The Best Running Shoe for You

Ignore the Jargon; Focus on Look and Comfort

In his chapter on shoes, Amby Burfoot author of Run Forever writes

Most of the time, I'd be the last person to tell you to spend money on running equipment. You're more likely to hear me say, "There are a lot of cool gizmos and gadgets, but..." But who needs them? They don't actually help you run. They just divert your attention.

If you ask me, less equipment is often better. I believe the more attention you pay to your running, from your breathing to your foot strike to the kaleidoscopic thoughts that flit through your mind, the better.

Running shoes are another matter. They make a difference. The right shoes can dramatically improve your running: Or unravel it. Don't squander your money on other doodads. Buy a decent pair of shoes.

Which brand? Nike, Adidas, ASICS, Puma, Brooks, New Balance, Saucony, Mizuno, Under Armour? (And there are many others.) It doesn't matter. There are more running shoe companies on the market now than ever before, and all of them make good shoes. Don't worry about brand names. You just have to try several until you find the one that works best for you.

I really like this chapter for its simple, common sense advice. He continues

Here's what to look for. First, don't buy a pair of flimsy, super-lightweight "barefoot" or "minimalist" shoes. A few years back these were all the rage, boosted by Chris McDougall's rousing tale, Born to Run: A Hidden Tribe, Superathletes, and the Greatest Race the World Has Never Seen, about the almost-mythic Tarahumara Indians of Mexico's Copper Canyon. They run prodigious distances in crude huaraches fashioned from discarded auto tires and a couple of leather straps.

Now the pendulum has swung back from that extreme—a good thing, I believe. I favor "natural" eating and running as much as the next person, but few runners (and even fewer beginners) do well with super-lightweight shoes.

You don't want to run in heavy, stiff, almost-military-grade hikers.

However, you do want to give your feet some, but not too much, cushioning and protection. Your ankles, knees, and hips will thank you.

Burfoot encourages us to opt for the most comfortable shoes we can find and to ignore the jargon.

Choose comfort first: In 2015 a Canadian researcher who has spent more time reviewing runner biomechanics and running shoes than anyone else published a groundbreaking paper in the British Journal of Sports Medicine. Benno Nigg's report reached a surprising conclusion: Runners should mostly ignore all the gimmicks and devices that manufacturers build into their running shoes. And then advertise heavily.

Instead, Nigg advises, opt for the most comfortable shoes you can find. You might suppose that comfort represents a completely subjective, nonscientific, and confusing judgment. Nigg sees things differently. To him, comfort is the end result of high-level communication among your brain, legs, and feet.

"When selecting a running shoe, the athlete should select a comfortable product using his/her own comfort filter," Nigg concluded. "This automatically reduces the injury risk."

Burfoot writes, not chapters, but “chaplets.” He describes these as “short, concise summaries of key information.” I like short chapters, and short books.

Shop at a specialty running store: Yes, this means you must buck the trend. Running shoes might cost a few dollars less when ordered online, but nothing can match the retail experience. First, and very important, you'll get to try on three or four different pairs of shoes. This will allow you to make the Nigg comfort comparison.

Second, when you shop at a specialty running store staffed by experienced local runners, you'll be able to pick their brains. What new models have recent customers liked the most? Which is the best shoe for a beginner? For a heavy runner? For answers like these and other important questions, no one can match veteran retailers who work with hundreds of customers.

This last section gives me confidence to pretty much ignore the salesperson’s tech talk and focus on the look and feel of the shoe. If it’s comfortable and looks good, I’ll wear it.

Ignore the jargon: The running shoe world is full of tech talk. At almost every turn you'll encounter terms like pronation, supination, arch height, heel-to-toe drop, midsole foam, orthotics, and many more.

Don't obsess about these terms, and don't be swayed by them. Buy the shoes—not too thin, and not too thick—that feel most comfortable, flexible, and supportive. The right pair will give you the sense they were custom created for you by an old-world craftsman.

For decades running books and magazines recommended the "wet test" —stepping into a pan of water, then onto a dry surface, to create an outline of the bottom of your foot. This was supposed to help you find the shoes that functioned best with your arch type high, medium, or flat. Then, in 2010, the US Marine Corps actually tested this protocol. It reported, "Assigning shoe based on the shape of the plantar foot surface [arch type] had little influence on injuries."

Trust yourself.

That’s it for today. Time for a run, hike or walk? If so, feel free to share in the comments. Or start your own Substack and add a link below.