[[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, though I include some shoes that can be useful in transitioning from a more traditional shoe. '''These reviews are not being maintained'''. =The Best Running Shoe={{:Shoes-best}}=Shoe Categories=I've classified my shoe recommendations into several categories, each with their own pros and therefore I favor cons. * '''[[Maximalist]]''' (Minimum Drop, Maximum Cushioning). The minimal drop has been the hallmark of minimalist style shoes, but these shoes also include lots of shoecushioning. Minimalist At their best, these shoes can be like running barefoot on a cushioned track. Maximalist shoes tend 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 less just enough cushioningto 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 flexible soles. Many years go, and less of a high reduction (drop) between "racing flat" had little cushioning, but with the heel and forefootadvances in materials science, these shoes are now surprisingly comfortable. * '''Fast'''. The These are the fastest shoes below vary , often compromised in other ways to achieve their characteristics, performance. * '''Minimalist'''. These shoes vary between the almost barefoot and those with some providing just a thin barrier 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 your feet minimalist and the groundMaximalist, while others but are an evolution of the traditional too heavy to be considered Optimal. * '''Traditional'''. The classic running shoehas a high heel, normally about 10mm higher than the forefoot . In The biggest advantage of traditional shoes is the wide variety to choose from, making it far easier to find the middle is 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" (Minimax) category ' 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 provides the plenty was typically made of quite firm foam. More recently they have moved towards softer cushioning without and the [[Maximalist]] style.* '''Topo'''. Like Altra, Topo make shoes that are designed for the human foot. I find that the raised healshape of Topo shoes is even better than Altra, with more room for my toes to move naturally. =Where 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 Buy=last for you. I generally recommend buying * A runner that lands harder will wear out their shoes from 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 [[http://wwwRunning 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.roadrunnersportsThe means the foam becomes compressed and offers less cushioning.com/ RoadRunnerSportsThe 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.comThe foam insole often fails faster than the midsole, so consider [[Replacement Insoles]] as they allow you to run in 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 still return them for an exchangeby 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. ItIf 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 know how being scraped. * Temperature can play a factor in shoe works for you until youlife. 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 it for some distanceplaces. Another good option I suspect that the runner in question is scraping slightly on landing rather than pawing back fully.]]|[[httpFile://wwwComparisonHS6Shoes.zapposjpg|none|thumb|300px|By comparison this is my Hyper Speed 6 shoes that have far more miles on them.com/ ZapposYou can see that most of the outsole still has its texture, and the only real outsole wear is on the extreme heel.com] ]|}==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 provides free shipping both wayscreates 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 allows you 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 spend time wearing half marathon", or some other distance. Such advice is based on the idea that many people find that as the shoes around distance increases, they want a little more cushioning to protect their feet from the house pounding and to see how 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 fitrun a 5K, though you while others will run a 100-mile race barefoot. There is no maximum distance that can't be run in them and return themany 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}}
=Shoe Modifications=
''Main article: [[Shoe Modifications]]'' [[File:ModifiedShoes.JPG|rightnone|thumb|500px250px|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, a few exceptions such as the Mizuno Curoris and to a lesser extent the Altra Torin, 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.=Summary TableShoes for Heavier Runners=I've categorized my shoe recommendations into several categories.* Virtually Barefoot. These shoes are close As a broad generalization, foot length is generally proportional to height, body weight is proportional to barefootthe square of your height, but have some protectionand foot area is proportional to the square of your foot length.* Minimalist. If you want This means that for a little more protection and given BMI, the perceived cushioning than should be about the virtually barefoot optionssame regardless of absolute weight, but want to stay as close as and you can'll need more cushioning if your BMI is higher, this and less cushioning if your BMI is the next step uplower. * Minimum Drop, Maximum CushioningYou may also need more cushioning if your feet are disproportionately small and less if your feet are disproportionately large. The minimal drop has the hallmark of a minimalist shoeOf course, but these shoes also include lots different runners prefer radically different levels of cushioning. At their best, these shoes can be like running barefoot on with some liking an un-cushioned minimalist shoe and others a massively cushioned trackMaximalist shoe. * Transitional. These shoes are close But if you'd like to a traditional running shoe, but have reduced heel height. * Traditional. The classic running shoe has a high heelscale my reviews, normally about 10mm. I'm not 5' 10"/180cm, I weigh about 140 pounds/64 Kg, which is a fan BMI of running in high heelsabout 20, so I have no recommendations in this categoryand take about a men's US 10.5/UK 10/EU 45 shoe size. {| class="wikitable"! Category! Shoe! Weight! Drop! Sole thickness! Use! Notes|-| rowspanGallery="4"|Virtually Barefoot| Images of the shoes reviewed on this site can be found in the [[http://wwwShoe Gallery]].roadrunnersports.com/rrs/search/search-celebros.jsp?isLoggedIn=&isClubMember=&from=searchBox&Query=FiveFingers+&x=0&yShoe Dissection =0 Vibram FiveFingers]| 5-10oz| Zero| | Road/Trail| |-| ''Main article: [[http://www.zappos.com/vivobarefoot-one-m-navy-sulpher Vivobarefoot One MShoe Dissection]] | 7oz| Zero| | Road| |-| rowspan="5"|Minimaist''
| [[Modified Nike Free]] | Varies – 5 to 6oz| Zero| | Road| |-| [httpFile://wwwHokaOlympusSlice.zappos.com/saucony-hattori Saucony Hattori]JPG| 4.4oznone| Zerothumb| 15mmx300px| Road| No laces|-| [http://www.roadrunnersports.com/rrs/products/NBA1522/ NB Road Minimus]| 6.4oz| Zero| | Road| |-| [http://www.roadrunnersports.com/rrs/products/MRL1000/ Merrell Trail Glove] | 6.2oz| Zero| 10mm| Road/Trail| |-| [http://www.roadrunnersports.com/rrs/products/MRL1002/ Merrell Road Glove] | 6.5oz| Zero| 11mm| Road| |-| rowspan="6"|Minimax - 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| Soft, light and comfortable|-| [http://www.zappos.com/altra-zero-drop-footwear-A comparison between the-torin-black-scuba-blue Altra Torin]| 9.0oz| Zero| 20mm| Road| |-| [http://www.zappos.com/hoka-one-one-rapa-nui-2-tarmac-black-cyan-white Hoka Rapa Nui 2 Tarmac]| 10.7oz| 4mm| 26/30mm| Road| Extreme cushioning |-| [http://www.zappos.com/hoka-one-one-bondi-2-anthracite-grey-yellow Hoka Bondi 3]| 11.1oz| 5mm| 30/35mm| Road/Trail| Extreme cushioning |-| [http://www.zappos.com/hoka-one-one-mafate-3-lime-anthracite-white Hoka Mafate 3]| 15.1oz| 6mm| 35/41mm| Muddy Trail| Extreme cushioning |-| rowspan="6"|Minimalist Transitional| [http://www.roadrunnersports.com/rrs/products/NIK1444/ Nike Free 3.0]| 6.9oz| 4mm| | Road| Highly flexible|-| [http://www.roadrunnersports.com/rrs/products/MIZ724/ Mizuno Wave Universe]| 3.8oz| 4mm| | Road| Lightweight|-| [http://www.roadrunnersports.com/rrs/products/INN130/mens-inov8-flite-195/ Inov-8 F-Lite 195] | 6.8oz| 3mm| | Road/Trail| |-| [http://www.roadrunnersports.com/rrs/products/INN114/ Inov-8 X-Talon 190] | 6.7oz| 3mm| | Muddy Trail| Aggressive tread|-| [http://www.roadrunnersports.com/rrs/search/search-celebros.jsp?isLoggedIn=&isClubMember=&from=searchBox&Query=Minimus+&x=0&y=0 NB Minimus]| 6-8oz| 4mm| | Road/Trail| |-| [http://www.roadrunnersports.com/rrs/search/search-celebros.jsp?isLoggedIn=&isClubMember=&from=searchBox&Query=Kinvara+&x=0&y=0 Saucony Kinvara]| 7.7oz| 4mm| | Road| |-| rowspan="2"|Minimax Transitional| Brooks Transcend| 11.8oz| 8mm| 22/30mm| Road| Thick but hard|-| [http://www.runningwarehouse.com/adidas_Energy_Boost/descpageMRS-AENBM1.htmlhttp:/www.roadrunnersports.com/rrs/products/ADI1674/mens-adidas-energy-boost/ Adidas Energy Boost]| 9.3| 9mm| 17/23mm| Road| A remarkable shoe with new midsole technology|}=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://www.roadrunnersports.com/rrs/search/search-celebros.jsp%3Ffrom%3DsearchBox%26Query%3Dfivefingers FiveFinger] [http://www.roadrunnersports.com/rrs/products/VFF102/ KSO]Olympus and Hokas.]][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 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. 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 Ever wonder what the shape inside of your foot, so they don't work for everyone. The [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" /> ==Vivobarefoot==[[File:VivoOneM.jpg|right|thumb|200px|The their [http://www.zappos.com/vivobarefoot-one-m-navy-sulpher Vivobarefoot One M].]]Terra Plana make a range of thin soled shoes under the '[http://www.roadrunnersports.com/rrs/search/search-celebros.jsp%3Ffrom%3DsearchBox%26Query%3DVIVOBAREFOOT Vivo Barefoot]' name, such as their [http://www.zappos.com/vivobarefoot-one-m-navy-sulpher Vivobarefoot One M] , with a flexible but tough sole. I'd also strongly recommend the [http://www.zappos.com/vivobarefoot-ra-black Vivobarefoot Ra], which is close to a dress shoe, but remarkably comfortable. I got mine for a wedding and new wear them regularly. <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://www.roadrunnersports.com/rrs/products/NIK1530/looks like?cc=WHVLT107 Nike Free 3.0] can provide Take a minimalist shoe with just enough cushioning to provide good protection. look inside; I prefer the [[Modified Nike Free]] to Vibram FiveFingers, as the small amount 've cut many 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="clear: both" /> ==Saucony Hattori==[[File:Hattori.jpg|right|thumb|200px|The [http://www.roadrunnersports.com/rrs/products/SCN984/ Hattori].]]The [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://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://www.roadrunnersports.com/rrs/products/NBA1522/ Road Minimus] .]]The [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://www.roadrunnersports.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 I prefer the [[Modified Nike Free]] half to the road version. <br style="clear: both" /> ==Merrell Gloves==[[File:TrailGlove.jpg|right|thumb|200px|[http://www.roadrunnersports.com/rrs/products/MRL1000/ Merrell Trail Glove].]]Merrell sells a [http://www.roadrunnersports.com/rrs/products/MRL1000/ trail glove] and a [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 reveal 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 fasterconstruction, but has less protection and longevity. * The Virrata is nearly as good as the Torin, but cheaperyou can see above. [[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 You 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 see a wide base to improve stability. Their soles are gallery 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/ CursorisShoe Dissection].]]The [http://www.roadrunnersports.com/rrs/products/MIZ752/ Cursoris] is a light shoe with a soft sole, almost as soft well 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 detailed 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 anklereviews. While this feels a little odd, I did not notice any actual problems from this unless the laces are loose. <br style="clear: both" />=Frankenshoes=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" />=Minimalist 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://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://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://www.roadrunnersports.com/rrs/products/MIZ724/ Mizuno Wave Universe].]]The [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://www.roadrunnersports.com/rrs/products/INN120/ F-Lite 195] trail shoe.]][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://www.roadrunnersports.com/rrs/products/INN114/ X-Talon 190] for muddy conditions and their [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:Kinvara.jpg|right|thumb|200px|The [http://www.roadrunnersports.com/rrs/search/search-celebros.jsp?isLoggedIn=&isClubMember=&from=searchBox&Query=Kinvara+&x=0&y=0 Saucony Kinvara].]]The [http://www.roadrunnersports.com/rrs/search/search-celebros.jsp?isLoggedIn=&isClubMember=&from=searchBox&Query=Kinvara+&x=0&y=0 Saucony Kinvara] is an evolution of the traditional running shoe towards a minimalist design. It looks like a traditional running shoe, but lowers the heel and reduces the weight. To me, this shoe is on the boundary between minimalist and traditional, though others might include some of the [http://www.roadrunnersports.com/rrs/search/search-celebros.jsp%3Ffrom%3DsearchBox%26Query%3DBrooks%2BPure Brooks Pure] range as minimalist. <br style="clearMain article: both" />=Minimax Transitional=These shoes are not quite 'minimum drop, maximum cushioning' of the Minimax category, but they're thicker than most shoes and tend to have less drop. ==Brooks Transcend==It's a shame that Brooks didn't use a softer midsole material for the Transcend. The shoe is thick, but the midsole material is too firm. It will offer more protection than a traditional shoe, but doesn't quite make it to the Minimax category. This is worth considering if you like a traditional shoe, but want a little more protection. ==Adidas Energy Boost==[[File:adidas-energy-boost.jpg|right|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].Frankenshoes]]The [http://www.runningwarehouse.com/adidas_Energy_Boost/descpageMRS-AENBM1.htmlhttp:/www.roadrunnersports.com/rrs/products/ADI1674/mens-adidas-energy-boost/ Adidas Energy Boost] has a new material in the midsole (see 'Adidas Boost Foam' below) which changes how this shoe feels. The Boost does not really count as a minimalist shoe or a Ninimax shoe, as it has a mainstream design, with the typical raised heel and shape that does not mirror that of the human foot. However, it works strangely well, far better than you'd expect. * As a Minimax. Though it's not as thick as a Minimax shoe, it's soft cushioning makes it feel much thicker than it actually is, and it's a lot softer than something like the Brooks Transcend. * As a minimalist. If you take out the liner, you also lose quite a bit of the higher heel and have something that's close to a minimalist shoe. The shoe is light weight, and the new foam is pleasant under foot, combining a forefoot that had good ground feel with reasonable protection. The Energy Boost is immediately comfortable, with a light, flexible upper with no noticeable seams. I'm thankfully Adidas has used a traditional tongue and laces, rather than a sock style upper or Velcro fastening. And while the sole has the traditional raised heel, there is none of the multi-density foam or other intrusions that are so common. I think a lot of people will buy the boost because of its immediate comfort, but stay with it for its extraordinary characteristics. =The Newton=Newton shoes focus on forefoot running by adding extra height to the forefoot of the shoe. I purchased a pair thinking they would move me closer 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 worse. You can get a better alternative to 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 shoe that is correlated with injuries.)=Adidas Boost Foam=The Adidas boost uses a new type of foam in the sole that has more bounce and is more resilient. Adidas demonstrates this extra bounce by dropping a steel ball on their new foam and EVA, the industry standard foam. Because of the extra energy return in their new foam the ball will bounce much higher than on EVA. However, when we run our feet do not bounce off the ground, but have a short period of sustained contact, often called the 'stance phase'. So when your foot lands, it seems that the boost foam would return the landing shock back up your leg rather than absorbing it, which is less than ideal. It would be good to see a study that looks at how the boost foam changes the stresses on knees and hips compared with a standard running shoe. Regardless of how the bounce impacts your running, the increased lifespan of the new foam is appealing. Having a shoe that lasts longer is obviously good, but Adidas also claim that the new foam is more consistent through most of its lifespan, rather than gradually decaying in the way EVA does. Adidas also claims that their new foam does not change characteristics in extreme temperatures like EVA does.