Best Shoes for Kids with High Insteps and Narrow Feet – Extra Depth and Narrower Heels!
Are you having a hard time finding a pair of shoes for your child with a high instep and narrow feet? Do you feel like all of the shoes that you try are either too tight on the top part of your child’s feet or too wide around the ankles? I am going to show you a list of the best shoes for kids with high insteps and narrow feet based on my many years of shoe fitting experience.
Finding a pair of shoes that provide extra depth to accommodate the shape of your child’s high instep and that can accommodate the shape of your child’s narrow feet at the same time can be a time-consuming and frustrating experience. You might find yourself trying several different shoes only to end up empty handed.
Pro Tip: If you’re pressed for time, you can go straight to the selection of the best shoes for kids with high insteps and narrow feet.
If you are unsure where the instep of your child’s foot is located, take a look at the images below for clarification purposes. As you can see there is a lot of extra foot volume that needs to be fitted inside the shoes:
What Makes the Shoes I Recommend Effective for High Insteps and Narrow Feet?
There are 3 key features that the shoes I recommend provide that make them capable of fitting the shape of a child with a high instep and narrow feet at the same time:
1️⃣ Extra Depth: This feature allows the child’s feet to fit deeply inside the shoes and prevents the top part of the child’s feet from rubbing against the top part of the shoes. The image below shows the difference between a shoe that provides extra depth versus one that doesn’t:
2️⃣ Narrower Heels: This feature helps prevent your child’s heels from moving up and down the shoe. One of the most common reasons why children get blisters around the heels is when there is constant friction between the heels and the shoes.
3️⃣ Narrower Toe-Box: This feature allows the top part of the shoe to fit the shape of your child’s narrow feet. Too much extra space in the front of the shoes allows for too much foot movement which usually leads to blisters, calluses, and corns.
The image below shows the difference between a shoe with a narrow heel counter and a narrow toe-box versus a shoe with a round heel counter and a wider toe-box.
Most parents get confused as to how they are supposed to find a shoe style that provides these 3 features since kids’ shoes don’t come labeled with “extra depth”, “narrower heels”, or “narrower toe-boxes”. The only way to tell which shoes provide these 3 features is by having tested the shoes in different children’s foot shapes.
I know exactly which children’s shoes provide these 3 features from having fitted them before.
My Take on Kids’ with High Insteps and Narrow Heels
From my 10+ year experience fitting hundreds of kids’ with high insteps and narrow heels, I have become familiar with the best shoe brands and the best styles among those brands. The most common problem parents find when trying to find a pair of shoes for their kids with high insteps and narrow feet is that once they find a shoe that is deep enough to accommodate the child’s high instep, that same shoe style is too wide around the ankles, and vice versa.
There are only a couple of shoes that will work for children with high insteps and narrow heels, but the good news is that I am here to help you find them. However, before I provide you with a selection of the best shoes for kids with high insteps and narrow feet, I want to make sure that you know your child’s exact foot size. This will prevent you from wasting time having to return your kids’ shoes back and forth.
In addition to figuring out your child’s exact foot size, you also need to know how that particular shoe style that you are buying fits. I will be able to tell you whether that particular shoe style that you are buying for your children either fits true to size, short, long, narrow or wide.
How to Identify Your Child’s Exact Foot Size? – Let’s Find Out!
Most specialized children’s shoe stores have been closing down, and parents don’t know where they can have their children’s feet properly measured. Some parents take their children to be fitted for shoes at big retailers such as Nordstrom’s, Payless, or Stride Rite — most Stride Rite stores have closed down — The issue is that most salespeople who work at those stores are not properly trained on how to measure children’s feet.
This is the reason why I created a resource that showcases the best specialized children’s shoe stores by state. If after looking at that resource you still can’t seem to find a good fitting children’s shoe store in your area, then proceed to take a look at an article I wrote where I describe the simplest, yet most effective way to figure out your child’s exact foot size.
In that article I help parents determine their child’s exact foot length and whether the child has narrow, medium, wide, or extra wide feet. I also will be able to tell you whether your child has a high instep or not.
Now that we have covered what features your kids’ shoes must provide and how to figure out your child’s exact foot size from home, you are ready to take a look at the best shoes for kids with high insteps and narrow feet.
I want you to know that I only review children’s shoes that I have fitted before since that is the only way for me to tell how well-made and supportive they are, and how they fit. Disclosure: Some links in this post may be affiliate links and we may receive a small commission (at no extra cost to you) when you click our links and make purchases.
Best Shoes for Kids with High Insteps and Narrow Feet
Below you can find a selection of the best shoes for high insteps and narrow heels.
Toddler Sizes (0 to 10)
- Shoe style SRT Elliot by Stride Rite
- Fits narrow and medium feet
- Lace-up closure
- 100% leather made
- Sensory pods to feel the ground beneath for better traction and grip
- Seamless construction that cradles the foot’s natural shape
- Order this shoe a whole size larger than your child’s current foot size
- Shoe style Leather Sneaker by Stride Rite
- Fits narrow and medium feet
- Lace-up closure
- 100% leather made
- Sensory pods to feel the ground beneath for better traction and grip
- Seamless construction that cradles the foot’s natural shape
- Order this shoe a whole size larger than your child’s current foot size
- Shoe style Ride 10 Jr by Saucony
- Fits narrow and medium feet
- Velcro closure
- Leather and mesh upper for durability and breathability
- APMA Certified
- Traction pods on the outsole for serious grip
- EVA midsole for lightweight feel
- Order this shoe a half size larger than your child’s current foot size
- Shoe style Ride 10 Jr by Saucony
- Fits narrow and medium feet
- Velcro closure
- Leather and mesh upper
- Non-marking traction pods to help improve stability
- APMA approved
- Toe cap for extra durability
- Order this shoe a half size larger than your child’s current foot size
- Shoe style Rokky by Naturino
- Fits narrow and medium feet
- Natural leathers
- Padded collar and tongue for superior comfort
- Dual hook-and-loop strap for a snug fit
- Order this shoe a half size larger than your toddler’s current foot size
- Shoe style 39050 by Primigi
- Fits narrow and medium feet
- Natural leathers
- Double velcro closure
- Order this shoe a half size larger than your toddler’s current foot size
- Shoe style 39476 by Primigi
- Fits narrow and medium feet
- Natural leathers
- Padded collars
- Double velcro straps
- Order this shoe a half size larger than your toddler’s current foot size
- Shoe style Falcotto Amantea VL AW22 by Naturino
- Fits narrow and medium feet
- Natural leathers
- Padded collars
- Double velcro straps
- Order this shoe a half size larger than your toddler’s current foot size
- Shoe style Falcotto Adam VL by New Balance
- Fits narrow and medium feet
- Natural leathers
- Double velcro straps
- Order this shoe a half size larger than your toddler’s current foot size
- Shoe style 28553 by Primigi
- Fits narrow and medium feet
- Lightweight and flexible
- Padded collar and tongue for added comfort to child’s feet
- Order this shoe a whole size larger than your child’s foot size
Little/Big Kid Sizes (10.5 to 7)
- Shoe style GT-1000 by Asics
- Fits narrow and medium feet
- Velcro closure
- Padded collar and tongue for added comfort
- GEL Technology – Cushioning provides excellent shock absorption
- Removable insoles
- Order this shoe a whole size larger than your child’s current foot size
- Shoe style GT-1000 by Asics
- Fits narrow and medium feet
- Velcro closure
- Padded collar and tongue for added comfort
- GEL Technology – Cushioning provides excellent shock absorption
- Removable insoles
- Order this shoe a whole size larger than your child’s current foot size
- Shoe style Contend 8 PS by Asics
- Fits narrow and medium feet
- Velcro closure
- Supportive leather and mesh upper for breathability and durability
- Removable insoles
- Order this shoe a half size larger than your child’s current foot size
- Shoe style GT-1000 11 PS by Asics
- Fits narrow and medium feet
- Velcro closure
- Supportive leather and mesh upper for breathability and durability
- Removable insoles
- Order this shoe a half size larger than your child’s current foot size
- Shoe style Contend 8 by Asics
- Fits narrow and medium feet
- Lace-up closure
- Removable Insoles
- Order this shoe a whole size larger than your child’s current foot size
- Shoe style Contend 8 by Asics
- Fits narrow and medium feet
- Lace-up closure
- Firm heel counter with supportive outsole
- Removable insoles
- Order this shoe a whole size larger than your child’s current foot size
- Shoe style Novablast 2 GS by Asics
- Fits narrow and medium feet
- Lace-up closure
- Removable insoles
- Rearfoot GEL technology cushioning system
- Breathable
- Order this shoe a whole size larger than your child’s current foot size
- Shoe style GEL-Noosa Tri 15 GS by New Balance
- Fits narrow and medium feet
- Lace-up closure
- Removable Insoles
- Infused gel for extra cushion and support
- Order this shoe a whole size larger than your child’s current foot size
- Shoe style Gel-Noosa TRI by Asics
- Fits narrow and medium feet
- Lace-up closure
- Removable Insoles
- Order this shoe a whole a size larger than your child’s current foot size
- Shoe style GEL-Cumulus 25 GS by Asics
- Fits narrow and medium feet
- Lace-up closure
- Removable Insoles
- Order this shoe a whole a size larger than your child’s current foot size
- Shoe style Cohesion 14 LTT by Saucony
- Fits narrow and medium feet
- Supportive leather and mesh upper for breathability and durability
- Cushioned footbed
- Order this shoe a whole size larger than your child’s current foot size
- Shoe style JOLT 4 Grade by Asics
- Fits narrow and medium feet
- Lace-up closure
- Removable Insoles
- Rearfoot and Forefoot GEL® Technology Cushioning System lessens the amount of shock during impact
- Order this shoe a whole a size larger than your child’s current foot size
- Shoe style Contend 8 by Asics
- Fits narrow and medium feet
- Lace-up closure
- Removable Insoles
- Order this shoe a whole a size larger than your child’s current foot size
You will notice how most of these shoes come with shoelaces instead of velcro closure since shoelaces provide these 3 advantages:
1️⃣ They open-up widely so you can easily insert your child’s feet inside the shoes.
2️⃣ They secure your child’s heels and eliminate any gaps around the ankles by pushing your kids’ heels against the back of the shoe.
3️⃣ They fit the shape of your child’s narrow feet better.
In addition to providing extra depth and providing a narrow toe-box and heel counter, these shoe styles provide good everyday support, are lightweight, flexible, durable, and breathable.
Apply This Amazing Shoe Lacing Technique!
If you choose any of the shoes that come with shoelaces, then there is a particular shoe tying technique that you can use to make sure your child’s heels are pushed back against the back of the shoes, which will eliminate any remaining gap around your child’s ankles. There is another article that describes this shoe tying technique in more detail.
My main goal is to help parents find the perfect pair of shoes for their children since shoes that don’t fit properly can cause several foot issues and lead to foot, knee, hip, and back pain.
I have written several other articles for children with high insteps, so please do not hesitate to contact me if you are having trouble finding a pair of sandals, dress shoes, or boots for children with high insteps. It’s highly likely that I have fitted them before and I will help you find them.
Having sore and uncomfortable feet should not be part of your child’s day! Allow your child to perform his/her everyday activities by wearing a pair of comfortable and supportive shoes.
Is your child still complaining that the top part of his/her feet hurts? Are your kids’ heels still coming up and down the shoes even after trying my shoe tying technique? Please contact me directly through the comments section or via email and I will be able to provide you with a solution.
Have you tried any of the shoe styles that I recommend in this article? Is there any other shoe that has worked well for your child with a high instep and narrow feet? Please share your findings below so other parents can benefit from your experiences.
