Having flat feet can make even the simplest things difficult or even painful. Flat feet shouldn’t stop you from skateboarding, but you need the proper insole to help along. A proper skateboarding insole can make a massive difference in your experience.
So let’s get started. What are the best skateboarding insoles for flat feet?
What Are the Best Skateboarding Insoles For Flat Feet?
Footprint’s Gamechangers
Footprint’s Gamechangers are unique in quite a few ways. They are made from some pretty amazing impact absorbent material that is so effective it is used in the space station. They also are custom molded to your feet using a heat molding technique that you do at home. It is this custom molding and superior cushioning that make them great for people with flat feet.
The company recommends the Gamechangers model or their Kingfoam Orthopedics model for people with flat feet. Personally, I have used their Gamechangers and it really is a brilliant insole. It feels as if your feet aren’t walking on pavement, but rather a foam pad. It’s easy to forget you even have them on.
Pricing
The price is definitely a big factor when deciding what insoles to buy.
Footprint insoles are a bit pricier comfort than insoles found in Walmart or even other skateboarding insoles. Footprint Gamechangers are priced at $50 on the company website and are sold for as low as $35 on online retailers such as Amazon. The insoles are cheaper to buy from online retailers.
So the Footprint insoles are pricier than other options, but you know you’re getting quality. They won’t fall apart and will likely impress you with have impact absorbent they are.
Remind’s DESTIN Low-Arch 4.5 mm Insoles
Remind isn’t as wildly popular as Footprint, but they make a mean insole and actually my favorite insole that I currently use (the Cush Clouds model).
The Remind DESTIN is designed specifically for people with low arches and even offers a slight heel to help prevent overpronation. The Remind insoles contour to your foot naturally, are thin enough to fit comfortably inside most shoes and are wonderfully shock absorbent.
This is as good as it gets when it comes to flat feet as skate shoes are not designed with flat feet in mind. Shock absorption and a small heel to prevent overpronation are the best qualities in an insole for flat feet.
I seriously wear my pair every time I go skate.
Pricing
Remind insoles are very fairly priced and are cheaper than average for skateboarding insoles.
Remind insoles price ranges from $25-$35 for these insoles which makes them a cheaper option than Footprint insoles and skateboarding insoles in general. There is no price difference between the company website and amazon and other online retailers. They offer a wide range of graphics and pro models for their insoles.
This is really a steal for the quality you are getting. I actually prefer my Remind insoles to my Footprint insoles because they are less bulky, naturally contour to my foot and feel gel-like as I walk with them.
Other Insoles
I have tried a few other skateboarding and non-skateboarding insole brands like Shred and Dr. Scholl’s and I was not impressed. For these reasons, I’m not going to recommend these other brands here, but I do have in-depth reviews of these insoles if you are interested in checking them out.
The title of this article is “The BEST Insoles For Flat Feet”, not “The Average Insoles For Flat Feet”.
If you are interested in skateboarding insoles, I tried and rated insoles from different brands side by side. My favorites were Remind insoles, but you can see the full round-up review here.
Can You Skateboard With Flat Feet?
It’s natural to doubt if skateboarding is for you if you have flat feet or joint problems. Skateboarding can be rough on anyone’s body, but don’t be discouraged.
People with flat feet can skateboard but are more prone to foot and joint pain especially considering the repeated impacts of skateboarding. If you have flat feet, it is recommended to wear skateboarding insoles or skate transition to avoid repetitive stress on your joints. Wider shoes can also increase your comfort while skating. (source)
I recommend avoiding long flat ground sessions where you are just slamming out trick after trick. These sessions can be brutal on anyone’s joints and
There are people out there shredding who have way worse disabilities or physical limits than flat feet so don’t let it stop you at all. You can easily find videos of people skating with no legs if you want motivation to push past your flat feet.
Pro-Skaters With Flat-Feet
This is a difficult question to answer as there really isn’t much information out there. Pro skaters aren’t exactly coming out in support of others with flat feet.
It isn’t clear whether there are any pro skaters with flat feet or not. After extensive digging, I couldn’t find anyone openly mentioning their flat feet in an interview or anything. Obviously, flat feet isn’t a common interview question, but it’s strange to not find anything.
The absence of evidence doesn’t necessarily imply that there are no flat-footed pro skaters. If I can find any examples I will come back and update this post or if you know of any flat-footed skaters then feel free to reach out to me.
Are There Skate Shoes For Flat Feet?
There are some unfortunate misconceptions about flat feet. The most common misconception is that people with flat feet should wear flat-soled shoes.
There are no skate shoes built specifically for people with flat feet. Skate shoes tend to be flat-soled which is not ideal for people with flat feet. Having a heel in a shoe is better for flat feet as it can reduce the amount of overpronation. So, skaters with flat feet must rely on insoles and cushioning for their skate shoes.
That being said there are still great choices of shoes out there for people with flat feet. Among them include:
Converse One Stars
The one stars feature a stylish and classic look combined with a well-cushioned and thick vulcanized rubber sole. Naturally, they have a flat sole, but simply pop in your insoles and you will be good to go. You could also probably skate a new pair with no insole for a few weeks with no issue as well.
New Balance Numerics
New Balance Numerics are stylish and simple in design. They also have a roomy shoe that can make them popular with people who have wide feet. This also makes them perfect and roomy to fit an insole. Grab a pair of the numerics models. They have a selection of a few different kinds.
Vans Half Cab Pros
The Vans Half Cab Pros are a fantastic pro model shoe by the well respected and classic skate company Vans. They use POPCUSH technology for better impact cushioning and built-in heel stiffening to give you better support as you skate. Loads of skaters love these shoes whether they have flat feet or not. They’re a great choice.
If you are having knee pain while skating, check out my guide on why you get knee pain from skateboarding and how to prevent it.
Tips For Skaters With Flat Feet
Skate in Short Sessions
Having flat feet essentially means that even the smallest impacts are going to be rougher on your joints, feet, and body as a whole. Just be realistic about this and understand that you will get worn down faster than others. This means skating in shorter sessions so you don’t destroy your body.
I would recommend skating in sessions that aren’t much longer than an hour at a time. This was you can practice effectively, still have some, and not run yourself into the ground. There is the added benefit that you do your best skating when you’re fresh and you’ll stay fresh with shorter sessions.
Learn Transition
Transition skating is fun to do and is much easier on your joints and body. You need protective gear and to know how to fall, but you avoid all of the harsh impacts that come with flat-ground tricks.
There’s a reason why older skaters don’t skate street often, but plenty of older skaters will tear up a bowl or mini ramp. The style is just much easier on your body once you know how to do it. Learning to fall is very important in transition though so don’t push yourself too fast. It’s very easy to break a bone or slam your head.
Absolutely Wear an Insole
Insoles are your lifesaver as someone with flat feet.
Skate shoes are designed to have a flat sole to give better board control, and this is not good for someone with flat feet. Insoles will give you a better cushion and in some cases a bit of an artificial heel to help save your joints. Footprint insoles are extremely popular, but my personal favorite is Remind insoles.
Listen to Your Body
The pain you feel is your body communicating to you.
If you feel like you can’t keep skating and even popping an ollie is painful, then stop skating. If you feel your joints starting to ache, then stop skating and come back tomorrow. You will gain nothing from running yourself into the ground.
Go at your own pace even if that is slower. Let your body tell you much skating it can take each week and go from there. You don’t need to skate every day to progress. Skating is a marathon anyway so there is no rush.
If you’re wondering if soreness after skating is normal, check out my guide answering what the soreness means with tips to prevent soreness in the future.
Conclusion
So there it is. There are some great choices out there for people with flat feet and I would recommend buying from a skateboarding-specific company rather than Dr. Schol’s.
The best orthopedic insole for people with flat feet is without a doubt the Footprint Gamechangers, but Remind has some good choices as well.
Don’t be discouraged if you have flat feet or joint pain. You can still skate as long as you take care of your body well. This means using insoles and not skating for too long in one session. It is also ok to skate transition instead of street style. This will save your joints.
Anyway, I hope this helped. Thanks for reading, and look out for more articles from Board and Wheels.
