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[[File:Runnering Shoes 1449592 m.jpg|right|thumb|500px]]{{DISPLAYTITLE:Best Running Shoes}}These reviews cover what I consider to be the best running shoes as 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 include some shoes that have less of can be useful in transitioning from a raised heel and don't resist the way your foot moves as it lands. I categorize shoes as thick soled 'minimal drop, maximum cushioning' ([[Minimax]]), well cushioned a lightweight (Optimal) and the thin soled minimalist style of more traditional shoe.<div style="float:right;">__TOC__</div>

* '''[[MinimaxMaximalist]]''' (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 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 [[Are your running shoes injuring youThe 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 Minimax 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. =Shoe Unfamiliar Brands=

* '''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 Minimax style.=Shoe Reviews=* '''[[MinimaxMaximalist]]. '''Minimax shoes have thicker, softer soles, and far less of a high heel (drop) than traditional running shoesstyle. ** '''Hoka CliftonTopo'''. This shoe is a lighter weight version of the [[Hoka Bondi]]. It's a little thinnerLike Altra, but otherwise it feels just Topo make shoes that are designed for the samehuman foot. (I find that the shape of Topo shoes is even ran better than Altra, with one on each footmore 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 other than the thickness, they feel the sameshoe.) The light weight makes these shoes an Optimal shoe as well as You'll need to understand your running style to understand how long a Minimax shoe, which is a tough combination likely to beatlast for you. [[Hoka Clifton| Hoka Clifton Review]]* A runner that lands harder will wear out their shoes more quickly.** '''Altra Olympus.''' The Olympus has become my primary running If the landing forces are concentrated, this will dramatically increase shoe for longer ultraswear. I So a runner than lands with a midfoot strike will tend to view this issue as an evolution and improvement spread the landing forces, where a runner that lands on the edge of the [Hoka One One]]. Like heel will focus the Hoka it has forces in a thick softly cushioned midsole, but unlike the Hoka it has a much better to books and overall designsmall area. * Good [[Altra Olympus| Altra Olympus ReviewRunning Form]]ensures that the shoe doesn't scrape as it lands.** Without this 'paw back''Altra Paradigm'''. The Olympus and Paradigm are similar shoes, and you could think of the Paradigm as scraping will wear away the road version of the Olympusrubber or foam quickly. However, If the Olympus works fine on the roadscraping is combined with a concentrated landing area, and while the Olympus effect is a little thicker and heavier, I generally prefer it. [[Altra Paradigm| Altra Paradigm Review]]rapid removal of material under the initial contact patch.** '''Hoka BondiFor most shoes, the limiting factor in shoe life is the foam cushioning rather than the harder rubber outsole.''' Until The means the Clifton came out, the various Bondi shoes (Bondi B, Bondi 2, Bondi 3 foam becomes compressed and Bondi Speed) were my favoritesoffers less cushioning. Like all Hokas, The reduced cushioning is generally not the Bondi has a horribly small toe boxproblem, but rather it's easily [[Shoe Modifications| modified]]the uneven reduction across the shoe that starts to cause biomechanical problems. [[Hoka Bondi| Hoka Bondi Review]].** '''Hoka Mafate.''' The Mafate A common situation is a huge shoe, and that the foam under the ball of the heaviest foot wears and thickest of so the Hokas. [[Hoka Mafate| Hoka Mafate Review]].** '''Hoka Stinsonfoot is tilted inward.''' The Stinson is a little heavier and thicker foam insole often fails faster than the Bondi variantsmidsole, and is available in road and trail versions. so consider [[Hoka Stinson| Hoka Stinson ReviewReplacement Insoles]].** '''Skechers GOrun Ultra.''' A [[Minimax]] shoe for $80? Not quite. There's a lot to like about extend the shoe, but there are some significant issues you should be aware of before trying these out. [[Skechers GOrun Ultra| Skechers GOrun Ultra Review]]life.** '''Adidas Energy BoostThinner shoes tend to last longer than thicker shoes, which is perhaps counterintuitive.''' The Boost uses a new type of foam, so while the design This is quite traditional, the increased cushioning produces because a far better shoe than you'd expect. It's not really minimal drop, but I can forgive it with a 40mm midsole that loses 20% of its thickness due to the novel cushioning. [[Adidas Energy Boost| Adidas Energy Boost Review]]. * '''Optimal.''' These are the shoes for the best [[Running Economy]]. ** '''Altra One².''' This is rapidly becoming one of my favorite running shoeswear would be 8mm thinner, combining soft cushioning where a shoe with a lightweight. [[Altra One2| Altra One²Review]]only 10mm would only lose 2mm.** '''Mizuno Cursoris.''' The Cursoris is a lovely light weight shoe that almost feels like it's not there. While it's not expensive to buy, it doesn't last particularly longer, so life of the cost per mile hard rubber outsole is quite high. They've been discontinuedrarely an issue, but are still available. [[Mizuno Cursoris| Mizuno Cursoris Review]].** '''Saucony Virrata.''' While visually quite different from and by the Torin, time the feel of outsole is worn through the shoe foam is remarkably similardead. [[Saucony Virrata| Saucony Virrata Review]].** '''Skechers Go Bionic'''. The Go Bionic is a highly flexibleHowever, zero drop shoe there are shoes that use relatively soft outsole that offers great value for moneycan wear more quickly. ItIf you's not quite as comfortable as some of re wearing through the outsole before the others herefoam is dead, but itthere's a worthy contender. [[[Skechers Go Bionic| Skechers Go Bionic Review]].** '''Adidas Adizero Takumi Sen 2''good chance you're not pawing back correctly and your shoes are scraping as they land. This Japanese racing shoe tends to waste energy and is light weight and relatively stiff, with an extremely grippy outsole for traction on asphalt. a sign of poor [[Adidas Adizero Takumi Sen| Adidas Adizero Takumi Sen 2 ReviewRunning Form]].** Shoes that don'''Nike Freet have a hard rubber outsole can suffer from abrasion wearing away the foam.''' One of the earliest minimalist With these shoes, the Nike Free scraping due to lack of paw back has grown a much bigger impact on shoe life as the foam is much less resistant to a wide range of shoes that offer great flexibility and lightweight. [[Nike Free| Nike Free Review]]being scraped.** '''Modified Nike Free'''. With modification, the Nike Free 3.0 Temperature can provide play a minimalist factor in shoe with just enough cushioning life. Hot temperatures can soften shoes and cause them to provide good protectionwear quickly. At Badwater I prefer 've had shoes wear away more in 30 miles than I would normally see in 300. On the [[Modified Nike Free]] to Vibram FiveFingersother hand, as the small amount of extra padding protects my feet much betterfoam gives far less cushioning in cold weather, while the flexibility gives so a surprisingly similar experience. The longevity of shoe that might be okay in the Modified Nike Free is good, lasting for 2,000+ milessummer might feel worn out in winter. [[Modified Nike Free| How to create the Modified Nike Free]]** '''Saucony Kinvara'''. The Saucony Kinvara is an evolution of the traditional running shoe towards a minimalist design. It looks like a traditional running shoe, but lowers surface changes the heel and reduces the weight. It's failing is rate of abrasion if that it's not quite as light as the competitionlimiting factor. [[Saucony Kinvara| Saucony Kinvara Review]]Rough concrete or asphalt will erode the shoe more quickly than a smooth surface or dirt.** '''Brooks PureCadence'''. Like How much wear is too much also depends on the Kinvara, the Brooks Pure range of shoes moves towards a minimalist designindividual runner. The PureCadence retains a good level of cushioningSome runners may tolerate very little wear, but like the Kinvara, it needs I know runners that can continue to be lighterrun injury free in shoes that most people would consider destroyed. {| class="wikitable" |- valign="top"|[[Brooks PureCadenceFile:WornHS6Shoes.jpg|none|thumb|300px| Brooks PureCadence Review]].** '''Altra Torin.''' This is a good example picture of the firmer shoes that Altra produces. Ita friend's a nice balancing act between weight and protection, but the cushioning is not soft. [[Altra Torin| Altra Torin ReviewAsics Gel Hyper Speed 6]]showing dramatic outsole wear. ** '''Saucony Hattori'''. The [http://www.roadrunnersports.com/rrs/products/SCN984/ Hattori] is a lightweight (4.4oz), zero drop shoe, These shoes had only completed 230 miles but you can see the sole outsole is less flexible than the Nike Free and the sock style upper limits the fitcompletely gone in places. Zappos has I suspect that the [http://www.runningwarehouse.com/descpageMRS-SHTLCM2.html Hattori LC] which has laces instead of a sock upper. * '''Minimalist.''' These are not zero drop, but they have less drop runner in question is scraping slightly on landing rather than a traditional shoe, are lightweight and flexible. ** '''Mizuno Wave Universe'''pawing back fully. The [http://www.roadrunnersports.com/rrs/search/search-celebros.jsp?isLoggedIn=&isClubMember=&from=searchBox&Query=wave+universe&x=0&y=0 Mizuno Wave Universe 5] is a significant change from previous versions. It's radically lighter and thinner, dropping its weight from 3.8 down to 2.6oz. [[Mizuno Wave Universe| Mizuno Wave Universe Review]].** '''New Balance Minimus'''. The |[[httpFile://wwwComparisonHS6Shoes.roadrunnersports.com/rrs/search/search-celebros.jsp%3Ffrom%3DsearchBox%26Query%3DMinimus Minimus] jpg|none|thumb|300px|By comparison this is a range of minimal my Hyper Speed 6 shoes from New Balance that has created a lot have far more miles on them. You can see that most of interest in the minimalist running community as outsole still has its texture, and the trail shoe was designed with only real outsole wear is on the help of ultrarunner Anton Krupicka. There is a [http://www.roadrunnersportsextreme heel.com/rrs/products/NBA1542/ Trail Minimus] and a [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 |}==My Experiences with Shoe Life==Since I prefer the started tracking my shoe life more accurately with [[Modified Nike FreeMilestonePod]] to the road version. ** '''Merrell Gloves''s, I've found that there is far more wear on my shoes than I realized. Merrell sells a With my [http://www.roadrunnersports.com/rrs/products/MRL1000/ trail glove] and a [http://www.roadrunnersports.com/rrs/products/MRL1002/ road gloveFoot Strike]. The trail glove has a thin forefoot plate and both are zero drop. ** '''Vibram FiveFingers'''. [http://www.roadrunnersports.com/rrs/search/search-celebros.jsp?isLoggedIn=&isClubMember=&from=searchBox&Query=FiveFingers+&x=0&y=0 Vibram FiveFingers] are popular Minimalist Running shoes. They are a thin the cushioning degrades so that the sole combined with just enough material to hold them to your under the ball of my foot and is quite a separate pocket for each toe, hence bit lower than the name FiveFingers. They were originally created for boating, not running, but they have become hugely popular. The FiveFinger soles generally last a long time, but rest of the uppers can be prone to tearingforefoot. Getting FiveFingers I calculate that fit can be tricky depending about 2mm of compression under the ball of the foot is like running on the shape camber of your foota standard road (~3°), so they don't work for everyone. The [http://www.roadrunnersports.com/rrs/products/VFF116/ Bilika LS] are slightly wider which creates additional stresses and have laces, which improves the fit for some peoplemight be a cause of injury.** In as little as 100 miles (160Km) I'''Vivobarefoot'''. Terra Plana make a range of thin soled ve had shoes compress by 4mm under the ball of my foot! Since I injured my meniscus I'[http://www.roadrunnersports.com/rrs/search/search-celebros.jsp%3Ffrom%3DsearchBox%26Query%3DVIVOBAREFOOT Vivo Barefoot]ve found I can' namet tolerate shoes with that much wear, such as their [http://wwwthis artificial camber irritates my knee.zappos.com/vivobarefoot-one-m-navy-sulpher Vivobarefoot One M] Prior to my knee injury I could get away with quite massively worn shoes, with a flexible but tough sole. I'd also strongly recommend the [http://www.zappos.com/vivobarefoot-ra-black Vivobarefoot Ra]sometimes putting on as much as 3, which is close to a dress shoe000 miles (5, but remarkably comfortable. I got mine for a wedding and new wear 000 Km) before retiring them regularly. <br style{| class="clear: bothwikitable" />* '''Not recommended'''. These are the shoes that looked promising, but failed. |- valign="top"** '''Asics GT 2000.''' The |[[httpFile://wwwShoeWear1.roadrunnersports.com/rrs/products/ASC1638/mens-asics-gt2000-2/ Asics GT 2000] has been around for many years in one form or another, a reflection of its popularity. The GT 2000 series could be considered one of the best "average" running JPG|none|thumb|300px|This picture shoes, and it is often used as the starting point when a new runner is looking for their first shoes. The original GT 2000 was introduced back in 1995 and has been updated many times. (They did add 10 to compression of the number every year until midsole that occurs under the 2170, then reverted to 2000 and added a version number.) So I've included ball of the GT 2000 here partly as a good starting point for those looking for a traditional running shoe and partly as the shoe that is probably closest to the average running shoefoot. ]]** '''Brooks Transcend.''' The [http://www.roadrunnersports.com/rrs/products/BRK1126/mens|-brooks-transcend/ Brooks Transcend] is included in this section, not because it is one of the best running shoes, but because it is sometimes considered a valign="maximum cushioningtop" shoe, and Brooks claim it is "the Ultimate Plush Ride". However, when compared with a traditional running shoes, the transcend is only 1-2 mm thicker, and the foam is too firm to be considered a |[[Minimax]] shoeFile:ShoeWear2. ** JPG|none|thumb|300px|Here'''New Balance Fresh Foam 980.''' The [http://www.roadrunnersports.com/rrs/products/NBA1584/mens-new-balance-fresh-foam-980/ New Balance Fresh Foam 980] has less of s a drop than a traditional running cross section through the same shoe, but it does not have showing how much thinner the same soft cushioning of a Minimax shoefoam has become due to wear. (This is not from a bad left shoe for someone looking for slightly less , so the ball of a drop than a traditional shoe while avoiding the thin sole of a minimalist shoe. ** '''Hoka Conquest.''' While this foot is as big and heavy as a [[Hoka Bondi]], on the overly firm foam rulings right of the shoeslice. [[Hoka Conquest| Hoka Conquest Review)]].** '''Hoka Huaka|- valign="top"|[[File:Insole Wear and Foot Strike.jpg|none|thumb|300px|An insole where I''' This is not quite as heavy as ve marked the Conquestarea of compression, it's still too firm to provide which is under the cushioning a Minimax shoe deservesball of my foot. [[Hoka Huaka| Hoka Huaka Review]].** '''Hoka Rapa Nui|}=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.''' The Rapa Nui 2 Such advice is lighterbased on the idea that many people find that as the distance increases, thinner and they want a little cheaper than the other Hokas, but I found it even firmer than the Conquest. In fact, the Adidas Energy Boost feels far more cushioned cushioning to me, though it does not offer protect their feet from the same level of protection from stones or uneven surfaces. ** '''Newton Brand.''' Newton shoes focus on forefoot running by adding extra height pounding and to the forefoot offset a little of the shoefatigue that sets in over time. The result However, because different runners want radically different levels of this high forefoot cushioning, generalized advice is an unstable unhelpful at best. Some runners may want a [[Maximalist]] shoewhen they run a 5K, while others will run a 100-mile race barefoot. I believe the Newton takes a bad idea (the traditional running There is no maximum distance that can be run in any given shoe) and makes ; it worsedepends on what you want. You can get a better alternative to the Newton just I compare cushioning levels provided by hacking the sole heel off an old pair of running shoes. (The Newton is mentioned in The 4 Hour Body I review, but remember a thicker, firmer shoe would have the same cushioning rating as a thinner, softer shoe that is correlated with injuries, but would feel rather different.)=Comparison Table=

[[File:ModifiedShoes.JPG|none|thumb|250px|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, and a few exceptions such as the Mizuno Curoris, I find that all most shoes benefit from [[Shoe Modifications| cutting open the toe box]]. This allows the toes to spread out as you toe off, creating more natural biomechanics and preventing toe blisters.=Shoes for Heavier Runners=As a broad generalization, foot length is generally proportional to height, body weight is proportional to the square of your height, and foot area is proportional to the square of your foot length. This means that for a given BMI, the 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. You 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, with some liking an un-cushioned minimalist shoe and others a massively cushioned Maximalist shoe. But if you'd like to scale my reviews, I'm 5' 10"/180cm, I weigh about 140 pounds/64 Kg, which is a BMI of about 20, and take about a men's US 10.5/UK 10/EU 45 shoe size.=Shoe Gallery=Images of the shoes reviewed on this site can be found in the [[Shoe Gallery]].

Ever wonder what the inside of your shoe looks like? Take a look inside; I've cut many of my shoes in half to reveal their construction, as you can see above. You can see a gallery at [[Shoe Dissection]], as well as in the detailed shoe reviews.=Foot Shape =Very few shoes have a shape that mirrors the human foot. It often seems like shoe companies have never seen a human foot before given the strange shape they make their shoes. This is especially true of Hoka, which have a particularly small toe box. The main company with shoes for the human foot is Altra, and once you've tried their shoes the traditional shoe shape seems even more bizarre. (The Mizuno Cursoris is a notable exception that also has a nice toe box shape.)[[File:AltraRight.png|none|thumb|500px|A light hearted look at how other shoe makers seem to be designing for a strange shaped foot.]]=The Outsole=To achieve a light weight with maximum cushioning, many 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. In the image below, the red arrows mark the soft midsole and the blue arrows mark the hard outsole, with the green arrow indicating an intermediate toughness material. [[File:MDMC Soles.jpg|none|thumb|500px|From left to right is the Torin, the Cursoris, the Virrata and the Bondi B.]]