The Best Narrow Running Shoes for Kids – Supportive, Lightweight, and Flexible!
Is your child serious about running but is dealing with a “complicated” foot shape such as narrow feet and you can’t find comfortable running shoes? Are most running shoes that you try on your child’s feet too big and wide and gap too much around the ankles? I have been fitting children’s shoes for many years and I will be able to help you find the perfect pair of running shoes for your child’s narrow feet.
The Challenges of Finding Narrow Shoes for Your Child
Parents seem to have one question in common: Why is it so hard to find narrow running shoes for children with narrow feet? Quite simply because the cost of mass-produced shoes is kept low by producing only the most common styles (medium width). The fewer variations there are, the less the cost is for shoe companies. So, for kids with narrow feet like yours, it gets harder to find shoes that fit.
Be Careful About Fitting Your Child in Wider Shoes
Providing your child with a shoe that is too wide can lead to all sorts of issues such as blisters. When a shoe is too wide, the foot moves too much inside the shoes and that constant friction and rubbing between the feet and the shoes usually leads to the issues mentioned above. The two most common places where your child might develop blisters are the back of the heels and the pinky toe (small toe).
What Makes the Running Shoes I Recommend Effective for Narrow Feet?
One of the most common problems that children with narrow feet have is that their heels tend to slip out or move too much around the ankles. Certain running shoes provide heel counters that are narrower than others. Notice how in this first image the left shoe has a rounder heel counter than the shoe in the second image.
We also need to look for running shoes that provide narrow platforms so they can fit the overall shape of your child’s narrow feet.
Running Shoes for Kids – The 3 Most Important Features!
1️⃣ Substantial Outsoles: This feature helps reduce the impact that your kids’ feet and legs take every time they come in contact with the ground. When children are running, they are stressing out their feet and legs at a whole different level, so we need the shoes to be supportive.
2️⃣ Firmer Heel Counters: This feature protects and supports your kids’ heels and ankles. Always press on the heel counter of your kids’ shoes to make sure that it feels firm. The firmer it is, the better.
3️⃣ Lightweight and Flexible: This feature helps prevent your child’s feet and legs from easily getting tired. Your kids’ shoes should always bend at the ball of the foot but no further:
How to Order the Correct Shoe Size Online
If you don’t provide your child with the correct shoe size, you might end up creating all sorts of issues with your child’s feet such as blisters, calluses, and corns. I created a virtual shoe fitting service that will show you the most effective way to figure out your child’s foot size from home.
Best Narrow Running Shoes for Kids – Supportive and Narrow
Many of the running shoes featured below come in several color options, so if you want the running shoes to be made of a specific color, please make sure to click through and see if they are available in that specific color. Disclosure: Keep in mind that we may receive commissions when you click our links and make purchases.
Boys
- Order the shoe style Gel-Noosa by Asics on Amazon
- The Asics shoe style Gel-Noosa Tri 13 is available for little and big kids
- Fits narrow and medium feet
- Lace-up closure
- Removable Insoles
- I suggest that you order this shoe a half size larger than your child’s current foot size
- The Asics shoe style Contend 8 is available for little and big kids
- Fits narrow and medium feet
- Lace-up closure
- Removable insoles
- Rearfoot GEL technology cushioning system
- Breathable
- I suggest that you order this shoe a half size larger than your child’s current foot size
- Order the shoe style Axon by Saucony on Zappos
- Fits children with narrow or medium feet
- EVA midsole provides increased shock attenuation, responsive cushioning and lasting durability
- Cushioned footbed
- I suggest that you order this shoe a half size larger than your child’s current foot size
- Order the shoe style Novablast 2 GS by Asics on Zappos
- The Asics shoe style Novablast is available for little and big kids
- Fits narrow and medium feet
- Lace-up closure
- Removable insoles
- Rearfoot GEL technology cushioning system
- Breathable
- I suggest that you order this shoe a half size larger than your child’s current foot size
- Order the shoe style Kinvara LTT by Saucony on Zappos
- Lace-up closure
- Fits children with narrow or medium feet
- Cushioned footbed
- I suggest that you order this shoe a half size larger than your child’s current foot size
- Order the shoe style Contend 8 by Asics on Amazon
- Fits narrow and medium feet
- Lace-up closure
- Removable Insoles
- I suggest that you order this shoe a half size larger than your child’s current foot size
Girls
- Order the shoe style Gel-Noosa by Asics on Amazon
- The Asics shoe style Gel-Noosa Tri 13 is available for little and big kids
- Fits narrow and medium feet
- Lace-up closure
- Firm heel counter with supportive outsole
- Removable insoles
- I suggest that you order this shoe a half size larger than your child’s current foot size
- Order the shoe style GEL-Cumulus by Asics on Zappos
- The Asics shoe style Gel-Cumulus 25 is available for little and big kids
- Fits narrow and medium feet
- Lace-up closure
- Removable Insoles
- I suggest that you order this shoe a half size larger than your child’s current foot size
- Order the shoe style GEL-Excite 10 by Asics on Amazon
- The Asics shoe style GEL-Noosa Trim 15 is available for little and big kids
- Fits narrow and medium feet
- Lace-up closure
- Removable Insoles
- Infused gel for extra cushion and support
- I suggest that you order this shoe a half size larger than your child’s current foot size
- Order the shoe style Contend 8 by Asics on Amazon
- The Asics shoe style Contend 8 is available for little and big kids
- Fits narrow and medium feet
- Lace-up closure
- Firm heel counter with supportive outsole
- Removable insoles
- I suggest that you order this shoe a half size larger than your child’s current foot size
- Order the shoe style Wind FST by Saucony on Zappos
- The Saucony shoe style Wind is available for little and big kids
- Fits narrow and medium feet
- Breathable mesh and synthetic upper
- Heel grid system for stable cushioning in the heel
- EVA midsole provides increased shock attenuation, responsive cushioning and lasting durability
- I suggest that you order this shoe a half size larger than your child’s current foot size
- Order the shoe style Axon by Saucony on Zappos
- Fits children with narrow or medium feet
- EVA midsole provides increased shock attenuation, responsive cushioning and lasting durability
- Padded tongue and collar
- Cushioned footbed
- I suggest that you order this shoe a half size larger than your child’s current foot size
Are Any Other Running Shoe Choices Available?
If you would rather receive specific shoe recommendations tailored to your child’s narrow feet don’t hesitate to contact me:
fittingchildrensshoes@gmail.com
Running Shoes with Shoelaces – Better Support and Stability!
Shoes with laces make a tremendous difference not just in accommodating your child’s narrow feet, but also in the amount of support and stability that the shoes provide. There is a particular shoe lacing technique that I have found to be the most effective ones when it comes to tying shoes for children with narrow feet.
This shoe tying method pushes your kids’ heels back, securing and protecting them against the back of the shoes.
1️⃣ First Step: Start by lacing the shoes as you would normally do, but when you get to the top leave the two eyelets (shoe holes) open as shown in the picture below.
2️⃣ Second Step: Lace the shoelaces through the top hole first.
3️⃣ Third Step: Go through the two holes that you left open.
How to Check If Your Kids’ Shoes FIT?
Two very simple steps can help determine whether your child’s shoes are fitting the shape of your child’s narrow feet correctly:
1️⃣ The first method is to check if there is too much extra shoe material in the front top part of your kids’ shoes. Have your child stand up straight and slide your finger and pinch to see if there is extra shoe material. Take a look at the picture below for clarification. Do you notice how there is a lot of extra shoe material in the front of the shoes?
2️⃣ The second method is to check if there is too much extra space around your kids’ ankles. You can check this by sliding your finger around your kids’ ankles and see if you can fit one or two more fingers in that area. Take a look at the picture below for clarification. There shouldn’t be all that extra space around your child’s heels:
Leather Tongue Pads for Shoes – Yet Another Alternative!
Tongue pads are extremely effective for children with narrow feet as they minimize any remaining gaps inside your kids’ shoes. Tongue pads put more pressure in the instep of the foot, pushing and securing your kids’ heels against the back of the shoe, and filling up any remaining gap left inside the shoe.
Tongue pads are adhesive backed-pads that fit in the tongue of the shoes and they work in all enclosed shoes. If I try a pair of narrow shoes for a child and use my shoe lacing technique, but the shoe is still too wide, that’s when I proceed to try a tongue pad.
Do you happen to need a pair of narrow running shoes for yourself? There is a different website that describes the best narrow-width running shoes for women.
Have you tried a particular running shoe that has worked well for your child’s narrow feet? Please share your findings below so other parents can benefit from your experiences.
