The running shoe market is saturated, to put it lightly. As technology has improved, particularly with the advent of light, responsive foam in everyday trainers and carbon fiber plates in racing “super shoes,” there is no shortage of high-quality shoes.
“The industry is dealing with more great shoes than we ever have before,” says Jon Notary, general manager and veteran footwear buyer for Aardvark Sports Shop in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. “But when you say one shoe is at the top, you’re saying something else isn’t as good, when it is.”
Our experts — running coaches, a division record holder, physical therapists, a running journalist, specialty store managers and shoe buyers — did agree on one thing: The most important factors in choosing a shoe are comfort and fit. Following that, runners should consider how cushioned a shoe is, what the offset is (how much the shoe “drops” from the heel to the toe, measured in millimeters), whether a shoe has a carbon fiber plate — a top pick for serious racers — and the shape of the foot.
The experts also emphasized the importance of rotating your running shoes, which “adds variability to a sport that inherently lacks variability,” says Michael Steimling, P.T., D.P.T., assistant professor of physical therapy at Moravian University, also in Bethlehem. That might mean stocking up on the same pair of shoes and switching them out throughout the week, which gives the shoe a chance to rest and rebound its foam. You might also swap shoes depending on the workout, Steimling says. For example, wearing a cushioned shoe for higher mileage weeks and “real feel” shoes with less cushion for shorter distances or on softer surfaces.
The best way to ensure a proper fit is to visit a local running store, where experts can assess how you move and the shape of your feet. If you already know what style you’re looking for, here are a number of shoes with options for every kind of runner.
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