The Best Running Shoes of 2025

In this category, we zeroed in on shoes that we considered to be our everyday workhorses. Whether you feel like a 20-minute jog around town or you're training for a race and need some over-mileage, these shoes will get the job done in comfort.

The three standout Standard Daily Trainers are the Brooks Ghost 17, the HOKA Clifton 10, and the Nike Vomero 18. The Brooks Ghost 17 wins our top pick because of its reliability, grounded cushioning, and dependability. It has years of proven, consistent comfort and reliability under its belt, with a fit that is comfortable and familiar, and cushioning that is soft, but never overly squishy. The Ghost 17 thrives in its ability to lock in and then get out of your way, and is a core building block for any shoe rotation.

At a glance: Brooks Ghost 17

• 10.2 oz | 289 g (Men's size 9)
• 8.8 oz | 249 g (Women's size 8)
• Heel stack: 36 mm
• Forefoot stack: 26 mm
• Heel-toe Offset: 10 mm

Stability shoes are a great option for those who overpronate or need added support. The ASICS Gel Kayano 32 wins our top pick because of the way ASICS' 4D guidance system combines with the shoe’s low weight for a smooth, stable ride.

The Gel Kayano 32 is built for comfort, support, and everyday running. Its soft, lightweight cushioning provides enhanced shock absorption, while ASICS' 4D Guidance System adapts to your stride and provides natural-feeling stability. Whether you're running long distances or just heading out for an easy jog, the Kayano 32 will keep you feeling steady and supported.

At a glance: ASICS Gel Kayano 32

• 10.5 oz | 298 g (Men's size 9)
• 9.0 oz | 255 g (Women's size 8)
• Heel stack: 40 mm
• Forefoot stack: 32 mm
• Heel-toe Offset: 8 mm

The Daily Trainers- Premium category is all about luxury; elevating your runs through plush cushioning, fancy foams, and detailed uppers. For us, the three standout Premium Daily Trainers of 2025 are the ASICS Gel Nimbus 27, the Nike Vomero Plus, and the New Balance 1080 v14.

The New Balance Fresh Foam X 1080 v14 wins our top pick because of how version 14 cut excess weight, raised its sidewalls for enhanced stability, and improved the breathability of its upper. Version 13 was already a strong shoe, but with these upgrades, we thought that the 14 really shone against its competitors. Lighter weight, but still soft and pillowy, the New Balance Fresh Foam X 1080 v14 seems to have it all.

At a glance: New Balance 1080 v14

• 9.9 oz | 280 g (Men's size 9)
• 9.3 oz | 264 g (Women's size 9)
• Heel stack: 39 mm
• Forefoot stack: 33 mm
• Heel-toe offset: 6 mm

Max cushioned shoes are ideal for runners and walkers who are willing to deal with a little bit of extra weight in order to ensure the most cushioned experiences on their runs. Our three standout Daily Trainer- Max Cushion Daily shoes are the Brooks Glycerin Max, the New Balance More v6, and the PUMA Mag Max.

Of that group, the PUMA MagMax Nitro feels the fastest and most confident, with a NITROFOAM midsole that strikes a brilliant balance between soft and energetic, and underfoot geometries that keep you rolling through your strides. The PWRTAPE overlay across the top keeps your foot locked in, and overall, the shoe is a great choice for runners who prioritize comfort and protection on long run days.

At a glance: PUMA MagMax

• 10.3 oz | 292 g (Men's size 9)
• 8.8 oz | 249 g (Women's size 9)
• Heel stack: 47 mm
• Forefoot stack: 39 mm
• Heel-toe offset: 8 mm

With Energetic Daily Trainers, we ask shoes to do everything. They have to be approachable enough for us to slip on every single day, but they'd also better not slow us down. Each of our three standout Daily Trainer- Energetic shoes manage to thread this needle, with the New Balance Rebel v5, the ASICS Novablast 5, and the HOKA Mach 6 all providing comfortable, zippy rides and facilitating quick turnovers for your workouts.

The New Balance Rebel v5 wins our top pick, though, because of how immediately squishy and light it feels upon step-in, yet how bouncy and responsive it feels when pushing interval paces. Extra stack heights in the v5 means that you can rack up extra miles in the shoes, and even without a plate to force stability, the shoe remains structured enough to keep your workouts confident and fun every single time.

At a glance: New Balance Rebel v5

• 7.9 oz | 224 g (Men's size 9)
• 6.8 oz | 193 g (Women's size 9)
• Heel stack: 38 mm
• Forefoot stack: 32 mm
• Heel-toe offset: 6 mm

Long-Run focused Performance Trainers are especially fun to run in because they get to showcase maximal stacks of each brands' latest and greatest superfoams and features. The MEGABLAST wins the category for us thanks to its incredible under-foot feel, its game-changing foam composition, and its versatility.

With 45 mm FULL of ASICS’ incredibly bouncy, responsive FFTURBO2 foam on display, and a steep toe rocker/heel rocker combination, ASICS encourages you to fly through your next workout. They're plenty quick enough to tackle our fastest interval workouts. Need to get some recovery miles in? Good news, the MEGABLASTS are also plush and bouncy enough to let us cruise around those miles in casual style. Want to do a long run in them? There’s enough foam here to keep your feet happy for however long you're hoping to go.

At a glance: ASICS MEGABLAST

• 7.8 oz | 221 g (Unisex Men’s size 9/Women’s 10)
• Heel stack: 45 mm
• Forefoot stack: 37 mm
• Heel-toe offset: 8 mm

Performance trainers are designed to combine the speed-ready feel of a racer with the durability needed to handle repeated use. The Evo SL wins the category for us thanks to its incredible light weight and the zippiness of its Lightstrike Pro-based midsole.

Blending inspiration from adidas’ Adizero and Boston lines, the Evo SL features a minimal design with Lightstrike Pro racing superfoam underfoot for an ultra-responsive ride. A nylon-reinforced midfoot adds structure and encourages smooth transitions while minimizing weight, so you can put in max effort with less strain on your legs. Whether you're pushing a tempo run or even lining up for race day, the adidas adizero Evo SL is engineered to handle it all with easy speed.

At a glance: adidas adizero Evo SL

• 8.1 oz | 230 g (Men's size 9)
• 7.2 oz | 204 g (Women's size 8)
• Heel stack: 37 mm
• Forefoot stack: 30.5 mm
• Heel-toe offset: 6.5 mm

Super shoes have undergone a revolution in the past decade. Low-Stack Super Shoes keep their focus on shorter races. Perfect for 5ks and 10ks, with the ability to stretch to miles or half marathons, these shoes don’t worry so much about durability or longevity as much as they just try to push you faster, and faster, and faster.

The Takumi Sen 11 is a razor-sharp road racing shoe that seats you low in its profile, allowing you to feel connected to the ground, while simultaneously generating propulsion through adidas’ familiar glass-fiber EnergyRods. These rods, instead of plates, enhance the shoes’ responsiveness without necessitating the rigidity of a plate. The result is a fast and flexible, and responsiveness that makes fast feel easy.

At a glance: adidas Takumi Sen 11

• 6.5 oz | 184 g (Unisex Men’s size 9/Women’s 10)
• Heel stack: 32 mm
• Forefoot stack: 25 mm
• Heel-toe offset: 7 mm

Super shoes combine lightweight builds, high-performance foam and midsole plates to maximize energy return and running economy. The three standout Super Shoes- High Stack are the PUMA FAST-R Elite 3, the ASICS Metaspeed Ray, and the Nike Alphafly. The PUMA Fast-R 3 wins the category for us thanks to its pure, unmatched performance capabilities.

Designed for race day speed, the Fast-R 3 pairs a lightweight, ultra-breathable upper with high-performance NITROFOAM for responsive cushioning and efficient energy return. Underfoot, a full-length carbon PWRPLATE extends past the toes to drive powerful toe-offs and to create a smooth, propulsive ride from start to finish. This impressive balance of performance features and user comfort offers an explosive, energy-sustaining ride that's sure to make a difference at your next competition.

At a glance: PUMA Fast-R Nitro Elite 3

• 6.0 oz | 170 g (Men's size 9)
• 5.2 oz | 147 g (Women's size 8)
• Heel stack: 39 mm
• Forefoot stack: 31 mm
• Heel-toe offset: 8 mm

When choosing a trail running shoe, it's important to identify the types of trails you will run on and the amount of cushioning you prefer underfoot. In this category, we are looking for trail running shoes that can do a bit of everything—smooth fire roads, more technical terrain, or even road to trail.

Salomon's Contragrip, all-purpose outsole, provides great traction across all surfaces. The shoe is reasonably stacked, with a 34 mm heel and a 26 mm toe, striking a great balance between being cushioned enough for regular gravel roads, yet grounded enough to maintain confident footing across technical terrain. The upper is both comfortable and durable, providing a wonderfully secure ride, with a dynamic support chassis to protect you from rolled ankles when you hit that rogue rock on the course.

At a glance: Salomon Genesis

• 9.7 oz | 275 g (Men's size 9)
• 8.8 oz | 249 g (Women's size 8)
• Heel stack: 33 mm
• Forefoot stack: 25 mm
• Heel-toe offset: 8 mm

Performance Trail running shoes are designed to be nimble and agile. They tend to be light and are the preferred choice for many who run sub-ultra trail races. The NNormal Kjerag 02 wins the category for us thanks to the way it balances making you feel connected to, and protected from the trail, all at once.

The highlight feature of the NNormal Kjerag (Pronounced: Shhr-Ak) 02 (Pronounced: Two) is its updated EExpure+ foam, which is somehow lighter, softer, more responsive, AND more durable than what we saw in the NNormal Kjerag 01. And the NNormal Kjerag 01’s midsole was already impressive. NNormal has refused to rest on its laurels and has made marked improvements to this shoe’s outsole, and its upper...even its lug profile.

At a glance: NNormal Kjerag 02

• 8.1 oz | 230 g (Unisex Men’s size 9/Women’s 10)
• Heel stack: 29 mm
• Forefoot stack: 23 mm
• Heel-toe offset: 6 mm

Max cushion running shoes have exploded in popularity in recent years, so it only makes sense that high stacks are starting to pop up more frequently out on the trails. Max cushion trail shoes are designed for off-road runners looking to prioritize comfort and stability, while still seeking a high level of durability and performance.

It’s hard to strike the balance between max cushioned shoes and technical trails. The HOKA Mafate 5 expertly navigates this conundrum with a winglet plate to stabilize your footstrike, an insole/midsole combination that helps you feel seated in the shoe, and dual-density foams that preserve the Mafate’s responsiveness and support. Thanks to all of this, we found the Mafate 5 to be a sure-footed standout among the Max Cush Trail Shoes pack.

At a glance: HOKA Mafate 5

• 11.1 oz | 315 g (Men's size 9)
• 10.0 oz | 283 g (Women's size 8)
• Heel stack: 44 mm
• Forefoot stack: 36 mm
• Heel-toe offset: 8 mm

Super trail shoes are built to speed up best trail runners in the world, though you don't have to be elite to benefit from the cutting-edge technology these shoes have to offer. The three standout Super Shoes- Trail are the norda 005, the PUMA Deviate Elite Trail, and the On Cloudultra Pro.

With two layers of NITROFOAM Elite in the midsole sandwiching a carbon-composite PWRPLATE, and an ULTRAWEAVE upper that is breathable and race-ready, the PUMA Deviate Nitro Elite Trail wins as our favorite Trail Super Shoe for 2025. It’s a lightweight racing shoe that’s protective enough to handle any trail, and it stands out thanks to its balance of responsiveness, fit, and value.

At a glance: PUMA Deviate Nitro Elite Trail

• 9.6 oz | 272 g (Men's size 9)
• 8.0 oz | 227 g (Women's size 8)
• Heel stack: 37 mm
• Forefoot stack: 31 mm
• Heel-toe offset: 6 mm

Once you identify the right shoe for you, it's also vital that you choose the correct size. While running, your feet tend to swell. With that in mind, it is typically recommended to go up half a size as compared to your street shoe size.

This will depend on the shoe you are wearing. The shoes on this list should last anywhere from 300-600 miles. Some telltale signs that it is time to replace your shoes are if they feel “dead” underneath your feet, have creases in the midsole, or if the rubber on the outsole is worn down.

If you are newer to running, one shoe that can do a bit of everything is perfect. If you are looking to train for a race, improve your speed, or run on different terrains, you may consider owning several pairs. This answer will depend largely on your running routine.