If you’ve found a lot of deals this shopping season, but you aren’t sure where to start, we’ve created a handy list that streamlines our many reviews to the ones we think have been the best of the year. You might notice there isn’t a ton of a certain industry leader on here. That’s because Nike is kind of taking a by-year, getting ready to more fully roll out their new ZoomX and React foams next year. That said, there are still some amazing models out there!
Best All-Around
Brooks Glycerin 15: Light, cushioned, and supportive, Brooks absolutely knocked it out of the park with this iteration after several years of being luxe, but clunky.
Best Budget
New Balance FuelCore Rush v3: The little shoe that could. At a base price of $100 (and now down to $70 on some sites), the latest Rush offers a type of cushioning that can get the job done on the road or in the gym, as well as offering a tinge of support, despite its lightness.
Most Comfortable
Under Armour Slingflex: Who would have thought a shoe designed for big box retailers would be so nice? At the same price as Nike Free RNs and made with nicer materials, this was the first UA shoe that really made me take notice of the company. The upper feels like a cushy sock and the sole almost feels like a slipper that was designed for running.
Best for Sprinters
New Balance Fuelcell: New Balance is potentially on the cusp of solving their marketing woes (people think their shoes are for old white guys) by building their shoes for speed. The Fuelcell has great lockdown, wonderful responsiveness, and a very nice profile. The initial $160 price is steep, but luckily you can find it cheaper.
Best Gym Shoe
Reebok Nano 7.0: We have not been fans of Nanos until this year’s model. It finally felt like they were designing a shoe to meet various fitness needs (not just weightlifting) and beats out other competing Crossfit-centered shoes (like the MetCon and Minimus) in terms of fit and function.
Editor Picks
Adidas Supernova & ST: This is the primary shoe I wear for warm-ups and longer distances. Since sprinting has me mostly pounding my legs in spikes, I love the feel of this shoe: not too soft, not too firm. The Supernova shoes let me feel like I’m ready to tackle my next workout. I like the ST (right), but the regular (left) is fantastic for those with higher arches.
Nike Pegasus 34: I definitely have this as a complement to the above Adidas. It’s nice and fast, and the outsole construction gives me an acceptable amount of support for my flat feet. It makes me excited for Nike’s 2018 technologies and line-up
Sun and Sole 