New Balance Fresh Foam 860
For a runner who craves stability, the Fresh Foam 860 is a solid choice, thanks to the medial post that works to keep the foot stable. The upper is very breathable, and the heel has a nice, snug fit. It’s perfect for slow and easy runs, but our tester wouldn’t recommend it for faster workouts or races. However, if you’re a runner that needs a little more support and is just starting out or beginning to ramp up mileage, this might be just the shoe for you.
The Bottom Line
- One Favorite Thing: “The bootie-like heel fit is super comfortable and really cradles the foot.”
- One Area for Improvement: “It would be great if this shoe were a few ounces lighter—it felt very heavy.”
Nuts & Bolts
Style: Stability Road
Price: $130
Weight: 9.6 oz (women); 11.2 oz (men)
Drop: 10 mm
New Balance Fresh Foam Beacon v3
The Beacon reminds us a lot of New Balance’s other neutral cushioned shoes, like the Zante or Tempo. It provides a decent amount of cushioning while still being lightweight, and the upper is super breathable—even on the sweatiest of runs. Our tester particularly liked the secure fit of the stretchy heel and noted she never experienced blisters or foot pain—even on a run over two and a half hours. In fact, she plans to continue marathon training in it! If that isn’t a ringing endorsement, we don’t know what is.
The Bottom Line
- One Favorite Thing: “This shoe packs durability and cushioning into a lightweight package—it's a great all-purpose running shoe.”
- One Area for Improvement: “I wouldn't change a thing—I thought it was great!”
Nuts & Bolts
Style: Neutral Road (cushioned)
Price: $120
Weight: 6.8 oz (women); 8.1 oz (men)
Drop: 6 mm
New Balance FuelCell Propel v2
The FuelCell Propel v2 is a great, lightweight, everyday training shoe, especially for runners on a budget. It doesn't have a ton of cushioning, but it can still work for long runs up to an hour or two. The lightweight mesh upper and bootie construction make for a comfortable fit, and the FuelCell midsole offers up a snappy toe off and ride.
This shoe is the goldilocks of cushioning—not too much, yet not too little. However, after about 90 minutes of running, our tester noted the cushioning the shoe lacked. Compared to the first iteration, this version is a bit more pared down, but makes up for it in weight and breathability. Plus, our tester noted she likes the change in aesthetics—"the large N over the middle of the shoe is quite appealing.”
The Bottom Line
- One Favorite Thing: “The bootie-like construction and lightweight mesh made for a very comfortable warm and mild-weather running shoe.”
- One Area for Improvement: “I had some chafing near the collar and laces. I would add a bit more padding in that area or make it stretchier.”
Nuts & Bolts
Style: Neutral Road
Price: $100
Weight: 8 oz (women); 9.5 oz (men)
Drop: 6 mm
New Balance FuelCell RC Elite
The Nike Vaporfly Next% is no longer the only carbon fiber shoe in town. Runners have been anxiously awaiting New Balance’s model to be released for months, and let us tell you: It doesn't disappoint. The carbon fiber plate and FuelCell cushioning make for fast times, and the lightweight mesh creates a comfortable, breathable fit. Plus, NB is using Dynaride technology to increase the durability and traction on the outsole (which is sometimes a problem with competition shoes). Whether you're planning to race virtually or in-person, this shoe is a golden ticket to PRs.
The Bottom Line
- One Favorite Thing: “The carbon fiber plate hands down is the best feature. If you're looking to run fast, there's no question that this shoe will help you do it.”
- One Area for Improvement: “Like all shoes in the competition category, the durability isn’t long. You will probably need to replace these after 100 miles or so.”
Nuts & Bolts
Style: Neutral Road
Price: $225
Weight: 7 oz
Drop: 10 mm
Nike Air Zoom Tempo NEXT%
Available October 1
The Nike Air Zoom Tempo NEXT% is making high-end running shoes normally reserved for elites and serious marathoners more accessible to the masses. In fact, it’s designed as the everyday version of the brand’s Alphafly Next%. Wear it to train, wear it to race, wear it for lots and lots of miles—it’ll go the distance right alongside you.
When you first put the shoe on, it almost feels like moon shoes from childhood. Nike achieves that bounciness thanks to three separate features: a carbon composite plate, air pods and two types of midsole foam—the more durable Zoom React near the heel and the more responsive ZoomX near the toes. Unlike other Nike Air shoes, the air pods in the Tempo NEXT% are positioned under the balls of the feet, providing better energy return. And don’t be worried about potential lack of control due to the extreme stack height (46 mm in the heel and 36 mm in the front!), the reinforced knitted mesh of the upper ensures a snug and secure fit.
The Bottom Line
- One Favorite Thing: “I just felt so bouncy when I ran! Almost like I was bouncing along a trampoline and not on hard, unforgiving pavement.”
- One Area for Improvement: “The knit upper is almost a little too snug at first and took a bit to get fully used to.”
Nuts & Bolts
Style: Neutral Road
Price: $200
Weight: 7.9 oz (women); 9.8 oz (men)
Drop: 10 mm
On Cloudflyer
A new generation for 2020, the On Cloudflyer is a high-mileage stability trainer that strikes a nice balance between the support pronators require and plush cushioning. The updated midsole provides plenty of impact protection for both heel and midfoot strikers to combat fatigue, and the 12 trampoline-esque cushion “pods” give the shoe a slightly springy feel as you transition through the stride. The redesigned upper was another plus, as it has a super lightweight feel that's plenty breathable and supple without sacrificing structure and support.
Note the toe box runs wide, so while this will accommodate average to wide feet and doesn't negatively affect how nimble the shoe feels underfoot, runners with especially narrow feet should try them on before committing. The thoughtful “star” lacing pattern helps with this, allowing runners of all foot sizes to cinch the upper down to wrap more evenly around the foot.
The Cloudflyer is a great “one shoe” solution for pavement pounders. As most stability shoes go, they aren't the lightest nor the most cushioned, but for the enthusiast runner who needs more support and cushion, they do pretty much everything you'd ever ask of them and more.
The Bottom Line
- One Favorite Thing: “For a stability shoe, it's surprisingly versatile, and it handled everything from shorter tempo runs to weeks with a high volume of long training days.”
- One Area for Improvement: “The toe box is definitely wide and will work for a lot of runners, but I'd like to see the exact same build with a slightly narrower toe box.”
Nuts & Bolts
Style: Stability Road
Price: $160
Weight: 7.41 oz (women); 9.88 oz (men)
Drop: 7 mm
Salomon Wildcross
Ready to put the pedal to the medal? Making its debut on the trails, the Salomon Wildcross has a need for speed and is ready to take adventure seekers up and down any terrain imaginable. This wild child comes equipped with Salomon's famous SensiFit and brilliant Quicklace system, upholding the brand’s reputation for providing runners with a customized and snug fit. Where other Salomon shoes have typically been dubbed as “narrow” in the past, the Wildcross breaks the mold and offers a more versatile and adaptable approach with its wider toe box and Multi Fit wings on the shoe's upper, allowing for even more personalization in the shoe's fit. Prepared for any condition that comes its way, this shoe is not only breathable, but also water repellant due to the light mesh TUP upper.
For runners who love to attack loose and uneven surfaces, this more aggressive addition to the Salomon lineup has teeth in the form of its CONTAGRIP TA multi-directional lugs. Designed to bite into the dirt, slipping and sliding on steep or even wet terrain will be a worry of the past. Loose dirt, slick rocks, muddy drop offs, snow covered mountains... The Wildcross was born for this, and nothing is going to slow it—or you—down.
The Bottom Line
- One Favorite Thing: “The fit is amazing. The lacing system really grabs your foot allows you to run with confidence through technical terrain. I also liked the aggressive lug pattern that was very noticeable when getting into any technical aspects of the trail that required a lot of quick scrambling.”
- One Area for Improvement: “I did get caught out in a downpour, and I felt the shoe didn't shed water as well as it could have.”
Nuts & Bolts
Style: Neutral Trail
Price: $130
Weight: 8.99 oz (women); 10.22 (men)
Drop: 8 mm
Skechers GOrun Maxroad 4+ Hyper
While the running community has raved about the Hyper Burst cushioning in the midsole in the Skechers GOrun MaxRoad 4, there was durability issues with the outsole and fit issues with the upper that needed to be addressed. Now with a couple pretty significant tweaks, Skechers GOrun MaxRoad 4+ is a more well-rounded trainer. The upper is made with a more lightweight and breathable nylon woven fabric (versus the less-than-ideal knit upper of the previous generation) and features a Goodyear rubber outsole that, despite not having full coverage, is surprisingly durable and has plenty of traction.
Skechers smartly kept the Hyper Burst midsole; it strikes a beautiful balance of being lightweight and springy, yet has ample cushioning. It's also all about the midfoot strike, with a midfoot-friendly rocker that promotes a faster, more efficient turnover. Although it's designed to be a training shoe made for long, pavement-pounding miles, it's surprisingly quick and would work as a great do-it-all shoe for the enthusiast runner as well.
The Bottom Line
- One Favorite Thing: “The Hyper Burst midsole is easily the standout feature of this shoe—it's super lightweight and has tons of cushioning without any of the dullness or soggy feeling you get from other cushioned trainers.”
- One Area for Improvement: “This is a shoe designed for midfoot strikers, so heel strikers be warned: There isn't as much impact protection in the heel as you'd expect.”
Nuts & Bolts
Style: Neutral Road (Cushioned)
Price: $140
Weight: 6.3 oz (women); 8 oz (men)
Drop: 6 mm
Under Armour HOVR Phantom 2
The Under Armour HOVR Phantom 2 is a great fusion of running shoe and running analytics technology. For a lot less than the price of a complicated and difficult-to-use smart watch, this shoe provides a lot of great data, including your pace, distance, running cadence, stride length and foot strike in an easy-to-use app.
Unfortunately, while the cushioning is sufficient for medium-length runs, the weight and slightly bulky feel of the heel (at least for our tester) make it a better shoe for shorter distances than for long runs or potential marathon racing. The upper, while pretty to look at, felt stiff out of the box. Still, for the right runner it might be both a nice daily trainer, as well as a simple way to get a lot great information—and motivation—about your pace and form through the UA MapMyRun app.
The Bottom Line
- One Favorite Thing: “I liked getting real time information on my pace, running cadence and stride length from the app, and it was easier to access than having to look for it later on my watch.”
- One Area for Improvement: “I was not a fan of the upper. I loved the idea of the sock-like feel as advertised, but it actually felt too loose and was a little too stretchy for my feet.”
Nuts & Bolts
Style: Neutral Road
Price: $150
Weight: 9.24 oz (women); 11.54 oz
Drop: 9 mm
READ THIS NEXT: Stability vs. Cushioning vs. Minimalist Shoes: What Works & Why
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