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What are some good running shoes?
I'm looking to start going on daily runs with my dad. What are some good brands or specific shoes that are comfortable and last a good amount of time?
I'm looking to start going on daily runs with my dad. What are some good brands or specific shoes that are comfortable and last a good amount of time?
When starting new hobbies, keep this in mind: buy the cheapest tools, then get the good versions when the cheap ones break so you know where to really invest.
Start with any pair of actual running shoes, and start mid-range. I don't recommend cheap $20 Walmart sneakers because you want some measure of quality for such an activity so you don't end up hating it, but I also don't recommend going HAM with equipment purchases for something you're not fully involved with yet.
Go to Foot Locker, and pick up the $70 dollarest pair of Asics or Nikes or Adidas in their running section. Make sure they don't hurt your feet, at least, and don't make your back feel funny. Run with them for a while until you feel you're ready to move on. If you're interested in running more and more, then go to a running store where they measure and gauge your feet and gait, and get yourself fit for some proper shoes. Those are, quite frankly, the best shoes you will get for this activity because they will be custom fit to your orthographic profile and make the hobby more comfortable for you in the long-term.
For now, just get started.
This is great advice.
Shoes are something you have to try.
A shoe that fits my relatively broad foot with shallow arches won't fit you. Brands have different shapes and forms.
I would recommend shoes with some shock-absorption if you're going to run on asphalt or concrete.
What makes a decent, "actual" pair of running shoes?
I had a nice pair of what felt like runners back when I was in high school. Was running with them until the fell apart, six or seven years in. Now I have what I believe are trekking shoes. They're hard to walk in for several days in a row, but I can run in them for 10 mins./day.
What gives?
I can't claim to be an expert, but here are some personal experiences:
So, basically, as long as it's cushioned, form-fitting so it's not sliding around, and not entirely flat in the soles.
So this might not be possible for you based on where you live, but here is my advice and hopefully it works.
I would go to a running store. Not a shoe store. Not dicks sporting goods. Go to a running store. Marathon sports is a pretty common chain, there were local running stores all around my small hometown. You should be able to find a running store nearby you. In my experience in 3 cities in 2 states is that the employees are all passionate about running and way better trained and more knowledgeable than your average Famous Footware or Dicks employee. I’d go in there, tell them the price range you’re shooting for (I’d say probably $60-80 for a “finding out if I’m into this” is a good price to still get high quality) and have them find shoes for you. Usually they’ll do things like measure your foot length and width, look at how your foot arches, watch your running stride to see where you’re putting pressure to see where you need more padding, and will give you a variety of shoes of different types and weights to try on. In my experience the workers are happy to help anyone of any knowledge level as long as you aren’t a dick to them (which is a good general rule of thumb for interacting with service employees). I cannot explain how much of a difference doing this as opposed to buying shoes on amazon or something makes. Really, brand doesn’t matter at all. It’s going to depend on your feet and your preferences. I’ve ran in Brooks, New Balance, Nike’s, Mizzunos, and Saucony. I know people who swear by Nike, I personally love Saucony because I like lightweight shoes and they have a series that is very lightweight, fits my feet perfectly, and has support exactly where I need it for my stride. I would think less about brand and more about feel. If you have any specific questions or need elaboration let me know. I’m on mobile so hopefully this made sense. Otherwise, welcome to the running club :)
Source: ran cross country in high school, trained with the cross country team in college during swimming offseason, run triathlons/training for Ironman currently.
PS: invest in socks that breathe!!!! I know a lot of people don’t care about this but for me running in socks that don’t breathe is awful.