Running Shoes... What are your favs?

[Bizwah]

I try to buy a new pair once a year. I know that I should try to get a new pair every three or four months, but good shoes are just too expensive.

I love every pair of ASICS I've ever bought, but for some reason I try something new. I went from ASICS to Nike (terrible shoes), from ASICS to Mizuno (didn't like those either), and from ASICS to Saucony (bad choice).

I'm thinking about getting Brooks Glycerins, but I don't know anyone that's ever had a pair. Reviews have all been good on them, and they were the editor's choice in Runner's World. But I know ASICS Nimbus are great shoes for me.

I run about 3-4 miles five days a week. I'm 6-4 and 190. ASICS are pretty good for big runners....but I'm not sure about the Brooks.

If there are any runners out there, I'd appreciate some input. Like I said, I spend a lot of money on my shoes once a year...it's worth it to run in something good. I do pronate slightly (run on the outside of my foot).

Thanks....

[SaltwaterServr]

I have a pair of Asics, forget what kind. I have a friend who runs with the glycerins and those are her shoe of choice. She does a few marathons and triathalons a year. I think she just did the Austin Marathon yesterday morning as a matter of fact.

[tomson75]

I've always liked New Balance.

I run trails in a pair of Merrels.

I'm thinking about trying out some Pearl Izumis...a local shop run by an ex Force Recon Marine has me sold on their ability to correct pronation.

[StarMan]

I've tried about every brand of shoe out there and I always come back to Asics - particularly the GT-2100 series. I also like the Kayano but they cost a bit more than I like to pay. I'm flat-footed and the only Brooks shoe I have tried is The Beast and I didn't like them much; they felt stiff and heavy.

If your foot rolls outward when you run, you are supinating. Pronation is when your foot rolls inward (this is me). Sounds like the Nimbus is the right shoe for you, but as you know they are quite expensive.

I buy a lot of my shoes on eBay. If you don't mind buying last year's model, you can save yourself a good chunk of change. I can typically get a $100 pair of shoes for $50 - $60. Not sure if this holds true for the Nimbus though.

[CATCH17]

Nike running shoes. I like a more narrow shoe to exercise in.

[MonsterD]

Nikes are not very good running shoes. Asics and New Balance are the best.

[CowboyDan]

Get yourself fitted for a good pair of New Balance and never look back. Great sneakers.

[Hostile]

Ask almost anyone you see wearing New Balance. 95% of them will tell you no other shoes will ever be on their feet.

[Sam I Am]

I basically buy New Balance or Nike and only spend $50-$80. No more, and I always get a great pair of shoes.

[ethiostar]

I've always been happy with New Balance.

Also, although I have never owned Merrell's running shoes, if they are anything like their hiking shoes you just can't go wrong. I had Merrell's Chameleon 3 hiking shoes for a few years and wore them out when I did a one year long fieldwork that required me to walk several miles a day on natural terrain. I don't think i can find anything remotely close to these shoes, simply outstanding shoes.

[xout]

Asics, hands down

[fjones]

Asics, hands down

Asics... all that needs to be said

[baj1dallas]

Mizuno's are the best for me, I have a high arch and like a stiffer shoe. Really the best thing is to go to a good running store and get fitted, and just stick with that type of shoe from then on.

[chicago JK]

I run a lot and have Asics. As a kid, I use to always wear Nike's but I probably haven't had a nike running shoe in 5-6 years. I think most runners use either Asics, brooks or New Balance. I can typically find good priced asics at DSW Warehouse.

Speaking of running shoes, what is the deal with those barefoot running shoes? Maybe they feel good and may be the future, but I think everyone looks like a dork in them when I see people wearing them at the gym.

http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_Fuj2kgftbDA/TILJpEyMWmI/AAAAAAAAAMM/C1ahoBGCIY4/s1600/CIMG9468.jpg

[baj1dallas]

Maybe they feel good and may be the future, but I think everyone looks like a dork in them when I see people wearing them at the gym.


Who cares? What they look like is not a consideration when performance and health are the primary motivating factors to wear them. You don't go to the gym to look cool.

[Jenky]

I run a lot and have Asics. As a kid, I use to always wear Nike's but I probably haven't had a nike running shoe in 5-6 years. I think most runners use either Asics, brooks or New Balance. I can typically find good priced asics at DSW Warehouse.

Speaking of running shoes, what is the deal with those barefoot running shoes? Maybe they feel good and may be the future, but I think everyone looks like a dork in them when I see people wearing them at the gym.

http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_Fuj2kgftbDA/TILJpEyMWmI/AAAAAAAAAMM/C1ahoBGCIY4/s1600/CIMG9468.jpg

Those are actually better for your feet. I was looking to get a pair, but I never got around to it.

[Dallas]

Those are actually better for your feet. I was looking to get a pair, but I never got around to it.


Those shoes are hideous. There are lot of shoes that are "better" for your feet. That tag gets put on just about every new shoe that gets launched.

These shoes looks absolutely rediculous and just scream LOOK AT ME. :cool:


D u m b

I run most mornings before I go to work. I always go w/ an extremely light shoe that has a good amount of aggressive traction. I have been running in Adidas for the most part and I really can't find anything on the market that's better than them.

Im running in some new Marthon 10 Trails atm because of the ice and snow. They are great shoes.

http://www.finishline.com/store/images/products/lgg24151bks.jpg

I ran in some Nike Free's last summer and they are really nice but I tore through the soles in about 3 months.

http://www.finishline.com/store/images/products/lg396046161.jpg

[Temo]

I run a lot and have Asics. As a kid, I use to always wear Nike's but I probably haven't had a nike running shoe in 5-6 years. I think most runners use either Asics, brooks or New Balance. I can typically find good priced asics at DSW Warehouse.

Speaking of running shoes, what is the deal with those barefoot running shoes? Maybe they feel good and may be the future, but I think everyone looks like a dork in them when I see people wearing them at the gym.

http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_Fuj2kgftbDA/TILJpEyMWmI/AAAAAAAAAMM/C1ahoBGCIY4/s1600/CIMG9468.jpg

If you have trouble with leg/knee/hip pain, it might be worth a try. Otherwise, not a big deal.

[Temo]

I'm currently running in these: http://www.amazon.com/Terra-Plana-Yellow-Mens-Shoes/dp/B003JJGKDU/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=shoes&qid=1280944325&sr=8-2

Pricey and relatively fragile, so not for everyone. But I love them.

[Number82]

I've worn Asics for the last 11 years. Before I tore my ACL this past summer, I used to run approximately 25-30 miles a week. I briefly wore Nike's as an alternate to my Asics and quickly decided that I would never go back. I still wear Asics when I do treadmill running, and personally I'll never wear a different brand of running sneakers.

But, running sneakers are a personal preference. My best friend runs marathons and he swears by New Balance. He tried Brooks briefly like I tried Nike's and he decided he would only wear New Balance.

Do what you want with that information. Truth is Asics and New Balance make good products and you probably can't go wrong with either. Check out a running store. Not only will they be able to tell you all there is to know, but they'll also be able to tell you which sneaker is right for your foot. The shape and size/width of your foot could be huge in choosing the right running shoe.

[MetalHead]

I once bought a pair of Asics 125s and by far were the best running shoes I have ever purchased.
I wore them out.
I also got lucky with a pair of Reebok,don't know why but they felt great.
I used to run 5k/day and 5 miles on fridays,both shoes served me well.

[Jenky]

Those shoes are hideous. There are lot of shoes that are "better" for your feet. That tag gets put on just about every new shoe that gets launched.

These shoes looks absolutely rediculous and just scream LOOK AT ME. :cool:


D u m b

I run most mornings before I go to work. I always go w/ an extremely light shoe that has a good amount of aggressive traction. I have been running in Adidas for the most part and I really can't find anything on the market that's better than them.

Im running in some new Marthon 10 Trails atm because of the ice and snow. They are great shoes.

http://www.finishline.com/store/images/products/lgg24151bks.jpg

I ran in some Nike Free's last summer and they are really nice but I tore through the soles in about 3 months.

http://www.finishline.com/store/images/products/lg396046161.jpg


The tread on my Nike Shox started to separate from the sole. I admit, I probably shouldn't have dead lifted in them. They lasted about a week.

Frees are more for cross training, no? They have solid soles which is ideal for squatting/dead lifting.

[kristie]

nikes. i love them.

[Dallas]

The tread on my Nike Shox started to separate from the sole. I admit, I probably shouldn't have dead lifted in them. They lasted about a week.

Frees are more for cross training, no? They have solid soles which is ideal for squatting/dead lifting.

This is what Nike's website says about the Free style of their shoe. These are the lightest most comfortable shoe I have ever worn and I do have a pair I wear around town in the summer w/ no socks. I also do some cardio w/ them at my local gym. They are an excellent shoe but the sole is a bit different. It's a bit softer than most.

What is Nike Free?

It's a simple idea: let your body perform as it wants to perform to develop significant performance benefits. This is the philosophy of Nike Free, shoes that offer the proven benefits of barefoot training.

Allowed their freedom, the toes will flex and grip, setting off a natural chain that exercises muscles normally neglected in traditional footwear. By exercising these negated muscles, athletes can achieve small performance benefits, adding millimeters to a vertical leap or shaving milliseconds off a race time, while strengthening key stabilizer muscles that help prevent injuries.

The outsoles of Nike Free running shoes feature Siping (deep slices) and Reverse Flex Grooves to encourage flexion and extension in both directions. With a lightweight seamless upper atop this flexible outsole, Nike Free shoes merge the natural, healthy motion of a bare foot with the protection of traditional footwear.

[Temo]

Yea, before my Terra Plana's I ran in Nike Frees... and in addition to improving my running economy it also helped me overcome a rash of a leg injuries I'd been accumulating for a few years.

[Rynie]

Nikes are not very good running shoes. Asics and New Balance are the best.

Nikes aren't a good shoe period. They fall apart. Endorsements and advertisements create the demand which leads to high prices. Most people perceive Nike to be made really well, but they just aren't.

I've had Nikes fall apart from just running up and down a basketball court. I've had skate shoes last longer and they are constantly rubbed against sandpaper.

Nikes suck.

[tomson75]

Nikes aren't a good shoe period. They fall apart. Endorsements and advertisements create the demand which leads to high prices. Most people perceive Nike to be made really well, but they just aren't.

I've had Nikes fall apart from just running up and down a basketball court. I've had skate shoes last longer and they are constantly rubbed against sandpaper.

Nikes suck.

Nikes do suck IMO.

...largely due to the company's size. They've spread themselves WAY too thin. It's pretty hard to attempt to take over production for specialized products in running, basketball, soccer, football, baseball, cross-training, tennis, golf, lacrosse, volleyball, swimming, walking, biking, skateboarding, snowboarding, etc.....and still expect to make a quality product.

Nike's recent explosion into skating and snowboarding is just sad.

[silverbear]

Ask almost anyone you see wearing New Balance. 95% of them will tell you no other shoes will ever be on their feet.

I can testify to that...

However, in my case there is a perfectly good reason-- I take a 9 and a half EEEE (quad E width), and I'm a diabetic... good luck finding any kind of athletic shoe other than New Balance in a quad E width... and many (not all) of their shoes are Medicare approved for diabetics...

In fact, I just got a new pair of New Balance last week, ordered them online... not only are they the right width, the last they're cut on is just perfect for me-- extra wide in the toe box, which I need, but narrow in the heel, which fits me like it's made for me... most extra wide shoes are also extra wide in the heel too, which leaves the heel loose on me...

Then there's how LIGHT they are-- this pair weighs 10.6 ounces... amazing...

I've been wearing New Balance for some 35 years now, even before I was diagnosed with diabetes... my brother Ron worked in a shoe store, he turned me on to them...

[MonsterD]

Nikes aren't a good shoe period. They fall apart. Endorsements and advertisements create the demand which leads to high prices. Most people perceive Nike to be made really well, but they just aren't.

I've had Nikes fall apart from just running up and down a basketball court. I've had skate shoes last longer and they are constantly rubbed against sandpaper.

Nikes suck.

Depends which ones you get there are many tiers even made in different countries. I personally get some of the very limited releases that are high quality, but they are fashion sneakers not for using on track or court. You can find high quality Nikes but it is not easy or widely available.

[rkell87]

i actually just got back into running and was looking for a good pair of shoes, back in '01 i had a pair of Nike air prestos and they were by far the lightest, most comfortable shoes i had/have ever worn. i go to look for them today and turns out they were re-released last year! just ordered a pair and am super excited. they fit like a sock and are about as light as track shoes. i hope they are as durable as the original, they lasted 7 years of cross country, track practice, ultimate Frisbee, pick up football and everything else 7th-12th grade guys do lol.

[ajk23az]

Sorry for posting in a 2 month old thread.

IDK if you are still looking to buy running shoes but...

I just bought a new pair of running shoes today. I'll let you know how they are after I use them for a little while.

Reebok Realflex
http://sportsvibe.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/04/Reebok-RealFlex-Running.jpg
http://www.reebok.com/US/product?modelId=000EF495&articleId=J83189

[Chocolate Lab]

Glad to see so many Asics fans in here. IMO they are presently the best.

I ran a lot when I was a kid and have been disappointed in shoes the last 10 or even 15 years. I always wore Saucony, but they have turned to crap like many other shoes have.

New Balance may make some good upper end shoes, but now they also turn out lots of pure garbage. Very disappointing.

Nike has always been pretty much crapola. They may make one or two good shoes, but 90% of them are marketing, not good footwear.

I've actually had some decent Reeboks in the last few years, but I'm not sure about their current offerings.

Funny that others like the Brooks Glycerine. I got a pair of those a couple of years ago, and they were probably the best I'd had in years until I got my current Asics.

Right now I'm wearing some Trabuco trail shoes that are the best I've had since I was a kid, and more like I remember running shoes -- meaning, very cushioned, supportive, and durable. Light weight is useless for jogging and is a marketing excuse (you'll run faster!) to use cheaper materials IMO.

[ethiostar]

I bought my first pair of ASICS about a month ago and i can not be any happier. The only time i felt this happy about a pair of shoes was when i bought my first pair of Merrell hiking shoes abut 6 years ago.

[WV Cowboy]

I try to buy a new pair once a year. I know that I should try to get a new pair every three or four months, but good shoes are just too expensive.

Thanks....

Be very grateful that you are healthy enough to run.

Don't take it for granted for some day it may be gone.

[CATCH17]

Nikes..

I have a large foot so I like a more narrow shoe because of the balance it gives me and makes my feet feel smaller.

[cbguy]

ASICS makes BOTH running AND volleyball shoes.
Running shoes tend to have a more cloth like feel on the top to let your foot bend more as well as more cushioning for repetitive contact. The bottom of the shoe will be harder to endure outdoor running with limited wear.

Volleyball shoes are extremely light and should have much better traction on the soles. Better traction is generally found by using a softer rubber. That means the sole will wear out quicker but will grab much better
I've never seen a pair of volleyball specific shoes in a physical store.

You need to order them online or often, at big tournaments, vendors will be there letting you try on their shoes.

I wear mizuno wave 8's and I love them. The comfort is probably only a 6 but the performance is unbeatable. VERY light, great traction. I payed around $75 for them. They won't last 2 seasons if you’re playing every day.:)