Plantar Fasciitis Shoe Guide
Honest comparison based on 4 years of personal experience. Skechers → Nike arch-support (2 pairs, 2 years) → Air Force 1 → New Balance 1080.
New Balance 1080
BestFelt like flying the first time I put them on. Excellent cushioning that wraps the foot without pressing on the arch. A completely different world from hard Air Force 1 soles. About $150 in Europe (prices vary by region) — a stretch, but the best investment I made.
Nike Air Force 1
OkayFlat sole provides good support without pressing on the arch, making it much better than arch-support shoes. Overall not a bad shoe, but with better options like the New Balance 1080 out there, it's just okay.
Flat/Hard Sole Shoes
Better than archSurprisingly better than arch-support shoes because they don't press on and irritate the arch.
Nike Arch-Support Running Shoes
Made it worseWore 2 pairs for 2 years (2023-2024). Thought arch support would help, but it pushed on the inflamed arch making it worse. Switching to flat Air Force 1s hurt LESS — that's when I realized the mistake.
Skechers Memory Foam
Caused the problemWore for about a year. Summer rain repeatedly soaked the foam, silently destroying the front padding under the toes. Looked fine outside. This directly caused my plantar fasciitis.