Whether your sights are set on a marathon, the local park run, or just getting around the block without leaving your lunch on the pavement, if you’re running, you need the best running shoes. Unlike those dusty Dunlops buried in the loft, run-specific footwear will ensure the miles are easier, faster, more comfortable and may even help you sidestep injury.
“You need to ensure the shoe you’re buying is designed with the specific technology for distance running,” says Becs Gentry + Run Club Coach and ultra-marathoner.
“This is paramount,” concurs Paul Hobrough, a physiotherapist specializing in running biomechanics with clinics in Harley Street, London, and Northumberland. “Just as the foundations of a house need to be of a specific support to prevent damage, the running shoe needs to balance support and cushioning.”
Fortunately, it’s a great time to be dipping a toe into finding the best running shoes for men. We’re benefiting from a golden period of innovation, with brands investing heavily in R&D and thinking outside the box in design. New designs in foam midsole push the envelope on cushioning and energy return, carbon footplates propel us forward, and woven uppers with anatomically zoned tension cradle our feet like never before.
And there’s style to go with the substance. While retro runners are feeling the love from discerning sneaker-heads, new high-performance models are emerging as out-of-the-box style classics. But with so many running shoes with such variety in design and performance features, finding the perfect match for your specific needs and preferences can be daunting – which is why we’ve distilled everything you need to know right here.
10 Best Running Shoes Brands
If you’re pounding out the miles, you’re better served by focusing on performance. And whatever your individual needs and preferences, you can ensure your chosen footwear delivers by choosing a sneaker brand with running-tech credentials and pedigree, meaning you end up with the best running shoes.
Nike
Among many breakthroughs, the ‘innovation kitchen’ gave us the Free midsole for more ‘natural’ running back in 2004, both predating the barefoot running craze and outlasting it. And last year, the best sneakers designed for Eliud Kipchoge’s sub-two-hour marathon attempt gave speed-minded consumers the same midsole footplate ‘spring’ for forward propulsion in the
Adidas
Just like
From the instant classic Adidas Ultraboost to the stripped-down speedster, the Adios Adizero Boost worn by Wilson Kipsang and Mary Keitany on major marathon wins, they are speeding forward.
Asics
Japanese brand Asics has a massive and fiercely loyal following among runners and boasts a serious running pedigree.
Saucony
Another runner’s go-to, Saucony delivers quality over a wide range of different shoe types.
With classics like the speedy Type A, pronation-controlling Guide, and neutral cushioned all-rounder Kinvara in the long-term stable, Saucony has continued to be a staple pair of some of the best running shoes in every runner’s collection.
Brooks
While Brooks’ 100+ years in the shoe industry wasn’t spent perfecting the best running shoes, Brooks gained full momentum in 2001 and became a bonafide staple in the running performance shoe market.
From Brooks adrenaline and Brooks Ghost 14 to Brooks Revel and Brooks Glycerin 18, Brooks has continued to create up-to-date shoes that focus on the runners’ gait, hips, and joints, moulding themselves to the runner’s body.
New Balance
New Balance got serious about running again recently with a refocus on its running heritage. The ‘Fresh Foam’ collection aims for their midsole material to have extra cushioning in a lightweight foam.
On the other hand, the ‘FuelCell’ foam composition series gives these lightweight running shoes great energy return while working with a full carbon-fiber plate for even more propulsion.
361 Degrees
A relative newcomer in the West, 361 Degrees is an established, award-winning mega-brand in its native China.
Known for their QU!CKFOAM, Fitz-Rite Midfoot, and QU!K Flex 4Foot Engineering, these shoes offer stability, comfort, and style whether you’re running miles or running down one of their runways. These stylish shoes will get you where you need to be – wherever that may be.
Hoka One One
This niche running shoe brand released its first ‘maximal’ cushioned shoe in 2009, offering an enormous amount of midsole cushioning along with a ‘rocker’ shape to propel you forward.
It’s been a winning formula, earning exponential growth and carving out a whole new category of best running shoes.
ON
Another pair of the best running shoes doing things differently is ON. Since 2010 the Swiss brand has used its signature cushioning pods (which it evocatively calls ‘clouds’) on the bottom of its shoes.
They look distinctive, to put it mildly, but the design – which compresses on impact to dissipate shock, briefly locks together to provide a stable platform, then springs apart to help push your foot off the floor – works well and has deservedly won a cult following and numerous industry awards.
Altra
Altra, which was founded out of the desire for a better trainer for road and trail running, encourages natural movement via ‘zero drop’, meaning there is no difference in sole thickness between the forefoot and heel of its shoes. The brand also uses an oversized toe-box to allow your toes to splay and move the way nature intended.
What Kind Of Running Shoes Do You Need?
To get the most from your running, it’s not enough that your shoes are simply run-specific; they need to be right specifically for you as a runner – whether you’re a neutral runner, road runner, trail runner, or marathon runner. “It’s critical to find the right shoe for you,” says Jane Vongvorachoti, Olympic marathoner and running coach. “Don’t buy a shoe just because it is ‘in’ or you see some top runners wearing them.”
Your Body Type
There are many factors to consider in finding that perfect sole mate – the best running shoes for you. Start with your size and weight. The bigger and heavier you are, generally the more cushioning you will need in a shoe to absorb the greater impact forces as your feet hit the floor. Look for models with thicker midsoles that trumpet their cushioning properties.
But then, as in many areas of life, size isn’t everything: “Your size and weight are a factor in the cushioning needed from the shoe, however, it’s not always a necessity that a heavier runner needs a more cushioned shoe if they run well,” says Gentry, which leads us into your biomechanics, AKA gait or form, the highly nuanced and complex way that your body performs the seemingly simple act of placing one foot in front of the other.
Your Biomechanics
“We’re all so different biomechanically, so it’s not a case of, ‘Mo Farah wears that shoe, so I’m going to get it too’,” says Gentry. As a rule of thumb, the more you run, the more efficient and problem-free your running biomechanics should be so that experienced runners can look for more stripped-down shoes with less cushioning, support and stability features. With your biomechanics as unique to you as your fingerprint, though, things can get more complex.
“It’s important to consider your running gait and how you land to have support in the right part of your feet,” says Vongvorachoti. There’s a long history in the running world of trying to match shoes to runners’ individual biomechanics to boost comfort and performance and, crucially, reduce injury risk.
The now-discredited wet footprint test has been replaced by more sophisticated treadmill running gait analysis on offer at specialist running stores, and many believe in the value of this. “If you’re interested in knowing the mechanics of how you run, then it can be a great experience,” says Gentry.
Yet in-store gait analysis isn’t foolproof, and if you’re serious, you could go deeper: “Running shops that specialize and have experienced staff can be excellent, but finding the right shoe for your biomechanics is sometimes a dark art,” says Hobrough. “A running-specialist physiotherapist will assess the whole body and gaining that extra information before your investment can be very important.”
Pronation Control
A focus of any biomechanical analysis is pronation – the degree to which your knee rolls inwards after your foot hits the ground with each stride. If you over-pronate – which has traditionally been linked to a host of injuries – stability or motion control shoes contain technology to counteract this, building up under the arch with tech like medial posts or internal wedges to limit that inward roll.
These running shoes are less common and less extreme than they used to be, and some experts now question both the connection between pronation and injury and the effectiveness of pronation control in running shoes. “I am not an advocate of too much support from the shoe,” says Hobrough. “If you need specialist support, then a bespoke insole is the way to go.”
Still, the consensus is that some over-pronaters can benefit from a shoe with stability features. Just don’t expect any shoe to magically change your running style or immunize you from injuries. “Biomechanics faults aren’t corrected by a shoe,” says Gentry. “That’s something solved by rehab work and focused movements prescribed by a qualified practitioner.”
Comfort
If you feel you’re disappearing down the biomechanics rabbit hole here, you’ll be glad to hear that there may be a far simpler solution. Recent research by highly respected running form boffin Professor Benno Nigg, director of the Human Performance
His studies found the shoes runners chose purely based on feeling most comfortable were also the most efficient in terms of running performance and reducing injury. Its scientific validation for the hard-run wisdom generations of experienced runners would pass on.
“Comfort is key,” says Gentry. “A runner should be putting their trainers on and feeling like they’re an extension of their body. The shoes should hold and support where you want or need them to, they shouldn’t rub anywhere, and they should feel like they are giving you a little bit of energy return with every step, not rigid underfoot.”
Consider whether they support your arch in the right place; ensure they don’t slide off your heel, but do move with your foot rather than pushing it in a different direction, and are roomy enough that you don’t
Rotation System
As you get more into your running, you should consider adding different types of shoes to your ‘quiver’. In addition to steady-paced plods, your training will begin to include shorter, faster sessions and races. And different shoe types suit these different types of run.
“I think it’s a good idea to have at least a couple of pairs of shoes,” says Gentry. “I wear the lighter, more responsive Epic React for speed workouts and more cushioned and supportive Zoom Pegasus for my longer, slower runs.”
Investing in extra shoes may also save you on physio bills. The Sports Medicine Research Laboratory in Luxembourg found that runners who rotated different shoes had 39 percent lower injury rates than those who wore the same pair for every run. The scientists reckon this is because different shoes distribute the repetitive impact forces of running slightly differently, so lessening the repetitive strain in your tendons and tissues.
What To Look For In A Running Shoe
The best running shoes aren’t cheap. Most quality models won’t give you much change from $100, and at the top end, you’re looking north of $150. However, the right investment delivers seriously advanced technology and materials that will significantly enhance your running experience.
At the budget end of the best running shoes for men (starting at around $50), the minimum basic requirements you can expect and should check for are a midsole with a good level of cushioning, a breathable upper to help cool your feet, and a durable outsole (the bottom of the shoe) that’s contoured to the shape of your foot and offers decent grip.
Moving up to the mid-price range (around the $80-$110 mark), you should be looking for more finessed technology and features, such as anti-slip laces, anti-odor sock liners more support and stability features if you need them. At the premium end, look for more advanced versions of the tech, with higher spec components and, crucially, lighter.
Runners tend to care a lot about weight, and with good reason: A wealth of scientific research, supported recently by a study at the Locomotion Laboratory at the University of Colorado, has shown that you expend more energy with heavy running shoes, to the tune of around an extra 1% effort per 100g of shoe.
That may not sound like much until you get to mile 20 of a marathon, or it knocks 30 seconds of your 50-minute 10K time. It’s worth spending heavy to run light.
What Makes For Good-Looking Running Shoes?
Thankfully these days you can get a return on your investment beyond your running miles.
The line between running performance and fashion has seriously blurred through the likes of Adidas and
This, of course, is nothing new. The best running shoes have a long history of sidestepping into classic style. Think Cortez or Onitsuka Tigers – we call it retro, but this is the legacy of cutting-edge performance-chasing design.
What is new is the versatility of runners in the style sphere today. No longer are they confined to being worn with jeans or Sunday sweatpants: The suit/trainer combo is very much on, but some sartorial savvy must be applied.
“The formality of the suit in comparison to the trainer is key,” says stylist Eric Down. “If the suit is business-like, then stick to slimmer styles, in darker shades. Avoid socks – better to show a swathe of ankle with a slightly cropped trouser than have oodles of fabric puddling on the top of the shoe. For more casual styles like a Flyknit, then suits in cotton, linen, or seersucker for summer will make a perfect pairing.”
A surprising trend is high fashion’s recent embrace of running footwear’s uglier side. “The ugly running trainer is very much a thing amongst haute fashion types,” says Down. “Blame uber-trendy Vetements designer Demna Gvasalia, whose Triple S trainers for French house Balenciaga were a chunky, souped-up take on the ‘dad trainer’ and a mega-hit worn with heavy doses of irony. But perhaps this is a trend best left to the high fashion types.”
Running Shoes Dictionary
- Heel counter: A plastic insert that makes the heel cup of a shoe stronger and more supportive.
- Drop: The difference between the height of the heel and the forefoot.
- Last: The outline of the shoe.
- Lateral: The outer side of the shoe.
- Medial: The inner (arch) side of the shoe.
- Midsole: The section between the upper and the outsole. The engine room contains cushioning and any stability tech.
- Outsole: The bottom of the shoe.
- Toebox: The bit at the front that houses your forefoot and toes.
FAQs About Best Running Shoes
Can running shoes be used for walking?
Running and walking shoes have similar qualities in terms of support, cushioning, and practicality. So, yes, you can wear your running shoes to walk. Keep in mind, however, that even the best running shoes tend to have an expiration date (see the next question). If you wear your running shoes to walk often, you won’t get as much running use out of them, which is worth keeping in mind.
When to replace your running shoes?
According to Asics, running shoes typically have a lifespan of between 400 and 500 miles. You know it’s time to replace them when you notice the following signs:
- The rubber outsole is worn down excessively
- The heel starts to feel less supportive/asymmetrical from wear
- You start feeling more sore after your runs
How should I choose the best running shoes for beginners?
The most practical advice? Don’t buy online. It’s generally not a good idea to purchase running shoes as a beginner without trying them on first and getting an expert opinion. Head to your local running or activewear shop, and speak with a professional. They can help you determine what size is best, which type of shoe to go for, and assess things like your gait and what you plan to use the shoes for to make the best running shoes recommendations.
About The Author: Joe Mackie
In his seven years as deputy editor at Runner’s World magazine, Joe has kept up to speed on every development in the world of running shoes, road-testing hundreds of models over multiple marathons and thousands of miles. He can talk for hours about medial posts, torsion resistance and the relative energy return properties of midsole materials and is consequently best avoided at social functions.
