Runner’s World Spring 2023 Shoe Awards

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.

Nutrition - Weight Loss

$260 at Amazon$260 at Dick's Sporting Goods

New Balance FuelCell SuperComp Elite v3 Racing Sneaker

Now 20% Off

$230 $184 at New Balance

CA Notice at Collection

$275 at Saucony

Racing Shoe Award Winners

Now 25% Off

$250 $187 at fleetfeet.com

Nutrition - Weight Loss

Now 30% Off

$200 $140 at runningwarehouse.com

All About 75 Hard

Now 60% Off

$250 $100 at runningwarehouse.com

Training Shoe Award Winners

$140 at Brooks Running

Asics Gel-Cumulus 25 Training Shoe

$140 at Asics

Lululemon Blissfeel 2 Training Sneaker

$128 at Lululemon

at Dicks Sporting Goods

Now 50% Off

$190 $95 at ADIDAS

Saucony Ride 16 Training Shoe

$140 at Zappos

Training Shoe Award Winners

$140 at Zappos

361 Asics Gel-Cumulus 25 Training Shoe

Now 20% Off

$130 $104 at 361usa.com

Asics Superblast

$200 at Amazon

Nike Invincible 3

$180 at Nike

Why We Took Scissors to $330 Running Shoes

Now 39% Off

$170 $104 at Amazon

at Brooks Running

Now 10% Off

$100 $90 at Amazon

After months of testing more than 100 pairs of shoes, these are the 25 models that rose to the top

Shop at Amazon

Hoka Challenger 7

$145 at hoka.com

Brooks Catamount 2

Now 44% Off

$170 $96 at Amazon

Runners World; Thomas Hengge

Now 30% Off

$160 $112 at Nike

Merrell MTL Skyfire 2

$200 at Merrell

Altra Lone Peak 7

Now 15% Off

$130 $110 at Amazon

VJ Ultra 2

$170 at vjshoesusa.com

Updated: Apr 19, 2023 2:25 PM EDT

Now 34% Off

$150 $99 at topoathletic.com

Jeff Dengate

Runner-in-Chief

Jeff is Runner-in-Chief for Runner's World, guiding the brand's shoes and gear coverage. A true shoe dog, he's spent more than a decade testing and reviewing shoes. In 2017, he ran in 285 different pairs of shoes, including a streak of 257 days wearing a different model.
 

Amanda Furrer

Test Editor

Amanda is a test editor at Runner’s World who has run the Boston Marathon every year since 2013; she's a former professional baker with a master’s in gastronomy and she carb-loads on snickerdoodles.