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I generally recommend buying shoes from [http://www.roadrunnersports.com/ RoadRunnerSports.com] as they allow you to run in the shoes and still return them for an exchange. It's hard to know how a shoe works for you until you've run in it for some distance. Another good option is [http://www.zappos.com/ Zappos.com] which provides free shipping both ways, which allows you to spend time wearing the shoes around the house to see how they fit, though you can't run in them and return them.
=The best of the best=
My favorite shoes right now are the Altra Olympus and the Brooks Energy Boost. I use the Boost for faster paced running, and the Olympus for longer distances, though they are both good at either task. In many ways, the Olympus is a better Hoka, something I've been looking forward to for some time. My preferred minimalist shoes are the Merrell Glove series. =Shoe Categories=I've classified my shoe recommendations into several categories.* '''Minimax''' (Minimum Drop, Maximum Cushioning). The minimal drop has been the hallmark of minimalist shoes, but these shoes also include lots of cushioning. At their best, these shoes can be like running barefoot on a cushioned track. * '''Minimax Transitional'''. These are part way between what I consider a true Minimax shoe and a traditional shoe.* '''Traditional'''. The classic running shoe has a high heel, normally about 10mm higher than the forefoot. * '''Minimalist Transitional'''. These shoes are close to a traditional running shoe, but have reduced heel height and a thinner sole. * '''Minimalist'''. If you want a little more protection and cushioning than the virtually barefoot options, but want to stay as close as you can, this is the next step up. * '''Virtually Barefoot'''. These shoes are close to barefoot, but have some protection.=Shoe Characteristics =There are a number of characteristics * '''Cushioning'''. Shoes vary in the mount of cushioning they provide. There is reasonable scientific evidence that higher levels of cushioning increase stresses on joints and have higher rates of injury. However, cushioning is also one way shoes provide protection from stones (the other is inflexibility). Cushioning can also reduce foot soreness on longer ultramarathons. * '''Protection'''. Shoes provide protection from stones, uneven surfaces and abrasions. This protection can be in the form of a minimalist shoe's thin outsole, or the thick foam of a Minimax shoe. * '''Fit'''. The importance of getting a shoe that fits correctly is often underestimated. * '''Weight'''. The weight of a shoe makes a big difference in the [[Running Economy| energy cost of running]]. Even small changes in weight can make a big difference in how fast we run. * '''Drop'''. The drop is difference in sole thickness between the forefoot and heel. Larger drops can interfere with natural running form, and may increase the probability of [[Foot Strike| heel strike]]. [[File:ShoeHalfs.JPG|none|thumb|500px|A comparison of various shoes cut in half to reveal their sole. The Hoka is the original Minimax shoe, the Asics is a traditional shoe, the Nike Free and Brooks Pure are transitional shoes and the Saucony Hattori is minimalist. You can see the radical difference in sole thickness between the shoes.]] =What Style?=There are pros and cons of each style of shoe, from Minimalist to Minimax. * '''Minimalist/Virtually Barefoot'''. The benefit of these shoes is their light weight and lack of cushioning. Minimalist shoes are associated with a [[Are your running shoes injuring you| lower risk of injury than traditional shoes]]. * '''Traditional'''. The biggest advantage of traditional shoes is the wide variety to choose from, making it far easier to find the right fit. However, there are concerns that traditional levels of cushioning may increase injury risk. * '''Minimax'''. Minimax shoes offer lots of protection and comfort. They are great for longer ultramarathons where sore feet become a problem and for trail running where the cushioning makes it easier to ignore smaller rocks and stones. However, the extra cushioning may [[Are your running shoes injuring you| increase the risk of injury]] compared with minimalist shoes and the extra sole thickness increases the stress on your ankle. * '''Transitional'''. These shoes are part way between categories, and so they tend to have a mix of characteristics.
=Shoe Modifications=
[[File:ModifiedShoes.JPG|none|thumb|200px|Clockwise from the top: [http://www.roadrunnersports.com/rrs/products/NIK1444/ Nike Free 3.0] (early version) cut open more than most to form a 'running sandal', [http://www.roadrunnersports.com/rrs/products/SCN984/ Saucony Hattori], [http://www.roadrunnersports.com/rrs/products/NBA1542/ NB Trail Minimus], [http://www.roadrunnersports.com/rrs/products/NIK1444/ Nike Free 3.0] and the non-minimalist [[Hoka Shoe Review|Hoka]].]]
With the exception of the FiveFingers, the Mizuno Curoris and the Altras, I find that all shoes benefit from cutting open the toe box. This allows the toes to spread out as you toe off, creating more natural biomechanics and preventing toe blisters.
=Summary Table=
{| class="wikitable"
! Category
==Hokas==
{{Main|Hoka Shoe Review}}
[[File:HokaHalfs.JPG|right|thumb|300px|The Hoka Bondi cut in half, showing the outside and inside views. You can see that the midsole foam is a lot higher on the outside than the inside.]]
The Hoka shoes started the 'Minimum Drop, Maximum Cushioning' style of shoe and are still unique in their level of cushioning. The Hokas generally use extremely soft foam, with a wide base to improve stability. Their soles are thicker than most other shoes in this category, so they are quite heavy, though not as heavy as they look. Most of the Hokas do well on both asphalt and rocky trails, though the Mafate is designed for softer trails and does not like asphalt. The Hokas provide remarkable protection from rough trail surfaces, and the thick, soft soles mold themselves around stones to provide more grip on rocky trails than you'd expect. Other than the sole, the Hoka is a poor design, with a remarkably tight toe box and they are typically rather inflexible.
* The Bondi is my favorite all round Hoka. The toe box is tight, even for a Hoka, but it's got the best balance of soft cushioning and reasonable weight. There is also the Bondi Speed/[http://www.zappos.com/hoka-one-one-bondi-evo-brilliant-blue-hi-rise-citrus Bondi Evo] that is quite similar, as is the Stinson.
==Skechers GOrun Ultra==
[[File:SkechersGoRunUltra.jpg|none|thumb|200px|The Skechers GOrun Ultra.]]
Is this a Hoka for only $80? Sadly not, but it's closer than you might expect. The GOrun Ultra is massively cushioned in the heel; it's as thick as the thicker Hokas, but softer. However, the forefoot is not as thick, which makes the drop 14mm, making it worse than a traditional running shoe. If you take the insole out, the drop is reduced to 10mm, which is not quite as bad, though slightly more than a traditional shoe. The construction of the sole is a little odd, becoming thicker just in front and to the inside of your heel. This creates what is sometimes called a medial post, which is intended to resist the natural roll of your foot as it lands. I found the combination of the medial post and the large drop rather disconcerting, and while the heel is nicely cushioned, the forefoot feels rather poor. Overall I've run a few miles with a GOrun Ultra on one foot and a Hoka Bondi on the other (don't do that at home), and the shoes feel remarkably similar. The forefoot of the GOrun is noticeably thinner and offers far less protection from stones than the Bondi. However, the GOrun has most of the softness and comfort of the Hoka, so overall this is not a bad shoe given the price, and well worth considering. (Note that the measurements published by Skechers indicate the sole is an 8mm drop with the insole and 4mm without the insole. I've also seen the measurements of 23/27mm sole height quoted by third parties. However, an independent measurement is 27/41mm with the insole, 25/35mm without, which matches up with my informal measurement.)
==Adidas Energy Boost==
[[File:adidas-energy-boost.jpg|none|thumb|200px|The [http://www.runningwarehouse.com/adidas_Energy_Boost/descpageMRS-AENBM1.htmlhttp:/www.roadrunnersports.com/rrs/products/ADI1674/mens-adidas-energy-boost/ Adidas Energy Boost].]]