Changes

[[File:Runnering Shoes 1449592 m.jpg|right|thumb|500px]]{{DISPLAYTITLE:Best Running Shoes}}These reviews cover what I consider to be the best running shoesas well as some strong contenders and a few promising shoes that missed the mark. Based on [[The Science of Running Shoes]], I believe that [[What to Look for in Running Shoes]] is a running shoe should that does not interfere with the way you run, and therefore though I favor the minimalist style of shoe. Minimalist running include some shoes tend to have less cushioning, more flexible soles, and less of a high reduction (drop) between the heel and forefoot. The shoes below vary that can be useful in their characteristics, with some providing just transitioning from a thin barrier between your feet and the ground, while others are an evolution of the more traditional running shoe. In the middle is the "Minimum Drop, Maximum Cushioning" (MiniMax) category of shoes that provides the plenty of cushioning without the raised heal.  

I generally recommend buying shoes from [http://go.fellrnr.com/?id=35454X937677&xs=1&xcust=Self&url=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://go.fellrnr.com/?id=35454X937677&xs=1&xcust=Self&url=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 Running Shoe={{:Shoes-best}}=Shoe Categories=I've classified my shoe recommendations into several categories, each with their own pros and cons. * '''[[Maximalist]]''' (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. Maximalist 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 [[The Science of Running Shoes| increase the risk of injury]] compared with minimalist shoes and the extra sole thickness increases the stress on your ankle. * '''Optimal'''. These shoes ideally have just enough cushioning to improve [[Running Economy]] without the weight penalty of the Maximalist shoes. These shoes are often called "racing shoes", or "racing flats", but I don't believe this term is appropriate any more. Many years go, a "racing flat" had little cushioning, but with the advances in materials science, these shoes are now surprisingly comfortable. * '''Fast'''. These are the fastest shoes, often compromised in other ways to achieve their performance. * '''Minimalist'''. These shoes vary between the almost barefoot and those with a little more protection. I consider a shoe to be minimalist if it has insufficient cushioning to improve [[Running Economy]].* '''Balanced'''. These are shoes that are part way between minimalist and Maximalist, but are too heavy to be considered Optimal. * '''Traditional'''. The classic running shoe has a high heel, normally about 10mm higher than the forefoot . The biggest advantage of traditional shoes is the wide variety to choose from, making it far easier to find the right fit. =Unfamiliar Brands=You're probably familiar with brands like Nike, Adidas, New Balance, etc., but you may be less familiar with Hoka and Altra. * '''[[Hoka Shoe Review| Hoka One One]].''' The Hoka shoes started the 'Minimum Drop, Maximum Cushioning' style of shoe. The Hokas generally use extremely soft foam, with a wide base to improve stability. Their soles are thicker than most shoes so they are quite heavy, though not as heavy as they look. Most of the Hokas do well on both asphalt and rocky trails. 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. * '''Altra'''. The two distinctive features of the Altra shoes are their zero drop and their shape which mirrors the shape of the human foot. Originally their shoes were quite minimalist with a thinner sole that was typically made of quite firm foam. More recently they have moved towards softer cushioning and the [[Maximalist]] style.* '''Topo'''. Like Altra, Topo make shoes that are designed for the human foot. I find that the shape of Topo shoes is even better than Altra, with more room for my toes to move naturally. =How Long Will They Last?=There are a lot of variables in how long a running shoe will last, involving both the runner and the shoe. You'll need to understand your running style to understand how long a shoe is likely to last for you. * A runner that lands harder will wear out their shoes more quickly. * If the landing forces are concentrated, this will dramatically increase shoe wear. So a runner than lands with a midfoot strike will tend to spread the landing forces, where a runner that lands on the edge of the heel will focus the forces in a small area. * Good [[Running Form]] ensures that the shoe doesn't scrape as it lands. Without this 'paw back', the scraping will wear away the rubber or foam quickly. If the scraping is combined with a concentrated landing area, the effect is a rapid removal of material under the initial contact patch.* For most shoes, the limiting factor in shoe life is the foam cushioning rather than the harder rubber outsole. The means the foam becomes compressed and offers less cushioning. The reduced cushioning is generally not the problem, but rather it's the uneven reduction across the shoe that starts to cause biomechanical problems. A common situation is that the foam under the ball of the foot wears and so the foot is tilted inward. The foam insole often fails faster than the midsole, so consider [[Replacement Insoles]] to extend the shoe life. * Thinner shoes tend to last longer than thicker shoes, which is perhaps counterintuitive. This is because a shoe with a 40mm midsole that loses 20% of its thickness due to wear would be 8mm thinner, where a shoe with only 10mm would only lose 2mm. * The life of the hard rubber outsole is rarely an issue, and by the time the outsole is worn through the foam is dead. However, there are shoes that use relatively soft outsole that can wear more quickly. If you're wearing through the outsole before the foam is dead, there's a good chance you're not pawing back correctly and your shoes are scraping as they land. This tends to waste energy and is a sign of poor [[Running Form]].* Shoes that don't have a hard rubber outsole can suffer from abrasion wearing away the foam. With these shoes the scraping due to lack of paw back has a much bigger impact on shoe life as the foam is much less resistant to being scraped. * Temperature can play a factor in shoe life. Hot temperatures can soften shoes and cause them to wear quickly. At Badwater I've had shoes wear away more in 30 miles than I would normally see in 300. On the other hand, foam gives far less cushioning in cold weather, so a shoe that might be okay in the summer might feel worn out in winter. * The running surface changes the rate of abrasion if that's the limiting factor. Rough concrete or asphalt will erode the shoe more quickly than a smooth surface or dirt. * How much wear is too much also depends on the individual runner. Some runners may tolerate very little wear, but I know runners that can continue to run injury free in shoes that most people would consider destroyed. {| class="wikitable" |- valign="top"|[[File:WornHS6Shoes.jpg|none|thumb|300px|This is a picture of a friend's [[Asics Gel Hyper Speed 6]] showing dramatic outsole wear. These shoes had only completed 230 miles but you can see the outsole is completely gone in places. I suspect that the runner in question is scraping slightly on landing rather than pawing back fully.]]|[[File: ComparisonHS6Shoes.jpg|none|thumb|300px|By comparison this is my Hyper Speed 6 shoes that have far more miles on them. You can see that most of the outsole still has its texture, and the only real outsole wear is on the extreme heel.]]|}==My Experiences with Shoe Life==Since I started tracking my shoe life more accurately with [[MilestonePod]]s, I've found that there is far more wear on my shoes than I realized. With my [[Foot Strike]] the cushioning degrades so that the sole under the ball of my foot is quite a bit lower than the rest of the forefoot. I calculate that about 2mm of compression under the ball of the foot is like running on the camber of a standard road (~3°), which creates additional stresses and might be a cause of injury. In as little as 100 miles (160Km) I've had shoes compress by 4mm under the ball of my foot! Since I injured my meniscus I've found I can't tolerate shoes with that much wear, as this artificial camber irritates my knee. Prior to my knee injury I could get away with quite massively worn shoes, sometimes putting on as much as 3,000 miles (5,000 Km) before retiring them. {| class="wikitable" |- valign="top"|[[File:ShoeWear1.JPG|none|thumb|300px|This picture shoes the compression of the midsole that occurs under the ball of the foot.]]|- valign="top"|[[File:ShoeWear2.JPG|none|thumb|300px|Here's a cross section through the same shoe, showing how much thinner the foam has become due to wear. (This is from a left shoe, so the ball of the foot is on the right of the slice.)]]|- valign="top"|[[File:Insole Wear and Foot Strike.jpg|none|thumb|300px|An insole where I've marked the area of compression, which is under the ball of my foot.]]|}=How Far Can I Run In That Shoe?=Many shoe reviews talk about "this shoe is good up to half marathon", or some other distance. Such advice is based on the idea that many people find that as the distance increases, they want a little more cushioning to protect their feet from the pounding and to offset a little of the fatigue that sets in over time. However, because different runners want radically different levels of cushioning, generalized advice is unhelpful at best. Some runners may want a [[Maximalist]] shoe when they run a 5K, while others will run a 100-mile race barefoot. There is no maximum distance that can be run in any given shoe; it depends on what you want. I compare cushioning levels provided by the shoes I review, but remember a thicker, firmer shoe would have the same cushioning rating as a thinner, softer shoe, but would feel rather different. =Comparison Table={{:Shoes-table}}

[[File:ModifiedShoes.JPG|right|thumb|500px|Clockwise from the top: [http://go.fellrnr.com/?id=35454X937677&xs=1&xcust=Free3&url=http://www.roadrunnersports.com/rrs/products/NIK1444/ Nike Free 3.0] (early version) cut open more than most to form a 'running sandal', [http://go.fellrnr.com/?id=35454X937677&xs=1&xcust=Hattori&url=http://www.roadrunnersports.com/rrs/products/SCN984/ Saucony Hattori], [http://go.fellrnr.com/?id=35454X937677&xs=1&xcust=tmin&url=http://www.roadrunnersports.com/rrs/products/NBA1542/ NB Trail Minimus], [http://go.fellrnr.com/?id=35454X937677&xs=1&xcust=Free3&url=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 to a lesser extent the Altra Torin, 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=I've categorized my shoe recommendations into several categories.* Virtually Barefoot. These shoes are close to barefoot, but have some protection.* 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. * Minimum Drop, Maximum Cushioning. The minimal drop has the hallmark of a minimalist shoe, but these shoes also include lots of cushioning. At their best, these shoes can be like running barefoot on a cushioned track. * Transitional. These shoes are close to a traditional running shoe, but have reduced heel height. * Traditional. The classic running shoe has a high heel, normally about 10mm. I'm not a fan of running in high heels, so I have no recommendations in this category. {| class="wikitable"! Category! Shoe! Weight! Drop! Sole thickness! Use! Notes|-| rowspan="4"|Virtually Barefoot| [http://go.fellrnr.com/?id=35454X937677&xs=1&xcust=KSOMens&url=http://www.roadrunnersports.com/rrs/products/VFF102/ FiveFingers KSO] | 5.7oz| Zero| | Road/Trail| No laces|-| [http://go.fellrnr.com/?id=35454X937677&xs=1&xcust=KSOTrek&url=http://www.roadrunnersports.com/rrs/products/VFF110/ FiveFingers KSO Treks]| 6.7oz| Zero| | Road/Trail| No laces|-| [http://go.fellrnr.com/?id=35454X937677&xs=1&xcust=Bilka&url=http://www.roadrunnersports.com/rrs/products/VFF116/ FiveFingers Bilika LS]| 6.5oz| Zero| | Road/Trail| |-| [http://go.fellrnr.com/?id=35454X937677&xs=1&xcust=VivoEvoII&url=http://www.roadrunnersports.com/rrs/products/VVO100/ Vivo Barefoot Evo II]| 9.7oz| Zero| | Road| |-| rowspan="5"|Minimaist | [[Modified Nike Free]] | Varies – 5 to 6oz| Zero| | Road| |-| [http://www.zappos.com/saucony-hattori Saucony Hattori]| 4.4oz| Zero| 15mm| Road| No laces|-| [http://go.fellrnr.com/?id=35454X937677&xs=1&xcust=rmin&url=http://www.roadrunnersports.com/rrs/products/NBA1522/ NB Road Minimus]| 6.4oz| Zero| | Road| |-| [http://go.fellrnr.com/?id=35454X937677&xs=1&xcust=TrailGlove&url=http://www.roadrunnersports.com/rrs/products/MRL1000/ Merrell Trail Glove] | 6.2oz| Zero| 10mm| Road/Trail| |-| [http://go.fellrnr.com/?id=35454X937677&xs=1&xcust=RoadGlove&url=http://www.roadrunnersports.com/rrs/products/MRL1002/ Merrell Road Glove] | 6.5oz| Zero| 11mm| Road| |-| rowspan="5"|Minimum Drop, Maximum Cushioning| [http://www.roadrunnersports.com/rrs/products/SCN1038/ Saucony Virrata]| 6.7oz| Zero| 17mm| Road| |-| [http://www.roadrunnersports.com/rrs/products/MIZ752/ Mizuno Cursoris]| 6.8oz| Zero| 18mm| Road| |-| [http://www.zappos.com/altra-zero-drop-footwear-the-torin-black-green Altra Torin]| 9.0oz| Zero| 20mm| Road| |-| [http://www.zappos.com/hoka-one-one-bondi-2-cyan-white-lime Hoka Bondi 2]| 11.7oz| 4mm| 29/35mm| Road/Trail| Extreme cushioning |-| [http://www.zappos.com/hoka-one-one-mafate-2-citrus-anthracite-white Hoka Mafate 2]| 13.6oz| 4mm| 29/35mm| Muddy Trail| Extreme cushioning |-| rowspan="6"|Transitional| [http://go.fellrnr.com/?id=35454X937677&xs=1&xcust=Free3&url=http://www.roadrunnersports.com/rrs/products/NIK1444/ Nike Free 3.0]| 6.9oz| 4mm| | Road| Highly flexible|-| [http://go.fellrnr.com/?id=35454X937677&xs=1&xcust=WaveU&url=http://www.roadrunnersports.com/rrs/products/MIZ724/ Mizuno Wave Universe]| 3.8oz| 4mm| | Road| Lightweight|-| [http://go.fellrnr.com/?id=35454X937677&xs=1&xcust=fl195&url=http://www.roadrunnersports.com/rrs/products/INN120/ Inov-8 F-Lite 195] | 6.8oz| 3mm| | Road/Trail| |-| [http://go.fellrnr.com/?id=35454X937677&xs=1&xcust=XT190&url=http://www.roadrunnersports.com/rrs/products/INN114/ Inov-8 X-Talon 190] | 6.7oz| 3mm| | Muddy Trail| Aggressive tread|-| [http://go.fellrnr.com/?id=35454X937677&xs=1&xcust=tmin&url=http://www.roadrunnersports.com/rrs/products/NBA1542/ NB Trail Minimus]| 7.7oz| 4mm| | Road/Trail| |-| [http://go.fellrnr.com/?id=35454X937677&xs=1&xcust=Kinvara&url=http://www.roadrunnersports.com/rrs/products/SCN1016/ Saucony Kinvara]| 7.7oz| 4mm| | Road| |} =Virtually Barefoot=If you want to get as close to barefoot as you can, the best option by far is the FiveFingers. However it can be tricky to get them to fit right if you have an unusual shaped foot, in which case consider the Vivo Barefoot. ==Vibram FiveFingers==[[File:KSO.jpg|right|thumb|200px|The Vibram [http://go.fellrnr.com/?id=35454X937677&xs=1&xcust=VFF&url=http://www.roadrunnersports.com/rrs/search/search-celebros.jsp%3Ffrom%3DsearchBox%26Query%3Dfivefingers FiveFinger] [http://go.fellrnr.com/?id=35454X937677&xs=1&xcust=KSOMens&url=http://www.roadrunnersports.com/rrs/products/VFF102/ KSO].]][http://go.fellrnr.com/?id=35454X937677&xs=1&xcust=VFF&url=http://www.roadrunnersports.com/rrs/search/search-celebros.jsp%3Ffrom%3DsearchBox%26Query%3Dfivefingers FiveFingers] are popular Minimalist Running shoes. They are a thin sole combined with just enough material to hold them to your foot and a separate pocket for each toe, hence the name FiveFingers. They were originally created for boating, not running, but they have become hugely popular. I would recommend either the [http://go.fellrnr.com/?id=35454X937677&xs=1&xcust=KSOMens&url=http://www.roadrunnersports.com/rrs/products/VFF102/ KSO] (Keep Stuff Out) or the [http://go.fellrnr.com/?id=35454X937677&xs=1&xcust=KSOTrek&url=http://www.roadrunnersports.com/rrs/products/VFF110/ KSO Treks]. The Trek version has a leather upper and a thicker sole. The FiveFinger soles generally last a long time, but the uppers can be prone to tearing. Getting FiveFingers that fit can be tricky depending on the shape of your foot, so they don't work for everyone. The [http://go.fellrnr.com/?id=35454X937677&xs=1&xcust=Bilka&url=http://www.roadrunnersports.com/rrs/products/VFF116/ Bilika LS] are slightly wider and have laces, which improves the fit for some.<br style="clear: both" />  ==Vivo Barefoot==[[File:VivoEvoII.jpg|right|thumb|200px|The [http://go.fellrnr.com/?id=35454X937677&xs=1&xcust=VivoEvoII&url=http://www.roadrunnersports.com/rrs/products/VVO100/ Vivo Barefoot Evo II].]]Terra Plana make a range of thin soled shoes under the '[http://go.fellrnr.com/?id=35454X937677&xs=1&xcust=Vivo&url=http://www.roadrunnersports.com/rrs/search/search-celebros.jsp%3Ffrom%3DsearchBox%26Query%3DVIVOBAREFOOT Vivo Barefoot]' name. Their [http://go.fellrnr.com/?id=35454X937677&xs=1&xcust=VivoEvoII&url=http://www.roadrunnersports.com/rrs/products/VVO100/ Vivo Barefoot Evo II] has a good reputation for minimalist running, with a flexible but tough sole.<br style="clear: both" /> =Minimalist Shoes=These are zero drop shoes with minimal cushioning, but they are not virtually barefoot. <br style="clear: both" />  ==Modified Nike Free==With modification, the [http://go.fellrnr.com/?id=35454X937677&xs=1&xcust=Free3&url=http://www.roadrunnersports.com/rrs/products/NIK1444/ Nike Free 3.0] can provide a minimalist shoe with just enough cushioning to provide good protection. I prefer the [[Modified Nike Free]] to Vibram FiveFingers, as the small amount of extra padding protects my feet much better, while the flexibility gives a surprisingly similar experience. The longevity of the Modified Nike Free is good, lasting for 2,000+ miles.<br style="clearMain article: both" />  ==Saucony Hattori==[[File:Hattori.jpg|right|thumb|200px|The [http://go.fellrnr.com/?id=35454X937677&xs=1&xcust=Hattori&url=http://www.roadrunnersports.com/rrs/products/SCN984/ Hattori].]]The [http://go.fellrnr.com/?id=35454X937677&xs=1&xcust=Hattori&url=http://www.roadrunnersports.com/rrs/products/SCN984/ Hattori] is a lightweight (4.4oz), zero drop shoe, but the sole is less flexible than the Nike Free and the sock style upper limits the fit. Zappos has the [http://go.fellrnr.com/?id=35454X937677&xs=1&xcust=Hattori%20LC&url=http://www.runningwarehouse.com/descpageMRS-SHTLCM2.html Hattori LC] which has laces instead of a sock upper. <br style="clear: both" />  ==New Balance Minimus==[[File:RMinimus.jpg|right|thumb|200px|The [http://go.fellrnr.com/?id=35454X937677&xs=1&xcust=rmin&url=http://www.roadrunnersports.com/rrs/products/NBA1522/ Road Minimus] .]]The [http://go.fellrnr.com/?id=35454X937677&xs=1&xcust=Minimus&url=http://www.roadrunnersports.com/rrs/search/search-celebros.jsp%3Ffrom%3DsearchBox%26Query%3DMinimus Minimus] is a range of minimal shoes from New Balance that has created a lot of interest in the minimalist running community as the trail shoe was designed with the help of ultrarunner Anton Krupicka. There is a [http://go.fellrnr.com/?id=35454X937677&xs=1&xcust=tmin&url=http://www.roadrunnersports.com/rrs/products/NBA1542/ Trail Minimus] and a [http://go.fellrnr.com/?id=35454X937677&xs=1&xcust=rmin&url=http://www.roadrunnersports.com/rrs/products/NBA1522/ Road Minimus] which share similar names, but are rather different shoes. The Trail Minimus worked well for me on mild trails, but I prefer the [[Modified Nike Free]] to the road version. <br style="clear: both" />  ==Merrell Gloves==[[File:TrailGlove.jpg|right|thumb|200px|[http://go.fellrnr.com/?id=35454X937677&xs=1&xcust=TrailGlove&url=http://www.roadrunnersports.com/rrs/products/MRL1000/ Merrell Trail Glove].]]Merrell sells a [http://go.fellrnr.com/?id=35454X937677&xs=1&xcust=TrailGlove&url=http://www.roadrunnersports.com/rrs/products/MRL1000/ trail glove] and a [http://go.fellrnr.com/?id=35454X937677&xs=1&xcust=RoadGlove&url=http://www.roadrunnersports.com/rrs/products/MRL1002/ road glove]. The trail glove has a thin forefoot plate and both are zero drop. <br style="clear: both" />  =Minimum Drop, Maximum Cushioning=This is an emerging category of shoes, started by Hoka and followed by several others. None of the competition can match the Hokas for their huge, oversized soles made of extra soft foam, but they tend to be lighter and better designed. Comparing the shoes at a high level:* The best all round shoe in this category is the Torin.* The Hoka has greater cushioning and protection, but is heaver and pricy.* The Cursoris is soft, light and seems faster, but has less protection and longevity. * The Virrata is nearly as good as the Torin, but cheaper. [[File:MDMC Soles.jpg|none|thumb|500px|To achieve a light weight with maximum cushioning, many of these shoes don't use a hard rubber outsole over the softer midsole. This can result in uneven wear patterns when the midsole erode away from around the patches of outsole. The red arrows mark the soft midsole and the blue arrows mark the hard outsole, with the green arrow indicating an intermediate toughness material. Below, from left to right is the Torin, the Cursoris, the Virrata and the Bondi B.]] ==Hokas=={{Main|Hoka Shoe Review}}The Hoka shoes started the 'Minimum Drop, Maximum Cushioning' style of shoe and are still unique in their level of cushioning. The Hokas use extremely soft foam, with a wide base to improve stability. Their soles are at least 50% thicker than the 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.  ==Mizuno Cursoris==[[File:Cursoris.jpg|right|thumb|200px|The [http://www.roadrunnersports.com/rrs/products/MIZ752/ Cursoris].]Modifications]The [http://www.roadrunnersports.com/rrs/products/MIZ752/ Cursoris] is a light shoe with a soft sole, almost as soft as the Hokas, but only half the thickness so overall the cushioning is less. The Cursoris is clearly a road shoe, with little protection from stones, and no outsole grip. The toe box is the biggest and best designed of any shoe I've tried, even better than the Altra's. The upper is soft, which some people find strange and can result in them being over tightened. Once you get used to the feeling that they're barely there, they stay in place well. <br style="clear: both" /> ==Altra Torin==[[File:Torin.jpg|right|thumb|200px|The [http://www.zappos.com/altra-zero-drop-footwear-the-torin-black-green Torin].]]The [http://www.zappos.com/altra-zero-drop-footwear-the-torin-black-green Torin] is superficially similar to the Cursoris, with a similar shape and sole. However the Torin uses a much firmer foam, so it feels quite different. Like the Cursoris, the Torin is a road shoe, with no outsole grip. While the Torin has a better toe box than nearly every other shoe, it's not as good as the Cursoris. The Torin has lots of space beside the big toe, but the smallest toe is more cramped and the roof of the toe box is low. There are a lot of complaints about the lacing on the Torin not coming up the foot high enough so it feels like there is too much movement around the ankle. While this feels a little odd, I did not notice any actual problems from this unless the laces are loose. <br style="clear: both" /> ==Saucony Virrata==[[File:Virrata.jpg|right|thumb|200px|The [http://www.roadrunnersports.com/rrs/products/SCN1038/ Virrata].]]The [http://www.roadrunnersports.com/rrs/products/SCN1038/ Virrata] feels almost identical to the Torin, and when I wore one on either foot I found I could feel only minor differences in the sole. The toe box however is like most other shoes and is way too small, but cutting the toe box open mostly solves the problem. The Virrata is a nice shoe, and while not as good as the other shoes in this category, it's quite a bit cheaper than all the others. <br style="clear: both" /> =Transitional=These are not zero drop, but they have less drop than a traditional shoe, are lightweight and flexible.  ==Nike Free==[[File:Free30v4.jpg|right|thumb|200px|The (unmodified) [http://go.fellrnr.com/?id=35454X937677&xs=1&xcust=Free3&url=http://www.roadrunnersports.com/rrs/products/NIK1444/ Nike Free 3.0].]]Nike Free are running shoes that are light weight, with very flexible soles. Even without modification, the Nike Free 3.0 is a good minimalist running shoe and a half way house to a zero drop shoe. There is no outer sole (the hard rubber that meets the road), just a robust midsole (the cushioning part). The midsole has deep groves cut into it to allow the shoe to flex more than is possible with a traditional shoe. There are lots of different models of Nike Free, but I would recommend using the [http://go.fellrnr.com/?id=35454X937677&xs=1&xcust=Free3&url=http://www.roadrunnersports.com/rrs/products/NIK1444/ Free 3.0]. (Most Frees have a number that indicates how flexible they are. The idea is that 10.0 would be a traditional shoe and 1.0 would be barefoot.) <br style="clear: both" />  ==Mizuno Wave Universe==[[File:WUniverse.jpg|right|thumb|200px|The [http://go.fellrnr.com/?id=35454X937677&xs=1&xcust=WaveU&url=http://www.roadrunnersports.com/rrs/products/MIZ724/ Mizuno Wave Universe].]]The [http://go.fellrnr.com/?id=35454X937677&xs=1&xcust=WaveU&url=http://www.roadrunnersports.com/rrs/products/MIZ724/ Mizuno Wave Universe] is a racing flat that is surprisingly comfortable and remarkably light weight. I ran in these before I discovered the Nike Free and got on well with them. <br style="clear: both" />  ==Inov-8 Trail Shoes==[[File:Flite195.jpg|right|thumb|200px|The [http://go.fellrnr.com/?id=35454X937677&xs=1&xcust=fl195&url=http://www.roadrunnersports.com/rrs/products/INN120/ F-Lite 195] trail shoe.]][http://go.fellrnr.com/?id=35454X937677&xs=1&xcust=Minimus&url=http://www.roadrunnersports.com/rrs/search/search-celebros.jsp%3Ffrom%3DsearchBox%26Query%3Dinov-8 Inov-8] produces a wide range of minimalist trail shoes. Of particular note are their [http://go.fellrnr.com/?id=35454X937677&xs=1&xcust=XT190&url=http://www.roadrunnersports.com/rrs/products/INN114/ X-Talon 190] for muddy conditions and their [http://go.fellrnr.com/?id=35454X937677&xs=1&xcust=fl195&url=http://www.roadrunnersports.com/rrs/products/INN120/ F-Lite 195] for rocky conditions. I've used a number of Inov-8 shoes and I highly recommend them, especially for the more gnarly and technical trails. <br style="clear: both" />

==Saucony Kinvara== [[File:KinvaraModifiedShoes.jpgJPG|rightnone|thumb|200px250px|The [httpClockwise from the top://goNike Free 3.fellrnr0 (early version) cut open more than most to form a 'running sandal', Saucony Hattori, NB Trail Minimus, Nike Free 3.com/?id=35454X937677&xs=1&xcust=Kinvara&url=http://www.roadrunnersports.com/rrs/products/SCN1016/ Saucony Kinvara0 and the [[Hoka Shoe Review|Hoka]].]]The With a few exceptions such as the Mizuno Curoris, I find that most shoes benefit from [[http://goShoe Modifications| cutting open the toe box]].fellrnrThis allows the toes to spread out as you toe off, creating more natural biomechanics and preventing toe blisters.com/?id=35454X937677&xsShoes for Heavier Runners=1&xcust=Kinvara&url=http://www.roadrunnersports.com/rrs/products/SCN1016/ Saucony Kinvara] As a broad generalization, foot length is generally proportional to height, body weight is an evolution proportional to the square of your height, and foot area is proportional to the traditional running shoe towards a minimalist designsquare of your foot length. It looks like This means that for a traditional running shoegiven BMI, but lowers the heel and reduces perceived cushioning should be about the same regardless of absolute weight, and you'll need more cushioning if your BMI is higher, and less cushioning if your BMI is lower. To meYou may also need more cushioning if your feet are disproportionately small and less if your feet are disproportionately large. Of course, different runners prefer radically different levels of cushioning, this with some liking an un-cushioned minimalist shoe is on the boundary between minimalist and traditional, though others might include some of the [http://goa massively cushioned Maximalist shoe.fellrnr.comBut if you'd like to scale my reviews, I'm 5' 10"/?id=35454X937677&xs=1&xcust=Pure&url=http:180cm, I weigh about 140 pounds//www64 Kg, which is a BMI of about 20, and take about a men's US 10.roadrunnersports.com5/rrsUK 10/search/search-celebrosEU 45 shoe size.jsp%3Ffrom%3DsearchBox%26Query%3DBrooks%2BPure Brooks Pure=Shoe Gallery=Images of the shoes reviewed on this site can be found in the [[Shoe Gallery]] range as minimalist. <br style="clearShoe Dissection =''Main article: both" />[[Shoe Dissection]]''

=The Newton=[[File:HokaOlympusSlice.JPG|none|thumb|x300px|A comparison between the Altra Olympus and Hokas.]]Newton shoes focus on forefoot running by adding extra height to Ever wonder what the forefoot inside of the your shoe. looks like? Take a look inside; I purchased a pair thinking they would move me closer 've cut many of my shoes in half to barefoot running. The result of the high forefoot is an unstable shoe. I believe the Newton takes a bad idea (the traditional running shoe) and makes it worsereveal their construction, as you can see above. You can get see a better alternative to gallery at [[Shoe Dissection]], as well as in the Newton just by hacking the sole heel off an old pair of running shoes. (The Newton is mentioned in The 4 Hour Body as a detailed shoe that is correlated with injuriesreviews.)