The Best Road Running Shoes (Summer 2026)

We’ve been testing running shoes for Outside for over a decade. Every year, we test more than a hundred road and trail shoes. When people find out what we do, we’re often asked, “What’s the best shoe?” The answer is: It depends. Finding the perfect running shoe is highly personal, based on factors such as ability, running style, and personal preferences in fit, cushioning, and ride.

To get the broadest consensus, we have over 25 testers—including ourselves—running in nearly every new release. As we log miles, we evaluate every shoe for fit, comfort, ride, support, price, and overall performance. The shoes that ranked highest across all testers and against all shoes currently on the market make our guide. The best ones package cutting-edge technologies in shoes that make us happy. Whether they’re super-plush, light and fast, or supportive and smooth, they’re the models that inspire us to run.

This season, we’ve streamlined our guide into eleven core categories to make it easier for you to find the season’s best—vetted by us—for whatever you’re looking for: a great overall trainer, a marathon racing shoe, a stable workhorse, or a shoe that allows your foot to move naturally. We hope our guide helps you find the shoe that brings joy to your spring and summer running.

June 2026 Update: After testing more than 100 of the latest models over thousands of miles—from recovery jogs on tired legs to blistering 5k speed sessions—our 25 testers named the Asics Superblast 3 as the best overall road-running shoe for most runners. We found its massive yet lightweight cushion and hyper-bouncy rebound make it the most versatile ride on the market. For those seeking a balanced, smooth-riding, lightweight daily trainer at a fantastic price, the $145 Hoka Mach 7 is our top pick. We named the Skechers Aero Razor the best value choice, offering a carbon-infused plate, nitrogen-infused foam, and elite performance for just $140. 

Best Running Shoes: At a Glance

• Best Overall Daily Trainer: Asics Superblast 3 ($210)
• Runner Up, Best Overall: Hoka Mach 7 ($145)
• Best Value: Skechers Aero Razor ($140)
• Best Cushioned Trainer: Nike Vomero Plus ($180)
• Best Lightweight Trainer: Puma Deviate Pure Nitro ($150)
• Best Natural Ride: Altra Experience Flow 3 ($145)
• Most Innovative: Brooks Glycerin Flex ($170)
• Best Stability: Brooks Adrenaline GTS 25 ($155)
• Best for Speed Workouts: Asics Magic Speed 5 ($180)
• Best for Tempo Runs: Brooks Hyperion Max 4 ($200)
• Best Marathon Racing Shoe: Nike Alphafly 3 ($305)

Best Overall Daily Trainer Road Running Shoe

Asics Superblast 3

$210 at Fleet Feet

$210 at Asics

Weight: 8.4 oz (men’s 9, women’s 10.5)
Stack Height: 46.5–38.5 mm
Drop: 8 mm
Sizing: 3.5-13, 14, 15 (men’s), 5-14.5, 15.5, 16.5 (women’s)

Pros and Cons
+ Soft and energetic
+ Versatile across different paces
+ Impressively light for the amount of cushioning
– Noticeably loud footstrikes
– May feel too soft for runners who liked the Superblast 2

When Asics launched the Superblast in late 2022, it quickly became one of the brand’s top-selling shoes, and for good reason. With ample cushioning, a comfortable fit, and light weight, it’s one of those shoes you can use for just about any type of run.

The latest version brings some sizable changes: most significantly, a new dual-density midsole that’s softer, lighter, and bouncier. “The cushioning is what makes this shoe shine,” noted one tester. The new midsole has a 10-millimeter bottom layer of the same nitrogen-infused, EVA-based FF Blast+ foam as the Superblast 2 for light stability, topped with a thicker layer of Asics latest A-TPU superfoam (FF Leap) for a soft, hyperbouncy feel underfoot. “Very lively and responsive! More spring and bounce than I was expecting,” said another tester.

At 8.4 ounces for a men’s 9 and women’s 10.5, it has one of the best weight-to-cushioning ratios on the market, making it a crowd favorite for long runs where saving energy and reducing impact are at a premium. One tester reported, “They definitely help reduce fatigue as you get deeper into longer runs.”

The upper is a woven mesh with a generously padded heel collar that testers found more comfortable than its predecessor. A new eyelet system has the laces passing through a serpentine cord-like material rather than holes in the upper; multiple testers noted how smoothly it worked.

With its versatility, comfort,  and responsiveness, the Superblast 3 is hard to beat, earning it the title of all-around best road running shoe.

Read our full review of the Asics Superblast 3.

Runner Up, Best Overall Daily Trainer

Hoka Mach 7

$145 at Fleet Feet (Men’s)

$145 at Fleet Feet (Women’s)

Weight: 8.4 oz (men), 7.2 oz (women)
Stack Height: 37-32 mm
Drop: 5 mm
Sizing: 7-13, 14 (men’s), 5-11 (women’s)

Pros and Cons
+ Great value
+ Versatile for a wide range of paces
+ Good balance of cushion and ground feel
– The toe box is a little tight

In an era when plates, thick stack heights, and high prices dominate shoe innovation, the Hoka Mach 7 is a rare outlier that proves simple fundamentals are often best. The seventh version of the popular Mach is one of the most versatile daily trainers on the market, with a moderate stack that provides comfort when cruising slowly and lightweight responsiveness when the tempo increases. “There’s enough cushioning to feel protective on daily miles, but still enough ground feel that you actually know what your feet are doing underneath you,” said one of our longest-tenured testers.

The Mach 7 refines rather than reinvents the shoe. An updated Jacquard upper tones down the oversized “elf ear” heel tab and improves breathability. The midsole still features supercritical EVA, which one tester called “light, efficient, and smooth.” The sole is flexible enough underfoot to let your feet move naturally.

In terms of fit, the upper feels secure and comfortable but runs on the tight side compared to most daily trainers. The toe box didn’t feel overly cramped to most testers—it’s more of a performance-daily-trainer fit, where your foot stays put but isn’t squeezed. If you’re between sizes, however, we recommend sizing up, especially if you plan to use this as an everyday trainer.

The Mach 7 remains a level-headed shoe built on the sound fundamentals of comfort, flexibility, and versatility that complements the stride of most runners. At $145, the Hoka Mach 7 is an absolute steal for a well-rounded daily trainer that easily doubles as a lightweight speed workout shoe.

Best Value

Skechers Aero Razor

$140 at Running Warehouse (Men’s)

$140 at Running Warehouse (Women’s)

Weight: 6.9 oz (men’s 9); 5.6 oz (women’s 7)
Stack Height: 36–32 mm
Drop: 4 mm
Sizing: 7.5-12, 13, 14 (men’s), 5-10, 11 (women’s)

Pros and Cons
+ Excellent value for a high-performance shoe
+ Secure, low-to-the-ground ride
+ Snappy, energetic toe-off
+ Lightweight, breathable upper construction
– Feels too firm for some
– Not as thick and bouncy as most super shoe racers

Skechers may not be on your running shoe radar, but behind all its budget shoes lies a performance running division that’s on par with any major player. One standout model that has won a loyal following is the Razor, a lightweight racing shoe that Meb Keflezighi, 2014 Boston Marathon winner, helped develop, and which, in 2019, introduced the first supercritical midsole in a training shoe.

After a couple of heavier, less-exciting versions, Skechers has relaunched the Razor with major upgrades to the midsole and upper. “It is light, fast, and has an amazing price point,” said one tester—accolades echoed across the board. The midsole is made of Skechers’ Hyper Burst Pro, an A-TPU-based foam, which has become the material of choice in super shoes for its light weight, outstanding rebound, and resilience. Testers loved the feel: “It balances protection, responsiveness, and stability,” said one.

Embedded in the midsole is a carbon-infused H-shaped wing plate that doesn’t fight your foot’s natural roll but adds snap to the toe-off. “The rocker and plate combo really encourages faster turnover and smooth running,” said one tester. At 36 millimeters under the heel, the Aero Razor sits on the lower end of today’s supershoe spectrum. This lower profile delivers a responsive, ground-connected feel, though most runners will find it better suited for shorter distances.

The upper is a lightweight, flexible, engineered mesh that both vents and secures. Add string eyelets, sawtooth laces, and light, strategic padding, and it’s by far the best-fitting, most comfortable upper we’ve tested from Skeckers. The fit runs true to size in width, with length slightly longer than normal, though it wasn’t enough to warrant sizing down.

The Skechers Aero Razor delivers lively, fun performance—and knocks it out of the park in value. Where else can you get a carbon-infused-plated, highly efficient, lightweight trainer with an industry-best foam midsole for $140?

Read our full review of the Skechers Razor Aero.

Best Cushioned Trainer

Nike Vomero Plus

$180 at Fleet Feet (Men’s)

$180 at Fleet Feet (Women’s)

Weight: 10.3 oz (men), 8.5 oz (women)
Stack Height: 45-35 mm
Drop: 10 mm
Sizing: 6-13, 14, 15 (men’s), 5-12 (women’s)

Pros and Cons
+ Highly cushioned, yet responsive
+ Well-padded, über-comfortable collar and tongue
– Loud slapping sound during running

To meet the growing demand for more cushioning among road runners, Nike has expanded the perennially popular Vomero franchise into three versions: the Vomero 18, Vomero Plus, and Vomero Premium, with each new level packing in a little more cushioning than the last. Our testers found the standout of the three, in terms of performance, to be the all-new, middle-level Vomero Plus. “In a market that has gone too soft, there is a place for a springy max cushioned shoe, and the Vomero Plus hits that mark,” said one tester.

With a full midsole of TPE-based ZoomX foam underfoot, testers reported that the Vomero Plus is lighter, bouncier, and softer road running shoe than the base model Vomero 18. A thick layer (45 millimeters!) of foam underfoot assures a plush, pillow-like ride, but the shoe doesn’t weigh you down or wallow in mush like some high stack height shoes. There’s a touch of responsiveness hiding within the max-cushioned midsole. While it’s not a fast shoe or racer, it doesn’t plod either. The foam feels lively underfoot from the first contact, and quickly transitions the foot to a smooth toe-off, thanks to a rockered and slightly flexible forefoot.

The engineered mesh upper prioritizes comfort, starting with the heavily padded tongue and overstuffed heel collar, which hug the foot in plushness from the initial step-in to the last mile. One tester credited that secure hold, combined with the width of the sole and the responsive rebound of the foam, for the shoe’s surprising stability.

The only quirk? Like other ZoomX running shoes, it’s loud, with a distinct slap every time your foot hits the ground—but that was only a minor annoyance. When pitted against the best max-cushioned trainers available, the Vomero Plus takes the edge in comfort, ride, and versatility. “It is the one shoe in the test that is in heavy rotation for me, so much so that it was the only trainer I brought on vacation,” noted one tester.

Read our full Nike Vomero Plus Review.

Best Lightweight Trainer

Puma Deviate Pure Nitro

$150 at Fleet Feet (Men’s)

$150 at Fleet Feet (Women’s)

Weight: 7.8 ounces (men’s), 6.4 ounces (women’s)
Stack Height: 38-30mm
Drop: 8 mm
Sizing: 7-13, 14, 15 (men’s), 5.5-11 (women’s)

Pros and Cons
+ Impressive performance-to-weight ratio
+ Plate-free forefoot flexes naturally with the foot
+ Soft, responsive, and lightweight midsole
– Long-term durability in doubt

There’s no shortage of lightweight trainers these days, yet the all-new Puma Deviate Pure impressed our testers above all others. “The Puma Deviate Pure is the best new shoe of 2026 so far. It feels effortless to run at a variety of paces,” said our tester who sees all the competition as the owner of a specialty run store.

The Pure sits in Puma’s performance running franchise alongside high-end racing shoes like the Deviate Nitro Elite 4, and features the brand’s best foam. This nitrogen-infused, A-TPU-based midsole material delivers a great combination of softness, responsiveness, and low weight. Without an embedded plate, the moderately thick forefoot flexes with the metatarsals, making it appealing to runners who prefer a shoe with a good feel for the ground that engages the foot.

The upper is engineered mesh with a generous amount of padding for such a lightweight shoe. The fit runs true to size, with a secure heel. One tester flagged potential durability concerns, noting visible midsole compression wrinkles that appeared early in testing, though this is common with A-TPU foam.

Testers agreed Puma knocked it out of the park with the Deviate Pure. It’s comfortable, quick, and a ton of fun. “I’d start the run like an old broken man, and by the end feel like a college athlete buzzing along the streets!” said one tester. At $150, it outpaces shoes priced $50 higher.

Best Natural Ride

Altra Experience Flow 3

$145 at Fleet Feet (Men’s)

$145 at Fleet Feet (Women’s)

Weight: 9 oz (men), 7.5 oz (women)
Stack Height: 32–28 mm
Drop: 4 mm
Sizing: 5-13, 14, 15 (men’s), 4-12 (women’s)

Pros and Cons
+ Stable, grounded feel
+ Nimble, light, and fast for everyday trainer
– Low collar
– Thin cushioning compared to most of today’s running shoes

Since its founding in 2009, Altra has been known as the “zero-drop” running shoe company—but in 2023, it introduced a few models with a slightly raised heel. Thanks to the more mainstream ride, many of our testers who have historically shied away from the brand have found a new appreciation for the shoes’ signature wide toe box. The Flow is the everyday trainer in the new, four-millimeter-drop “Experience” line.

“The Flow runs well with good dynamics,” noted one tester, adding, “The low drop makes the shoe more runnable and efficient with less stress on your Achilles tendon [than Altra’s zero-drop shoes].” Another tester noted that, while the shoe felt comfortable when landing on his heel, the four-millimeter drop was still low enough to encourage a lighter heel strike and more forward-balanced stride. The midsole, called EGO P35, is the same in the Flow 2. It blends 35 percent polyolefin elastomer with Altra’s proprietary EGO MAX compound, creating a lively, lightly bouncy ride.

Testers found the Experience Flow 3 had some surprising get-up-and-go for a daily trainer when they pushed the pace. “It felt fast, nimble, and efficient,” said one. At 32 millimeters under the heel, one might call it low-profile, given the trend toward ever-growing stack heights. The flexible sole, paired with a wide box, promotes a strong, sturdy toe splay, giving it a naturally stable feel.

The updated engineered mesh upper is breathable, and a padded heel collar adds comfort around the ankles. However, the collar sits relatively low, which some felt created more of a sitting-on-top sensation rather than a secure, locked-in feel inside the shoe.

Most Innovative

Brooks Glycerin Flex

$170 at REI (Men’s)

$170 at REI (Women’s)

Weight: 9.1 ounces (men’s), 8 ounces (women’s)
Stack Height: 36-30 mm
Drop: 6 mm
Sizing: 7-13, 14, 15 (men’s), 5-12 (women’s)

Pros and Cons
+ Allows natural foot flexion without sacrificing cushion
+ Surprisingly stable
+ Exceptional fit as shoe moves with foot
– Upper could be more breathable

We were big fans of the decoupled, cushy 2021 Brooks Aurora BL, and the Glycerin Flex is an evolution of that shoe that doesn’t disappoint. The sole moves with the foot exceptionally well in the Glycerin Flex, thanks to a deep groove that runs diagonally across the midfoot, allowing the heel to rotate independently of the forefoot. The rest of the sole features independent cushioning pods instead of one flat plane of contact with the ground. This furthers the feeling of the foot engaging the midsole naturally, and supports the unique foot strike and foot shape of individual runners. Adding to the shoe’s strategic support throughout the stride is a DNA Tuned foam midsole, with larger, softer cells in the heel, smaller, explosive cells in the forefoot, and a smooth transition between the two.

The soft, lightly stretchy knit upper feels almost cloth-like and holds the foot comfortably. One tester praised how well the shoe snugged his heel and midfoot as it rolled through the stride, creating a secure and stable ride. Some testers, however, felt the edges of the tongue too much and wanted a more breathable upper.

This is a fun—dare we say, freeing—shoe to run in. And one which, with its unique combination of cushion and flexibility, we think might set the stage for others to follow.

Best Stability Shoe

Brooks Adrenaline GTS 25

$155 at REI (Men’s)

$155 at REI (Women’s)

Weight: 10.6 ounces (men’s), 9.5 ounces (women’s)
Stack Height: 37-27 mm
Drop: 10 mm
Sizing: 7-13, 14, 15 (men’s), 5-12, 13 (women’s)

Pros and Cons
+ Soft cushioning for a stability shoe
+ Comfortable, plush upper
– Padded heel collar takes some getting used to

The Brooks Adrenaline GTS 25 feels more like a neutral cushioned trainer than a stability running shoe, yet it effectively guides and supports an otherwise over-rotating gait. The franchise shoe was updated with three millimeters more of Brooks’ nitrogen-infused EVA (DNA Loft v3) under the forefoot, and one millimeter more under the heel. We found the change to result in a softer, more comfortable, more balanced feel underfoot.

Stability comes from a higher-density zone of the midsole under the arch—built into the foam at the cellular level. Testers said it smoothly supported as their foot rolled inward, but didn’t feel intrusive. The plush, somewhat stretchy, engineered-mesh upper wrapped nicely around our feet while keeping our heels securely in place. “I felt it properly accommodated my forefoot, midfoot, and heel, which provided a lot of comfort and support,” said a tester.

A somewhat unique padded ring around the heel collar drew mixed reviews. Some testers found it comfortably held their heel in place; others found it “a little odd” until they got used to it. Overall, however, we love the Adrenaline GTS 25 as a reliable, comfortable, stable daily trainer—that looks good, to boot.

Best for Speed Workouts

Asics Magic Speed 5

$180 at Fleet Feet

$180 at Asics

Weight: 6.9 ounces (unisex)
Stack Height: 37.5-30.5 mm
Drop: 7 mm
Sizing: M4/W5.5-M15/W16.5 (unisex)

Pros and Cons
+ Can be used as a trainer or racer
+ Incredibly lightweight
– Might feel too soft for some

The Asics Magic Speed 5 received notable updates that make it lighter, faster, and more capable as a speedy workout shoe or even a racing shoe. A new top layer of super light, super springy FF Leap (A-TPU) foam adds a level of energetic bounce that can feel a tad squirrelly—at first. But a full-length carbon-fiber plate and a denser, more stable bottom layer of FF Blast+ foam (a blend of EVA and olefin) work together to moderate the bouncy top layer for an overall balanced ride.

The stack height was reduced to 37.5–30.5 millimeters from the Magic Speed 4’s 43-35 millimeters, with the drop coming down from 8 to 7 millimeters. This lower thickness also seems to keep the energetic bounce of the FF Leap manageable. The shoe also lost roughly an ounce and a half in weight, enhancing its light, lively feel. A new outsole rubber pattern adds a feeling of control. “It gave me above-average traction,” said one tester, who wore the Magic Speed 5 on both dirt and pavement while testing.

Testers described the Magic Speed 5 as “incredibly responsive” with “great snap-back.” The combination of midsole magic,  increased outsole rubber, and the lightweight, breathable, secure upper makes this shoe an ideal choice for summer speed workouts, tempo runs, and fast-finish long runs. It’s an outstanding super trainer that can cross over easily to chasing PRs.

Best for Tempo Runs

Brooks Hyperion Max 4

$200 at Fleet Feet (Men’s)

$200 at Fleet Feet (Women’s)

Weight: 10.1 oz (men); 8.8 oz (women)
Stack Height: 38-32 mm
Drop: 6 mm
Sizing: 7-13, 14, 15 (men’s); 5-12 (women’s)

Pros and Cons
+ Smooth, efficient landing and takeoff
+ Sawtooth laces maintain tension
+ Softer, airier mesh upper
– Firmer than most super trainers
– One of the heaviest in its category

When it comes to long tempo runs or marathon pace workouts, you want a shoe that feels fast but is comfortable and stable enough to support you throughout the distance. The Brooks Hyperion Max 4 fits that bill perfectly. “In a world where every brand is chasing the softest, bounciest, craziest super trainer possible, this one feels more controlled,” said a long-time tester.

If you liked the Hyperion Max 3, you’ll be happy to hear that not much has changed. It still uses the same midsole combination of Brooks’ PEBA-based foams with an embedded, curved nylon plate and a fast-rolling forefoot rocker. Compared to most super trainers, the underfoot feel is on the firmer end of the spectrum, delivering a stable, responsive push-off platform rather than a bouncy trampoline.  “The landing roll and takeoff are extremely smooth and efficient,” noted one tester.

The biggest improvements are seen in the new, softer mesh upper, which feels airier, and the sawtooth laces, which maintain tension better. Testers found the fit snug but true to size. “The upper is comfortable with no pressure points, wrapping cleanly and smoothly,” said one.

At 10.2 ounces for men and 8.8 ounces for women, it’s one of the heavier super trainers. Although it doesn’t feel heavy on the run, testers all agreed that this is not a shoe for fast-paced track workouts. “It wasn’t explosive or wildly fun, but it is extremely capable,” one tester said.

The Hyperion Max 4 isn’t your typical soft, unstable, high-cushioned super trainer. It delivers for runners who want something firmer and more supportive, tuned for the miles between easy days and race day such as uptempo workouts or long runs with pick-ups.

Best Marathon Racing Shoe

Nike Alphafly 3

$305 at Fleet Feet (Men’s)

$305 at Fleet Feet (Women’s)

Weight: 7.8 oz (men), 6.2 oz (women)
Stack Height: 40–32 mm
Drop: 8 mm
Sizing: 6-15 (men’s), 5-12 (women’s)

Pros and Cons
+ Bouncy, trampoline-like ride
+ Works for a wide range of runners
+ Lighter weight than previous versions of the AlphaFly
– Heel can feel unstable
– Can be hard to find in specific sizes

We’ve run in all three versions of the AlphaFly to date and think this third iteration is a great update. Subtle adjustments to the shoe’s geometry, including a wider footprint and carbon fiber plate, paired with repositioned Air Zoom units and strategically sculpted midsole, give the Alphafly 3 a distinctly different feel from its predecessor, which many found heavy and clunky compared to the original. This shoe again feels bouncy, fun, and fast.

Complementing the cush and rebound of ZoomX (Pebax) foam and Air Zoom units (pockets of compressed air and tensile threads) is a full-length carbon fiber plate that gives the shoe extra snap and adds a touch of appreciated stability that even the most efficient runners can benefit from when fatigued (marathon, anyone?). One of our more competitive testers praised the Alphafly 3 for its bouncy, energy-saving ride and says she’ll wear no other shoe for races longer than 10 miles. Another speedy tester noted, “Even running as fast as 5k pace, I found the Alphafly responded quickly, encouraging a fast turnover.” Some slower runners noted, however, that landing on the Alphafly’s sculpted heel can create a feeling of instability until the plate is engaged at the midfoot roll.

The upper of the Alphafly 3 is a lightweight, super-breathable mesh with an integrated tongue and thin, notched laces that pull tight and stay tied. Our feet were comfortable and secure without any pressure points on top of the ready-to-fly platform. We love that this shoe got lighter than its previous versions, which adds to its race-readiness.

Read our full Nike Alphafly 3 review and our showdown comparison of 16 super shoes.

Road Running Shoes Comparison Chart

How to Choose the Best Road Running Shoe for You

When choosing a road running shoe, the first step is to determine the type of running you’ll primarily be doing in them. Do you need a speedy racer, a shoe that offers comfort during long, slow jogs, or a versatile trainer that can handle various distances and paces?

Next, consider your preference for the feel of the shoe’s cushioning: do you like a soft, forgiving ride, a more energetic, bouncy sensation underfoot, or a firmer platform that provides better ground feel? With advancements in foams and technologies, many shoes today offer cushioning without compromising responsiveness or stability. However, each shoe balances these characteristics differently, providing a spectrum of options to choose from. The key to finding the perfect running shoe is choosing the one you’re most comfortable with.

Once you’ve narrowed the search to a certain type of road shoe, you need to find a pair that complements your unique body and stride. Every runner’s body, gait, speed, experience, and ride preferences are different, so every runner will interact differently with each running shoe. The shoe that your best friend or your sister-in-law loves may be uncomfortable for you and make running feel slow, sluggish, or even painful. Finding the perfect pair of road running shoes is a seriously personal affair.

The process for choosing the best running shoes is a matter of finding the models that both fit your foot and also feel best when you’re running. To determine fit and feel, there’s no substitute for trying the shoes on and running in them.

Fit: Match Your Foot Shape

When assessing fit, first pay attention to length. You need room at the end of your toes as your feet lengthen during their dynamic movements on the run. A rule of thumb is to allow a thumb’s width between your longest toe and the end of the shoe. Runners often wear a running shoe a half or full size bigger than their street shoes.

Ensure that the shape of the sole and the upper matches your foot shape. The sole should be as wide or wider than your foot for the whole length, and match the curve of your arch comfortably. The shoe should hold your foot securely over the instep, while allowing the ball of the foot and the toes to splay and flex when you roll forward onto them. Your heel shouldn’t slip when you lift it, and the arch should be able to dome and lengthen naturally. Nothing should bind or rub as you roll through the stride.

Feel: Match Your Movement Path

If the shoe fits, it’s time to take them on a short run on a treadmill, around the store, or, ideally, down the block and back. Every running shoe has a unique ride created by the type and density of foam in the midsole and the geometry of that foam: its thickness, width, heel-to-toe drop, molded sidewalls or flares, and forefoot flexibility or rocker shape (plus, in an increasing number of models, the presence of and type of embedded plate). Each of these elements interact with each other and your stride to determine how the shoe reacts on landing, how much it cushions, how stably it supports, how smoothly it transitions from landing to toe off, and how quickly and powerfully it rebounds.

The best way to choose the shoes that complement your body and stride is to find the ones that feel right on the run. Benno Nigg, the world-leading biomechanics professor who proposed this method of shoe selection, calls it the “comfort filter,” but makes clear it is far more than how plush the shoe feels when you step into it. What you want to assess is whether the shoe allows and supports the way your feet want to move, what Nigg calls your “preferred movement path.” In the right shoe, while running at your normal pace, you will touch down where you expect to land, roll smoothly and stably through the stride without noticing the shoe, feel both cushioned from and connected to the ground, and push off naturally, quickly, and powerfully. When this comes together you’ll know that you’ve found your pair.

It’s likely that several shoes will feel good on your feet. To find the most comfortable, it helps to compare them back to back, like an eye doctor will do with corrective lenses: flipping between “A” or “B,” “1” or “2.” You may also find that different shoes feel better at different paces or level of fatigue, and you may want more than one pair. In fact, research shows that wearing a variety of different shoes is one of the few proven ways to reduce injury risk as it appears to vary the stresses on your feet and joints.

What About Injury Prevention?

Running shoes have long been marketed and sold as prescriptive devices to help runners stay healthy, but there is little scientific evidence correlating shoes, or any specific shoe properties—like cushioning or pronation control—with running injuries. Medical professionals say that it is highly difficult to determine whether a runner needs a certain type of shoe, and studies have shown that prescribing shoes using traditional methods like treadmill gait analyses or wet-foot arch height tests don’t consistently reduce injuries.

Don’t assume that you need more cushioning or more stability if you have sore joints, or if you’re a heavier runner, or if you’re a beginner—evidence doesn’t support many common beliefs. The best way prevent injury is find two or three different pairs that feel right on the run, ease into using them, and vary your shoes, your running surface and your pace regularly (plus avoid rapid increases in your training load and work on improving your mechanics).

How We Test Road Running Shoes

• Number of testers: 25
• Number of shoes tested: 103
• Number of miles: 21,000+ over a year

To choose the best road running shoes, we begin by researching every brand’s upcoming offerings for the coming season. We wind up with dozens of samples of the models (52 road shoes this season, 51 last summer and fall) that are most promising—not just for us, but for 25 testers that range in age, ability, running form, geographical location, and preferred shoe types. We try to put each tester in models from within the same category (e.g., neutral, stability, carbon fiber, zero drop or uptempo) so everyone can compare apples-to-apples.

After three to six months of running in each model on paved roads, concrete multi-use paths, treadmills, sandy beach paths, dirt roads, and tracks at a variety of distances, paces, and weather conditions, our crew members report back with their assessments of fit, comfort, traction, cushioning, flexibility, stiffness, pop, what type of running the model is best used for, how the shoe compares to other models, and more. We also run in every shoe ourselves, and, combining all the tester feedback with years of personal experience, hone in on the best. This guide combines the best recent shoes with outstanding shoes still available from the past two test periods.

Meet Our Lead Testers

Lisa Jhung

Freelance journalist, editor, and author Lisa Jhung has researched, tested, and written about running shoes for the past decade and a half, much of that time for Outside and Outside Buyer’s Guides. She coordinates a fleet of female shoe testers out of Boulder, Colorado, and says her home office is a perpetual obstacle course of cardboard boxes and piles of running shoes. Lisa’s written about gear of all kinds for numerous national magazines as both an editor and freelancer, including a stint as the Shoes & Gear blogger and trail running microsite editor for Runner’s World.

A high school jumper and occasional sprinter/hurdler, she started running—really running—after walking off the collegiate volleyball team, and moved on to road and trail races of any distance, triathlons, adventure races, and mountain running. She’s happiest testing rugged trail shoes on gnarly terrain, and also loves a good neighborhood jaunt…but is almost always looking for ribbons of dirt. Lisa is the author of Running That Doesn’t Suck: How to Love Running (Even If You Think You Hate It) and Trailhead: The Dirt on All Things Trail Running.

Cory Smith

Cory’s passion for running started over 30 years ago in high school when he became the number six ranked runner in the nation at 3000 meters his senior year. After high school, he competed at Villanova University, earning two NCAA Division I Championship showings. Today, he’s determined not to let age slow him down and competes on the national master’s circuit, running a 4:12 (4:30 mile pace)) 1500 meters and 9:04 (4:52 mile pace) 3000 meters in 2021 at age 43. He prefers a hard track workout or tempo run over an easy long run any day but also appreciates a challenging trail or mountain run.

His obsession with running shoes started in 2014 when he wrote his first shoe review for Gear Institute. Since then, he’s tested and reviewed hundreds of running shoes, clothing, and gear for Outside, Runner’s World, Footwear News, and other outlets. He has a soft spot for speedy shoes over heavy trainers but loves dissecting all shoes equally and thinking like a product engineer to explain the why behind every design detail. Cory is the Founder of Run Your Personal Best, an online running coaching business, and since its inception in 2014, has coached runners’ to over 100 Boston Marathon Qualifying times.

Here’s one of Cory’s shoe-testing routes on MapMyRun:

Jonathan Beverly

Jonathan fell in love with running his freshman year of high school and quickly became fascinated with finding the perfect pair of running shoes. That quest got a boost when he became editor of Running Times in 2000 and started receiving every new model as they were released. The parade of shoes continued while he served as shoe editor for Runner’s World, then editor of PodiumRunner, and currently fitness gear editor at Outside. Having now worn nearly every running shoe created in this century—and a fair amount of those dating back to the early models of the ’70s—he’s given up on finding the one best and now relishes the wide variety of excellent options.

Once a 2:46 marathoner regularly doing 50+ mile weeks, recent injuries and his age have reduced his volume by about half and slowed his easy training pace—but he says he still enjoys an uptempo workout or two each week. Beverly is the author of the book Your Best Stride which explores how each individual’s gait—and, consequently shoe preference—is unique. He enjoys getting scientists’ take on new shoe trends and trying to describe the nuances of each shoe’s ride.