Best running trainers?

[1wokeuplikethis]

I’ve googled but my brain is boggled.

Basically took up running last year, held off buying any fancy trainers as I assumed I wouldn’t be a long term runner. But here I am a year later still running once or twice a week, only 5k runs and always on pavements.

I wear ASICS for netball and like the support but they have holes in now.

I have quite wide toes thanks to huge bunions so nothing with a hard top or narrow end. I don’t mind spending a bit (eg up to £100) but I don’t know my gait or anything like that. My knees and ankles are very sore after running so I guess really they need to be super supportive and cushioned.

Does anyone have any recs please?

[AnonymousLetter]

Brooks running shoes. Nice wide toe area and hugely supportive/cushioning (make sure you get the cushioned ones). Some of them are in the sale now and are under £100. They have revolutionised my running and I can't wear another brand now!

[Ironfloor269]

New Balance for me. They are oh so comfortable on my bunion-riddled clown feet. I run 7km every day. I've been wearing the current pair for almost an year and they are still almost as good as new. Only, there are a couple of tiny rips on the mesh toe cover.

[PurpleDaisies]

I’ve got brooks ones. They’re great.

[2021vision]

Saucony would be my recommendation but please look at what type of feet you have and then look for reviews/info on-line.

I have v wide feet, in the end I bought a mens size as it suited my foot better. Personally I would not buy a running shoe on-line unless I was replacing an existing known pair. You need to get fitted at a proper running shop.

[wishfull888]

I'm the same as you & have worn Nike for years. Any new model with high level of support & cushion. If you go on start fitness web chat they are great with advice until you can go in and get a Gait check on one of their machines . They recommended "Brooks Adrenaline GTS 20" to me recently but not got them yet !

[thirstyformore]

I wear ASICs.....I buy the same set of trainers every 700 ish miles. Recommend getting your gait analysed (but might be difficult in lockdown). There may be ways of working out whether you are neutral, over pronator etc without going into a shop?

[Iamthewombat]

Another vote for Brooks.

The M&S goodmove knitted trainers are surprisingly good too.

[firstimemamma]

Sketchers. I bought a 'go run' pair absolutely years ago - a cheap pair from t k max - and have run over 300 miles in them. They are still going strong! I doubt they still make the particular pair that I have but sketchers is deffo a brand I would trust.

[massistar]

I wear Asics .. Netburners for netball and Gel Kayano for running. They're fab. Very supportive.

[CityDweller]

It’s almost impossible to recommend because running shoes are such an individual thing. My DH and I both run but wear completely different types of shoes - cos our feet are different, we run different distances, have different gaits, etc. I prefer a ‘minimal’ shoe, this is after years of wearing shoes with cushioning and support and endlessly getting injured. There’s a school of thought that less support is better.

But you could try somewhere like Run and Become. I wonder whether they do online/ phone advice...

[softcat]

Hoka Clifton come in wide foot and are nice and bouncy. New Balance Fresh Foam also come in wide foot and are very good. Good luck n well done on your running commitment!

[PrincessScarlett]

Have always worn ASICS as for me nothing else compares. There's an ASICS outlet website where you can get some good deals. But agree you need to know your running gait.

[ErrolTheDragon]

It really does depend on your feet. I'm wide across the toes, I've got Saucony and ASICS (the latter trail shoes)

[ErrolTheDragon]

Meant to say, I overpronate, the saucony ones were a result of going to a proper running shoe shop.

[Inaquandry19]

Brooks have an online questionnaire to help determine your gait. www.brooksrunning.com/en_gb/ShoeFinder

[fellrunner85]

It's an impossible question really, as everyone gets on with different things. For me (long distances, regular runner, wide feet, history of foot problems), I wear Nike, Brooks or Saucony for road running and inov8 for trail running.
I hated Hokas but others love them. I've always found Asics massively overrated but again, others love them.

Whatever you do, though, get proper running shoes. Nike, Saucony, Asics, New Balance, Salomon, Brooks, are all good established brands, and the Sportsshoes sale will have old models for v reasonable prices. Don't run in Sketchers. Or Under Armour. Or Karrimor, or anything that's a Sports Direct brand. There's a reason that proper runners don't wear these shoes...

[SerialRelocator]

I love my Hoka One shoes. I had Asics Gel Kayano for years but now much prefer Hoka.

I use a Hoka all terrain shoe but I believe the Hoka Bondi is the most cushioned and supportive for road runners doing shorter distances. They also come in wide.

[OxanaVorontsova]

Love my Brooks, they're as much like slippers as trainers can be. I have v wide feet.

[EmmaStone]

If you get on with Asics, you could continue? TBH having any new trainers with cushioning will probably make an enormous difference immediately. DH manages about 4 months in his before they need replacing. They always look good as new, but the cushioning's gone and his knees start hurting.

[Enb76]

When I played netball I was always in Asics but due to injury I now have limited lateral movement so have turned to running. I did a gait analysis having run in Asics and was recommended some Brooks Ravenna 11s which are much more comfortable and have eliminated the knee pain that I had in the Asics.

In conclusion - go somewhere where they will do gait analysis.

[Toughie]

I used to wear Asics and thought they were very comfortable then tried Brooks (Ghost for me) and they are a different level.
I agree it is a personal thing. That said, most of the women in my running group wear Brooks.

[1wokeuplikethis]

Thanks so much for all your helpful replies. I did the online analysis with brooks and have ordered a pair through them from their advice.

I’m really impressed that they have a 90 day try and see if you like returns policy, how refreshing! And sensible! You can’t tell if trainers will be any good for running by wearing them round your house.

[CaraDuneRedux]

It's an incredibly individual thing. I love saucony, Nike give me shin splints - but as you can see upthread some people get on great with them.

[Mintjulia]

I'm in my 50s, started running about 10 years ago and am on my 3rd pair of ASICS. I have wide feet and find they are comfortable, consistently well made and supportive.

I'm a 5k & 10k runner, nothing more ambitious than that.

[HiGunny]

My latest pair are Brooks Ghost and they are super comfy but really light. I used Asics for years but the last two pairs I had seemed a narrower fit than earlier models so I felt it was time to change. The Brooks seem wider across the toes.