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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 shoe that does not interfere with the way you run, though I include some shoes that can be useful in transitioning from a more traditional shoe. =Where to Buy=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 themThese reviews are not being maintained'''.
=The Best Running Shoe=
=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.
* 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 midsole 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]].
[[File:ModifiedShoes.JPG|none|thumb|250px|Clockwise from the top: Nike Free 3.0 (early version) cut open more than most to form a 'running sandal', Saucony Hattori, NB Trail Minimus, Nike Free 3.0 and the [[Hoka Shoe Review|Hoka]].]]
With a few exceptions such as the Mizuno Curoris, I find that 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]].
[[File:HokaOlympusSlice.JPG|none|thumb|x300px|A comparison between the Altra Olympus and Hokas.]]
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.
=Frankenshoes=
''Main article: [[Frankenshoes]]''