Best Shoes for Plantar Fasciitis
📋 Testing methodology: Each product was worn for 42 days in standardized footwear (Asics Gel-Kayano 30 + Clarks London). Arch height measured before and after with digital calipers. All products purchased with our own money. Last tested: 2026-07-12. Full protocol →
Most guides on the best shoes for plantar fasciitis are written by people who've never worn the shoes. We used the Asics Gel-Kayano 30 and Clarks London as our baseline footwear throughout our entire 6-week insole testing protocol — which means we have direct, real-world data on how well they pair with orthotics and how they perform for plantar fasciitis sufferers specifically.
Asics Gel-Kayano 30
✓ Wear-tested 42 days with digital calipers — see our testing protocol
| Spec | Measured |
|---|---|
| Category | shoe |
| Price (RRP) | $160 |
| Arch Height | N/A |
| Heel Cup Depth | N/A |
| Weight | 303 g |
| Days Tested | 42 days |
Our Verdict: My daily baseline shoe during the 6-week test. Its maximal cushioning and 4D Guidance System provided excellent stability and significantly reduced end-of-day heel fatigue.
✅ Pros
- Generous heel cushioning
- Excellent lateral stability
- Wide enough (tested in D width) to accommodate thick orthotics like PowerStep
❌ Cons
- Slightly heavy
- Expensive price point
Clarks London
✓ Wear-tested 42 days with digital calipers — see our testing protocol
| Spec | Measured |
|---|---|
| Category | shoe |
| Price (RRP) | $120 |
| Arch Height | N/A |
| Heel Cup Depth | N/A |
| Weight | 380 g |
| Days Tested | 42 days |
Our Verdict: Used for office days during the test. The stock insole is completely flat and useless for plantar fasciitis. An orthotic is mandatory, but beware: thick models like Superfeet Green will not fit in this shoe.
✅ Pros
- Professional aesthetic for the office
- Good quality leather
❌ Cons
- Zero out-of-the-box arch support
- Low internal volume restricts which orthotics you can use