with supportive insoles!

Depending on how much pain you are dealing with, and how much money you are willing to spare, you might want to look into custom orthotics. Foot Solutions in one store chain that makes them, though I think some specialty running shoe stores do it, too. They sell shoes, as well as a range of support insoles, and they also make custom insoles. They take your 3D footprints, and create a mold based on that. A friend of mine had to do that, and for her it worked like magic. Couple hundred $$$s might not be outrageous, compared to the full price of some approach shoes + inserts.



Jimi Hendrix · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Feb 2020 · Points: 0

I have also suffered from high arched feet for so long but then found that the right pair of shoes is everything. You can check this article and similar out. 

Marco Velo · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Feb 2017 · Points: 0

In addition to finding insoles I would suggest some relatively easy exercises to strengthen the muscles that curl the toes and to stretch the plantar fascia. Pulling a towel by curling your toes, standing on one foot and eventually raising up on the ball of the foot (put some pressure in the toes),   la crosse ball stretches on the bottom of the foot all helped me get beyond needing custom orthotics.  Had lots of problems until I started strengthening/ stretching what hurt. I still use otc orthotics but strong feet are happy feet. 

Guideline #1: Don't be a jerk.

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