Is that like “shoe porn”
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lol! I guess it kind of is!
Mrs. D…
I used to own a specialty running store and can tell you from first hand experience that EVERY shoe is a great shoe…for someone. The question is which shoe is the best for you? Fit is of critical import and feet do swell so it’s best to try on shoes towards the end of the day. The type of shoe is equally important as shoes can change the way you run, ie putting a neutral runner in a motion control shoe will alter their gait.
How are your biomechanics? What is the wear pattern like on your shoes? What do you like about your current shoes and what are your dislikes? What sort of running do you do? Do you have a history of injury? What sort of terrain do you run on? Staff at a good running shoe store should ask questions like these and not just say, “the BRAND X MODEL is the best shoe…”
FWIW, I went to a dealer conference at Nike HQ about 6 years ago and saw the process by which shoes go from concept to market. By their own admission Nike is a bit more concerned with fashion than function although at the time they were about to relaunch the Pegasus model and had “stolen” key employees from New Balance and Asics to help legitimize their status. That is also why they introduced the Bowerman series of shoes as the #1 dealer complaint at that time was that Nike would make a great shoe and then discontinue and/or change it before the consumer could replace them. As a side note in the shoe biz there are 2 seasons Fall/Spring which is why shoes change twice a year…Nike changes every quarter which is why it’s hard to find continuity with their product.
Sorry for the LONG answer to your short question. If you like light, neutral shoes there is a reason Asics is the #1 brand in specialty running stores. We sold many Asics, Mizuno, New Balance, Saucony and some Brooks. Even though they were the biggest names, adidas, Reebok, Puma and Nike were NEVER the top seller.
It’s like your hubby sez: “buy what fits!”. The same holds true for shoes and bikes 
I have been running in Brooks Glycerin’s for about the last 4-5 years and love them. I have Mizuno racing flats, can’t remember the model. I have ran in Nike, New Balance, Asics, Mizuno, and Saucony. The Brooks are a great shoe they last me about 4 months and I run 30 or so miles a week. I think next year I am going to get a different racing flat because I really don’t love the Mizuno shoe. I think I am going to go with the Brooks T4 Racer.
But as other people have said go to a running store and have them pull all the shoes that fit your running style and then pick the one that feels the most comfortable.
Thank you for that great reply.
As far as my biomechanics go, I am a pretty neutral runner but with a bit of wear on the outsides of the soles of my shoes. I participate in all types of running, but most obviously with a concentration in distance/endurance running.
Terrain wise, I would say that it varies…mostly pavement though.
I do not have a history of injury. I’m pretty careful about taking care of myself and stretching a lot. I did have a scope done on one of my knees and some scar tissue removed, but after a little PT, I rarely experience any flare ups.
So tell me, now what do you suggest?
SD,
Just reread your post. Is your entire foot wide or just your forefoot? If the latter you may have success with adidas or Saucony as there is often more volume in the toebox of those brands (for women). If your entire foot is wide than a specialty running store can special order you D width shoes which is wide for women. D is also regular width for men and at least one of my reps told me there was no difference (except for color) between his company’s regular width men’s shoe and the wide women’s shoe, they were identical.
Assuming you don’t need any support you can try to find the adidas SuperNova Cushion or the Boston Classic. Another option may be the Saucony Trigon in neutral. If your whole foot is wide you may want to try an Asics model like the Cumulus/Nimbus/Kinesii in a wide.
the red laces in the kayano XII are pimp.
Just my forefoot is wide. What I don’t like about my Percepts is I think they could have more arch support and be just a touch wider. I don’t really know though. I don’t think I have ever really been “fit” for a running shoe. I know, I know. I should take my own advice…Fit is key. It sounds like fitting here is also key, not just with bicycles!
Don’t make me take out the camera and start a shoe porn thread. I’m almost ashamed to say that I have over 40 pair of running shoes. At least 10 that haven’t even been worn yet.
My name is Michael and I have an addiciton
I used to be a Nike man too. First real ones were the Daybreak. I’ve been in: Vortex, Terra TC, Terra Trainer, Pegasus (old and new), Columbia, Air Max something… So, a LOT of Nike shoes. About a year and a half ago, when I started run training again, I moved away from Nike. Don’t know why. Saucony’s, Asics, Brooks…
And what happened is that the shoes all broke down in the forefoot within 6-7 weeks. As in NOTHING there any more. Rock hard.
So I went to Road Runner Sports, and I ended up with Nike Air Max 360’s… I was looking for forefoot cushioning that wouldn’t break down. And I’m glad I did. So far, so good.
I don’t personally know of any running specialty shops in Michigan but the owner of JackRabbit Sports in NY posts here regularly. I’m sure he’d be happy to chat you up about shoes since, having the last name you do, you’re ST’s version of “American Royalty”…kinda like Jackie O
Nike’s women’s line was always a good option for women with narrow feet as they always seemed to run narrow. It’s an expensive proposition to go by “trial & error” when it comes to shoe fit which is why I used to tell customers to buy multiple pair of a model if they felt it was a great shoe for them. I’m not a fan of online ordering but RoadRunnerSports.com does offer a month long guarantee. You can test run the shoes for a month and still send them back if you don’t like them. Shipping can add up but at least you’re not stuck with shoes when you know they won’t work for you.
Again it’s difficult to do online but if you have access, I’d try adidas and Saucony first. Avoid the models with medial posting as you want to get a bit more wear on the medial side where you toe off (you wrote your wear pattern is on the lateral side).
Good luck, finding a “just right” shoe is a challenge because when you do…they change it!
If you’re a neutral runner with those high arches, give the Mizuno Rider a try. Great feel, fast turnover, not too bulky. Just right.
I’m currently using the Saucony Grid Hurricane 8. I don’t have really high arches but I do have wide feet and they’re comfy for me.
Thanks for the reply. I think I definitly need a shoe for high arches though.
I also have high arches and a wide foot - and I have used Asics for a while - found a running store here where you can run in various shoes with a video camera on a treadmill and those were the best for me for fit and stability. Maybe there is a place where you can do that? They said that I would do best in Brooks or Asics.
Asics gel nimbus (road)
Nike trail runners (trail!)
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my $0.02 and on my feet, ymmv:
favorite neutral training distance shoe with wide toe-box: asics nimbus vii (haven’t tried the viii’s, so i can’t say how they fit).
another good choice is the mizuno wave rider/creation (the creation is heavier but has a tad more support).
why not nikes: light ones (miler, vapor nrg, vomero, etc.) wear out too quickly for high mileage training - great for racing imo; the others (shox, max, etc.) are too heavy.
why not adidas: cushioning is too firm for me in all but the supernova series, and the supernova’s have a slight forward tilt that i personally do not like.
I had the same thing explained to me as Tribato has explained here… NIke seems to be more concerned with fashion. I’ve had a lot of success with Nike running shoes, but I have made the switch to Asics and I love them. I also had been using adidas in the past.
Running Fit gets my endorsement if you’re looking for a good running specialty store in MI. I used to frequent their Ann Arbor store, and found they were the most knowledgeable people around.
<< I do have a question though, why is it that you don’t see more athletes running in Nike, Adidas and so forth? >>
They are all too busy shooting hoops to run I guess.
I have narrow feet, so for me, Adidas and Nike are pretty much my only options. I’m on my 5th or 6th pair of Adidas Boston Classics, they are perfect for me.
Like with bikes, it’s all about the right fit, so since the majority of American runners have medium or wide feet, they tend to go for brands that cater to their needs.
Also, I think there’s a certain amount of run snobbery going on, like you are not a “real” runner somehow if you aren’t in ASICS or NB or Brooks or whatever. I totally don’t get that, but I’m not an image kinda guy, I use what works for me (proof: I ride a Felt, w/ a wheel cover).
Go to a GOOD running store (if they don’t have a treadmill and a coupla people who have worked there since dinosaurs roamed the earth, then keep looking) with your current shoes, and tell them what your needs are, and they can point you in the right direction.
Underpronator here with hyperflexible ankles. When you look at my old shoes, all the wear is on the outside edges.
My Nike Vapors were a near religous experience. Bought 'em on a Sunday, and put about 10 miles on them before running a marathon in them the following Sunday and coming away from the race with happier feet than I would have thought possible. So I’ve stuck with the lightweight Nikes and have just resigned myself to replacing them really darn quickly. (and even quicker than most because I’m not a small runner) If you’ve ever found The Shoe, you’re willing to make some tradeoffs to keep your feet as happy afterwards.
For my husband, The Shoe is Asics Cumuluses 7. He’s got his reserve stash of them, and is not thrilled about running out some day because he just doesn’t like the 8s as much. They’ve gotten rid of about 90-95% of the chronic hip pain he used to get when he went above 20 miles a week.
As one time, I had the Saucony love- was on my fifth pair of Trigons, loved how they dealt with my wide toe box/narrower heels issue, but then they changed something around on them so they would rub all weird and uncomfortable.
Definiely make a list of shoes suggested here because you’ll get recommendations for shoes you might not have thought about otherwise. I suggested the Cumuluses to the spousal unit because they got raves on ST. Then try on as many of the suggested shoes that fit your running style as you can. The times I’ve found The Shoe, I’ve been able to just feel it within a 100 yard test jog.