These shoes took a journey to get to you. As the final days of summer dwindled, we asked brands to show us their best in class. The leaves turned, snow fell, and the pages of our training calendars filled. We put more than 100 different models through their paces and considered each for a spot on this list. After months of running and thousands of miles on the feet of our 280 wear-testers, the 25 here rose to the top.
We evaluated them based on how each performed on the roads, trails, tracks, and racecourses with a focus on qualities like cushioning, flexibility, stability, and overall ride. This spring, the winners have arrived. And now you can finally meet them.
Nike Vaporfly 3 Racing Sneaker
New Balance FuelCell SuperComp Elite v3 Racing Sneaker
Puma Deviate Nitro Elite 2 Racing Shoe
Under Armour Flow Velociti Elite Racing Shoe
Brooks Ghost 15 Training Sneaker
361 Degrees 361-Centauri Sneaker for Training
Altra Via Olympus
Brooks Catamount 2
Altra Lone Peak 7
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Jeff is Runner-in-Chief for Runner’s World and the director of product testing. He has tested and reviewed running shoes, GPS watches, headphones, apparel, and more for nearly two decades. He regularly tests more than 100 pairs of shoes each year, and once had a 257-day streak running in different models. Jeff can usually be found on the roads, racing anything from the mile to a marathon, but he also enjoys racing up mountains and on snowshoes. When he’s not running, you’ll probably find him hanging from a ladder making repairs and renovations to his house (he’s also director of product testing for Popular Mechanics).
Amanda Furrer, Editor, Running Reviews, studied journalism at NYU and writing at Emerson College. She has reviewed gear and covered other topics in the running space for almost 10 years. Since 2013, she has consecutively run the Boston Marathon. She also has a master’s degree in gastronomy from Boston University and was formerly a professional baker for two years before hanging up her apron.
Morgan is a gear editor who has been with Runner’s World since 2017. She started as an intern ghostwriting The Warmup, a bygone version of the daily RW newsletter. Now, she tests and reviews anything you might find on runners’ feet-from crew socks and compression boots to carbon-plated super shoes.
A lifelong runner and shoe geek, Morgan has been chasing the perfect pair of kicks since she joined her grade school cross-country team. Since then, she ran as a Division I walk-on for the cross-country and track & field teams at the University of Delaware, where she studied English and Biology. She has one full marathon under her belt, and has raced more halfs and 5Ks than she can count.
