Podiatrists Agree: These Are the Best Hoka Shoes for Plantar Fasciitis

Sizes: 5–12 | Width: Regular, wide | Stack Height: 37 mm | Drop: 5 mm | Weight: 8.3 oz.

With excellent cushioning and ace arch support, the Clifton 9 is our top pick for Hoka shoes for plantar fasciitis. Brad Schaeffer, D.P.M., a board-certified foot surgeon with Central Park Sole in New York City — who wears Cliftons himself — points out that they’ve got exactly what you need to help relieve the stress on your plantar fascia: shock absorption, a rocker bottom, and just the right amount of support. Our testers agree.

“The shoe has great, firm cushioning,” said one Shape tester. The compression-molded EVA foam midsole absorbed so much impact that she didn’t feel any of the knee pain that typically plagues her on runs, while the early-stage metarocker gave her exceptionally smooth strides. Overall, we found these are just super comfy sneaks: “I notice an incredible difference when putting them on — it feels much better to walk and run in these than it does in my typical daily shoes.”  

Sizes: 5–11 | Width: Regular, wide | Stack Height: 35 mm | Drop: 5 mm | Weight: 6.7 oz.

When you’re picking up the pace for a run, it helps to have a shoe with bouncy foam like the Mach 6. It’s designed to give you that extra little boost of speed. But it’s also a solid option for plantar fasciitis, thanks to its balance of support and cushioning.

“The first time I wore these shoes, I ran a local five-mile race and couldn’t have been more comfortable,” our tester said. “I truly felt like I could run fast and was more nimble on my feet.” While the Mach doesn’t have extra stability features or a particularly massive stack of cushioning, they ended up being our favorite pair to run in. Just 6.7 oz., they’re surprisingly lightweight, and we found they gave us that legendary “forget-they’re-there” feeling. 

Sizes: 5–11 | Width: Regular, wide | Stack Height: 36 mm | Drop: 6 mm | Weight: 9.5 oz

The tech inside the Transport offers foot-cradling comfort while the design gives you a little more elevated aesthetic, with monochrome, muted colorways rather than loud, athletic styling. “It’s probably Hoka’s cutest shoe, to be honest,” says Stephanie Tine, D.P.M., a podiatric physician and surgeon at Flamingo Foot & Ankle in Florida. She often wears this pair to work herself and recommends it to patients with plantar fasciitis for walks or low-key hikes. 

Our tester found her feet felt supported with every step in the Transport, and she could easily walk long distances without any pain. Bonus: They come with toggle laces that make them easy to slip on and off. But if you want a little more support in the midfoot, there’s also a pair of regular laces included so you can tie them on the traditional way to make sure they’re nice and snug. If you’re searching for the best Hoka walking shoes, these are among the top contenders.

Sizes: 5–11 | Width: Regular | Stack Height: 44 mm | Drop: 5 mm | Weight: 10.8 oz.

When you’re heading off roads, look for shoes like the Stinson 7 that are designed to keep you upright on tricky terrain. “You want a trail running tread — because of the uneven surfaces, it’s definitely helpful to have more of a grip on the bottom of the foot,” says Dr. Tine.

The Stinson offers hikers with plantar fasciitis a good dose of support, a stabilizing H-frame base, and a thick stack of foam that we found kept our feet happy even when we were tackling major elevation. It doesn’t have that high top to surround your ankles like a traditional hiking boot would, so if you’re afraid of twisting your ankle on rocks and roots, you might want to check out the equally plantar fasciitis–friendly Kaha 2 — just know that at 16.8 oz., it’ll be a god deal heavier and clunkier.

Sizes: 5–11 | Width: Regular, wide | Stack Height: 24 mm | Drop: 6 mm | Weight: 6.7 oz.

Worried about feeling unstable on overly-cushioned shoes when you pick up a pair of dumbbells? Check out the lightweight Solimar. It’s got just enough EVA foam to lighten the load on your plantar fascia, but we found the restrained stack of cushioning under the heel made us still feel securely connected to the ground while strength training. Meanwhile, the late-stage metarocker kept the majority of our foot firmly planted on the floor, with just a little lift-up at the toes for smooth strides when we hit the tread.

This shoe has plenty of support, particularly around the heel which gives it a firm, cradling sensation — in the best way. “A sturdy heel counter stabilizes the foot and prevents overpronation, which can strain the fascia,” Dr. Donovan points out.     

Sizes: 5–12 | Width: Regular, wide | Stack Height: 34 mm | Drop: 5 mm | Weight: 8.1 oz.

If your feet have a habit of rolling in uncomfortably as you walk, Dr. Donovan says the Arahi’s midsole design helps gently guide you into a neutral position, without being overly rigid. That’s because of the shoe’s patented base, Bekah Broe, Hoka’s senior director of product and performance footwear, tells Shape. “[It’s] designed to combat overpronation with a firm, J-shaped foam on the medial side where the foot typically rolls inward,” she explains. And it pulls that off brilliantly, which is why we named the Arahi 7 the best stability shoe in Shape’s 2024 Sneaker Awards. 

Our tester found these kicks provided fantastic support and stability on both walks and runs. The cushioning is soft, but there’s not so much that you feel weirdly high off the ground. We did find, however, that the Arahis take a little time to break in, so be patient. After a few weeks, they’ll feel good as gold.

Sizes: 5–12 | Width: Regular, wide | Stack Height: 40 mm | Drop: 5 mm | Weight: 9.9 oz.

When you want as much shock absorption as possible, you want the uber-cushioned Bondi 8, which rocks a massive 40 mm of EVA foam under the heel. “Known for its maximum cushioning and support, it’s a great option for anyone with plantar fasciitis,” says Dr. Donovan. That extra foam underfoot can just make everything a little more comfy whenever you’re on your feet, Dr. Schaeffer adds. 

But beware that all that pillowy plushness can make these shoes a bit too unstable for people who have balance issues. “If I see [patients] walking in, and they look kind of unsteady, I won’t recommend those,” Dr. Tine says. For anyone who can handle serious cushion, though, the Bondi is a go-to rec. 

Sizes: 5–12 | Width: Regular, wide | Stack Height: 37 mm | Drop: 6 mm | Weight: 9.1 oz.

People with flat feet will want a little extra assistance to keep their feet from rolling in as they walk or run — and the Gaviota 5 can help with ts stabilizing H-frame. “If you look at a flat-footed person, their arch is touching the ground, so you want a stability shoe with a more rigid medial plank on the bottom to help push that arch up,” says Dr. Tine. Unlike Hoka’s lighter-weight stability shoe, the Arahi 7, the Gaviota adds max cushioning to the recipe. “The cushion felt a lot softer than other Hokas I tested,” said one Shape editor. With the gait-correcting midsole and 37 mm of spongey EVA foam, the Gaviota is basically the love child of the Arahi and the uber-plush Bondi 8.   

Sizes: 5–12 | Width: Regular, wide | Stack Height: 38 mm | Drop: 5 mm | Weight: 8.6 oz.

The springy Skyflow is an ideal design for people with high arches who might find stability shoes uncomfortable. “A high-arch person does better in a neutral, cushioned shoe because they have more pressure points on their foot: Their big toe joint, their fifth toe joint, and the heel,” says Dr. Tine. “You don’t really need as much arch support as you do cushion.” Our tester found this pair majorly cushy and exceptionally bouncy. Although the Skyflow is designed as a running shoe, she actually liked it best for walking and standing since the big stack of foam felt a little awkward when she tried to speed things up.