Advice on running shoes

My favorite pair of running shoes ever were Salomon. They were like 8oz or something crazy like that and solid support.

I'd stay away from Nike/Asics/Reebok/etc...

Go get fitted. Varsity in Baton Rouge is great. Now in Adidas Boost

Look up a local running club in yoru area. Contact them and ask them if they recommend anyone in particular. Contact that store and go try on a bunch of different shoes.

I convinced myself for years I was a Saucony guy. I went through a similar process described above and landed in a line of Brooks running shoes (the Ravenna series) that i will never leave. They changed (for the better) where I was striking my foot and the support for the way my feet are shaped and the way I pronate is the best I've ever had. My wife did the same thing and found that Brooks were absolutely not for her. IMO you can't just pick a brand - gotta find what's best for you.

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New Balance. Don't run anymore, but they have made the two most comfortable shoes I've ever worn.

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Yeah 990s are great but they reek after like a month of running in them.

Word of advice when buying shoes. Don't go to places like Payless, Shoes Carnival, JCPenny, etc. Go to the brand name outlet store.
These types of places will usually get the less desirable shoes due to the sheer volume that's needed to fill order.

New Balance, for example, has it's own store in Baton Rouge. These break out stores get the best of every model shoe made.
Think of those other stores as getting a C grade in comparison for quality of shoe, whereas the brand stores will get the A grade.
While there you will also get fitted by people that know what they are talking about.

Runner's World Fall Shoe Guide (think it used to be the October issue)used to have ratings every year. Also had a lot of great info for figuring out what shoes you need.


This online link might help answer some questions before you go shopping.

Runner's World shoe finder

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If you're new to running, go ahead and blow $$$ on any of the expensive shoes people recommend in this thread.

But if you become a serious runner, be sure to read a book called Born to Run. It will give you a new outlook on shoes.

Tomorrow, I'm doing a 50 mile ultra marathon, and I'm doing it wearing $20 shoes from Walmart. I'm honestly not sure what brand they are. I did all my training for this race (including 1000+ mi over the last 4 months) in cheap/minimal shoes too, with no ill effects. I've been doing 2400-2500 miles a year for the past four years without injury/pain/soreness.

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Someone's got it. Shoes are not the solution to all the issues people report. Pronation, knee pain, etc - they are just a crutch.

Fix your mechanical issues, weak feet, and learn how to run...and you can run in anything (but you'll prefer something minimalist).

People assume they can just head out the door and go run and that shoes will save them, then wonder why they eventually get injured. But running is a high skill activity requires a base level of knowledge and strength.

Fwiw, I had flat feet and ran in what I was told I needed for years, motion control shoes. Then I saw the light.

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Go to a running store and have someone watch you jog. The good sales people know how to analyze your form i.e. over pronation, heel strike, etc....they will suggest shoes based on that. You can't go by what I wear or the next person wears.

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Best advice in this thread. Anyone just posting "X is the best to get" is clueless. Get someone who knows what they're talking about to analyze your foot, and if they're good what they do, they'll have to try on several different pairs for your foot type.

Go to a local running store and get their advice.

I used to run only in Brooks Ravena, and still do for my short runs, but I switched to Brooks Adrenaline for my 10+ runs, and have been very happy with them. Took a week or two to get used to as I'd been running in Ravenas for several years.

I run 6 to 8 miles every other day. I was also a paratrooper in the army and ran a ton. Just buy a good pair that are comfortable for you. I go through shoes so much that it doesn't make a lot of sense to blow 200 every other month on shoes. I am currently wearing a 85 dollar pair of mizunos, not sure the model. And they are great.