RUNNERS, what's on your feet?

Simple question with an often complicated answer, it seems. What shoes do you wear, and why?

Still being pretty new to running, having only done it regularly for around 9-10 months, I have been through a couple brands and types of shoes. Unfortunately I have yet to find "the one" shoe that I would want to wear above all others. I thought I had found them in the Saucony Hurricane 16, but I find that I am having to cinch the laces down too tight to get my heel locked in. They also feel like they are starting to go "dead" after only a couple of months of use. I would estimate they have around 250ish miles on them, give or take.

Thankfully, I have a 90 day return window on the Sauconys and will be taking delivery of a pair of Asics Gel Kayano 20's today when the FedEx truck shows up. I am hoping they give me the toe room of the Saucony with a little more cushion, a little less stability, and a better fit in the heel.

I also picked up a pair of the previous model Asics GT-2000 to rotate into my runs, but I am not sold on the fit of them yet. Still, I only paid around $40 for them after a $20 Asics gift card from a previous purchase so I am not out much either way. They are a little narrow in the toe box and still loose in the heel, but I am waiting to see how they break in. I have two runs in them, 3 miles on the road and 4 miles on the trail.

My last pair of shoes, which were the ones I started out with last year, were Nike "Oregon Project" Structure 17's. I did ok with them, but they were always a little narrow and a bit hard. I wore them for a short run the other day & didn't really care for them any more.

For reference, I am 5'11", 179 lbs, but started out at around 206 lbs last year. I am still dropping around a lb or so per week, pursuing a goal of 170 lbs. I run up to 6, but usually 4-5 times per week, generally 3-5 miles, with a long run on Saturdays. That long run is 7 miles, increasing about a mile each week on a half marathon training plan. So figure I am logging roughly 20-25 miles per week on my shoes currently.

I also have flat feet, with virtually no arch.

I run in minimalist shoes. Altra's, Newton's, the occassional jog in Vibrams. I really like the zero or close to it drop.

I have one flat foot and one high arch. That gets annoying buying shoes!! For a while I even wore two different shoes. Newton Gravity on my left foot and it's stability counterpart the Motion on my right. Didn't really help me though unfortunately.

I wear Asics Gel Kayano 19's right now. I get a new pair about every 250 miles or so. I find that I start to feel it in my knees after about 250 miles on a pair of shoes. I am an over-pronator and I have found that the Kayano's work well for me. I tried a pair of the GT-2000's but found that they did not have enough support for me. I am 6ft and 212lbs. I have not been running as much as I did last year. Last year I did two half marathons but this year could not find the motivation to get the miles in for one this year. This year I am running about 3 times a week, about 2 to 4 miles a run.

I am rotating three pairs of the Saucony Kinvara 4 - one pair for easy runs and speed work (or bad weather), one pair for tempo runs and running bridges, and one pair for long runs. I suppose I will migrate to the Kinvara 5 at some point, but I really like the 4.

73mountaineer said:

...but I find that I am having to cinch the laces down too tight to get my heel locked in.

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Have you tried heel lock lacing? This video does a good job of explaining it: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EJVPDOPGlOA

Just picked up a pair of Nike Zoom Vomero 9's on Monday. Had been having a heck of a time with shin splints (I'm VERY new to running), and these seem to have remedied the issue for me.

I have Brook's Adrenaline as prescribed for me by my physio. I have Morton's Toe and even with an orthodic I need a good stability shoe to prevent over pronation-- that or surgery and that seems a little extreme.

I just completed the Couch to 5K program, and now do about 10 miles a week.

I started with a pair of Asics Gel Contend, as they were cheap, and I didn't know if I was going to stick with running.


I just had my first run in a pair of Asics GT-1000's, and they were heaps better than the Contends (of course).


Problem is that I now want to try out more and more shoes.....


Shopping for shoes is certainly easier than putting in the miles!

I struggled finding the right running shoes for a while as well shopping at big box stores and always being unhappy after a run or 2 no matter how good the shoes felt in the store. Finally I found a specialty running store where they analyze your gait on a treadmill and examine how the shoe tread is wearing on your street shoes to help make an appropriate choice. Walked out with a pair of Mizuno Wave Riders and after about a dozen pairs over the past 6 years, I couldn't be happier. Each year the shoe is updated and I'm nervous if it will have the same performance but so far it has not let me down. If you have a store like that nearby, I'd suggest giving them a try to find the shoe perfect for you.

mshanen said:

I struggled finding the right running shoes for a while as well shopping at big box stores and always being unhappy after a run or 2 no matter how good the shoes felt in the store. Finally I found a specialty running store where they analyze your gait on a treadmill and examine how the shoe tread is wearing on your street shoes to help make an appropriate choice. Walked out with a pair of Mizuno Wave Riders and after about a dozen pairs over the past 6 years, I couldn't be happier. Each year the shoe is updated and I'm nervous if it will have the same performance but so far it has not let me down. If you have a store like that nearby, I'd suggest giving them a try to find the shoe perfect for you.

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Yeah, i should have done that. We have lots of specialty shoe places here in Boston.

I hear the Mizuno Wave Rider is good for heavy runners (I'm 6'2" 200lbs)

I can no longer run due to my disabilities, but I do exercise/walk in Brooks PureDrift

I have about 250 miles on a pair of Asics Gel Kayano 20's. I find that they have a good toe box (New Balances were too tight), and really good heel cushioning. I am a serious heel striker when running, with high arches. Logging 25-30 miles a week, they do the job just fine, and while they are not helping the plantar's fasciitis, they certainly don't hurt it.

Nike Pegasus 30 Oregon Project (420 miles, still going strong).

Asics Gel Nimbus 15 for me.

My new Kayano 20's arrived! Put 3.5 miles on them on a trail run today and like them so far.

I alternate between Brooks Adrenaline and Saucony Omni. I honestly love the Saucony as it seems perfect for my feet, but the drawback is the soles wear out around 250-300 miles. The Brooks Adrenaline isn't quite as comfortable, but I can get 500 miles out of them.

I've worn each of those in two marathons and tried many other shoes in between, but I've settled on those.

AZBronco said:

I alternate between Brooks Adrenaline and Saucony Omni. I honestly love the Saucony as it seems perfect for my feet, but the drawback is the soles wear out around 250-300 miles. The Brooks Adrenaline isn't quite as comfortable, but I can get 500 miles out of them.

I've worn each of those in two marathons and tried many other shoes in between, but I've settled on those.

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When you say the soles are worn out on the Saucony, are you talking about tread wear or the shoes going dead?

I tried the Adrenaline, and despite a good fit, the arch support in it was way too much for my flat feet. My son had the same experience with a pair we bought him. I still have mine and may try an orthotic insole to see if it helps.

Running shoes are extremely personal, as evidenced by the extensive choices of brands and models. I'd be surprised to see a particular brand and model repeated in this discussion.

That said, I'll toss mine into the mix: New Balance 1260V3 Narrow.

Anything but Nike.

I wish I could run in minimalist shoes. Instead, I run in "maximalist" shoes, Brooks Dyads. They are clod-hoppers to be sure, but they work for me (three halfs and one full marathon with a bunch of 5 and 10Ks to date in them). They are heavy (12.8 oz) but I'm a pretty big guy so it doesn't "affect" me the way it might other, slimmer, runners. They provide a lot of stability and are neutral. I tried a more "cushioning" shoe like the Adrenalines but they just didn't provide the same stability. Running in the Dyads feels like I'm running in slippers.

My ultimate advice though is to find a true running store. I had always run in Reeboks from a local factory outlet, but when I finally went to a true running store in the area (Marathon Sports in Boston) they videotaped me running a treadmill with several makes and models and could show how my stride reacted to different models and every time it was the Dyad that won out for me. In one way, its a shame because they are so ugly (the new version is just black and white - I see all these great colorful shoes at the races I run), but in another way it allowed me to really, truly run.

Slim1023 said:

Anything but Nike.

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I actually love my Nikes. Been doing all of my marathon training on Flyknit Lunar 2's and absolutely love them. I do my shorter runs in my Flyknit free's that a got for cheap from an outlet store. A typical case of YMMV, I guess!