Spring has sprung! After a long, dark winter, it’s finally time to get back in stride and and crank up your run routine. While finding the right pair of shoes is a highly subjective exercise, we’ve simplified the task by knocking out the miles and narrowing the choices to our top five favorite Spring road and trail shoes.
Road Runners Rejoice
Whether you’re knocking out long miles on the tarmac or running intervals fast enough to travel back in time, you need a shoe that’s ready to go the distance and never let you down. Towards those ends, here’s five of our favorite new road shoes for Spring 2014.
BROOKS Transcend
The Transcend is Brooks’s most recent entry into a category of performance athletic footwear. The Transcend offers a 6mm drop and features a uniquely shaped outsole designed to disperse pressure evenly in the heel, midfoot and forefoot. But the main ingredient to the shoe’s ride is two-fold. First, a blend of foam and Brooks DNA cushioning material, that adapts to the amount of force applied to it. Secondly is what Brooks refers to as “Guide Rails”. Think of them as the “bumpers” in bumper bowling: They prevent you from falling in the gutter and providing you exactly the support you need.
brooksrunning.com; MSRP $160
Saucony Guide 7
The Guide 7 from Saucony is the updated version of an award-winning shoe, including being named “best shoe in the world” by the international editors of Runner’s World. For 2014, the Guide 7 gets a new outsole configuration that’s reminiscent of the fifth iteration of this shoe; the triangle-shaped rubber lugs found underneath the previous version are gone. Instead, bigger patches of rubber give more surface area for traction and better durability, something you’ll appreciate in a daily trainer.
saucony.com; MSRP $120
Altra Repetition
Altra dubs the new Repetition as the world’s first high cushioned, high stability Zero Drop™ running shoe. Using their revolutionary new feature, StabiliPod™ technology, the Repetition™ enhances the three natural stability zones of the foot for ultimate support for runners with collapsed arches, weak feet and excessive pronation. Combined with Altra’s varus Stability Wedge, this shoe achieves maximum stability while placing the foot in proper alignment. Big cushion for big miles and extra support.
altrarunning.com; MSRP $125
New Balance Fresh Foam 980
With a scant four millimeter heel-to-toe drop and the brand’s plushest midsole cushioning yet, the Fresh Foam 980 incorporates some of New Balance’s latest design and technology. Pairing a near-flat profile with cushioned and geometrically-supportive sole design, the New Balance Fresh Foam 980 neutral running shoe, is designed to “give runners plush cushioning properties and stability in a more minimal package.”
newbalance.com; MSRP $110
Newton Motion III
Newton Running never rests on its laurels and the new Motion III stability running shoe is a prime example. The Motion III incorporates Newton’s new Point of Power or P.O.P 1 platform which adds a fifth lug underfoot providing a broader and more stable base while increasing the shoe’s overall responsiveness and ground feel. With stability on its mind and performance at its core, the Motion III is able to handle the drudgery of long miles yet capable of blazing through tempo workouts or race day efforts. The Motion III just got even better.
newtonrunning.com: MSRP $175
Time on the Trail
For those who prefer long miles along winding mountain trails threading through thick forested slopes to the monotony of city streets, here are our top five trail shoes for Spring 2014.
Altra Olympus
Recently featured in our Best of Show from the Winter Outdoor Retailer Show, the Olympus from Altra strikes an excellent balance of comfort and performance as the only trail shoe with a foot-shaped toe box and max-cushioned Zero Drop platform. The Olympus places your foot on a 34mm stack of dual-layer EVA cushioning that softens the blow of each footstrike and protects your feet from the ruggedness of technical terrain. All the while you receive the benefit of the tried and true Altra “foot-shaped” design which, coupled with the Zero Drop platform puts your feet in a natural position for an efficient, stable trail-running experience.
altrarunning.com; MSRP $130
Vasque Ultra SST
One of these things is not like the others… and in the case of the new Ultra SST, that is a very good thing. Showcasing Vasque’s new ShapeShifter Technology, the thick midsole is built to conform to the contours of the foot, as well as the rocks and ruts of the trail. Vasque stitched the upper directly to the injection-molded EVA midsole, effectively getting rid of the additional layers found in most other running shoes. Aimed at ultra and trail running buffs, this model features a 6mm drop from heel to toe via soft, high rebound EVA and geometrical sole pods. Top it all off with a boa-lacing system for customized fit, and these trail kicks will have you ready to conquer any trail.
vasque.com; MSRP $170
Salomon X-Scream
Not everyone’s backyard opens up to miles of mountain trails, which is one of the reasons to love the X-Scream from Salomon Running. Part of the Salomon CityTrail™ line, the men’s and women’s X-Scream Trail-Running Shoes gives the right amount of springy cushioning and confidence-building support. Salomon’s Sensifit™ design envelops and cradles feet for a precise fit that minimizes foot slippage inside shoe while the quicklace system provides a confident lockdown. These dynamic kicks offer the lightweight feel of a more minimal outsole that reduces weight without sacrificing traction making it easy to go from pavement to trailhead. Slip on, head out and enjoy the ride.
Available now; MSRP $110
Patagonia EVERlong
Although it’s a minimalist shoe at heart, Patagonia’s Everlong Trail Running Shoe doesn’t skimp on the features you need to tackle rough trails and long miles in comfort. A low profile design (23/19m mm; 4mm drop) with a cushy landing offers an intimate connection with the trail. Its air mesh upper enhances comfort with minimal seams and maximum breathability while the Dri-Lex covers the collar and tongue to wick moisture so your foot stays dry. Built in collaboration with elite ultra runner and Patagonia ambassador Jeff Browning, the EVERlong is feathery light with solid traction ensuring that you have the freedom to focus on the trail ahead whether you’re headed for a quick 10 miler or a weekend ultra.
patagonia.com; MSRP $110
Newton BOCO AT
The BOCO AT is Newton Running’s first true trail running shoe. Equipped with a 3 mm drop, durable all-weather upper capable of repelling the elements and multi-directional lugs with traction ridges on the medial and lateral forefoot, BOCO AT is ready to take on the most challenging of trails (and shoe brands). Its aggressive trail-throbbing design will have you rethinking your run routes as you quickly realize those daily runs along local fire trails aren’t quite challenging enough. Pavement be damned!
newtwonrunning.com: MSRP $129