Shoes like Chucks, but with better arch support?

June 6, 2013 1:23 AM

I'm looking for shoes styled like Chuck Taylors, but I need something with more arch support. Even with orthotics, Chucks are too flat for me.
posted by professor plum with a rope to Clothing, Beauty, & Fashion (21 answers total)

Do what my husband does, and add an insole.
posted by kellyblah at 3:23 AM on June 6, 2013 [4 favorites]

Supergas?
posted by ersatzkat at 3:28 AM on June 6, 2013

Depending on your foot volume, you could add a cushy insole PLUS a something like a Birkenstock footbed insert. I haven't seen anything that looks like Chucks except Chucks (that look good, anyway).
posted by PorcineWithMe at 3:31 AM on June 6, 2013

Ah, yes. We are finding ourselves in this position too. My husband just ordered these Pro Keds from J. Crew (currently on sale) for that reason. We do find the Jack Purcells have marginally more support - but we also find any of our Converse products fall apart so quickly these days that we need something better too. And we are a family with a *whispers* "Converse collection problem."
posted by peagood at 4:16 AM on June 6, 2013

Chucks. Then go to a sporting goods store or online and buy some superfeet insoles. They're designed for hockey skates and work any shoe. Awesome heel and arch support.
posted by chasles at 5:00 AM on June 6, 2013 [1 favorite]

Maybe try Vans skateboard shoes?
posted by gjc at 5:09 AM on June 6, 2013

Best answer: Buy PF Flyers instead.

Remove the vulcanized insole. Unlike Keds, Supergas, and other similar shoes, the PF Flyer insoles are completely removable. Keds are glued in, as are Supergas IIRC, and don't remove cleanly or in one piece.

PF Flyers are also deeper than Converse, Keds, and Superga shoes, and run a little wide. I find them to be much more comfortable with my custom orthotics.

Add your own custom insole or orthotic. The deep nature of the shoe allows for a thicker insole to be added if you want.

If you don't have a custom orthotic (I do), I like the pink Superfeet (I'm a woman). I have small, wide, and flat feet.
posted by kathryn at 5:12 AM on June 6, 2013 [3 favorites]

Best answer: Keen coronados
posted by genmonster at 5:43 AM on June 6, 2013 [1 favorite]

I had your dilemma and went for golf shoes styled as street shoes, like Ecco. More expensive, but mine have lasted a year and are in relatively good shape. Insole needs to be replaced, though...
posted by tooloudinhere at 5:56 AM on June 6, 2013

Are you looking for male or female shoes? Dansko has a good shoe called the 'Veda' that I'm wearing right now. They're very comfy, but it's got a slight clog heel to it.
posted by Caravantea at 6:05 AM on June 6, 2013

Maybe try Vans skateboard shoes?

Vans are terrible for arch support. I could have written this exact AskMe question, substituting "Vans" for "Chuck Taylors" and "Chucks".
posted by The Michael The at 6:05 AM on June 6, 2013 [2 favorites]

Best answer: Seconding Keens. They are one of the few brands I've found that really have arch support. You can even replace the footbed.
posted by fontophilic at 6:09 AM on June 6, 2013

Nativeshoes.com sells croc-chuck hybrids.
posted by oceanjesse at 6:21 AM on June 6, 2013

I came to suggest PF Flyers, though I would describe them differently. I have a pair that look like the ones in kathryn's photos (the SumFun Lo, I think), but they came with a very different, structured Posture Foundation insole. I found that the insole was absurdly uncomfortable and left little room for my feet in the shoe, especially vertically. I also removed the insole, but I wear them without any insole at all, so they're just flat like Chucks. And I still find them to be a little narrow and not very tall. On the other hand, they are pretty comfortable, certainly much more than my last pair of canvas shoes, the Tretorn Tournament T56. My all-time most comfortable shoes like this are no longer available: the Tretorn Gullwing Tournament.
posted by stopgap at 6:37 AM on June 6, 2013

Best answer: I recently bought these Keens; the style is called Maderas. I took out the footbed, and put in some Dr Scholl's padded insoles with memory foam, and then my custom orthotics. They are working wonderfully for me. In general, I have found Keen and Merrell to be the brands that work best with my orthotics.
posted by not that girl at 6:38 AM on June 6, 2013

These classic Toms have a latex arch insert for additional support. Same deal with the cordones, which have optional laces.
posted by goblue_est1817 at 7:08 AM on June 6, 2013

I've converted to PF Flyers from Vans and Converse for precisely this reason. I use the stock insole.

As a bonus, you can run faster and jump higher.
posted by donpardo at 7:19 AM on June 6, 2013 [2 favorites]

Like stopgap I find PF Flyers uncomfortable -- not enough arch support for me. They also do run narrow. I got them because Chucks kill my feet. PF Flyers just hurt a wee bit.
posted by Lescha at 11:06 AM on June 6, 2013

Buy Chucks with removable insoles so you can put whatever kind of insole you want in them. And if you really want a treat, buy the laceless ones and use laces. You'll probably have to remove a tiny bit of stitching, but it's easy to do and makes for the best Chucks ever. I tend to use black laces in mine.
posted by 2oh1 at 2:03 PM on June 6, 2013

I have PF Flyers, and find that the removable insole that came with them is pretty good, support-wise.
posted by sarcasticah at 4:06 PM on June 6, 2013

I gotta say no to Tom's. I love how they look and they're fine for short walks, but I wore them on a 10-day trip to Europe and my feet were screaming from lack of support. In fact, I was planning to ask a similar question about Toms equivalents with arch support, but I think this thread does the trick, so thanks!
posted by lunasol at 12:21 AM on June 7, 2013