Whether you're a beginner, an ultra-runner or a speed demon, our expert clocked up more than 50km in each trainer to find the perfect shoe, no matter your goal.
Whether you're just starting Couch to 5k or well on the way to the 100 Marathon Club, finding running shoes that suit your pace, physique and running style is mission-critical. The right shoes can help you run better, ward off injury and, most importantly, help you to build the consistency that unlocks the biggest fitness and mental health gains.
The first step out of the door is the hardest, and uncomfortable shoes are just another barrier between you and that sweet endorphin release. Yet with dozens of brands - from Hoka, Adidas and Nike to New Balance, Saucony and On - hundreds of styles, and enough tech jargon to make Susie Dent's head spin, finding your solemate can be a challenge in itself.
That's why I'm here to help. I test running shoes professionally, and I've laced up hundreds of pairs in the past 18 months, running thousands of miles in pretty much everything from the latest carbon race shoes to cushioned trainers designed for comfort. As a runner closing in on 70 marathons, I can spot the best running shoes for every run and every runner.
Over the past decade, I've tested hundreds of running shoes while on a perpetual personal and professional mission to find the best and weed out the worst. In some cases, I'm on to testing the tenth generation of a particular shoe.
I test running gear to pay the mortgage. So when I'm not training for a race, I'm generally sampling the latest shoes, apparel and other running kit. If I can get somewhere by running, I always prefer to go on foot. I've also run close to 70 marathons, including lots of ultras.
During the past 18 months, I've tested the latest running shoes from all the major brands, as well as smaller brands such as Norda, Hylo, Mount to Coast and Decathlon's top-value Kiprun.
I ran at least 50km in each shoe, putting them through a series of test runs. That included a progression run where I moved from my easy run pace up to my 5km pace. I used carbon race shoes for timed events where possible, and I often ran solo marathons around London to find out how the shoes would feel when you're 22 miles deep (the real test).
After all that plodding, I rated each running shoe based on how it lives up to the marketing blurb and whether it's suitable for the runs and runners it's aimed at. I looked at fit and comfort while awarding bonus points to shoes that coped with a wide range of paces and endured big mileage. I love versatile shoes that scream good value.
I've selected the standout running shoes across a variety of situations and scenarios. Here are my top picks.
If you slip on a running shoe and it immediately feels like it belongs - what we running-shoe geeks call "instant step-in comfort" - that's a great first sign.
Look for about a thumb's-width length at the end of the toe box, good clearance across the top of the toes and a bit of room for your toes to splay. Pay close attention to the areas next to your big- and pinky-toe knuckles - you should feel hugged but not restricted.
The heel collars shouldn't slip when you walk or run, and there should be no rubbing from the heels under the achilles. It can be useful to go up half a size or even one full size on your regular shoes to allow for any foot swelling that can happen on longer runs. Some brands also do wide-fit options. But if it starts to feel like you're standing in a canoe, the shoe's probably too big.
The collective wisdom suggests your running shoes should be replaced every 300-500 miles. But this oft-cited rule of thumb appears to come from one 1985 study that found the shock absorption capacity for some shoes dropped to less than 60% between 250 and 500 miles. And things have changed a lot since 1985.
Modern running shoe foams have been completely transformed. And our expectations of what a running shoe should deliver go far beyond taking the edge off the road. We now want impact protection and boosted energy and efficiency. Equally, however, just because a pair of shoes isn't providing peak performance, that doesn't mean it's dead.
If impact protection is your top priority - and you've run past 300 miles without any major issues - there's arguably no compelling reason to replace your shoes.
We runners like hard and fast rules, but the truth is your shoes are good to go for as long as you feel they are. Do your wallet and the planet a favour by tuning into how they feel when you move, not how many miles they've clocked.
It's very tempting to stick your running shoes in a shoe bag on a 30C wash, but if you want them to last - and perform - as long as possible, it's best to keep them out of the washing machine and the tumble dryer.
Instead, use a soft-bristle brush (I use a toothbrush), damp cloth, some mild detergent and a bit of elbow grease to remove dust and mud. Remember to go easy on the midsole: superfoams don't like heavy scrubbing. Remove laces and insoles, and stuff wet shoes with newspaper or paper towel to dry out.
Avoid placing them directly on radiators, as prolonged exposure to high heat can harden and damage the midsole foam. I also recommend cedar wood dryer bags to help absorb moisture and keep your shoes smelling fresh(er).
Before you bin high-performance footwear, ask yourself if it could do another job elsewhere in your shoe rotation. That super trainer performance might have petered out, but provided it's not giving you any trouble, they could have a second life as easy day running shoes.
Once they've definitely plodded their last, you could consider a change of use, like lacing them up for easy strolls, walking the dog or gardening, or my favourite: taking the bins out.
You could also send them to JogOn, a scheme that gives donated running shoes a new lease of life by getting them to people who need them. Runner's Need also has its Recycle My Gear scheme that salvages still wearable and repairable kit.
It's also worth checking if the shoe brand offers its own "return for recycling" scheme. It's not easy to recycle running shoes due to the glue and the number of different materials used, but old shoes are often ground down and transformed into things like the base surface for astroturf football pitches.