Are you on the lookout for the ideal match? To find the perfect fit, try these shoe-buying tips. When you walk into any local running store, you’ll be greeted by a brightly colored wall displaying dozens of shoes. It goes without saying that selecting the best-fitting shoe from a plethora of options is a difficult task. To add to the confusion, not every shoe is suitable for you. Regardless of which pair you choose, it must fit properly from heel to toe and feel comfortable during your normal running stride.
You can shop online as well, but you run the risk of not being able to try on the items before purchasing. Fortunately, most retailers provide a risk-free trial period, allowing you to lace up your shoes and go for a test run just like you would in the store. (Just double-check the return policy and keep the box in case you need to exchange sizes or send them back.)
We’re here to assist you whether you’re shopping online or in-store. Continue reading for an explanation of shoe anatomy, common shoe-buying blunders, and a list of our current favorite shoes in your favorite category.
Understanding the function of each component of a running shoe is beneficial. Even the tiniest difference can have an impact on your experience. The following are the most important details to be aware of. (For a more in-depth look at all of the components of a running shoe, click here.)
Above the sole, everything. Traditional uppers were sewn and glued together with layers of fabric and mesh, but modern models increasingly use knitting and 3D printing to create one-piece uppers that stretch and support in the right places.
What to look for: An upper that fits your foot and is smooth everywhere it touches, with no binding or chafing.
The top of the shoe opening wrap that secures the heel in place. Some shoes have a lot of padding, while others rely on the shape more.
What to search for: Check to see if your heel slips, how the padding interacts with the bones on the sides of your ankles, and if the back curve irritates your Achilles tendon.
The heel is cradled and supported by a semi-rigid cup layered inside the rearfoot. Some shoes have an external heel wrap that serves a similar purpose, whereas minimalist shoes do not have a heel counter, allowing for complete freedom of movement. Heel counters do not provide motion control, but they do centre the heel for stable landings and support, according to research.
What to look for: A heel that allows for a natural movement of the ankle.
The reinforced area between the ball and the ankle of a person’s foot that interacts with the laces to keep the shoe securely on the foot. To mould the saddle to any foot shape, designers created a variety of overlays, eyelets, and lacing systems.
What to look for: Pay attention to how the saddle fits and holds your foot, ensuring a secure fit with no slippage while still allowing for natural arch doming during your stride.
From the front of the eyelets to the end of the shoe, the upper. In trail shoes, especially, a reinforced toe bumper keeps the fabric off your toes and protects you from stubbing.
What to look for: A toebox that stays out of the way, allowing your foot to naturally flex and spread out in width and length without binding or rubbing your toes.
The point at which the rubber meets the road. Typically made of a variety of rubber or foam compounds strategically placed to increase wear life, bounce, or flexibility.
What to look for: Materials that provide traction and durability without adding unnecessary weight or stiffness, as well as a footprint shape that matches yours and provides the level of stability you require underfoot.
Toe Spring and Flex Grooves
Many shoes have grooves under the ball of the foot that allow the shoe to bend like your foot. The foot can also roll through the stride by turning the toe up, which is known as toe spring, or by cutting away the midsole into a rocker pattern. Small changes in location or angle can change the mechanics and feel of your stride, as well as what degree of flex is best for your stride as it speeds up.
What to look for: A shoe that flexes or rolls in the direction your foot wants to go at the pace you’ll be wearing it.
Between the outsole and the upper is a foam material that is designed to cushion the runner from impact forces and guide the foot through the stride.
What to look for: A midsole thickness and material that feels good at high speeds, fits your softness or firmness preference, and isn’t too heavy.
Material in the midsole designed to reduce the impact shock of a heel strike. To smooth the landing, some shoes have a softer area on the outer edge of the foot or a rounded outer heel, in addition to a variety of cushioning materials. According to research, your body provides the majority of joint cushioning, and you land harder in a more cushioned shoe, so heel cushioning is mostly a matter of personal preference.
What to look for: A good balance of cushioning, stability, and ground feel, as well as whether the shoe lands where you expect it to and rolls into a natural stride.
Midsole material designed to lessen the impact of the stride’s most powerful forces, which occur at forefoot loading and push off. While body mechanics provide most of the cushioning above the ankle, forefoot shoe cushioning protects the foot’s structures. New materials and designs have the potential to both protect and propel your foot.
What to search for: Pay attention to the responsiveness of the shoe, looking for a good balance of cushioning and a firm push-off platform.
When standing in a shoe, the height difference between your heel and ball of your foot. Experts disagree about the importance of drop in terms of injuries (remember Vibrams? ), but they all agree that changing drop distributes forces differently to the foot and leg, which can change your stride.
What to look for: A shoe that feels good from touchdown to toe-off and relieves stress on any weak areas of your foot.
To keep the foot from excessive motion, such as over-pronation or rolling inward, designers use a variety of technologies (such as medial posts, dual-density foams, varus wedges, guide rails, and wider shoe geometries). Most people do not require pronation correction, according to scientists, but control and stability devices appear to aid some runners in maintaining their preferred movement path.
What to look for: A shoe that allows your foot to move freely and naturally through the stride, with stability acting as support rather than correction.
The removable foam pad in the shoe that cushions the contours of your foot’s bottom. The sockliner, in conjunction with shoe geometry, provides the majority of what people expect from a shoe, as well as providing initial step-in comfort.
What to look for: Pay attention to how the shoe feels while running, because softer isn’t always better, and the foot works dynamically to provide its own support and cushioning. Don’t Make These Shoe-Buying Mistakes”