If you’re a man who’s overweight, it can feel like the world is against you.
But there’s one thing we can all agree on: Being overweight is difficult to deal with. It affects your mental health and your self-esteem, and it makes it hard for you to do things that people who aren’t overweight take for granted.
One of those things is buying shoes. Shoes that fit well are essential if you want to be able to walk around without pain or discomfort, but if you’re heavy, finding shoes that fit well—and are comfortable—can seem impossible. Here’s how we make sure our customers don’t have to go through that struggle anymore:
Best Shoes For Heavy Men
7 Best Running Shoes For Heavy Men, 100+ Shoes Tested in 2022
Running shoes for big guys have loads of cushion to keep the feet protected. And more importantly, they’re built durable.
Whether you’re running on pavement or on the trails, these shoes can take a beating.
Choosing from more than 500 running shoes for heavy men can be a lot. To help you, this list trims it down to the best of the best from different categories.
Best overall
Best road
Best trail
New Balance Fresh Foam Hierro v6
Best Nike
Best Asics
Best value
Most popular
How we test running shoes
To keep everything as bias-free as possible, we buy all the shoes we examine with our own money. And to be objective, we have our own shoe testing lab for a more data-driven review.
On top of these, we also:
- Run in each shoe for at least 30-50 miles
- Cut them open to assess what’s inside
- Measure each part
- Calculate their CoreScore using thousands of expert and user reviews
Best running shoes for heavy men overall
Altra Lone Peak 5.0
CoreScore
92
Superb!
Pros
- Great for wide feet
- Superb grip (rocks, mud, ice, snow)
- Stiff and durable
- Sheds mud easily
- Great water drainage
- Balanced and stable ride
- Removable Ortholite insole
- Great for road-to-trail transitions
- Extremely breathable
- Rock plate for technical terrain
- Gaiter-friendly
- Easy to clean
Cons
- No ground feel
- Too cold for winter days
Verdict
The Altra Lone Peak 5.0 is a trail shoe that will make you run with confidence! It’s sturdy underfoot, supportive, and it’s got the right blend of comfort and responsiveness. Throw in any terrain, and this shoe will bite its way through them!
Best road big guy running shoes
Brooks Glycerin GTS 19
CoreScore
91
Superb!
Pros
- True to size
- Good cushioning
- Breathable
- Smooth transition
- Durable
Cons
- Not very versatile
- Slight heel slipping
Verdict
The Brooks Glycerin GTS 19 is a great every-day runner’s shoe that offers good cushioning on a stable platform and will go the distance. The Glycerin GTS 19 doesn’t offer anything that is mind-bending or earth-shattering. It’s simply consistent.
Best trail big guy running shoes
New Balance Fresh Foam Hierro v6
CoreScore
91
Superb!
Pros
- Comfortable
- Super plush
- Protective underfoot
- Amazing lockdown
- Easy to put on (heel loop!)
- True to size
- Heel rudder
- Looks amazing
- Value at $135
Cons
- Heavy
- Runs warm
- Could be grippier
Verdict
A heavy-duty trail beast, the Balance Fresh Foam Hierro v6 has proved to us it’s more than capable of taking a beating from harsh elements! It crushes everything underfoot and will last plenty of miles. After putting it to the test, we found that it works best as a road-to-trail transition shoe and a light to moderate dedicated trail shoe.
Best Nike big guy running shoes
Nike Pegasus Trail 2 GTX
CoreScore
90
Superb!
Pros
- Outstanding waterproofness
- Great for road-to-trail transitions
- Lively ride
- Feels lighter than it is
- Good grip
- Perfect for autumn and winter
- Runs true to size
- Undeniably durable
Cons
- Not breathable
- Semi-gaiter lets snow in
- Bulky
Verdict
The Nike Pegasus Trail 2 GTX is a trail shoe that REALLY impressed us. It kept our feet dry all throughout the wet conditions we ran! It’s made for training runs so don’t expect anything fast. Instead, expect a superbly bouncy and comfortable shoe that will mute out all the rocks and roots underfoot. Even better, in areas of grip and durability, this shoe will wow you!
Best Asics big guy running shoes
Asics Gel Nimbus 23
CoreScore
90
Superb!
Pros
- really comfortable
- good lockdown
- plush feel
- soft yet lively ride
- best for heel strikers
- wide feet friendly
- kayano feel
- durable outsole
- stable for a neutral shoe
Cons
- lacks breathability
- on the heavy side
Verdict
A shoe that gave our feet all the impact dampening they could ask for – the Asics Gel Nimbus 23! It runs smooth and stable, and above all, it keeps the feet free from pain from every pound on the pavement. It’s a neutral daily trainer we’d recommend any day for those who want comfort in all their runs. But be warned, with all the protection and cush you get, a sacrifice on lightness is made.
Best value running shoes for heavy men
CoreScore
90
Superb!
Pros
- Perfect fit
- Impressive lockdown
- Moderate stability
- Great for faster runs
- Cushioned ride
- No break-in needed
- Really breathable
- Good grip
- Durable
Cons
- Heavy
- Limited color options
Verdict
Super comfy, silky smooth, and sneaky fast! The Mizuno Wave Inspire 17 truly gave us a confidence-inspiring ride. It’s a stability workhorse. If you want a supportive training run, it’s the shoe to get, just as it’s the right fit for a peppy, bouncy ride on race day. And as a true Mizuno, it’s a killer in the durability department!
Most popular running shoes for heavy men
Salomon XT-6
CoreScore
84
Good!
Pros
- Fit true to size
- Superb responsiveness
- Quicklace system is a breeze
- Zero Heel-slip
- Amazing grip
- Breathable
- Super stable ride
- Great protection
- Stylish
- Durable
Cons
- Quite heavy as some trail shoes go
- Stiff in colder conditions
Verdict
The Salomon XT-6 has been a hugely popular shoe for nearly a decade both for its looks and its ability to take you anyway on a trail. With heaps of protection, insane grip, and a responsive, speedy ride the XT-6 is still a relevant trail shoe to help you explore the less beaten trails. It’s a shoe that’s sure to leave you confident traversing steep gradients, or comfy at the end of a long hike.
Comparison of the 7 best running shoes for heavy men
Altra Lone Peak 5.0 | Brooks Glycerin GTS 19 | New Balance Fresh Foam Hierro v6 | Nike Pegasus Trail 2 GTX | Asics Gel Nimbus 23 | Mizuno Wave Inspire 17 | Salomon XT-6 | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Best | Overall | Road | Trail | Nike | Asics | Value | Popular | |
CoreScore | 92 Superb! | 91 Superb! | 91 Superb! | 90 Superb! | 90 Superb! | 90 Superb! | 84 Good! | |
Users rating | 4.7/5 | 4.6/5 | 4.6/5 | 4.5/5 | 4.5/5 | 4.5/5 | 4.7/5 | |
Experts | 89/100 | 91/100 | 91/100 | 89/100 | 89/100 | 90/100 | 95/100 | |
Best price | ₦760 | ₦880 | ₦790 | ₦940 | ₦880 | ₦790 | ₦1280 | |
Terrain | Trail | Road | Trail | Trail | Road | Road | Trail | |
Pace | N/A | Daily running | N/A | N/A | Daily running | Daily running | N/A | |
Arch support | Neutral | Stability | Neutral | Neutral | Neutral | Stability | Neutral | |
Heel to toe drop | 0mm | 10mm | 8mm | 10mm | 10mm | 12mm | N/A | |
Weight | 301g | 303g | 337g | 340g | 309g | 309g | 365g | |
Breathable | – | ✓ | ✓ | – | – | – | – | |
Comfortable | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | – | |
Orthotic friendly | ✓ | – | – | – | – | – | – | |
Removable insole | ✓ | – | – | – | – | – | – | |
Rock plate | ✓ | – | – | – | – | – | – | |
Sustainable | – | – | ✓ | – | – | – | – | |
Pronation | UnderpronationSupinationNeutral Pronation | Overpronation | UnderpronationSupinationNeutral Pronation | UnderpronationSupinationNeutral Pronation | UnderpronationSupinationNeutral Pronation | Overpronation | UnderpronationSupinationNeutral Pronation | |
Toebox | Wide | Wide | Wide | Medium | Wide | Medium | N/A | |
Hiking | ✓ | – | – | – | – | – | – | |
Jogging | – | ✓ | – | – | ✓ | ✓ | – | |
Mud | ✓ | – | – | – | – | – | – | |
Off-trail | ✓ | – | – | – | – | – | – | |
Spartan race (OCR) | ✓ | – | – | – | – | – | – | |
Treadmill | – | ✓ | – | – | – | – | – | |
All-day wear | – | ✓ | – | – | ✓ | – | – | |
Walking | – | ✓ | – | – | ✓ | ✓ | – | |
Big guy | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | |
Heavy | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | |
Low drop | ✓ | – | – | – | – | – | – | |
Maximalist | – | – | – | ✓ | – | ✓ | – | |
Zero drop | ✓ | – | – | – | – | – | – | |
Distance | MarathonLong distance | MarathonLong distance | MarathonLong distance | MarathonLong distance | MarathonLong distance | MarathonLong distance | N/A | |
Cushioning | Balanced (2/3) | Plush (3/3) | Balanced (2/3) | Balanced (2/3) | Balanced (2/3) | Balanced (2/3) | N/A | |
Widths available | NormalWide | NormalWide | NormalWideX-Wide | Normal | NarrowNormalWideX-Wide | NormalWide | Normal | |
Foot Condition | N/A | Plantar fasciitisFlat feet | N/A | N/A | Plantar fasciitis | Flat feet | N/A | |
Strike Pattern | Forefoot/Midfoot strike | Heel strike | Forefoot/Midfoot strikeHeel strike | Heel strike | Heel strike | Heel strike | N/A | |
Collection | Altra Lone Peak | Brooks Glycerin | New Balance Fresh Foam | Nike ReactNike Pegasus Trail | Asics GelAsics Flyte FoamAsics Gel Nimbus | Mizuno WaveMizuno Wave Inspire | N/A | |
Technology | N/A | N/A | Vibram | Gore-Tex | N/A | N/A | N/A | |
Waterproofing | N/A | N/A | N/A | Waterproof | N/A | N/A | N/A | |
Arch Type | High arch | Low arch | High arch | High arch | High arch | Low arch | High arch | |
Flexibility | N/A | Flexible (4/5) | N/A | Moderate (3/5) | Flexible (4/5) | N/A | N/A | |
Material | Mesh upper | Mesh upper | Mesh upper | N/A | Mesh upperReflective | Mesh upper | Mesh upper | |
Release date | Jan 2021 | Feb 2021 | Feb 01, 2021 | N/A | Dec 2020 | N/A | Apr 2020 | |
Ranking | #27Top 2% | #57Top 4% | #44Top 3% | #128Top 8% | #160Top 9% | #137Top 8% | #487Top 43% | |
Popularity | #33Top 2% | #164Top 10% | #290Top 17% | #294Top 17% | #62Top 4% | #223Top 13% | #5Top 1% | |
# of colorways | 18 | 18 | 12 | 9 | 43 | 25 | 1 | |
Forefoot height | 25mm | N/A | 20mm | 20mm | 15mm | 19mm | N/A | |
Heel height | 25mm | N/A | 28mm | 30mm | 25mm | 31mm | N/A | |
Season | N/A | N/A | N/A | Winter | N/A | N/A | N/A | |
Summer | – | ✓ | ✓ | – | – | – | – | |
Ultra running | – | – | – | – | – | – | ✓ |